Rock legend takes fans down memory lane for final time
It came as no surprise to see news stories and social posts roll in late Friday evening and early Saturday morning referencing Elton John’s final Knoxville concert. The fact that every review, without any deviation, was uproariously positive was a delightful revelation.
Elton John is one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most unique and treasured icons. He has always had a mesmerizing stage presence and his flamboyant persona coupled with his down-to-earth delivery make his concerts must-see experiences. His great library of songs and albums certainly doesn’t hurt his cause as he’s turned out hits for more than fifty years.
John rocked a nearly packed house at Thompson-Boling Arena, performing songs from his career that has spanned more than five decades.
He had a flawless performance despite not arriving into town until 6:15 p.m. as he and his entourage had plane problems in Atlanta. He made it to Knoxville and was on time for an 8 p.m. call and his show was packed with some of his greatest hits.
John opened with “Bennie and the Jets” and fittingly closed things out with a rendition of the title track from the 1973 double album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
John and the band, consisting of longtime bandmates Davey Johnstone (guitars, vocals); Ray Cooper (percussion) and Nigel Olsson (drums, vocals) along with some newer members, performed a set of tunes including: “Philadelphia Freedom;” “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues;” “Sad Songs (Say so Much);” “Candle in the Wind;” “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” and others.
John’s backing band was flawless in its performance and he continues to be rock’s best piano virtuoso. He also continues to have that infamous stage presence that has carried him through more than 50 years of live performances, albeit his movements are a bit calmed from his debut US shows at The Troubadour in 1970.
He performed most of his hits and played some deep cuts such as “Have Mercy on the Criminal,” and “Border Song,” which has appeared in his concert sets in several years, despite being his first single off his 1970 self-titled LP.
He also performed “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding,” which he tends to dust off from time to time.
Songs noticeably absent from his final Knoxville show included “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word,” “Daniel,” and “I Don’t Wanna Go On with You Like That,” but when you have the number of hits John has amassed throughout his illustrious career, you simply can’t play them all.
John, who is now 75 and has some trouble walking, says that he won’t tour again. If this was indeed his last time on the road, he left Knoxville for the final time with a bang as his show was more than any John fan could have hoped for.
