Elton John: O Show da Despedida

... or you'll fall asleep. As timeless as Elton's music is, and as iconic a performer he once was, sitting at a piano playing decades worth of songs isn't entertaining and can get quite laboursome to sit through especially if nothing else is happening. Sure, there are happy jump cuts to the audience pleasantly singing along, and the band, but you'd be better off watching his music videos or listening to his songs at home instead. The show was boring and he didn't bring much personality. I certainly wouldn't have paid to see this show... maybe 30 years ago when he had more energy. Very underwhelming.

I had high hopes for this but what's happened to his singing style?

He sings like he's got hiccups or something, like an old Irish jig. I can't put it into words but it's very strange, like the words are not joined together.

His band are older than Noah, not that there's anything wrong with this but the production lacked energy.

Elton's add libbing and extra Irish jig shouts got really annoying so I could take no more and switched it off 10 minutes before the end.

If I had tickets for this at the ridiculous amounts he's been charging I'd try to get a refund or sell them on now!

He's a music genius but just leave it at that now!

Disney, oh Disney... What is happening to you?.

Elton John, and you didn't care to add Circle of life to the show?... Questions and more questions arise.

This is Elton John we are talking about, not just your run of the mill singer soon to be forgotten. It's one of the most important influencers of the century.

( I use "influencers" as a good thing ). He is a living legend and this is supposed to be his farewell?. For me it's utterly disrespectful, for him, his fans, and followers.

Shame on you Disney. You did for Elton as much as you did for Star Wars.

The whole, before the show interviews are unnecessary and forced, not even emotional or heartwarming. And the end was equally bland.

Sorry but I'll stick to the oldies when staging, glitz, glamour and lots of surprises made a show an experience hard to follow.

This was disappointing to say the least.

I'll never quite get the world of superstars like Elton John, especially how different their life is from mine. Still, for the time Elton John is performing I appreciate how he gives his all to entertain me. He has sized up what will keep me watching and grateful enough to put it into words. The Grammy that this musical special just won is very fitting- so glad this fellow is an EGOT. Encountering the relationship that the devoted fans have with Elton John was touching as this is not part of my experience- this hero fealty. Not sure I could ask for anything more or different in this production.

As "Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium" (2022 release; 174 min.) opens, it is November 20, 2022 and Elton John is about to start what is billed as his very last show, ever, in the US and North America. Then the familiar opening piano riff of "Benny and the Jets" comes on, and Sir Elton and his veteran backing band get things underway...

Couple of comments: there are some good, even very good things about this farewell show, and some not so good. Let's start with the good: first and foremost, Sir Elton's piano playing remains as nimble as ever. His backing band, including longtime stalwarts Davey Johnson (guitar), Nigel Olsson (drums) and Ray Cooper (percussion), is tight and top-notch. The not-quite-as-good includes Sir Elton's shrinking vocal range (he can't hit those high notes anymore), and the oh-so-predictable set-in-stone setlist, which has barely changed during the entire farewell tour. That said, in particular in the first half of the show, there are a few nuggets: the non-hit/deep album cut "Have Mercy On the Criminal" (from the underrated album "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player"); the long instrumental outro at then end of "Rocket Man"; and "Someone Save My Life Tonight" (which Sir Elton introduces as "from my favorite album comes this, one of our best and on of my favorite songs ever"). The second half of the concert features a number of guest appearances, including Kiki Dee on "Don't Go Breaking My Heart". Considering that Sir Elton will be 76 by the time the seemingly endless farewell tour (which started in 2018) supposedly wraps up this coming summer, the guy looks and performs at an amazing level still. (I've seen Sir Elton in concert a number of times over the years. I agonized whether to see the farewell tour when it came here in Cincinnati, where I live, in early 2019. In the end, I couldn't justify the insanely expensive tickets available in the aftermarket, and frankly I was disappointed with the super predictable, never-changing setlist.) Please note that the listed running time of 2 hrs. 54 min. Is a bit misleading, in that the initial 20 min. Is a montage of some memorable moments from Sir Elton's life and career. In essence it serves as the warming-up opening act. You are given the choice to "skip forward" if you so desire, and dive straight into the concert.

"Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium" was simulcast live on Disney+ and is now available on demand there. I just now caught it. The show is solid, but contains zero surprises, hence my rating of 6 stars. If it turns out that this was indeed Sir Elton's last show ever in the US, my rating will go up to 7 stars for historical purposes. Am I truly 100% convinced that this was indeed his last US show ever? I am not. If a major music festival like Coachella or Lollapalooza reached out to Sir Elton in say 5 years for a one-off, I imagine it will be hard for Sir Elton to resist that. Meanwhile, if you are a fan, be it a casual or a die-hard, of Elton John, I'd readily recommend you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.