Almost 50 Years On From His First Show Here, Elton John Just Said Goodbye To Australia

Elton John first played an Australian stage on 17 October, 1971. In the 49 years since, he has become one of Australia’s favourite international touring artists, something that has seen him return to our shores regularly, and not coincidentally, through the warmer months, John known to enjoy cricket and tennis tournaments.

In what was to be his final appearance in Australia, a huge array of fans gathered at one of Australia’s newest live music venues, Bankwest Stadium, to celebrate one of their oldest loves. Holding an outdoor concert in March (known for being one of the city's wettest months) was a risky proposition, but the sold-out crowd were in high spirits, even lining up for a solid 30 minutes before the show commenced to snaffle some merch.

A huge array of shirts, tanks, hats, wristbands, jewellery and yes, even tissues, were on sale, but it was the light-up glasses — an item John has become synonymous with — that seemed to be hot property, selling out over an hour before he hit the stage. 

Those scrambling for tracksuits may have missed the outstanding talents of local musician, Tate Sheridan. He proved to not only have the chops to pull off the huge support slot, but his obvious gratitude to be supporting someone that had a huge influence on him was humbling to witness. The driving power ballads that he and his band performed were received warmly by the crowd who were surely clicking the follow button quickly on their Facebook app.

The anticipation for Elton John was palpable. People arrived with glittery outfits, novelty glasses, retro fashion, ostentatious wigs and colour — there was colour everywhere. Children, teenagers, Millennials, Gen-Xers, Boomers and the elderly — they were all there, such is the broad audience attracted to the maestro on the piano.

When the lights dimmed and the warm-up music commenced, ten minutes before schedule, people scrambled to their seats for the opening bars of Bennie And The Jets. 

John, having seemingly recovered from the bout of walking pneumonia he encountered during the New Zealand leg of the tour, was energetic from the get-go, pointing and smiling to the doting crowd. At the end of most songs of the 24-strong set, he’d bounce to his feet, raise his arms and accept the crowd's adulation. His passion for performing was obvious, even at the age of 72.

Elton John @ Bankwest Stadium. Photo by Hayden Nixon.

Through renditions of singalong favourites like I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues and Tiny Dancer, the words seemed to flow back into your head. These are tunes so entrenched that you couldn’t help but belt them out. A clear highlight of the night, Rocket Man, was accompanied by a starlit planetary backdrop, just one of the many visuals that enhanced the performance.

Many of the crowd took their seats during a mid-set lull, which despite featuring some extra-long instrumental solos and outros from a hugely talented band (none more so than drummer Nigel Olsson who has been with John since the beginning), included some deeper cuts from John’s older albums. It highlighted that fine balance between appeasing your OG fans, as opposed to your radio-friendly supporters.

The performance of one of the best-selling singles of all time, Candle In The Wind, became especially poignant as rain started to fall on the crowd positioned on the field, “When the rain set in,” almost prophetic. However, as soon as the rain started to get going, it stopped much to the relief of the damp audience who had already unpacked their ponchos. 

Elton John @ Bankwest Stadium. Photo by Hayden Nixon.

John didn’t chat much, but took some time to acknowledge the occasion: “This is my 51st year of touring and I’ll finish next year, unless the coronavirus gets us all!” He continued, “It’s been an amazing journey.” And as if he knew we were waiting for some sort of cheek, he blurted, “Lip-synchers, fuck off!”

Admitting that he was looking forward to spending more time with his family, he thanked his Australian fans. Although he will wrap up touring, he shared that he would continue to make new music.

The rest of the show made for a raucous Saturday night (excluding the fighting), with a few slow (and sad) songs thrown in. People danced down the aisles on the field, with security guards close on their tail. Others rested their heads together, taking in the occasion with tears streaming down their faces.

In amid the nostalgia and memories that flashed onto the screen, John dropped a little bombshell, “I’m going back to New Zealand next year to play [the] two shows that I had to cancel. Maybe I’ll come back here for a couple more shows!”

It’s hard to say goodbye to your idols, especially when they’ve been a part of your whole life, but maybe Australia doesn’t have to say goodbye just yet.