The Most Incredible Country: Elton John Thanks Australian Fans
Image: Elton John. Image: Facebook
Sir Elton John thanked Australian audiences as he wrapped up his 237th and final concert in the country last weekend.
Elton’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, which kicked off in Newcastle on January 8, concluded its Australia leg at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday night.
Elton was met with packed stadiums filled with adoring fans in Melbourne and Sydney. The only drama was when Ian “Molly” Meldrum dropped his pants and flashed his ass on the stage at Elton’s Melbourne concert, for which he later apologised.
Elton thanked his Australian fans saying “you are the most amazing people, the most incredible country, so be nice to each other, be kind to each other, I wish you health and happiness and prosperity and farewell.”
‘This Is It For Me’
“I want to thank you all for the love, loyalty and kindness and support throughout the years, for buying the records and the CDs and the cassettes and more importantly the tickets to the shows because I love to play live more than anything,” said Elton.
The 75-year-old singer said that this will be his last tour. “After July 8, next year this is it for me, I want to spend the rest of my life with my family making records and doing whatever.”
At the end of the concert, Elton reiterated that this was his final tour. “After July the eighth, next year, this is it for me – I want to spend the rest of my life with my family,” the singer told his fans.
First Elton Concert Was In 1971
Elton’s first concert in Australia was over five decades ago when he performed at Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse in October 1971.
“It has been an amazing experience coming here since 1971, every time I come here I love it more and more,” Elton told his fans in Brisbane on Saturday night.
“I love you more and more, you have been an amazing, incredible, loyal crowd, and I can’t thank you enough for dressing up in all the amazing costumes,” added Elton.
Elton now heads to New Zealand and will perform at Auckland and Christchurch.
I was there at the Randwick concert in October 1971. I had just turned 16. Stood on the grass in front of the Racecourse stand, leant on the fence. Elton and his piano (yellow from memory) were 10 to 15 metres from that fence. Saw him climb onto the lid and play upside down and backwards. Absolutely amazed. Sadly i didn’t have a camera to capture the moment. Such a wonderful cherished memory. All for something like AU$5 at the time.