ARTIST: SIR ELTON JOHN
VENUE: SUNCORP STADIUM BRISBANE
DATE: JANUARY21ST 2023
REVIEWER: ANDREW TREADWELL
PHOTOGRAPHER: MARKUS RAVIK

Words like legend, icon, superstar are far too easily thrown around sometimes. What if someone was not only all of those, but also a freakin’ Knight! Sounds far fetched, for some, but not for Sir Elton John. He is all of those and more, and on Saturday Night, he was not only alright for fighting (see what I did there) but he also took the journey man’s approach to saying goodbye to Australia at his final ever show on our shores at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium

Most shows you have a warm up act, Sir EHJ does not need any warm up, because within the first minute of opening track “Bennie And The Jets”, he and his band were already on fire, and did not let up for the next 2 1/2 hours. His set list spanned his career, and was a great mix of hits and his own personal favourites, with not a bare backside to be seen on stage as an accompaniment.

Sir Elton surrounds himself with only the best, and his musicians onstage showed why, many of them have been with him for decades and in some case since the very beginning. Davey Johnstone on Guitars and Backing Vocals also serves as musical director, has been with him since 1971. Drummer Nigel Olsson has been along the Yellow Brick Road since 1970. The show within the show, otherwise known as Percussionist Ray Cooper has been mesmerising and hypnotizing the Sir EHJ fans since 1971. You find yourself taking your eyes off the star of the show many time during the set.

Entering his 3rd decade with Elton is John Mahon on Percussion and Backing Vocals, another amazing musicians to help fill out the sound. Not that Elton cannot hold his own on the Keys but the great Kim Bullard helps flesh out those parts and has done since the mid 1990s, and rounding out the band on Bass and Backing Vocals is Matt Bissonnette, keeping that low and and groove alive.

This was Sir Elton’s 36th show in Queensland and since the early seventies Australia has been wowed over 200 times, but sadly all amazing things come to an end. There is a reason this man is so revered world wide, it goes beyond the music, beyond the words, and beyond the show. When that final show is done, I hope the world knows the gift they were given in Sir Elton John, I know all those in attendance for the final Australian show certainly knew it and showed him the love he deserved in return. Sir Elton John, thanks for the memories

Set List

Bennie and the Jets
Philadelphia Freedom
I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues
Border Song(dedicated to Aretha Franklin)
Tiny Dancer
Have Mercy on the Criminal
Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time)
Take Me to the Pilot
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
Levon
Candle in the Wind
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
Burn Down the Mission
Sad Songs (Say So Much)
Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me
The Bitch Is Back
I’m Still Standing
Crocodile Rock
Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting
Encore:
Cold Heart
Your Song
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road