Elton John’s Final Dallas Show Was a Wonderfully Emotional Rollercoaster

Elton John began his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in September 2018 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The first leg of the tour saw two mesmerizing, sold-out shows at Dallas’ American Airlines Center two months later in December.

Thursday and Friday night, John gave what will formally be his final performances in Dallas proper, though North Texas will have one final chance to see the legendary singer-songwriter once again at Globe Life Field in September before John makes his final good-byes in Europe and Oceania. 

Back in 2018, John gave a sprawling performance highlighting hits and deep cuts such as “Indian Sunset” from 1971’s Madman Across The Water and “All the Girls Love Alice” from 1973’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. For John’s final show in Dallas, however, the showman gave a more trimmed down set that skipped straight to the good stuff.

The arena was packed. Hundreds of fans of all ages donned their very best Elton John chic — some in sequins, some in bedazzled jumpsuits and others in light-up sunglasses that could be seen from the floor when the lights went dark. John made his entrance up the short stairway in a long, sparkling coat bearing his initials, limping a bit from a recent hip injury. Still, the crowd rose to its feet as the grand rock ‘n’ roll pianist took a seat at his grand piano.

The video backdrop behind John at the concert’s start gave audiences a glimpse of the real blood, sweat and tears the singer has shed on his way to this moment. It displayed a revised version of the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album cover, showing an older John entering green pastures. Behind him was a younger John, seated in his iconic sequin Dodgers jersey among crushed, empty beer cans. On the other side, one could make out a fallen “Goodbye,” replaced by a “Farewell” where the album’s title would be. On the letters, there was splattered blood.
To say that the concert was emotional is an understatement. The entire night was underscored by the thought that John would never again play in front of a Dallas audience, and hearing the singer plow through decades of hits on which so many of us were raised was as nostalgic as it was tragic. John’s music will be with us forever, certainly, but hearing his voice falter slightly and watching him struggle to his feet at times, one can’t help but think that there is more to this tour than a farewell to the music industry.

The video backdrop would further serve to heighten the emotional gravity of the night. Whether it was the LGBTQ-centered video for “Philadelphia Freedom,” the people of color elevated during “Border Song” or the beautiful depiction of Marilyn Monroe’s life in “Candle In The Wind,” each video shined a light on the many causes John has championed throughout his turbulent and brilliant career.
Still, all of the heavy emotions aside, John remained in wonderful spirits throughout the night’s 22-song setlist. Despite his hip injury and age, John still rose to his feet at the close of nearly every song to wave to audience members from the front to the very back, smiling and thanking them for coming as though people hadn’t been planning their attendance at Friday night’s show for years. John even joked about his age in the first song of the night’s encore, “Cold Heart,” which recently made the singer the first artist to have a top 10 hit in six decades thanks to the collaboration with Dua Lipa.

“I won’t lie to you,” John said wryly, “It’s great to have a hit when you’re 74.”

Though John may not be the superhuman singer and performer he once was, his last performance in Dallas proved that he doesn’t have to be. Watching a legendary singer of John’s stature perform isn’t about seeing the greatest show or showman on Earth. It’s about reliving all the moments to which John’s music served as soundtrack, and cheering on the man who made it all possible.