The crowd of over 50,000 roared as he arrived in the final minutes of the last North American concert of a tour John says will be his last. "I want to spend time with my family because I'll be 76 next year," she said. "I want to get them out there and show them why I'm retiring."
She hugged and kissed her husband, David Furnish, as their two sons, 11-year-old Zachary and 9-year-old Elijah, who wore matching Dodgers jackets with "Elton" written on the back, cheerily waved to the crowd.
The crowd filled with Rocket Men and Rocket Women, kids in blue jeans and Los Angeles ladies, many John's age but many in their 20s, 30s and 40s, swayed and sang as they had during the two-hour show with songs like "Rocket Man" and "Little Dancer". Some wiped away their tears. Many wore their own sequins and sequins, glittering glasses, top hats, feather boas and in some cases Donald Duck costumes, depicting the stages of John's 55-year career.
"Thank you all for dressing up in them," said John, "it makes me so happy when you're wearing the most amazing costumes."
When the last song ended, John took off his dressing gown, revealing another pensioner's outfit, a green and red track suit, and entered a small transparent elevator that took him to an opening in the back. He could then be seen on a giant screen walking down a yellow brick road in the distance.
Many others joined John for the occasion. Kiki Dee took the stage to sing a duet of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart".
“In 1975, this woman was here with me and we sang this song,” John said as he led Dee outside. "I asked him to come and recreate that incredible moment."
John jumped up from his usual place at the keyboard, grabbed a microphone and sang and danced with Dee as their rehearsal pianist, Adam Chester, played the keys for him. John played "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" in tribute to the four bandmates who died during his career, and after the first verse he brought in another guest, yelling, "Ladies and gentlemen, Brandi Carlile !"
The moment was an unspoken tribute to another late collaborator, George Michael, who similarly duetted with John on the 1991 song.
Carlile, who was the focus of Joni Mitchell's recent comeback to the stage, wore her Dodgers-themed sequined hers ensemble. He sang his verse and said "Can you believe it?!" She faced the crowd as John put his arm around her and was drenched in applause.
A drum machine rumbled as Dua Lipa, in a black dress that contrasted with the sparkles of everyone else, stepped out for the first of the encores, "Cold Heart," her 2021 hit with John. "I can't tell you what it feels like to be 75 and have the No. 1 record worldwide,".
He started playing piano chords and sang, "It's kinda funny, this feeling inside," the opening line of 1970's "Your Song."
"It Was Your Song, Los Angeles!" he yelled after. About two hours earlier, after taking the stage in a sequined tuxedo that lit up in a flame and opening the concert with "Benny and the Jets," he explained the importance of the city to his music.
“Okay, this is a very special night for me, a very emotional night for me, and it has been a long journey, and I first came to the United States in 1970 in the city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, and played in a club. called the Troubadour.
The concert, which aired live on Disney+, was the latest in a three-night venture at the stadium (and his 103rd show in the Los Angeles area, he told the crowd). The Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour kicked off in September 2018 with the first of over 300 scheduled dates. It was suspended in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic and resumed in 2021.
In January, John travels to Australia and New Zealand, then moves on to Great Britain and Europe. He's scheduled to wrap up in Sweden in July, though he has clarified that he's only been touring, not playing music. Many of his supporters have been in his band from the beginning, or very close to it, including Nigel Olsson, his drummer since 1969, and Davey Johnstone, his guitarist since 1971, who at 71 was in front of the stage and led the band through a heartbreaking version of "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting."
John also provided a rare onstage insight into an even older collaborator, the man who wrote most of the words the crowd sang throughout the night, lyricist Bernie Taupin.
“We've been writing together since 1967,” John said as he hugged Taupin, who couldn't have made a greater contrast to his writing partner with his bald head and simple earth-toned coat.