Elton John fans in Vancouver dressed for the event and sang alongside Saturday because the singer and musician generally known as “Rocket Man” carried out one final time in Canada as a part of a farewell tour set to wrap up globally in mid-2023.
John, 75, performed two exhibits at Vancouver’s B.C. Place, the final Canadian dates of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road: The Final Tour, on Friday and Saturday.
“Good night Vancouver!,” he mentioned Saturday after opening along with his hits Bennie and The Jets and Philadelphia Freedom.
“Tonight’s a most particular night time as a result of it is our final show in Vancouver and our final show in Canada, so we higher make it an evening to recollect.”
John took to the stage sporting a black tuxedo with tails that had glowing trim. He wore pink glasses with matching rhinestones.
Many of the 1000’s of fans at B.C. Place wore glowing outfits, feather boas and huge sun shades — signature seems the performer has donned over his half-century-long profession.
He’s launched 31 albums since 1969 with a lot of his songs co-written with lyricist Bernie Taupin. One the duo’s largest hits was Rocket Man in 1972.
Here’s what fans in Vancouver needed to say about what his music and the way it formed their lives:
‘He’s an icon’
John’s opening tune Saturday night time happy Tucson Pearl, 39, who drove from Oliver to see the show. He mentioned Bennie and The Jets is his favorite John tune.
“He’s an icon,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the live performance, billed as John’s final in Canada, was a once-in-a-lifetime alternative. His spouse Kerry Pearl, 40, mentioned they do not usually splurge on live performance tickets or journey to go to concert events, however this one was a should.
“It’s Elton John. I really like Elton John. He’s my favorite, I really like his music, he is obtained nice model,” she mentioned. “He has a tune for every thing and he simply helps you thru your drained moments in life.”
Kerry Pearl mentioned he listened to so many John songs whereas she and her husband raised their youngsters, that her oldest son named one in every of their cats Elton John.
Generational love for ‘Rocket Man’
John Kubus, 81, got here with 15 members of his household, all from throughout B.C. and Alberta, to see Elton John carry out in Vancouver.
Kubus, who lives in Penticton, wore a loud colored shirt, a glow stick round his neck and huge pink sun shades. He mentioned he’s a lifelong fan of John however had by no means seen him carry out stay.
“It means fairly a bit,” he mentioned about being at John’s final ever live performance in Canada.
When requested what his favorite tune was he mentioned, “I really like all of them,” and described John’s music, performing model and outfits as “a bit totally different.”
Advocacy for LGBTQ+ individuals
Lexi Binder, 18, got here from Abbotsford to see Elton John in Vancouver and informed CBC News earlier than the live performance why it was necessary for her to be there.
“He’s superb. I like that he is very genuine and himself and that is why I’m dressed type of insane,” she mentioned. “I feel that I can costume type of fascinating and I can go searching and there is different individuals [doing the same].”
Binder mentioned she is impressed with John’s advocacy for LGBTQ+ individuals and the victims of the AIDS epidemic.
“I really like that he helps it and has at all times been very open about it, at a time when it wasn’t as accepted,” she mentioned. “And his music is simply superb, at all times has been.”
She mentioned her favorite John tune is Crocodile Rock.
“It’s funky, it is a jam,” she mentioned.
‘Great job at staying related’
Sisters Sarah, Helen and Alison Ballantyne fell in love with Elton John’s music by means of their father.
“We grew up with dad listening to a ton of music and Elton John was proper on that record, so it is simply part of our upbringing,” mentioned Alison Ballantyne, 44 in entrance of B.C. Place on Saturday together with her sisters who had been all sporting John-inspired outfits.
The sisters got here from Vernon and Kelowna to see the live performance, listening to John songs in the course of the automobile experience.
“Candle in the Wind, Tiny Dancer, there are simply so many,” mentioned Sarah Ballantyne, 46. She mentioned that John’s music has stayed central to well-liked tradition all over the world throughout his future as a hit-maker.
“I feel he is achieved an awesome job at staying related and did not simply get misplaced in the 60s and 70s,” she mentioned.
The three sisters mentioned it made them emotional to assume that, in response to the artist, this can be John’s final performing tour ever.
“Oh we would cry,” they mentioned collectively.