Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium

I'll never quite get the world of superstars like Elton John, especially how different their life is from mine. Still, for the time Elton John is performing I appreciate how he gives his all to entertain me. He has sized up what will keep me watching and grateful enough to put it into words. The Grammy that this musical special just won is very fitting- so glad this fellow is an EGOT. Encountering the relationship that the devoted fans have with Elton John was touching as this is not part of my experience- this hero fealty. Not sure I could ask for anything more or different in this production.

Disney, oh Disney... What is happening to you?.

Elton John, and you didn't care to add Circle of life to the show?... Questions and more questions arise.

This is Elton John we are talking about, not just your run of the mill singer soon to be forgotten. It's one of the most important influencers of the century.

( I use "influencers" as a good thing ). He is a living legend and this is supposed to be his farewell?. For me it's utterly disrespectful, for him, his fans, and followers.

Shame on you Disney. You did for Elton as much as you did for Star Wars.

The whole, before the show interviews are unnecessary and forced, not even emotional or heartwarming. And the end was equally bland.

Sorry but I'll stick to the oldies when staging, glitz, glamour and lots of surprises made a show an experience hard to follow.

This was disappointing to say the least.

As "Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium" (2022 release; 174 min.) opens, it is November 20, 2022 and Elton John is about to start what is billed as his very last show, ever, in the US and North America. Then the familiar opening piano riff of "Benny and the Jets" comes on, and Sir Elton and his veteran backing band get things underway...

Couple of comments: there are some good, even very good things about this farewell show, and some not so good. Let's start with the good: first and foremost, Sir Elton's piano playing remains as nimble as ever. His backing band, including longtime stalwarts Davey Johnson (guitar), Nigel Olsson (drums) and Ray Cooper (percussion), is tight and top-notch. The not-quite-as-good includes Sir Elton's shrinking vocal range (he can't hit those high notes anymore), and the oh-so-predictable set-in-stone setlist, which has barely changed during the entire farewell tour. That said, in particular in the first half of the show, there are a few nuggets: the non-hit/deep album cut "Have Mercy On the Criminal" (from the underrated album "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player"); the long instrumental outro at then end of "Rocket Man"; and "Someone Save My Life Tonight" (which Sir Elton introduces as "from my favorite album comes this, one of our best and on of my favorite songs ever"). The second half of the concert features a number of guest appearances, including Kiki Dee on "Don't Go Breaking My Heart". Considering that Sir Elton will be 76 by the time the seemingly endless farewell tour (which started in 2018) supposedly wraps up this coming summer, the guy looks and performs at an amazing level still. (I've seen Sir Elton in concert a number of times over the years. I agonized whether to see the farewell tour when it came here in Cincinnati, where I live, in early 2019. In the end, I couldn't justify the insanely expensive tickets available in the aftermarket, and frankly I was disappointed with the super predictable, never-changing setlist.) Please note that the listed running time of 2 hrs. 54 min. Is a bit misleading, in that the initial 20 min. Is a montage of some memorable moments from Sir Elton's life and career. In essence it serves as the warming-up opening act. You are given the choice to "skip forward" if you so desire, and dive straight into the concert.

"Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium" was simulcast live on Disney+ and is now available on demand there. I just now caught it. The show is solid, but contains zero surprises, hence my rating of 6 stars. If it turns out that this was indeed Sir Elton's last show ever in the US, my rating will go up to 7 stars for historical purposes. Am I truly 100% convinced that this was indeed his last US show ever? I am not. If a major music festival like Coachella or Lollapalooza reached out to Sir Elton in say 5 years for a one-off, I imagine it will be hard for Sir Elton to resist that. Meanwhile, if you are a fan, be it a casual or a die-hard, of Elton John, I'd readily recommend you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

Excellent vitality and good old Elton! I've seen him live a few times but this last performance kills it! His voice is great and his fingers fly across the keyboards like feathers - and the band is spot on fabulous.

I liked how he would stop and talk to the audience about some of the songs - something he didn't do very often in live shows.

And my god for 75 he played like in his youth - ok so he can't be as outrageous as he used to be but in fact he's more outrageous because of his energy and the fun he was clearly having!

I can't imagine a world without Elton John and I'm glad I could see this on Disney as I wasn't able to go to his live farewell tour. Great job Disney! And thank you Elton, I'm glad I could share this generation with you!

There are actually quite a few reasons why "Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium" shouldn't work. No one has the singing chops at 75 years old that they did in their prime, while an Elton John show isn't necessarily the most conducive to television (basically one man sitting at a piano). But "Farewell" is still a pretty compelling experience. Why? Because it is more of a tribute to John's legacy than anything else.

I don't want to say that the music here is bad--it most certainly is not. When Elton absolutely needs to, he can hit the key vocals and still retains that iconic sound the world knows and loves. But the limitations of the performer are inherent. There's isn't a ton of movement other than his hands flying across the piano.

What director Paul Dugdale does to make up for those limitations, however, is to turn these three hours into as much a celebration of Elton John's legacy as anything else. What really "works" are the pre-show interviews and in-show shots of costumed individuals--young and old--all having a wonderful time. Not only is John's music timeless, but he has also become an icon of and for the LGBT community. The melding of all those varying audiences--especially with zero overt political or social commentary whatsoever to bolster the point--is truly a sight to behold.

Overall, I enjoyed this special and found myself singing along more than I thought I would. What it lacks in the "original" 1975 Dodger Stadium concert in sheer energy it more than makes up for with the legacy component.