Legendary older musicians such as Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Diana Ross and Billy Joel are still selling out arenas wherever they perform.
But that list would be catastrophically incomplete without the addition of the iconic Sir Elton John, who, even at the age of 70, is dazzling fans around the world like he did on Friday evening at the Autism Rocks Arena in Dubai.
Even as the first strains of his opening act, a single from his 1974 album Caribou, hit the night sky you knew he was ready to proclaim that you’re never too old to rock ‘n’ roll.
John still packs a punch as compelling as UFC great Conor McGregor’s famed lift-hook, and he took the time during a 150-minute set to show how as he relived some of the greatest songs he’s ever recorded.
John’s timeless classics like Goodbye To Yellow Brick Road, Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man were all delivered with the passion of a singer who had just recorded his first hit record.
Dressed in a sequinned black suit and sporting his trademark bling glasses, John effortlessly took on the challenge of songs like 1976’s Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word, Have Mercy on the Criminal and Levon, along with the track from his 1973 album, Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player; each was performed with perfection — and in some cases — with greater passion than the original.
Halfway through the set, John turned to the packed house and said: “To be able to play music for a living is just the greatest gift of all. I love it now more than ever because I love playing to human beings and getting a reaction like at where I am. Dubai you rock!”
The crowd were loving it and John seemed to revel in his magnetic stage presence alongside his brilliant back-up musicians that included old friends Davey Johnstone on guitar, Nigel Olsson on drums and Kim Bullard on keyboards. Bassist Matt Bissonette and percussionist Ray Cooper completed a top-draw line-up.
One of the most poignant moments of the night was when John paid a touching tribute to his mother, who passed away earlier this week.
“It’s been 50 years since I’ve been writing songs with Bernie Taupin and a lot of the songs in the early days were written in [my] parents’ house in North London,” he said
“During the early part of my career as Elton John there was no one more encouraging than my mother and stepfather, in particular my mother [Sheila Farebrother, 92]. We stayed with her and we wrote a lot of songs in the house and this song in particular I’ll never forget, because I wrote it in her house.”
He continued: “My mother passed away on Monday and she passed away without any pain, which is all one can ask for, but she did so much for me in my early career and I want to dedicate this song to her, so thank you Mum.”
Your Song was John’s first ever hit single, and was taken from his self-titled second album in 1970.
John upped the tempo with Sad Songs before he dived into the No 1 smash hit, Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me, a song that was influenced by the American band The Beach Boys.
He would up the tempo again with rousing versions of I’m Still Standing, Crocodile Rock, a song about an obscene dance where he invited the audience to join in the falsetto chorus, Your Sister Can’t Twist and Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.
John said goodbye but returned to perform the iconic Candle In the Wind, a tribute to the ultimate bombshell, Marilyn Monroe.
He would leave the crowd with many, many wonderful memories, but perhaps his appeal for peace would be what everyone at the Autism Rocks Arena will most remember John’s Dubai concert for.
“At the moment in the world there is a lot of anger and there’s a lot of violence and as a musician it pains me to see this happening,” he said during the set.
“All I want to see is people embracing each other. Each other’s cultures, each other’s religions. We are all the same because if you believe in love and in goodness then we will live as one with each other.
“I pray, that as I grow older, my children will see the world come together and not tear itself apart.”
John, you sure know how to touch people’s hearts, both with your music and humanitarianism.
