Elton John at Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 2, 2018
If Elton John is really going to quit touring when his current trek ends - in 2021 - he’s going out in top form.
John, 71, brought his Farewell Yellow Brick Road to a bursting-at-the seams Schottenstein Center in Columbus Saturday night and the irony of the words “Value City Arena” emblazoned on the scoreboard that hung over scads of people who paid too much for their tickets via the secondary market was palpable to those who did not. For two and three-quarters hours, John and his band - guitarist Davy Johnstone, drummer Nigel Olsson, percussionists Ray Cooper and John Mahon, keyboardist Kim Bullard and bassist Matt Bissonette - gave the latter group their money’s worth.
From the first, teasing note of “Bennie and the Jets,” to the final, lingering sounds of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” which found the pianist slowly skimming across the stage on his specially equipped riser, the musicians tinkered with arrangements just enough - a Baptist-church coda to “Burn Down the Mission,” a 13-minute “Levon” with a rave-up instrumental attached, a bit of xylophone on "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting;” a solo "Border Song” (dedicated to Aretha Franklin) that without the gospel chorus was still gospel - to keep things interesting for people who know these songs as well as they know anything.
This was mostly a hits set, although John and company pulled out a few surprises, including a hard-rocking "All the Girls Love Alice" in the second slot; “Take Me to the Pilot,” always a rocking treat; and, especially "Indian Sunset," which found John and Cooper performing alone and Cooper making terrific use of the percussion implements that surrounded him.
There was little bombast for an arena-rock show by a bombastic performer, though John went through four costume changes - from a sequined, black suit to a pink-and-black get up with a pink ascot, to a bath robe and a track suit - and "Crocodile Rock" featured the requisite singalong on the wordless refrain. Oversized and heart-shaped glasses were part of the ensemble and John's piano keyboard often reflected in their lenses to cool effect.
Johnstone played twice as many guitars as John donned suits, sporting a yellow-and-black axe with "Goodbye" across the front; a double-necked electric; a 12-string acoustic; a glittery, gold instrument; and a reverse flying V among others.
"Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" emerged just past the half-way point, as the darkened arena shook with the sound of a recorded thunderstorm and faux lightning strikes flashed as the stage filled with smoke. As John began the intro, his riser turned and journeyed back to where it had been before the solo "Candle in the Wind" that preceded John's one and only prog-rock number.
John apologized early in the night for any song that were left out. But fans who came looking for hits could not have been disappointed as "I Guess That's Why the Call it the Blues," "Philadelphia Freedom," "Rocket Man (I Think it's Going to be a Long, Long Time)," "Someone Saved My Life Tonight," "Daniel," "Your Song" and many others made the cut in a 24-song setlist that couldn't possibly contain every highlight from a 50-year career full of them.
And the reliance on hits may have been the show's only weakness, causing the home stretch to be littered with lesser material such as "Believe," "Sad Songs (Say so Much)," "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" and "I'm Still Standing" that - while performed exquisitely - pale against John and Bernie Taupin's best work.
But if this is really farewell - and if "Yellow Brick Road" is really the last song 18,000 Columbus residents will ever hear John play live - it's a fond one.
Grade card: Elton John at Schottenstein Center - 11/2/18 - A-
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