Goodbye, yellow brick road... for now.
“Rocketman” and legendary hitmaker Elton John announced that he would be halting his farewell tour for six weeks, which will impact 19 performances — three of which were slated for Michigan venues. John was expected to perform back-to-back, sold-out shows at Detroit's Little Caesars Arena on May 1-2, and also at Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena on April 23.
John, 72, took to social media to announce the postponement on Monday afternoon, stating that the health of his fans is his top priority.
“I'll see you in the future. I don't know when but I'll definitely see you,” he said in an Instagram post. “I'm dying to resume the tour. I'm dying to see all of you at the venues when it is safe and when we can all enjoy each other in the best possible circumstances.”
The health of his audience may be important, but John is also within the age bracket of those most at risk of contracting COVID-19. The three-year tour kicked off in 2018 and has already featured 179 concerts around the globe. Last month, however, the “Tiny Dancer” singer cut his New Zealand performance short when, midway through, John lost his voice due to walking pneumonia.
”I've just completely lost my voice. I can't sing,” he told the crowd. “I've got to go. I'm sorry.”
A video from that evening shows the singer crying with his head in his hands before being assisted off stage. The audience gave a standing ovation.
Tickets for dates which have been postponed will be honored at the new dates, which have yet to be announced. Refunds are also available and can be obtained at the point of purchase. As of now, John's farewell concerts between May 22 and July 8 are still scheduled to take place. For updates, visit eltonjohn.com.
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