Elton John has told his fans they will remain in his "head, heart, and soul" as he closed out the final show of his mammoth farewell tour in Stockholm on Saturday night in spectacular fashion.
The 76-year-old star has been travelling around the globe performing his Farewell Yellow Brick Road show since 2018, and his second night at the Tele2 Arena in the Swedish capital finally brought the 330-date run to a close.
He ensured his last stop would be memorable, as during the two-and-a-half-hour set he performed 23 of his hit songs, wore four dazzling costumes, and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin also sent a surprise message to thank the musician for all he has done for other artists throughout his career.
In classic flamboyant style, The Rocket Man singer donned a black suit jacket with red, blue, and silver beading on the lapels alongside a red pair of his signature sunglasses as he took to the stage to open with Bennie and the Jets.
After a rousing rendition of Philadelphia Freedom, he fired up the audience by waving and said: "Good evening, Stockholm. Well, this is it.
"I'm very glad to be in Sweden and this beautiful country to end our Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour so we better make it a good show. Here we go."
John then launched into I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues.
Ahead of delivering a powerful rendition of his track Border Song, he dedicated it to the late Aretha Franklin, who covered the song in 1972, hailing her as the Queen of Soul.
He followed it up with a vibrant performance of his hit song Tiny Dancer, Have Mercy on the Criminal, and his classic Rocket Man.
An emotional rendition of Candle in the Wind was also among the setlist, which he performed at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 - adapting the lyrics to reflect her life.
During the interval of the Stockholm concert, an ominous stormy scene was created as machines billowed smoke, lights flashed, and sound effects of thunder echoed through the arena to mark the opening of his dramatic song Funeral for a Friend.
As John returned, now sporting a white suit jacket with diamond-style trimming on the lapels paired with a blue sparkly pair of his signature sunglasses, his piano glided across the stage while he sat behind it.
He took a moment in the midst of his Sweden show to thank his band and crew who have supported him on his marathon farewell tour, dedicating his song Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me to them and his family.
The veteran musician said he had a lot of supporting bands across his lengthy career but hailed his current group as his "favourite", as he feels they "kick a**" every night.
He told the crowd in Stockholm that after finishing his 330 shows of this tour he is "going to go away for a while, but I want to pay tribute to these musicians because they have been incredible".
John wished them and the crew, some of whom have been with him for more than 40 years, a "great rest".
"I wish you so much love, I hope I see you soon," he said.
The singer also revealed he had people who had flown in from across the world to "say goodbye" with him, including family members from both his mother's and father's sides.
He closed out the main set with an energy-fuelled rendition of Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting that saw golden confetti sprayed into the crowd and rained down upon the star.
After chants of "Encore" and "Oh Elton..." could be heard ringing through the crowd, the singer ensured he would not disappoint on his last tour date.
He returned to the stage in a black robe with red patterned detailing on the collar for another few songs.
However, before he could sing Cold Heart, his collaboration track with Dua Lipa, Coldplay's Chris Martin featured on the main screen in what appeared to be a video call from the middle of the rock band's show in Gothenburg across the country.
Martin said: "We want to say from all of us here, all the artists you've loved and inspired and helped - we love you so much. We're so grateful for everything you've done for us."
The singer also praised him for his work with his AIDS foundation, supporting the LGBT community, for his contribution to the world of fashion and music alongside his band and his long-term songwriter Bernie Taupin.
"We love you so much, happy retirement and we're going to miss you so much," he added.
After an emotional rendition of Your Song and before his final track Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, John thanked his superfans who have seen him dozens and some hundreds of times, adding: "You have no idea how much that means to me."
Reflecting on his life, he said: "I've had the most wonderful career, beyond belief. Fifty-two years of pure joy playing music, how lucky am I to play music?
"But I wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't for you. You bought the singles, albums, and CDs. And, more importantly, you bought the tickets to the shows and you know how I love to play live.
"It's been my lifeblood to play for you guys and you've been absolutely magnificent - thank you.
"I will never forget you guys. I've played so many concerts, how could I forget? You're in my head, and my heart, and my soul, and I thank you so much."
He confirmed that he will "never be touring again" but revealed he may do a "one-off thing" sometime in the future - adding that would be "miles away".
"I want to appreciate my family, my sons, my husband, everything. I've earned it and I don't regret it tonight. But I want to say thank you to the band, the crew, everybody... I love you."
The Stockholm show marked the end of John's touring career after around 50 years on the road that has included more than 4,000 performances in over 80 countries since launching his first tour in 1970.
It is also one of the highest-grossing concert tours since records began. Billboard reported that it is the first to achieve $900 million worth of ticket sales, with John saying more than six million people have come to watch him.
Source: Press Association
