The Elton John Effect

The Elton John Effect

*Header photo courtesy of RKH Images

Elton John is a vibe. Doused in attitude and a sincere sense of gratitude, Sir Elton John presented himself as the icon we all know and love at the Xcel Energy Center last Wednesday evening for his heartfelt and fabulous Farewell.

Elton is a legend; a spilled heart identifiable to just about everyone. On-stage he seemed like a total sweetie, and I spent the majority of his concert fantasizing about how nice it would be to have a proper English tea together.

I left Elton John’s performance feeling inspired and thoughtful. I’ve always enjoyed writing about my concert memories, but to be honest, I haven’t written much in the past two years. It’s been quite a pandemic-induced writer’s block. Thankfully, witnessing the legendary Elton John pushed me get back to myself; to dig deep into my feelings and to pour them out once again. I left that night feeling attached to the experience, and its effect on me is proving to be long-lasting in the best way.

I loved how Elton stood up, bowed and acknowledged the audience after every song. The gesture came off classy, and fully reciprocated by the crowd. Without thought, my friend Cassie and I instinctively bowed back at him every time. He seemed humbled by his long-standing career and expressed that to the audience in a very honest way before the last song of the evening. Just about everyone was dressed up in their “Elton’s Best,” and the people I ran into were all in a great mood. There were certainly no jerks at this concert. We we all just vibin’ out with Elton John, coasting along on a musical high like no other.

It felt so good to get up out of my seat to groove at this concert! I’ll admit I don’t listen to Crocodile Rock on the regular, but it really worked and was a ton of fun in this live setting. My favorite dancing moment, however, was no doubt The Bitch Is Back, which is still stuck in my head today. The most sentimental moment for me was definitely Your Song. Some more emotional moments included Tiny Dancer, Candle in the Wind, and of course the amazing Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.

I loved seeing Elton charge into his encore set rockin’ a fuzzy robe. Again, it was a whole vibe. He lit it up the stage with his new banger, Cold Heart with Dua Lipa – a song I play often in my indoor cycling class. Then, the tears finally came sliding down my face during the show’s finale: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Every performance was really special, and not one song disappointed. It absolutely felt like an honest farewell, and I got a bit choked up thinking about how I’d never see him again. I’m very grateful I was able to attend this concert.

Elton John is the ultimate rockstar. He does as one is supposed to do: entertain and inspire. His concert challenged me to keep going in life and to do so with PASSION. Live music always seems to hit me hard, but something deeper came though during this concert. Maybe it’s because of where I’m at in life, maybe something significant is heading my way, or maybe, it’s just Elton John. ❤️