Back in ’73 I discovered Elton John, in 2020 I’ve done some ‘paying it forward’.

[Spoiler Alert :  If you are going to see Elton in Bathurst next week and want a ‘surprise’, then stop reading now, otherwise …]

Like most of the music platform laid for me in my formative years, my dear ol’ dad brought home the album ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ just after it was released. It was a staple on our record player for all of us from that day, and still is for me on my record player in Millthorpe. Listening to the 17 track double-vinyl masterpiece paved the way for much more Elton ‘stuff’ in our household. In ’81, we ventured to the Hordern Pavilion in 1981 to see him perform live – I’ve now seen him 5 times, and next week in Bathurst will be the 6th and final time.

Fame and fortune sent him a bit wacky in the late 80s, with his drug and alcohol-fuelled parties and frivolous spending sprees gaining world notoriety. Then he turned it around in the early 90s, pointing his superpowers, genius and influence to the forces of good. His AIDS Foundation has raised over $400 million, and now sees him well and truly on the positive side of the ledger – the man upstairs will have forgiven him for going off the rails, for sure.

Anyway, to the concert in Sydney last week. The guy is 72 years old, but he works the keys like he’s in his 20s, and he’s been on the road doing his ‘farewell’ tour for nigh on two years. I can only hope I’m that loud and rowdy when I’m that age! He walked on stage, sat at the piano and belted Gmaj7 (the opening four note chord for Bennie and the Jets) and we were away. For the next three hours he had the 21000 people in Qudos arena mesmerised and screaming every lyric – with some us getting a whack on the leg from their wife (again) for singing too loudly, ♫”Goodbye Norma Jean …”♫.

Whilst the bassist passed away in 1993, he’s got all the other members of the original band on this farewell tour (all in their 70s too), the same guys who toured with him to Australia on his first tour in 1971, and the ones I saw in ’81 – Nigel on drums, Ray on percussion and of course the legendary Davey Johnstone playing all sorts of electric guitars (I counted 6 different ones). Most mind-blowing of the stage setup was the fact that there were three percussionists, Nigel, Ray and one more – a bigger sound I’ve never really heard from a rock band. Whilst every tune he pumped out and paid homage to lyricist Bernie Taupin deserved rating of 11 out of 10, I was anticipating that his go-to classics like Rocket Man and Saturday would be the biggies. But, Eltie is full of surprises, and some of the lesser known tracks like ‘All The Young Girls Love Alice’, ‘Indian Sunset’ and ‘Levon’ (which unbelievably went for 15 astounding minutes), stole the show in my view.

So, with tickets to both a Sydney show and Bathurst next week, I’ll be washing dishes for a while. But worth every cent, says I. I’m sure the guy who educated me in the legend that is Elton is watching all the concerts from up in heaven, so the best I can do is ‘pay it forward’ a little bit by educating my youngest in all things Elton. Would an 18 yr old like an Elton concert? He was spellbound. His favourite? The 11 minute classic ‘Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding’. Hopefully he in 20 years he’ll be playing GYBR on his own record player with his kids. Thanks Elton, it’s been a blast.