Elton John is currently on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. Because it’s his final tour, Elton is traveling for the better part of three years around the world and performing over 300 shows. It’s inevitable then, that at some point, Elton would become ill. On Sunday, he lost his voice and had to cut short a performance in Auckland, New Zealand, and be helped off stage. He posted his thanks to fans on Instagram, and explained that he’d been diagnosed with walking pneumonia. Here’s his caption to the photo above.
I want to thank everyone who attended tonight’s gig in Auckland. I was diagnosed with walking pneumonia earlier today, but I was determined to give you the best show humanly possible. I played and sang my heart out, until my voice could sing no more. I’m disappointed, deeply upset and sorry. I gave it all I had. Thank-you so much for your extraordinary support and all the love you showed me during tonight’s performance. I am eternally grateful. Love, Elton xx
CBS reports that he had done 15 out of 25 planned songs.
John ended the show after playing 15 of the planned 25 songs on the concert setlist. He attempted to sing “Daniel,” but had no voice left and had to stop. Social media videos posted by concertgoers show John hoarsely apologizing to the crowd before getting up from his piano and making apologetic gestures to the audience. The crowd responded with an extended ovation as the singer was helped offstage by two crewmembers.
All of Elton’s remaining shows are still scheduled, according to his promoter, which released a statement: “At this stage, all remaining shows will go ahead as planned.” He had two more shows scheduled at Mount Smart Stadium; one was moved from today to Wednesday, and then the third show is still scheduled for Thursday.
A diagnosis of pneumonia is serious, so I hope that Elton is taking care of himself and doesn’t perform again until he’s ready to, and his doctors give him the OK. I can imagine that it would be a gigantic hassle to reschedule shows on a world tour, but he could make himself sicker if he doesn’t rest.
Must be so frustrating when your instrument just won’t work. Poor guy. I always wonder why these rich AF old dudes still want to tour. I’d be lazing around the pool reading a good book or something.
His lifestyle is super expensive and he is working to maintain it.
I don’t remember where I saw it but he has a florist on retainer because he wants fresh flowers everyday and it cost something to the tune of 300k a month.
Ha! I thought exactly the same thing, CatMom, then I remember Paul McCartney being asked this very question a few years ago when he was in Australia. He said that he, like so many other of these rich AF old dudes (your words, not his!), keep at it because they ‘just love performing”. So my question is, why don’t they just do smaller, more intimate shows, and forego their outlandish appearance fees…? Obviously, expenses must be covered. A friend of mine often goes to these big concerts and pays anything up to $250 for a ticket and thinks it’s good value, whereas I go to punk shows, where I get to see my all-time favourite band/s plus at least two other great (local and visiting) bands for no more than $60. I’m one of the oldest there, but the young concertgoers (I often see the same people at these gigs) think I’m a cool PunkMum!
I did go and see Elton John some years ago. He was in one of his strange stages and, although he performed well, was a bit of an arse to the audience. It turned me right off him.
I saw him on this tour last year in Nashville. It was so great. Get a ticket if you can
I did. I am going this summer and I am stoked for it.
I saw him a few years ago in Boise. One of the best concerts I have been to. He was so nice, brought audience members up, and put on a great show. You could tell he loves what he does.
I had pneumonia in December. Antibiotics started working after about 3 days, so that significantly helped with the cough, but I was ZONKED for a whole month. Just zero energy. Can’t believe he’s only going to take a few days off because of it.
Get well, Elton!
I was at this show, he told us at the start that he had pneumonia and was losing his voice when he spoke but still sounded amazing when he sung! At one point he stopped playing and a medic came on stage to check him for 5 minutes before he kept going but he was really struggling – there were a lot of instrumental parts.
He has now moved the 2 remaining auckland shows to January next year
They’ve both been cancelled, they’ve been rescheduled for January next year.