Rocket Man: Elton John's past shows and links to Scotland

Elton John Nears Unprecedented $900 Million Gross in Final Days of Farewell Tour

Since then, the site adds, Elton has added to the tour’s gargantuan total with one last leg of arena dates in Europe. According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, the tour has grossed $887 million and sold 5.7 million tickets over 309 shows through May 30.

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Elton's two Glasgow shows this weekend have twice been rescheduled, from November 2020 and December 2021. He has said that this huge, 300-plus concert tour will be the last time he "schleps around the world".

Sir Elton John performs live on stage during his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour at The O2 Arena, London, on April 2 (Image: Simone Joyner/Getty Images)

Set-list websites indicate that many of his best-loved songs will get an airing in Glasgow, including I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues, Tiny Dancer, Your Song, and Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to be a Long, Long Time).

Elton John set-lists

As one review of an Elton gig at London's O2 Arena put it: "This is not a show that messes about with new songs or runs of deep cuts. You want hits? You’ve got ’em – hit after hit after hit after hit, songs that have insinuated themselves into the consciousness in a way that only very few artists have managed".

Here we take a look back at some of Elton's many previous shows in Scotland.

ELTON John's first visit to Glasgow was in 1971, for a gig at Strathclyde University. That same year he also played Stirling University that February, reputedly performing on a makeshift stage of chemistry tables ‘borrowed’ from the University.

He became a regular visitor to the Glasgow Apollo, playing there in September 1972 and February 1973, when the venue was still known as Green's Playhouse (a seat in the stalls for the first gig cost as little as 75 pence), and returning to Renfield Street eight times between 1973 and 1982.

Of his March 1979 shows there the Glasgow Herald said: "Elton so captivated the fans that he had to give three encores - an Apollo record.

"Glasgow police had the headache of controlling hundreds of fans left in the city after midnight, trying to find transport home".

The first part of the show, 'A Single Man', featured some of Elton's "quieter numbers", amongs them Candle in the Wind, Daniel, and Your Song. The second part saw him being joined on stage by percussionist Ray Cooper. The audience rose to its feet and the rousing songs included Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting, a rock'n'roll medley with early Beatles hits, and Pinball Wizard.

Elton John with Ray Cooper, 1979 (Image: Newsquest)

"The mixed audience reflected the wide appeal of Elton John's music", the paper's reviewer added. "It included parents with young children, teeny boppers, and mums and dads who simply went along to listen to one of rhe world's most outstanding performers".

Elton's Scottish shows during this period also included a well-received gig at Edinburgh's Usher Hall on May 21, 1976.

The previous summer, the London Times had described Elton - "a slightly tubby, balding man of 28 from Pinner" - as "the most popular single performer in the ephemeral history of rock'n'roll, Britain's true successor to the Beatles".

Elton's final gigs at the Apollo were in November 1982. "Don't be misled by the tinsel, glitter and razzamatazz that is very much the public image of Elton John", said our reviewer. "Behind the outlandish spectacles, and beneath the ludicrous stage costume, lurks a highly sensitive and talented perfomer. Highlights included a "haunting" rendition of Song for Guy.

Moments before stepping onto the Glasgow Apollo stage in November 1982, Elton signed a special T-shirt branded with the Evening Times Lifeline campaign, which raised funds for the elderly.

Elton John signs an Evening Times Lifeline T-shirt in November 1982 (Image: Newsquest)

Watched by his manager, John Reid, he wrote, “With love, Elton John”, and said: “What a lovely concept Lifeline is. I am pleased to help”.

The T-shirt was sold at a star-studded charity auction at the city's McLellan Galleries the following month. Items included Harry Lauder’s stage walking-stick, donated by Jimmy Logan. A total of £13,000 was raised.

Elton entertained the Edinburgh Playhouse over two nights in June 1984. The audience on the opening night responded politely to the first half-dozen songs, rather than joining in. Eventually, Elton's voice and personality got them to their feet, where they remained for the rest of the show.

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Elton was at Glasgow's SECC in January 1986. The Herald's man in the stalls was not, however, impressed, writing that the star's "celebrated showmanship looked somewhat peely-wally on this, the sixteenth gig of his tour ... despite an enormous backing band ... and a slick light show, what we got was high-decibel banality most of the time. Too many of the songs just didn't stand up".

1997 review: Music: Elton John, SECC, Glasgow

In June 1998 Elton teamed up with Billy Joel in a showpiece gig at Ibrox stadium, watched by some 30,000 eager fans.

Elton John at Ibrox, 1998 (Image: Newsquest)

"In a superstar version of a 'buy one, get one free' special offer, rock-and-roll's two great showmen each performed a blistering set before joining together for the finale", the Herald reported.

"For Joel, the marathon concert - part of a series of European dates - was probably his last performance in Scotland. The 48 year-old singer/songwriter has already announced he is to give up touring to concentrate on writing.

"However, last night's performance was more full-tilt boogie than classical gas as the veteran performers delivered their double whammy of rock to the delight of the crowd. For once, the Little Big Man really did start the fire and Captain Fantastic was there to fan the flames.

"Two ageing rock stars whose sell-by date, on the strength of last night's show, remains as far away as ever".

Elton John in concert in 2001 (Image: Lewis Segal)

Elton, plainly one of the hardest-working men in the business. continued to play the SECC from time to time.

Reviewing the opening night of his two-show run there in December 2002, the Herald began: "You may have been tempted to write off Elton John after the Disney musicals, the mawkish Diana tribute and the patchy quality of his output over the last decade. But his newest album, Songs From the West Coast, is one of his strongest in ages - and live, as he demonstrated in two sold-out shows, he's still a formidable proposition".

Elton at the SECC, June 2009 (Image: James Galloway)

He was back in 2009. Said our reviewer: "After five years performing at Caesar 's Palace in Las Vegas (241 shows, in fact) , Elton John is back on the road for real this year with a pretty hectic touring schedule. Playing to a packed SECC last night, with Music Magic emblazoned on his back, it wasn't the liveliest set, and the round rose-tinted glasses the 62-year-old music veteran wore were a pretty apt accessory".

Elton John and his band to play his 25th Glasgow show at the Hydro

In 2014, looking forward to his 25th Glasgow concert - this one at the Hydro, which had opened the previous year - Elton said: "I have played Glasgow more times than any other city in Scotland since first coming through in 1971 and have always had memorable concerts there: we did a rare midnight show during our 1976 tour.

"We also celebrated the 2000th concert of my guitarist Davey Johnstone, who just happens to be from Scotland and has toured with me for over 40 years, at the SECC in 2009".

By one estimate he has played some 3,000 shows worldwide since 1971. The programme that went on sale at his most recent show in Scotland, at the Hydro in June 2015, indicated that he was still addicted to the roar of the crowd.

"It's the greatest thing in the world", he said, "to stand on a stage and see people in the front rows smiling, knowing that they came to see you. The stage, in reality, is the closest you can ever get to most of the fans".