Elton John, 79, Plays His First U.K. Show In Three Years For Just 600 Fans In London

Elton John sat down at a piano in London on Monday night and played for just 600 people. The 79-year-old opened the new Apple Music Hall at Battersea Power Station with a solo set that ran about an hour. According to Billboard, it was his first performance in the United Kingdom in more than three years. His last came at Glastonbury in June 2023, near the close of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.

There was no band and no spectacle, only the songs. Billboard reports that he opened with ‘Your Song’ and played 12 numbers in all. The set included ‘Tiny Dancer,’ ‘Rocket Man,’ ‘Bennie And The Jets’ and ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ before he closed with ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me.’ NME reports that the show was streamed live on Apple Music and projected onto the outside of the power station, so fans without a ticket could watch from the street.

Elton John Returns To A British Stage

Among the familiar hits was a surprise for longtime fans. John performed “The Greatest Discovery,” a song from his self-titled 1970 album that had been absent from his regular concert setlists for years. Written with longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, the ballad tells the story of a young boy discovering that he has a new baby brother. John also revisited “Border Song,” another early recording from the same album. The selections gave the intimate performance a different feel from the massive greatest-hits spectacles that defined his farewell tour.

The evening carried extra weight because of what he has faced lately. He has spoken openly about losing much of his eyesight, and DYR reported in May that the vision loss changed the way he writes songs. None of that kept him from the keys on Monday. Born on March 25, 1947, he has been playing ‘Your Song’ for audiences since 1970. The room at Battersea was small by his standards, but the catalogue he brought with him was as big as ever.

Elton John’s Intimate Concert Reached Fans Around The World

Although only 600 guests could attend in person, Apple made sure the performance reached a much larger audience. The concert was streamed internationally through Apple Music, while enormous projections of John performing appeared on the exterior of Battersea Power Station. Fans gathered outside the historic London landmark to watch the performance without ever entering the venue. The show was also made available to stream afterward, giving those who missed the opening night another opportunity to see the singer at the piano.

The new Apple Music Hall was designed specifically for intimate performances that can be broadcast around the world. Located inside the former power station, the venue features a 38-foot stage, a 48-speaker audio system, and dedicated recording facilities. John was the first artist to perform there, opening a concert series that also includes Troye Sivan, Arlo Parks, Burna Boy, and Charli XCX. After decades of performing in enormous arenas and stadiums, the music legend helped introduce a venue where even the biggest stars can perform for a comparatively tiny audience.