Welcome to Singapore, not sing-a-poor!
By Kasia Bugaj
120 days after I saw Elton for the last time, in his Farewell Tour, I had the opportunity to see him again – this time at the closing ceremony of the Formula1 Grand Prix in Singapore.
The show was also special for another reason – for me it was a show on a new continent and it took place on the 52nd anniversary of the release of the GYBR album. Travelling all the way to Asia and ending up at a show after one of the most iconic F1 races seemed surreal.
Photo: Kasia Bugaj
The gates opened before 3 p.m. so we waited at the entrance in the heat from 2 p.m. After scanning our tickets and going through security, we ran to the stage to get the best seats at the front. Yes it was possible to run, like in the good old days of concerts!
It was very hot and humid all day, and then it started to rain. The conditions seemed extreme. We waited in front of the stage for over 7 hours. Before the show, while the F1 race was still going on, black screens were set up on stage to block the view, and a rehearsal of the song Saturday.. began, with Elton on piano and vocals. The vocals were slightly muffled by the roar of the engines but the piano was definitely audible, and then the audience realised what was happening and began cheering and singing along with the band. That’s how we were rewarded with an extra song and managed to listen to Elton and the band rehearse! We watched the race on the screen from the front row, but we also sang along to ‘Saturday’! It was crazy. The crew was hanging around the stage, then John Mahon and Davey Johnstone appeared and watched the race on the big screen for a while.
The show started at 10:20 p.m. which was quite late. Lewis Capaldi performed before Elton, then there was a 2-hour race followed by Elton’s performance. Even though I only knew 2 of Lewis’s songs, I liked his powerful voice and how he connected with the audience.
We watched Lewis Capaldi with screaming teenagers behind us and a few hours later more people started arriving, ready for Elton. I met fans from Australia, Japan and Brazil. We watched the race on a big screen. I didn’t know much about F1 before but I knew a few drivers so I followed the competition on the track with interest.
Elton played for an hour and a half. He and the band sounded amazing. You could tell he was well rested. David Furnish brought him on stage again. It seemed that his eyesight had also improved. He was in a really good mood. Interestingly, he was wearing the same yellow jacket again. The show started with Saturday Night’s… Elton put his whole heart into the 90-minute performance in 30-degree heat and high humidity. The stage was high. I couldn’t see Ray Cooper during the whole show.
Photo: Kasia Bugaj
I was delighted that he played Mona Lisas again just as he did in Denmark and San Diego. A treat for the fans! On the one hand, it’s interesting because at one of his recent shows in New York during the FYBR Tour, Elton mentioned that it was the last time he would sing that song. Perhaps he has already forgotten about it….
He was supposed to play Cold Heart but there were some technical problems, so he said: ‘I’m going to skip that number, and do this one instead’ and moved on to Your Song, and then played Cold Heart as planned.
It was great to see some fan friends but also to meet new Elton fans who were at their first show! It was a long and tiring day but I had a great time with friends. Another lifetime memory. All in the name of Elton…
