Sir Elton John announces first UK dates of farewell tour

Sir Elton John has announced the first UK dates of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.

The singer will kick off a three-year farewell world tour in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Saturday, as he bows out of live performing to spend more time with his children.

The tour will arrive in the UK on June 9 2019, when he will play the 1st Central County Ground in Hove, before another outdoor show at Cardiff City Stadium in Wales on June 15.

Sir Elton first played at the home of Sussex Cricket 12 years ago, and it will be his third visit to the 1st Central County Ground.

His final show in Wales on June 15 2019 will be his tenth visit to the capital and his 14th visit to the country, having first performed in the city in 1976, playing two nights at the Capitol Theatre.

He said: “I want to thank my extraordinary fans for their overwhelming support throughout my career and especially their interest in being there to celebrate my final Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour.

“I am so excited for the start of the tour and can’t wait to see everybody on the road.”

He added: “I am very happy to announce the launch of my UK Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour with concerts in Hove and Cardiff.

“The audiences in the south coast and Wales have always been some of the most welcoming and exciting I have played in front of over the past 42 years and the band and I are so excited to say goodbye in the most fantastic way. It’s going to be amazing!”

The Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour will consist of more than 300 shows across five continents, visiting North America, Europe, Asia, South America and Australasia before reaching its conclusion in 2021.

Rob Andrew, chief executive of Sussex Cricket, said: “We’re honoured and incredibly excited that Elton has chosen the 1st Central County Ground to kick off the final tour of an incredible career.

“The fact that such a musical legend has decided to join us for a third time and for such a momentous occasion shows not only what a brilliant reception he receives here in Sussex but also how highly regarded our ground is as a concert venue.

“We can’t wait to welcome Elton and all his fans next June. ”

Sir Elton announced his farewell tour in January, when he said his “priorities have changed”, adding that he and his husband David Furnish’s two sons, Elijah and Zachary, had transformed their lives.

“In 2015 we sat down with a school schedule and I thought I don’t want to miss too much of this. My life has changed, my priorities have changed and my priority now is my family.”

He promised to go out with a “big bang” adding it would be “the most fantastic show I’ve ever done”.

He said making the decision “wasn’t a hard struggle because I love my kids so much and they have taken over my life and are the most important thing”.

“I have had a good run,” he added, during the press conference in New York which he opened with a performance of Tiny Dancer and I’m Still Standing.

His two sons will join him for a section of the tour as he revealed they would be taken out of school for nine months.

Asked if he could later reconsider his decision, Sir Elton vowed not to do a “Cher”, adding: “This is the end,” but vowed to continue writing music and working creatively until the day he dies.

He also floated the idea of replicating a residency similar to Kate Bush’s 22 dates at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2014.

Tickets for the shows go on general sale on September 14 at 10am with pre-sale starting at 10am on September 10.