Elton John will headline Sunday's proceedings at next year's Glastonbury Festival in what will be the very final UK date on his current farewell tour.
That long-running grand finale - aka the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour - includes a plethora of UK dates next year as part of a wider European run of shows that finishes in Stockholm on 8 Jul.
But his performance on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury on 25 Jun will be the very final - absolutely last ever - one that occurs within the borders of this United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland.
Well, his very final performance as part of a tour. Manager David Furnish recently confirmed that John plans to continue performing at ad hoc shows or short residences once the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour is finally over.
“It’s really important to make a distinction between Elton retiring from touring but Elton not playing his very last public performance for the very last time", Furnish told Billboard as the final US date on the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour took place.
“Will Elton return as a live performer? I hope so", he went on. “I know for a fact he will not be touring in any capacity. What you’re going to see is the possibility of a special one-off or a small residency in one venue for a limited period of time".
Still, Sunday night at Glastonbury 2023 will definitely be the very final - absolutely last ever - performance to occur in the UK as part of an Elton John tour. Well, as part of an Elton John tour involving a human Elton. Some sort of VR come avatar Elton show seems an inevitability, and as the tech for that evolves a touring version seems likely too.
Anyway, if you're happy to ignore all these footnotes, next year's Glastonbury Festival will host Elton John's final ever UK performance. Good times!
“I couldn’t be more excited to be headlining the Pyramid Stage. As the end of my Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour comes into view, there is no more fitting way to say goodbye to my British fans", says John. “They have been beyond brilliant, and have supported me through all the highs and lows of my career ... I can’t wait to embrace the spirit of the greatest festival in the world".
“We will be closing the festival and marking this huge moment in both of our histories with the mother of all send offs", adds Glastonbury's Emily Eavis. "We are so very happy to finally bring the Rocket Man to Worthy Farm".