Skip to content
Röck Illustrated

all the noise that's fit to blog

Setlist History: Elton John Retires For The First Time in 1977

Setlist History: Elton John Retires For The First Time in 1977

Elton John has threatened to hang up the bright costumes and slam the piano lid shut before. The first time was on stage at Wembley Empire Pool (now known as the OVO Arena Wembley), the indoor arena next to the enormous soccer field.

John told the crowd of about 20,000 fans that he hadn’t been touring a lot and it was a painful decision whether to come back on the road.

“I’m really enjoying myself tonight, thank you very much,” he said while tickling the ivories, “but I have made a decision tonight that this is going to be the last show. Alright? There’s a lot more to me than playing on the road and this is the last one I’m going to do.”

John was truly at a crossroads in late ’77. The previous year he galavanted around the US and UK supporting the Rock of the Westies album which was recorded just five months after Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. Both of those LPs debuted at #1 and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” was a #1 single in ’76 in the UK, US, and all over Europe.

read more at: Setlist.fm

Last Setlist

Elton John at Estadio Banorte, Mexico City, Mexico

  1. Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
  2. Bennie and the Jets
  3. I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
  4. The One
  5. Tiny Dancer
  6. Honky Cat
  7. Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)
  8. Levon
  9. Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
  10. Have Mercy on the Criminal
  11. Someone Saved My Life Tonight
  12. Candle in the Wind

Last verified October 8, 2026.

setlist via setlist.fm

Previously...

Elton John

Elton John