Sir Elton John has postponed his concerts in Dallas, Texas, after testing positive for Covid-19 a week after restarting his farewell tour.
The singer, 74, had just returned to the stage for the first time after a hiatus of almost two years, resuming his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in New Orleans last week.
The tour, John’s last after more than half a century on the road, started in 2018 but was postponed owing to the pandemic and then because the star musician needed hip surgery after a fall in September last year.
After revealing on Instagram he had contracted the virus, John said his symptoms were mild and that he expected to perform in Arkansas at the weekend.
“Hi everyone, wanted to send a message to let you know that I have contracted Covid and so have had to reschedule my shows in Dallas,” he wrote. “If you have tickets, you’ll be contacted with the new dates really soon.
“It’s always a massive disappointment to move shows and I’m so sorry to anyone who’s been inconvenienced by this but I want to keep myself and my team safe. Fortunately, I’m fully vaccinated and boosted and my symptoms are mild so I’m fully expecting to be able to make the Arkansas shows this weekend.
“As always, thank you for all your love and support and I can’t wait to see you all soon!”
John is the latest musical star to have a tour hit by Covid after Adele postponed the start of her Las Vegas residency because of Covid-related delays. The residency, titled Weekends with Adele, was due to begin on 21 January at the Colosseum in the Caesars Palace casino, celebrating her latest album, 30, which topped music charts in the UK, Australia and the US.
Adele said the show had been “absolutely destroyed by delivery delays and Covid”, adding that half the crew were down with the virus.
John is expected to play in states across the US until the end of April, after which he will begin the European leg of the tour. In November, he announced two special homecoming shows at Vicarage Road, the home of Watford football club, to end the tour in July.
The singer recently claimed the No 1 position in the singles chart with a festive collaboration with Ed Sheeran and collaboration with Dua Lipa.
