Music promoters are lining up a series of multi-million-pound offers for Sir Elton John to do an “intimate” multi-night residency in the UK.
But after Elton has indicated that he would be willing to stage a residency in the future, music bosses are prepared to break the bank to secure him.
But sources say any show would “not be an extravaganza but a smaller, more intimate affair”, albeit over an extended run.
A source at one promoter said: “No amount of money would ever persuade Elton to go on tour again but a run of shows in one city is very much a possibility.
“He has made clear that the massive spectacular shows with huge production values are off the cards...but this doesn’t rule out smaller venues, with say a few thousand people rather than the big Arena or Stadium shows.”
The source added: “We would love Elton, and would be willing to offer a lot of money to secure him, as others would too. It’s a no brainer as tickets would absolutely fly.”
Elton could follow in the footsteps of stars such as Kate Bush Bush’s 2014 Before the Dawn residency at Hammersmith Apollo consisted of 22 dates and was Bush’s first series of live shows since The Tour of Life in 1979.
Sources say that’s the scale they are looking at, rather than a residency on the scale of Prince’s Earth Tour which was 21 Nights at the O2 arena in London in 2007.
Elton has himself recently flagged the prospect of a residency but admitted it was in the “long term”
He added: “I don’t want to think about the stage – I’ve been on it since I was 17.”
After touring the globe on his marathon Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour over the past few years, Sir Elton has said Glastonbury would be a “fitting way” to say goodbye to his British fans.
Partner David Furnish has previously said he will not give up on music after his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour ends in Sweden next month, and will start work on a new studio album in the autumn.
The star is also doing a TV documentary, as well as a new stage production of his 2022 American musical version of The Devil Wears Prada, which he is hoping to launch in the West End.
