VERDICT: WE GAVE 5 OUT OF 5 TICKETS AND HERE’S WHY!
This guide forms part of our complete USA Travel Guide, featuring scenic road trips, iconic destinations, practical travel advice and honest first-hand travel experiences from across the United States.
This article is also part of the Ultimate Guide to Nevada, exploring the Vegas Strip, the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Area 51 and even Getting Married. Read the complete itinerary here.
23 songs, a legendary piano and one of our favourite Las Vegas concerts
We’ve loved Elton John’s (& Bernie Taupin’s!) music for as long as we can remember. So Elton John “The Red Piano” in Vegas was a non-negotiable for this particular trip.
23 songs. All the hits: Bennie and the Jets, Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer, Your Song, Crocodile Rock, Saturday Night’s Alright… He closed with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road & there wasn’t a dry eye in the place!
The full 10-piece band + choir really made the show. It was intimate, with Elton sitting behind the piano, playing the songs we grew up with. At one point, some members of the audience (who’d bought exclusive tickets) got to go up to stand around the piano while he sang.
The Red Piano residency ended back in 2009 at Caesars Palace. Elton finished his final Vegas run with Farewell Yellow Brick Road in 2023.
But as in the past, he always seems to come back! We’re hoping to see him again as the show was really fabulous.
Even though, he’s not there at the moment you CAN still get that “Red Piano” vibe in Vegas.
Sir Elton: At the Piano: The Music of Elton John. This is the big Elton tribute show, a full concert with all the hits; Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer, Your Song, Bennie and the Jets. Elton-style piano, costumes, the works!
Or, Piano Man Tribute at Planet Hollywood. This one’s not just Elton, but a Billy Joel + Elton John tribute!
One singer does both acts. Reviews from 2026 say “Kyle had a phenomenal voice and did a fantastic job impersonating both Billy Joel and Elton John”
Vibe: Small intimate venue, lots of audience singing/dancing. People call it “a must see”. And we will!
► 5 of Elton John’s Biggest-Selling / Most Successful Songs
- Candle in the Wind 1997 / Something About the Way You Look Tonight — His extraordinary global sales phenomenon and Princess Diana tribute.
- Your Song — His breakthrough international hit and still one of his signature recordings.
- Rocket Man — One of the songs most closely associated with Elton John worldwide.
- Don’t Go Breaking My Heart — His duet with Kiki Dee reached No. 1 in both Britain and the United States.
- I’m Still Standing — One of his most enduring later hits and a song that has found new generations of listeners.
For another useful measure of longevity, Official Charts has previously ranked Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man, Your Song and I’m Still Standing among his five most-streamed solo songs in the UK.
► Elton John’s 5 Biggest Albums
| Album | Approx. reported worldwide sales |
|---|---|
| Greatest Hits (1974) | ~24 million |
| Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973) | 20+ million |
| The Very Best of Elton John (1990) | ~10+ million |
| Sleeping with the Past (1989) | ~10 million |
| Greatest Hits 1970–2002 (2002) | ~6–7 million |
His official site calls Greatest Hits his best-selling album and notes its Diamond certification in both the U.S. and Canada. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, meanwhile, is his biggest and most successful studio album, spending more than 100 weeks on both the U.S. and UK charts.
► Candle in the Wind; Princess Diana
One of the most significant moments in Elton John’s career came following the death of his friend Diana, Princess of Wales, in Paris on August 31, 1997.
Elton and Bernie Taupin reworked Candle in the Wind, a song originally released in 1973 and written about Marilyn Monroe. Taupin created new lyrics in Diana’s memory, beginning with the now-famous reference to an “English Rose.”
Elton performed the new version at Diana’s funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 6, 1997. It was an extraordinarily emotional performance watched by a worldwide television audience.
Released as Candle in the Wind 1997, backed with Something About the Way You Look Tonight, the record became one of the biggest-selling singles in music history, with widely reported worldwide sales of approximately 33 million copies. Elton subsequently chose not to make the Diana version part of his regular concert repertoire, giving that single performance an even greater significance.
Top 10 Current Concert Residencies in Las Vegas
At time of publication. (Schedules change regularly, so check current dates before booking.)
- Kelly Clarkson
- Janet Jackson
- Backstreet Boys
- Lenny Kravitz
- Bruno Mars
- Garth Brooks
- Rod Stewart
- Barry Manilow
- The Eagles
- Dead & Company
► About Elton John’s Red Piano
The Red Piano was created specifically for Las Vegas and opened at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in February 2004. Originally conceived as a relatively short residency, its success turned it into a major Vegas attraction, eventually running until April 2009.
The production paired Elton and his famous red Yamaha piano with a large band, extravagant staging and visual sequences created by photographer and filmmaker David LaChapelle. It was very much a Las Vegas interpretation of an Elton John concert—colourful, theatrical and occasionally outrageous, but the music remained at the centre of everything.
The residency helped reinforce the idea that major contemporary artists could make Las Vegas residencies prestigious rather than simply somewhere performers went late in their careers. Elton subsequently returned to Caesars Palace with The Million Dollar Piano, before concluding his Farewell Yellow Brick Road touring era in 2023.
► The Red Piano at a Glance
Venue: The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
Las Vegas run: 2004–2009
Star: Sir Elton John
Creative collaborator: David LaChapelle
Style: Concert residency with large-scale theatrical visuals
Our highlight: Hearing the classics performed live around Elton’s piano
Would we see Elton again? Absolutely.
The Three Biggest Stars to Headline Las Vegas
Elvis Presley
“The King” transformed Las Vegas entertainment during the 1970s with legendary performances at the International Hotel (now the Westgate).
Céline Dion
Widely credited with reinventing the modern Las Vegas residency, proving that global superstars could attract audiences for years with a permanent theatre production.
Frank Sinatra
Alongside the Rat Pack, Sinatra helped establish Las Vegas as the entertainment capital of the world during the 1950s and 1960s.
Before You Go
by My Return Ticket
Local Tip
If we get the chance again, I would purchase seats closer to the stage. Unfortunately Elton John is no longer playing in Vegas.
Information Verified: 06/15/2023
The Bottom Line
There is little more I can say than the show was amazing and we simply wished it was longer. He is a real talent. Worth the time and money.
Continue Exploring The Grand Canyon and Las Vegas
- Kayaking the Colorado River with Desert Adventures USA: Glide through calm stretches of water framed by towering canyon walls. Ideal for first-timers or experienced paddlers.
- Antelope Canyon: A spectacular slot canyon famous for its colourful sandstone walls and incredible light beams. Guided tours are required.
- Hoover Dam: An engineering marvel spanning the Colorado River, offering guided tours and panoramic views over Lake Mead.
- Sedona: Renowned for its striking red rock formations, scenic drives, hiking trails, art galleries and vibrant downtown.
- Visit Fremont Street Experience: Enjoy the spectacular LED canopy light show, live entertainment, zipline and classic vintage Vegas atmosphere.
- Explore Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area: Just 30 minutes from the Strip, this spectacular desert landscape offers scenic drives, hiking, rock climbing and incredible photography opportunities.
Nearby Attractions And Things To Do In Las Vegas
- Walk the Las Vegas Strip: Experience the world-famous resorts, themed hotels, dazzling fountains, nightlife and free attractions that make Las Vegas unlike anywhere else.
- Visit Fremont Street Experience: Enjoy the spectacular LED canopy light show, live entertainment, zipline and classic vintage Vegas atmosphere.
- Stay at the Venetian Hotel: One of the city’s top hotels. It is a little pricier, but the environment, rooms, and the feeling of Venice is steps away. Quite a magical stay!
- Try out Nine Fine Irishmen and Gordon Ramsay’s Pub & Grill: There are so many restaurants to choose from. We enjoyed both, great food and fantastic hospitality.
- Get Married!: On the Strip you will find numerous opportunities to tie the knot. It all can be arranged in a day. Even get the marriage licence on the day! We did it!
Before You Go
by My Return Ticket
Local Tip
If we get the chance again, I would purchase seats closer to the stage. Unfortunately Elton John is no longer playing in Vegas.
Information Verified: 06/15/2023
The Bottom Line
There is little more I can say than the show was amazing and we simply wished it was longer. He is a real talent. Worth the time and money.
Planning Your Trip?
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- 🎟️ Top-rated tours & attractions
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With every trip, we offer feedback to travel companies along with honest views for you, the reader. We rate adventures on a scale of one to five tickets, judged on quality, service, memorability, and price. A perfect ‘Ticket Rating’ of a five-ticket score means the experience was flawless and we’d eagerly return. Your desire to go back is the ultimate measure of a trip’s worth. Exclusive to My Return Ticket.
