Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road and ‘Red Piano’

By Melissa Arseniuk

Published Wednesday, April 22, 2009 | 6:19 p.m.

Updated Wednesday, April 22, 2009 | 10:45 p.m.

After nearly 250 performances across four years, Elton John’s Red Piano is about to retire from Caesars Palace.

The massively successful spectacle’s run at the Colosseum will come to a close tonight.

The 7 p.m. show has long been sold out.

Originally slated to play just 75 concerts over the course of three years, Caesars Palace managed to convince the legendary piano man to give more than three times the number of appearances.

John debuted the very visual “Red Piano” show, which features Justin Timberlake staring as John in a series of song-specific videos directed by David LaChapelle, on Feb. 13, 2004.

Since then, John has far surpassed the original 75 performances he initially agreed to play. Tonight will mark his 241st show at the Colosseum.

When the iconic singer-songwriter and his band pack up afterward, it will be for the final time – and they’re taking the famous, fire engine-hued piano with them.

While John’s publicist confirmed earlier today that both the ruby red piano and its acclaimed pianist will reappear later this fall, it won’t be in Las Vegas.

Before then, however, the Rocket Man will give 13 shows in scattered across North America; will head to Europe in June; and will return stateside for a handful of summer dates on the East Coast.

Indeed, the 63-year-old star shows no signs of retiring any time soon.

Yet despite the abundance of upcoming show dates, the “Red Piano” won’t reappear until October. The spectacle is scheduled to first resurface in Russia on Oct. 7, then head to Belgium, Germany, and John’s native England for a trio of engagements later that month.

While no one knows if John will return to Las Vegas – or when that might be, or if he would bring his Red Piano with him if/when he returns – he will perform close by this fall.

If you consider a six-hour drive “close by.”

He and Billy Joel will play the EnergySoulutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah, on November 20.