Elton John Opens Apple Music Hall With a Night of Classics
By Dana Brooks
Elton John has spent a lifetime making grand rooms feel personal, and according to NME, he brought that gift to a brand-new stage in London.
On September 28, 2026, Elton opened the new Apple Music Hall at Battersea Power Station, becoming the first artist to perform at the 600-capacity venue. For an artist whose songs have long lived in car radios, living rooms and concert halls, the launch had the feeling of a new setting being introduced with very familiar piano chords.
A Small Room, a Global Audience
NME reports that the show was livestreamed globally through Apple Music, turning a 600-capacity concert into something much wider. Fans without tickets were not left entirely outside the moment either: footage of the concert was projected onto the outside of Battersea Power Station.
That pairing made the night feel both intimate and expansive. Inside, Elton was playing a relatively small new room. Outside, the performance became part of the building itself. And beyond London, listeners could follow along through the livestream.
The full concert is now available to stream on Apple Music, according to NME.
The Songs Did the Talking
For the opening performance, Elton kept the focus squarely on the songs that made his name part of pop’s shared memory. NME reports that he performed an hour-long, 12-song set drawn entirely from his classic catalogue.
Among the selections were:
- “Your Song”
- “Tiny Dancer”
- “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time)”
- “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”
- “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”
That kind of setlist does not need much dressing up. These are the songs that can change the mood of a room within a few notes, the ones that still feel like old friends when they come across the speakers.
A New Venue Begins With Familiar Magic
Opening a new music hall is always a statement, and choosing Elton John to do it sends a clear one. Apple Music Hall began its life with an artist whose catalogue has already traveled far beyond any single stage.
NME’s report frames the evening as both a venue launch and a celebration of Elton’s enduring songbook. The setting was new, but the heart of the night was classic Elton: piano, melody and songs that have stayed close to listeners for years.
For Kool 94.5 listeners, it was another reminder that the best songs never really leave the rotation.
Source: NME