Over and Out: ELO’s Farewell Tour

Article Angelica Gonzalez

On Wednesday, October 23 I attended Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) farewell tour in Sacramento, California. The concert took place at Golden 1 Center and was a sold-out show. Although I am a big fan of ELO, I originally had not planned to go. I went to the box office less than half an hour before the show started, and my friend and I were lucky enough to snag a really good deal on tickets.

Growing up, my dad used to listen to ELO quite frequently, and the music just grew on me. I have yet to find another band that sounds similar to Jeff Lynne’s music, which makes it so special.

When I got to my seat and looked around, I quickly realized that I was the youngest at the concert by a long shot. I bet most of the people there were about as old as Jeff Lynne himself!

For the show, I was very particular with what outfit I wore. I settled on a purple geometric ’70 style shirt with rhinestones, dark purple corduroy flare pants, and black leather boots. My outfit coincidentally ended up matching much of their set design too, which was a fun surprise.

My all-time favorite song of theirs are “Last Train to London” and “Turn to Stone,” so when they performed them, I was ecstatic! When they went on stage and the show started, their main centerpiece for their set design was a large glowing spaceship, full of bright colors, a giant green  orb in the center , and laser beams shooting in all direction. The entire arena was lit up with an array of vibrant colors, and the energy of thousands of people singing along was a truly magical experience.

Although Jeff Lynne, the lead singer, is the only original band member of Electric Light Orchestra, I thought that all the other band members were exceptional. Some band members were older, some were younger, but together their talent created an unforgettable experience.

Although I am sad that Electric Light Orchestra’s touring days are winding down, I am so glad I was able to experience them live. Seeing the whole production live gave me a newfound experience for their music.