Helping form the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) in 1970, Jeff Lynne was more than a musician and singer – he also helped write several of the band’s hits. Some of the songs fashioned by Lynne consisted of “Evil Woman”, “Livin’ Thing”, and “Mr. Blue Sky.” Outside of his time with ELO, Lynn also fashioned a promising solo career. Having performed on stage since the 1960s, the singer recently performed during the opening show of ELO’s farewell tour. But for fans, they quickly noticed Lynn didn’t have his guitar with him.
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Again, known for his ability to play most instruments, Lynn usually took the stage with his guitar. But when standing under the spotlight at the Utilita Arena on July 5th, he stood alone. For those who might not know, the singer supposedly injured himself due to his involvement in a taxi crash in London. Not able to hold his guitar due to his broken hand, he told the crowd, “I’ve had a guitar in my hand all my life but not tonight.”
Although still working through the injury, Lynn insisted that “Nothing would keep me away from you.” Excited to honor the legacy he created with ELO, the singer delivered a mesmerizing set that consisted of 22 songs. And to make the night even better, he celebrated the Over and Out Tour in his hometown of Birmingham, England.
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Birmingham Hosted More Than Jeff Lynne Over The Weekend
For those music lovers out there, they might recall that July 5th marked a massive moment for Birmingham. Not only did Lynn perform, but not that far away, Ozzy Osbourne took the stage with Black Sabbath for his final performance. With the night shining a light on those who inspired countless singers and musicians, Lynn looked forward to his final performance at London’s Hyde Park on July 13th.
When first announcing the Over and Out Tour, Lynn explained how fitting it was to end at Hyde Park. “My return to touring began at Hyde Park.” He added, “It seems like the perfect place to do our final show. We couldn’t be more excited to share this special night in London with our UK fans. As the song goes, ‘We’re gonna do it one more time!’”
Before Lynn closes out his time with ELO, he will first stop by Manchester for a concert on July 9th. And even with the injury, fans who got the chance to see Lynn perform insisted, “I was there and it was a fabulous occasion. Jeff and the whole group were just brilliant.”
(Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall of Fame)
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