Jeff Lynne’s ELO, as the band has been known for a decade, began their final U.K. tour on Saturday (July 5, 2025), with the first of five concerts. The hometown show, at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, comes just over eight months after the maestro completed the much-longer U.S. leg of his “Over and Out” tour.
For this first concert, Lynne made several adjustments: he’s unable to play guitar due to a broken hand he suffered as a passenger in a taxi that slammed on its brakes to avoid an accident. So, like many of his avid fans, he occasionally played air guitar. In addition, he slightly tweaked the hit-filled 21-song setlist. Notably, he included a pair of songs from his time with the supergroup, the Traveling Wilburys.
As he has done in the past, opening act Dhani Harrison joined his host for a pair of songs, “Handle With Care” and “End of the Line,” subbing for his late father, George.
Lynne, who turned 77 on December 30, 2024, does very little speaking during his performances. However, before the evening’s third song, “Do Ya,” he told the crowd about his broken hand that prevented him from playing guitar. “I’ve had a guitar in my hand my entire life, but not tonight,” he said. “But nothing could keep me away from you,” he said. As the crowd roared, he offered his trademark thumbs up with both hands.
Lynne’s musical director for his tours is Mike Stevens, who leads the very tight band. After a second show in Birmingham, and two in Manchester, they’ll finish up in London, where they’ll headline a Hyde Park concert on July 13. That star-studded show also features the Doobie Brothers, Steve Winwood and Harrison.
The main set’s closing number was ELO’s highest-charting hit in the U.K. and U.S., “Don’t Bring Me Down.”
The hometown audience burst into applause, seemingly shaking the arena’s rafters, for what has become Lynne’s closing number, “Mr. Blue Sky.”
Thank you to Ian Coulton for the clips (and Matt Cotterill for the early ones). Best Classic Bands will update this story with more.
