Elton John was making it look easy. Midway through his 11-minute prog-rocking epic “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding,” the shimmering rock ‘n’ pop icon and his longtime guitarist Davey Johnstone were motoring through the high-drama instrumental section, locked in like telepathic quickstep dance partners on opposite ends of the stage.

His glimmering specs flickering bright enough to catch the eye of anyone in the back of the arena, John, seated at his black Yamaha piano, turned to the crowd as his hands raced across the keys. His eyes lighting up behind the lenses (or maybe it was just the sequins sparkling), the playful piano man bit his lip as if telling the adoring crowd that packed the Tacoma Dome on Sunday, “Hold onto your feather boas, kids,” before punching it up even harder.

Sometimes it’s hard to say goodbye, but John and his well-oiled band made it a helluva lot of fun as they opened a two-night run in Tacoma — supposedly his last-ever gigs in Washington state. Then again, we’ve heard that one before.

John’s multiyear behemoth of a goodbye Tour first came to Tacoma in 2019, giving what we thought was a gleeful swan Song in the Evergreen State. Now, Sir Elton’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road trek has wound its way through Western Washington for a second sayonara, resuming Monday night (limited tickets still available). Not that anyone’s complaining. Maybe we lucked out that John is putting a bow on his “final” U.S. run next month with a three-show blowout at Dodger Stadium, the site of one of his most fabled performances, as he’s making his way through the West Coast on this side of the lockdown.

There was definitely some déjà vu for fans who were under the Dome for those 2019 gigs. Though the stage production was slightly different, the set list was almost entirely the same (same tour and all), save for some light reordering and a couple of different selections. The pre-encore blitz through four consecutive jukebox piano rockers — “The Bitch is Back,” a triumphant “I’m Still Standing,” “Crocodile Rock” and “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” — was just as satisfying as it was three years ago. If it ain’t broke, right?

If anything, John’s voice sounded a little fresher and more virile this time around, perhaps the result of some extra days off between tour stops this year. Dedicated to the late queen of soul Aretha Franklin, who famously covered the tune, an impassioned “Border Song” saw John hitting another full-throated gear early on, one he sustained through most of his nearly two-and-a-half-hour set. It was evidence that at 75, John, who has two young kids, isn’t hanging up his touring boots because he can’t hack it anymore.

Amid the career-spanning marathon of hits, scorching blues rocker “Have Mercy on the Criminal” was a clear highlight that didn’t make the 2019 cut. Between monstrous canyon-filling leads from Johnstone, John bellowed and growled, giving the 1973 cut off “Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player” added bite and bluster. It was more than enough to offset an encore-opening dud in a lifeless “Cold Heart (PNAU remix)” — a song I love, for the record — with Dua Lipa’s part videoed in.

Regardless, including the day-party disco groover from John’s 2021 album “The Lockdown Sessions” completed the full-circle, retrospective set list with his most notable contemporary tune. John seemed particularly proud to have sent yet another hit up the charts in his mid-70s.

John’s second goodbye-Washington stand also seemed to allow more room for his band to shine, beyond Johnstone and his 12-string slide guitar hypnotics on an extended “Rocket Man (I Think it’s Going to be a Long, Long Time),” including the at-times understated dynamism of John’s four-piece rhythm section.

From the spice bomb percussive crescendo on “Take Me to the Pilot” to a conga-rapping “Burn Down the Mission,” the polyrhythmic foursome made each number sound that much bigger. Even bassist Matt Bissonette got his well-deserved props from the crowd, with John singling out a fan who held up a sparkly gold “Matt” sign. “We’ve done a thousand shows on this tour and that’s the first sign for Matt,” John gleefully crowed.

It feels like there are another thousand dates left on the neverending tour that actually is slated to wrap next summer in Sweden, almost five years after it began. Precious time with a timeless artist who clearly has more left to give.

Set list

1. Bennie and the Jets

2. Philadelphia Freedom

3. I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues

4. Border Song

5. Tiny Dancer

6. Have Mercy on the Criminal

7. Rocket Man (I Think it’s Going to be a Long, Long Time)

8. Take Me to the Pilot

9. Someone Saved My Life Tonight

10. Levon

11. Candle in the Wind

12. Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding

13. Burn Down the Mission

14. Sad Songs (Say so Much)

15. Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word

16. Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me

17. The Bitch is Back

18. I’m Still Standing

19. Crocodile Rock

20. Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)

Encore

21. Cold Heart (PNAU remix)

22. Your Song

23. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road