Adele was determined to make her four-night stand at Wembley Stadium memorable. And during the first show on Wednesday night (June 28) she did just that, serving up a touching tribute to the victims of the horrendous Grenfell Tower fire, as well as suggesting to the crowd that they might be seeing one of her final touring performances in a long time. If not forever.
According to clips posted by attendees, before the gig began, the singer played a video message announcing that the shows will benefit those impacted by the fire that killed at least 79 at the London residential tower earlier this month. “It’s been two weeks since the fire, and still the people who were affected by it are homeless,” she said in the video. “I promise that the money we raise together will go directly to the people who are living in that block.” She jokingly encouraged fans to forgot the “extortionate” prices for a glass of wine and use their hard-earned money instead to help out those impacted by the blaze.
adele talking about the fire in grenfell tower before her concert ??#Adele #AdeleFinale #AdeleWembley
vc: adelefromturkey via instagram pic.twitter.com/3Vt6csv1m0
— salami ? 81 (@riverleadkins) June 28, 2017
The singer has been vocal and visible in her support of the residents of Grenfell, making her way down to the site of the fire to offer her support and visiting the firefighters to thank them for their brave work.
Incredible @adele signing for Grenfell Tower victims to 96,000 people @wembleystadium pic.twitter.com/BwfvIQ3P6d
— Greasy Lake (@GreasyLake) June 28, 2017
Adele also reportedly had another message for fans at the hometown gig: this could be the final hurrah. According to multiple reports and posts from attendees, the 29-year-old singer — who earlier in the tour hinted at hanging up her traveling shoes — distributed a handwritten note to fans in their programs that indicated she might not mount another world tour.
“So this is it after 15 months on the road and 18 months of 25 we are at the end,” the note began. “We have taken this tour across uk+ Ireland, throughout Europe, all over America and I finally got to go to Australia and New Zealand too. Touring is a peculiar thing, it doesn’t suit me particularly well. I’m a real homebody and I get so much joy in the small things. Plus I’m dramatic and have a terrible history of touring. Until now that is! I’ve done 119 shows and these last 4 will take me up to 123, it has been hard out an absolute thrill and pleasure to have done. I only ever did this tour for you and to hopefully have an impact on you the way that some of my favourite artist have had on me live.”
She noted that she wanted to do the final shows on the 25 tour to be in London because “I don’t know if I’ll ever tour again and so I want my last time to be at home. Thank you for coming, for all of your ridiculous love and kindness. I will remember all of this for the rest of my life. Love you. Goodnight for now.”