Review | Rod Stewart at the Santa Barbara Bowl

Showman Brings Vegas Values to Classic Songbook

Ever the showman, Rod Stewart brought a revue featuring six talented bandmembers who

doubled as dancing showgirls to the Santa Barbara Bowl on Saturday night. Coming off a gig at

the Hollywood Bowl on Friday that saw him reuniting with former bandmate Jeff Beck, Stewart

was clearly well prepared for his upcoming residency at Caesar’s Palace and a subsequent

November tour of the U.K. No expense was spared either on costumes or digital videography.

For 90 minutes, Stewart and his squad of blondes changed outfits, danced around, and generally rocked the house. 

The set list kept the hits coming, featuring familiar numbers like “Tonight’s the Night,” “The First

Cut Is the Deepest,” and “Maggie May.” Graciously aware that he was returning to the Santa

Barbara Bowl for the second time in as many years, Stewart also played some older songs that

were not on the program last time around. Fans of the Faces got a juicy “Ooh La La,” and

aficionados of his hard-rocking early solo career heard two of that period’s best, “Every Picture

Tells a Story” and the jazz-inflected Temptations cover “(I Know) I’m Losing You.” Using

time-honored techniques to catch occasional breathers, such as ceding the spotlight to three of

his female backup singers for a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way,” Stewart paced

himself effectively while remaining true to the musical era his fans had come out to relive.

Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck reunite at the Hollywood Bowl: So how was it?

The marquee at the Hollywood Bowl promised a landmark reunion — Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck, together again on Friday, for a set billed as their most extensive set together in 35 years.

So you know there were fans in the crowd thinking they were about to get most of “Truth” and “Beck-Ola,” the two albums released by the Jeff Beck Group in ’68 and ’69 before Stewart — and second guitarist Ronnie Wood — decamped to the Small Faces and Beck continued on as a solo artist and one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time.

Add to that the fact that Stewart and Beck are in that select group of musicians inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — as members of the Faces and Yardbirds respectively, and as solo performers, too.

This had to be legendary, right? Stewart certainly seemed stoked during his 90-minute set of hits from across his career that opened a show that was mostly all his.

“You wait until me and Jeff get together, oh-ho-ho!” he said at one point midway through his performance.

So how was it when they got together? Historic. Musically terrific. A rare thing to witness, so that’s cool, too.

But it was also just five songs over 23 minutes, and that felt like … not enough.

Here’s how that set, and Stewart’s, went down.

The reunion set

There was a huge roar when the lights came up to reveal Beck on stage with Stewart and the drummer, bassist, keyboard player and percussionist from his band.

“It was 1966,” Stewart announced. “Me and Ronnie Wood were in a nightclub in London and this guy came up and asked us if we wanted to be in a band.”

The 75-year-old English guitarist, dressed in black-and-white, a white Fender Stratocaster with the headstock reversed in his hands, smiled almost imperceptibly, and the band launched into “I Ain’t Superstitious,” the Willie Dixon cover that closed the “Truth” album.

And it was fantastic, Beck’s heavy blues riffs cutting through the night, Stewart standing almost motionless as he sang, a contrast with the high energy moves of his own set.

“Morning Dew,” another “Truth” track followed, and then a cover of the Curtis Mayfield-penned Impressions hit “People Get Ready,” which Stewart had sung on a 1985 Beck solo album, the guitarist’s fluid runs through the melody lines a beautiful thing to hear.

“He’s pretty good, isn’t he?” Stewart said at the close of that one before they went back to “Truth” for “Rock My Plimsoul,” a number that really showed off Stewart’s blues-rock vocals.

“This is what brought us together, and this is what’s going to keep us together every now and then,” the singer said at its close — the guitarist, in contrast, said not one word to the audience during his entire time on stage.

“Blues Deluxe,” another Beck-Stewart original from “Truth,” closed out the show with some great, heavy blues-rock performance, and that was it.

Five songs, 23 minutes, no encore. Really glad I saw it. Really wish I’d seen more.

Sir Rod’s hits

While the Jeff Beck Group songs were probably known to a small subset of fans in the sold-out Hollywood Bowl — like the biker with the long gray beard wearing a Jeff Beck T-shirt under his leathers — the Rod Stewart songs had all the fun and familiarity of old friends.

Stewart, 74, still sounds quite good, his trademark rasp adapting well to older age. He noted this was the third time he’s played the Bowl in just over a year. “I must be doing something right!” he said of that at the outset.

But he’s also done a residency at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas recently, and the show had that kind of show-biz sheen to it, from the visuals on the video screen to the magenta tux jackets on the guys in his band and the sparkly gold dresses on the women.

Stewart changed at least four times during the show with most of his outfits featuring leopard print or polka dots of black and white.

“Infatuation” opened his night and it was followed by “Having A Party,” which along with “Twisting The Night Away,” gave the late Sam Cooke two covers in the set.

The bulk of the show was pulled from his biggest solo hits of the ’70s — “Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright),” “Maggie May,” “You’re In My Heart (The Final Acclaim),” all showed up and all got huge responses from the crowd.

Highlights included a four-song, mostly acoustic set midway through the show with most of the players in matching white chairs — Stewart’s labeled with “Sir Rod,” because of course it was — as they played numbers including “Reason To Believe” and “The First Cut Is The Deepest.”

He’s never seemed like a particularly political performer but a few songs offered a glimpse of what he thinks outside of music. “The country’s falling apart, as is the U.K., but we’re partying on,” he said by way of introducing the D-Day tribute “Rhythm Of My Heart.”

And “The Killing of Georgie (Part I and II)” arrived with Stewart noting that it dealt with a hate crime against a gay man — a real-life friend murdered in New York City in the mid-’70s — and that he’s always been proud to have written it.

But remember, we’re partying on, so outside of those few moments it was non-stop fun, leading all the way through to the satisfyingly silly” Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” that came moments before the night got historic with Jeff Beck.

Rod Stewart with Jeff Beck

When: Friday, Sept. 27

Where: Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles

Rod Stewart Wears It Well At Treasure Island

Rod Stewart was at Treasure Island on a beautiful Saturday night and the audience loved the performance. The Treasure Island Amphitheater was packed, the temps were in the 70’s with a slight breeze and Rod Stewart brought a Vegas-like performance to the people in attendance. Most of the crowd stayed until the end – standing, cheering and singing along the entire concert.

Opening for Sir Roderick was The Little River Band. I haven’t heard The Little River Band in years, but they put on a great show. The seats were mostly filled and the sun was setting during their set, providing a lovely scene. Lead singer Wayne Nelson mentioned the band has been playing music for 44 years, which surprised me – until I did the math. The band played all their hits, making for a wonderful, mellow set closing with Lonesome Loser. I wasn’t approved to photograph The Little River Band, so sorry – no photos.

Stewart was scheduled to start at 8:30, but actually started a few minutes early.  Rod had several wardrobe changes during the 1 hour 40 minute set, which was filled in with performances by other band members. The other performances were good and may have been used to give Rod a breather. He’s approaching mid-70’s, but for the most part it was not evident during the show.

Stewart wore flashy outfits and donned his trademark spiked hair. He was flirty, chatty and danced and strutted as if he was much younger. As an intro to a Muddy Waters song, he talked about how he had eaten at the Muddy Waters restaurant in Prescott, WI. I would have loved to see him walking into the local restaurant and see the reaction of the other diners. He also paid tribute to the military and the Manchester United Football Club.

The night was filled with his greatest hits, including ‘First Cut Is The Deepest’, ‘Have I Told You Lately’, ‘Do You Think I’m Sexy?’, ‘You Wear it Well’, ‘Tonight’s The Night’, ‘Forever Young’, ‘Every Rhythm of My Heart’, ‘Some Guys Have All The Luck’, and ‘Maggie May’, along with others. Hit after hit and all sang magnificently by Stewart. At the end, most people stayed to hear the last notes and judging from the comments from others in attendance on the way out, it was obvious the audience loved the concert and wanted it to go on much longer.

 

5 / 16

 

 

 

 

SOCIAL MEDIA REACTS TO ROD STEWART’S INCREDIBLE ABERDEEN GIG

Thousands of north-east fans loved every minute of Rod Stewart’s concert last night.

Part of the singer’s extensive UK tour which started in May, fans were treated to an array of his smash hits and a first class show.

The sell-out gig took place outdoors at the AECC and attracted fans from across Scotland and further afield.

It was reported people residing in the city centre could hear the singer performing.

Just hours after wowing fans at a sold-out outdoor arena in the last ever gig at the AECC, the singing superstar announced he will be one of the first acts to play P&J Live.

He will play the state-of-the-art venue on Saturday December 7 as his biggest ever UK tour rocks on.

Lytham Festival 2019: music legend Rod Stewart brings down the house with big band session on the Green

It promised to be a party on the Green and Saturday night on the Fylde coast was no disappointment thanks to a big band bash by the great showman Rod Stewart.

A busy week, day four of Lytham Festival's 10th anniversary was once again basked in sunshine;"It's going to be a good night I can feel it...in my water" comes that instantly recognisable gravely tone and so it begins a blowout of a show, two hours, spanning Sir Rod's six decades in the industry.

A catalogue 'of so many songs', so many hits, it's impossible to know what he might pull out of the songbook from way back when, every show on the recent UK tour has been in its own way a little bit special.

Tonight was no different, Rod's in fine spirit, "It's Saturday night, I've had a few drinks, we've been on this tour for three months now. Two more to go."

"We've got two hours, we've got a curfew - just get on with it Rod," comes the self-reprimand.

A round of cheers echoes across the main proms arena, everyone is already having fun and he hasn't really got started.....yet.

This was a set-list rich in big solo hits but also some of those well-known classic covers the 74-year-old has brought life and plenty of soul to over the years, The First Cut Is the Deepest (Cat Stevens cover) and Have I Told You Lately (Van Morrison) come as part of an acoustic set, allowing the many couples a very personal slow-dance, from the raspy crooner. Magic moments.

A sell-out crowd of 20,000 on the waterfront lapped up every minute, adding fine voice with no need for encouragement to singalongs I Don’t Wanna Talk About It, Maggie May to Tonight's The Night and happy to indulge in an open air boogie to Da Ya Think I'm Sexy, Baby Jane and Twisting The Night Away.

This was a production that went all out, complete with tap dancing in 'Forever Young' from those who made up his fantastic band , true musicianship at its best.

The big band included two drummers, harp, double bass, string quartet, mandolin while the 'backing' singers took front of stage with a fantastic rendition of Fleetwood Mac's 'Go Your Own Way' during one of the three costume changes whilst also adding great sounds to 'It Takes Two.' The visuals in colour and that trademark flamboyancy all add to this special occasion.

Those Celtic folk undertones remained present throughout, 'Rhythm of My Heart' was accompanied by a sobering video montage dedicated to the D-Day Veterans while 'You're in My Heart' played homage to his beloved Celtic Football Club.

All the while he plays to his crowds and ensures each of the band has their own time to shine, even the missing ones, paying tribute to one of the singers forced to return home owing to her father being taken ill.

Having played and produced chart-topping albums for more than 50 years covering an array of genres popular music, from rock to folk, soul and the classic American Songbook, one might assume in his mid-70s Rod might want or even deserve to slow things down.

His Lytham outing was anything but a scaled down production. There's plenty left in that distinctive voice that has kept Rod at the top and as the sparks of Saturday night's epic firework display flew high during finale of 'Sailing' he knew exactly how to leave his loyal audiences wanting a little bit more.

Rod Stewart wows the crowds in Hove with a stunning show

Forever Young, Sir Rod sang early on. And the beauty of tonight’s concert was that he made us feel that we were too.

Exactly 50 years to the month after recording his first album, Rod Stewart oozed energy, endless charm and self-deprecating humour on a beautiful summer’s night in Hove.

Across two hours – cut abruptly short when he hit the 9pm curfew – Rod delivered a set huge on power and pathos, backed by a supremely talented band, against dazzling stage projections which combined to give us not just the detail of the performance, but also animations, photographs and memories all supremely well synchronised on a night to savour.

There are plenty of rockers in the business whose voices have got a bit AWOL by the time they’ve been in the business this long; but goodness, Rod has still got it and got it in abundance, packing a punch when he needs to but also bringing it all down beautifully to offer the big ballads with a poignancy which is all his own.

Of course, the big hits are obligatory… but with Rod on this kind of form, they are also spine-tingling, and with the big screens behind and either side, there was something wonderfully immersive about tonight’s terrific rendition of Sailing and a truly sublime You’re In My Heart.

This really was the complete package, songs which clearly mean as much to the performer as they do to us, offered up by a showman so obviously having as a fine a time as we were.

There was plenty of ribbing of the people gathered in their “ivory towers”, the flats overlooking the ground; but there was seriousness too as Rod prefaced a stunning Rhythm of my Heart with a deeply felt tribute to the D-Day veterans he’d met a few weeks before.

These were songs with context; The Killing of Georgie was another of the night’s many, many highlights. Tonight really was the Night – a night rich in happy memories revived but also rich in huge enjoyment of the moment.

A shame it all ended so quickly. 9pm arrived – and Rod told us he had to stop, our rules, not his, he stressed. But he still managed to slip a final number in, and what a cracker it was. Stay With Me just at the moment he left us wanting more, just as you are supposed to do.

Half a century after recording that first album, Rod remains the consummate entertainer, the total stage natural, the cheeky chappie you can’t help but warm to who also happens to be a blistering performer armed with one of modern music’s very finest back catalogues.

Rod Stewart at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle

This year marks 50 years since the release of Sir Rod Stewart’s debut album. With a back catalogue so rich and so deep, it would be easy for the legendary artist to sit back on his laurels, but despite this he is still pushing himself both artistically and creatively, having released his impressive 30th studio album last year.

At the age of 74 ‘Rod the Mod’ is currently on an extensive world tour in support of his new album Blood Red Roses. Tonight he brings his spectacular live show to the recently rebranded Utilita Arena in Newcastle for his first date in the city in six years.

The whole room up on their feet as the man of the moment takes to the stage with his take on Sam Cooke’s Having A Party. Tonight’s set is decorated with classics that represent the legend’s vast songbook as well as his many influences. The likes of hit single Young Turks and The Faces classic Stay With Me both feature at the top of the show.

Sir Rod spares no expense as he brings a touch of Vegas showmanship to Tyneside. His theatrical and thoroughly entertaining production comes complete with a twelve piece musical ensemble, multiple costume changes, gargantuan video walls, a spot of Riverdance, as well as a troupe of versatile backing vocalists/dancers who have honed their craft in hit Broadway musicals.

Stewart pays homage to the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landing during a patriotic airing of Rhythm of my Heart before switching things up with an emotive rendition of The Killing of Georgie.

Sir Rod ups the tempo somewhat during a ferocious duet of It Takes Two, before paying tribute to soul legend Etta James with his spellbinding cover of the timeless classic I’d Rather Go Blind. Prior to the latter of which, Stewart reminisces on recording his version of the track with Ron Wood, stating it ‘took two takes and two bottles of wine’.

Of course, the rockers of the 60s and 70s were heavily influenced by the blues, and as a result, Sir Rod tips his hat to the likes of Howlin’ Wolf, Jimmy Reed and Muddy Waters before putting his own unique stamp on the Muddy’s Rollin and Tumblin.

Being a staunch Celtic fan Stewart is in a jovial mood as a result of his team’s progress in the Champions League. However, Newcastle Utd has not been so fortunate due to the recent departure of Rafa Benitez. When Stewart questions the arena about the possibility of the bookies favourite Steve Bruce taking over the hot seat at St James Park, the response seems less than favourable. However, a fitting performance of Mark Knopfler’s instrumental masterpiece Local Hero seems enough to lift their spirits.

With Sir Rod and his band, all bedecked in matching blue outfits, which by his own admittance is distressing if you are a Celtic supporter, collectively they take the crowd through a stripped back five-song acoustic segment. The crowd require no encouragement to sing wholeheartedly during I Don’t Walk To Talk About It. Likewise, Stewart himself is in fine voice, as he effortlessly hits both the high and sustained notes during Have I Told You Lately.

As the show races towards the finish line Sir Rod wheels out the big hitters with a run of back to back anthems in the shape of Baby Jane, Sailing and Do You Think I’m Sexy closing out the main set. However, we’re not done quite yet, of course, the show would not be complete without the unmistakable Maggie May.

Rock and roll is not just a job or a passion – its way of life and the genre certainly has its fair share of lifers. With a career spanning over 50 years, Sir Rod Stewart is still going strong and showing no signs of slowing down.

Rod Stewart rocks the Costa del Sol in show at Fuengirola Castle

BRITISH singer Rod Stewart rocked the Costa del Sol yesterday (Wednesday) with a show at Fuengirola Castle where he treated fans to several classics.

The 74-year-old commanded the stage as he strutted and sang his way through a back catalogue spanning decades. The artist was touring in support of his new Blood Red Roses album, his 30th studio record.

The 74-year-old shared anecdotes and jokes between songs. At one point he quipped he had been down to Marbella and that it ‘costs a few bob down there’.

Sir Rod Stewart takes his sophisticated 'show' to the Sierra de Gredos

The British singer Roderick David, Sir Rod Stewart (London, 1954), filled on Saturday night with elegance and sophistication the Sierra de Gredos from Avila, where he offered the first of the two concerts he plans to offer in Spain during his current tour.

Before 12,500 people who filled the premises of the farm 'Mesegosillo', Hoyos del Espino (Avila), Stewart presented his new album 'Bood Red Roses', not forgetting to interpret some of the classics of his repertoire as 'Talk about it', 'Sailing' or 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy', with which he ended an hour and a half of total show.

With his natural elegance and several changes of costumes, the British musician, composer and producer appeared on the great stage of Gredos before the delirium of his thousands of admirers, good part women, who acquired around 62% of the tickets.

Rod Stewart 'took' the stage after he opened the show 'Rulo y la Contraband', within the fourteenth edition of the Festival "Musicians in Nature", organized by the Natural Heritage Foundation of Castilla y León, under the Ministry of Promotion and Environment of the Board.

In an effervescent atmosphere and with more heat than other years, Stewart began his show minutes before 22:00 hours, playing "Infatuatión", a song from 1984 with which he started a concert with a devoted audience, in which he interpreted versions by Tina Turner, Dire Straits or Donna Summer.

On the stage he was accompanied by eleven musicians who played a leading role from the vocal and musical point of view, accompanying the British star and starring in some of the musical numbers. Among the changes of costumes, the women who accompanied him on the stage of the farm 'Mesegosillo' made a nod to Spain, appearing with a polka dot skirt, while accompanying Stewart.

With his aguardentosa voice, showing his good form at age 74 and with more than half a century behind him on stage, the British singer left the audience with honey on his lips by not interpreting one of the classics claimed by his fans: 'Maggie May'.

With his performance in Gredos, Stewart joins the already extensive and prestigious list of names that in these fourteen years have gone through the Festival Músicos en la Naturaleza, one of his objectives consists in the promotion of this natural space, combining music and nature in a sustainable environment.

Among the most prominent names are Bob Dylan; Mark Knopfler; Sting; Deep Purple; The Beach Boys; Fito and Fitipaldis; Joaquín Sabina; Nacha Pop; Tequila; Coque Maya; Amaral; Miguel Ríos; Manolo García or The Secrets.

After taking over from 'Rulo and Contrabanda', Sir Rod Stewart gave the baton to the third guest of the day, 'The Waterboys'.

                  Sir Rod rocks the Lane

Bramall Lane looked superb on Saturday as Sir Rod Stewart played to a raucous crowd for over two hours.

Hit followed hit as the popular 74-year-old treated the fans to not only a fantastic vocal performance, but also a show production to match, as a huge stage and a number of video screens acted as the backdrop to the John Street Family Stand.

Operations Director Dave McCarthy reflected: "It was an unbelievably good night. Rod is true performer and he certainly got the crowd rocking.

"It's wonderful to be able to use Bramall Lane for events like this and shows that not only will it be staging Premier League football in the future, but it is also a versatile and genuine entertainment arena.

"The biggest cheer of the night might just have been when Rod congratulated the Blades on our promotion and there were more than a few 'We Are Bladesmen' versions sang around the building when his hit 'Sailing' was sang."

Tonight WAS the night for Sir Rod's fans at his Bolton gig

"THIS is going to be a good night, I can feel it in my water," said the legend that is Sir Rod Stewart.

And he was right, writes Neil Brandwood

Despite the size of the venue and the crowds, the atmosphere was intimate, almost as if Rod had invited a few old friends around.

From the beginning, they were singing along with his hits.

Speaking about Bolton Wanderers' recent trouble, he said: "I wish you well and hope you find a good sponsor."

A massive football fan, he told the fans: "I remember watching Nat Lofthouse on the telly as a kid."

It was one of several personal insights he shared.

He mentioned that two of his daughters were at the concert.

I've got a lovely life. Eight children and a great career so I'm going to dedicate the next song to myself," he laughed before breaking into Some Guys Have All the Luck.

Sailing, Do Ya Think I'm Sexy, Young Hearts and Tonight's The Night were all included, along with a couple of songs from his recent number one album and a tribute to Muddy Waters.

Revealing a self-deprecating sense of humour, he introduced Maggie Mae by saying: "This next song was written in the same year that my wife was born."

There was poignancy too with a backdrop of poppies accompanying Rhythm of My Heart and Forever Young

"This is the 75th anniversary of D-Day and I had the great pleasure of meeting some of those great guys recently. I kissed them and I love them so much for what they did for us. Where would be without them? Under a jackboot probably."

His song choice was nicely judged. Along with the hits he sang the ballad Grace - "the most tragic love song" - and dueted with one of his hugely talented backing singers for It Take Two.

For a man of 74 his voice is holding out well and he was energetically bouncing around the stage. However, it's a sign of the times that there was an extended drum section, and a guitar solo, presumably to give him time for a sit down backstage.

Sir Rod Stewart rocks Wolverhampton: Review and pictures of Molineux gig

Forever Young Rod Stewart put on a superb show at Molineux last night that had his crazy, frantic and wonderful fans Twisting the Night Away from the opening chord to the last.

The rain held off, the sun even came out and the packed Wolves stadium was treated to a concert that will live long in the memory.

Personally, it was my first experience of seeing Rod live and it has to be said the build-up to gig in the pubs around the city centre was almost as good as the performance itself.

To say Wolverhampton was buzzing would be a huge understatement.

Rod’s hardcore fans are something else and everyone was rocking and swaying in the boozers.

My wife Kelly and I must have chatted to about five different sets of people who were all eagerly awaiting the live show.

Their love for Rod poured out as they assured us we would be treated to a great night.

Every pub was pumping out his greatest hits and it just got us all right in the mood – and we were not disappointed.

As expected, the queues around the stadium were horrendous and we actually missed the very start trying to get in but as soon as we landed, Young Turks was blasting out from the stage.

What a great song that is and it had us all cheering, singing and dancing. The queues were soon forgotten.

Tonight’s the Night (how many times have we used that pun during the build-up this concert?) to enjoy yourself, was the message.

At 74-years of age, Rod’s voice, stage presence and enthusiasm has not waned at all. He is clearly a top performer who loves doing what his does – and boy does he do it well.

It can be easy to forget just how many wonderful tracks he has sung over the last five or six decades. His personal collection of smash hits is pretty mind-blowing and yet he still keeps coming back with more.

His new album, Blood Red Roses, which shares the same name as his stadium tour, is brilliant.

Having had it on repeat at home during the run up to the Molineux gig, it has become engrained on my brain.

To be honest, had he just performed that album live I would have been happy but of course he rolled out plenty of his classics, such as Forever Young.

What a great track that is. Simple drums, acoustic guitar and bass give way to Rod’s unique and clear-cut voice. It’s a feel-good song that makes you smile while you listen to it.

Rod’s affinity for the armed forces is also renowned and when the huge screens started beaming out images of soldiers going over-the-top and into battle, it was a really touching moment.

We all appreciate our armed forces and it’s nice when someone so famous pays them the respect they deserve, which was exactly what Rhythm of My Heart did.

A wonderful moment, particularly so close to the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

Then it was time to up the tempo again, with all-time classics Maggie May and Sweet Little Rock and Roller.

It woke the crowd up, let alone Maggie, and got us all rock and rolling in good old-fashioned seventies style.

Sometimes a good cover song is what the night needs, and Rod’s rendition of Etta James’ I’d Rather Go Blind is something else.

Rod’s stripped back performances are arguably better than his all-out rock efforts.

And when a harpist was wheeled out for The First Cut is the Deepest, it was another moment to treasure.

With the sun setting and Molineux turning dark, the phones – rather than lighters – were out as the singer again slowed everything down for I Don't Want to Talk About It, which was pretty poignant as it's the song my in law, Gary and Donna, have chosen to have played as their first dance - as I'm sure many others have too.

Twistin’ the Night Away followed, which got everyone up an out of their seats again to have another good boogie, before he settled us back down with Sailing, which needs no introduction.

Every music fan in the world loves that song.

As the crowd exited the stadium, we all left feeling very sexy and very fulfilled.

It’s been more than 10 years since Molineux last hosted a live concert.

Let’s hope they don’t leave it so long again.

Review: Rain can't dampen spirits as Sir Rod returns to rock Portman Road

Rock legend Rod Stewart proved he's still got what it takes as he delighted a near sell-out crowd on his third visit to Ipswich Town's Portman Road stadium.

But once again the weather let him down as the heavens opened - leaving those on the pitch drenched as the evening went on!

The former Faces frontman came to town with a back catalogue of classics spanning nearly half a century - and over the last few years he has branched out with his Great American Songbook albums that have reached a fresh audience.

But this was Rod the Rocker back in town bringing us a real taste of his Greatest Hits - showing how versatile and varied his back catalogue is.

From Maggie May and Tonight's the Night to the slower number like I Don't Want to Talk About It and the showstopper Sailing, there was something here for all his fans.

He turned Rhythm of My Heart into a tribute to the nation's D-Day heroes. Have Winston Churchill and Douglas Bader ever been a backdrop to a rock concert before?

His Forever Young song gave his talented band the chance to have a few minutes in the limelight - and the poignancy of The Killing of Georgie which was banned in 1976 for referring to a gay murder victim was not lost on the fans.

Rod is now 74 years old, but you really have to pinch yourself to realise that. He still has all the moves - and he's still much more Rod the Mod than Sir Roderick David Stewart!

One of the more interesting elements of the show was the "Stripped" segment with some of his slower, more intimate numbers - split from the main set by a couple of instrumental numbers from his band.

All were accompanied by splendid video presentations which made sure everyone in the stadium could be part of a great entertainment experience on the night.

The last time Rod came to Portman Road, in 2007, the heavens opened and most members of the audience remembered it as the "Singin' in the Rain" concert.

This was "Singin' in the Rain II", but concert-goers had come prepared - and there were plenty of raincoats on show.

'You'll be back up!' Sir Rod Stewart's inspiring message for relegated Ipswich Town during Portman Road gig

And the rocker gave some words of encouragement to Ipswich Town as they seek to bounce back from relegation.

The Forever Young 74-year-old was playing his first concert at the football stadium since 2007, having also played there in 1991.

He burst onto the stage with some fireworks and an energetic performance of Infatuation at around 8.15pm, afterwards telling his fans to "forget about Brexit" for the night while he played his set of 25 songs.

The two-hour tour de force proved that Sir Rod has still got more an energy than even those half his age, as he bounced around the stage while singing Maggie May, Sailing and other classic hits.

He dedicated his performance of Some Guys Have All the Luck to the "wonderful life" he has had, as well as his eight children.

Football came up during the evening, with Sir Rod mentioning his beloved Celtic more than once or twice.

However he had a word for Ipswich Town fans, saying: "Ipswich are down at the moment, but you'll be back up."

Later on he wished the Blues all the best in League One, saying: "There are two things you can't change - your mum and the football team you support."

Sir Rod Stewart delighted thousands of his biggest Suffolk fans with a spectacular gig at Portman Road.

Review: Rod Stewart, York Racecourse, June 1

THROUGH the years he has transformed from "Rod the Mod" to "Sir Rod Is God", but the voice of Rod Stewart remains a pied piper unchanged by time's ravaging passage.

Rod Stewart plays at St Mary's in Southampton

THE tartan and leopard print clad army were out in force as Sir Rod Stewart arrived in Southampton.

And he didn't disappoint his army of fans, who had travelled from far and wide to see their hero in action at St Mary's.

Review of Rod Stewart at Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena - his opener was an 'odd choice' and Brexit chat was banned

Sir Rod likes Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena. He visited twice in 2016.

This might not be the 250 capacity Boat Club he started out at, but the arena’s the most intimate space you’re likely to see him in this century. 

You know what to expect with Rod, who always plays his biggest songs, but there are often surprises. This is ‘his biggest ever UK tour’. How many acts do that at the age of 74? 

The opener, minor hit Infatuation, is an odd choice, but gets the groove going. Young Turks takes things up a notch.

He hits his first killer punch with his second number one, You Wear It Well. He’s in his stride, in front of a superb stage set whose multiple backdrops include a gigantic video carousel above the stage. 

Rod, red scarf poking out of tight bullfighter’s trousers, tells us to forget Brexit, Trump and the EU because "we’re here to enjoy ourselves".

Then it’s Tonight I’m Yours. Hit follows hit, including a rousing Maggie May and a moving Killing of Georgie.

Tonight’s highlights also include a cracking I’d Rather Go Blind, the only song from his Faces days, and a wonderful, poignant I Don’t Want To Talk About It.

He tore a ligament at his Cork show the other night, he explains, "doing a dance a man of my age shouldn’t do", then sits down for the acoustic set.

There’ll be no footballs kicked into the audience tonight, but we do get the big balloons. He feels his thigh, then throws himself into show closer Do Ya Think I’m Sexy.

Stewart is always generous to his musicians, who each get solo spots, full introductions and plenty of opportunity to dance, sing or anything (now there’s a song I’d like to hear him do).

This was the fourth time I’ve seen him at the arena, and he’s never sung better. The two hour show concludes with a single, snappy encore of Baby Jane. 

"It was good, wasn’t it?" he says, before the curtains close a second time. 

Yes, Rod, it was.

Rod Stewart at Páirc Uí Chaoimh review: 'Rodders does old school stagecraft like no other'

Rod Stewart 2019 tour Bristol review and set list: Harps and footballs at Ashton Gate

Ashton Gate rocked the night away at Sir Rod Stewart's concert - the first of his 2019 UK tour

Sir Rod Stewart kicked off the UK leg of his world tour with a barnstorming two-hour show at Ashton Gate stadium in Bristol last night.

It was a gig with at least four costume changes, a harp solo, the obligatory footballs into the crowd and several gigantic singalongs.

He played a set filled with the classics, the hit songs that have sold 100 million records, along with a selection of his favourite covers.

But the lucky 20,000-plus fans who packed into Ashton Gate on Wednesday night, for the first in a series of stadium gigs at Bristol’s biggest venue, didn’t just get a rock group fronted by the 74-year-old, who had showed his generous side ahead of the gig.

This was big band Rod. This was Rod with almost an orchestra. This was Rod at the head of a steamroller of sound, switching from Riverdancing clogs to saxophone solos, switching from leopard print to polka dots, and rounded off with fireworks and an encore of Baby Jane.

He was in a pithy, but smoothly-in-control mood. Clearly loving being back in Britain - he said so halfway through - he was faced with 20,000 excited fans, and knew he had the arsenal of songs and band to back it up.

The crowd were already well up for it. The excitement was helped for many by the novelty of a first visit to the ‘new’ Ashton Gate, a stadium which has undergone a huge rebuild in the past five years.

We’d had the bagpipe quartet, we’d had the suitably Scottish, Celtic-loving support band, Johnny Mac and the Faithful, and then suddenly, heralded by a rather understated fanfare, there he was, taking many still sipping their ciders in the concourse by surprise, opening with Infatuation.

Then he followed that with The Persuaders cover Some Guys Have All The Luck, and we were away.

“We’ve got 23 songs. We’ve got two hours,” he said. “So forget Brexit, forget the European Union, forget Trump. Let’s enjoy ourselves.”

The sun set behind the Atyeo Stand and the Ashton Court Estate in the distance, and the lights of Sir Rod’s impressive stage set-up grew brighter.

A stadium gig often stands or falls on the sound quality - it was clear and loud - and the visuals, given that only those within 30 yards of the stage will ever get a good view of the man himself.

The stage was effectively one giant screen - two very tall, very vertical screens on either side, a convex screen above and the huge backdrop behind the band on stage was one massive screen too.

This set up was used very cleverly - there was always something to watch, always something different going on.

And what those screens showed was that Rod was very much on top form, both with his voice rasping out across South Bristol, and with his flamboyant costumes.

“I’m getting hot and wet,” he said after just a few songs. “I’ll have to change my shirt. The papers said I went off four times for a rest, but I’m going off to change, I’m not going for a f***ing rest,” he added.

He opened with a unique combination - matching a leopard-print jacket with shiny black trousers with a thick red side-stripe - the kind worn by the second euphonium player.

He might be a knight of the realm, but here he was the ringmaster of a colliery band circus.

The costume changes meant it was a varied evening - actually some of the most interesting moments came when Sir Rod was switching from 1970s pimp to 1920s Berlin artist.

After the evening’s first monster hit, Tonight’s The Night, we had the first of those variety moments. Forever Young morphed with the jolt of a segue not unfamiliar to viewers of The One Show into Riverdance.

And we saw for the first time what would actually become the real stars of the show - Rod’s backing singers.

For they weren’t just backing singers. Up until this point they had been - the classic trio of girls swaying with big blonde hair.

But suddenly they were clog dancing, playing fiddles and leaping around. There were more of them, they were everywhere. They were brilliant.

From that moment, they were a constant surprise - getting a harp out, appearing with a mandolin for the classic Maggie May.

That heralded a stripped back interlude in the set, the band and Rod sitting on what appeared to be those posh chairs you might see in a top of the range marquee at a wedding, and the first huge singalong moment.

The Crazy Horse cover I Don’t Want to Talk About It, followed by another in quick succession with The First Cut Is The Deepest.

Then the girls got their chance to really shine, leading the Fleetwood Mac cover Go Your Own Way, as Rod made yet another costume change.

Everything was co-ordinated, everything was visual, although the pink jackets of the backing band, and the various mini-dresses of the female members of the band threw a slightly suspect 1980s shade of Robert Palmer's Addicted To Love video, or Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines on the proceedings.

Rod emerged again in more casual get-up for the finale, ready for the footballs.

They were sent into the stratosphere by two machines designed to reach the very back of the ground at the other end of the pitch.

However, the breeze took many soaring over the Dolman Stand, with some still bouncing down Duckmoor Road long after the gig finished.

Into the home straight and there was no flagging from Rod, blasting balls into the crowd to Twistin’ The Night Away. singing Sailing illuminated by a thousand mobile phone lights, and ending with Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?

An encore of Baby Jane sent the crowd home happy, with the sound of the fireworks from behind the stage ringing in their ears.