Saw Rod Stewart last night

[gatorwing]

He put on a good show; got a good review in today's paper.

 

The microphone the two guitarists used for the first song didn't work; you could tell they knew it wasn't working but they kept singing into it. The back-up singers vocals were weak most ot the evening. The speakers were hung from the rafters so it was loud but no ear ringing afterwards. Stage was in the round; he walked as the stage itself didn't revolve (Which it did when I saw Barry Manilow back around 1984). Stewart even autographed a picture during the concert! Techs had to change what looked like a memory card in the keyboard. They changed guitars more times than most people change their underwear in a month. Each guitar had its own wireless transmitter mounted on the backstrap.

 

He started one song but the band was messed up - wrong tempo and key. After about 6 words he stopped, said "F**k this song, let's do another one", and did so.

[Alndln2]

My girlfriend won tickets for the Madison Square Garden show in N.Y. in Febuary. I haven't seen him live since the Fillmore in 1969 with the Jeff Beck Group. I'd imagine he's doing a mix of material from his entire career overall? Or is he mostly focusing on his last album of 70's-80's remakes? Curious as what to expect.

[Lee Knight]

It's funny. I have been completely bored of Rod Stewart my whole life except for the early, widely excepted rock stuff. Right or wrong, I've looked at the guy as a joke.

 

But then...

 

I heard his 70's and 80's remake album in Borders as I shopped for a new read. At first I rolled my eyes. "Rod. Rod destroying great tunes. Rod...". But as I heard the CD in the background, without thinking about what I was hearing, something clicked. I was hearing those lyrics fresh. For the first time really. It's a Heartache by Bonnie Tyler? Who cares? Except that I was liking that song all of a sudden. A song by Bread... the lyrics. I never really heard how good those lyrics were. Day After Day by Badfinger. Great tune but now from a slightly different... and valid perspective.

 

It's as if he were really getting to the heart of those songs as any great interpreter of songs should. He was treating the songs from my roots like singers of songs from Cole Porter or Gershwin do. With understanding and respect to it's message.

 

I bought it and love it.

[gatorwing]

 

Curious as what to expect.

 

 

Here's what he did Tuesday night, not in performance order (except Maggie may which closed the show), from memory:

 

"You're In My Heart (The Final Acclaim)"

"Dirty Old Town"

"Every Picture Tells A Story"

"(Find A) Reason To Believe"

"You Wear It Well"

"This Old Heart Of Mine"

"Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright)"

"The First Cut Is The Deepest"

"Hot Legs"

"Young Turks"

"Infatuation"

"Some Guys Have All The Luck"

"Forever Young"

"Rhythm Of My Heart"

"Downtown Train"

"It's A Heartache"

"Father And Son"

"Have You Ever Seen The Rain"

"Maggie May"

[Tedster]

I've always had respect for Rod Stewart's talent. As others have said, The Faces IMO were one of the greatest rock and roll bands ever, and one of the reasons I dug early Black Crowes so much is that they reminded me of The Faces.

 

I honestly didn't dig his disco and pop stuff, with the exception of a couple of good tunes, and was puzzled by his return-to-standards foray a couple of years ago.

 

That said...I saw him on either Leno or Conan a couple of months ago. He was doing an old Creedence song (can't remember which one). It was abysmally horrid. It just didn't sound like a professional performance at all. I was too embarrassed for him to finish watching it...much like I was when Ric Ocasek played Conan. The vocals were off-key, the band wasn't tight. Simon Cowell would have thrown them off the stage.

 

I'd like to think it was just an off night on his part.

[gatorwing]

 

I honestly didn't dig his disco and pop stuff, with the exception of a couple of good tunes, and was puzzled by his return-to-standards foray a couple of years ago.

 

 

I read a while ago where he said at his age he wasn't going to write any new songs, hence doing the old standards, the American Songbook CDs, and the rock classics, "Still the Same...Great Rock Classics Of Our Time" CD.

[gatorwing]

 

It's a Heartache by Bonnie Tyler? Who cares? Except that I was liking that song all of a sudden.

 

 

At the concert he said he waited 30 years to record that song. He also said his mom said he should have been the one to record it back then. He did a good job with it at the concert.