Given that the last five Rod Stewart releases of this decade have been cover albums, forgive skeptical fans who feared a night heavily-seeped in retread standards when the iconic superstar took the stage in Los Angeles March 20th. Much to the sold-out crowd’s delight, while it was standards that they got, the two-hour, 25-song set was a night of Stewart standards, with barely a sprinkling of songs representing his recent recordings.The first of two performances at the Staples Center (ticket brokers | Rod Stewart tickets) opened with the title track of 1981’s “Tonight I’m Yours,” and proceeded to unravel like a private tour of Stewart’s catalog and seemingly endless repertoire of hits. In fact, when the dust settled on the first night’s show, more than half the set pre-dated the opening song.
While four songs from his most recent album, “Still the Same: Great Rock Classics of Our Time,” did make the cut, there were just as many selections from his 1971 classic “Every Picture Tells a Story,” including the album’s title track and “(I Know) I’m Losing You” (Stewart’s dedication to former friend and Temptations standout David Ruffin), the popular “Reason to Believe” and signature hit and closer “Maggie May.”
Even his eponymous 1969 solo debut was represented by the song “Dirty Old Town,” which gave Stewart his only opportunity to strap on a guitar, his acoustic strumming offering more of a visual accent than a musical necessity, given the 10-piece band and three backing singers that accompanied him throughout the night.
The band drove “Infatuation” with a hard-rock pulse and grind, and Stewart did his part to work the crowd, navigating the ramps that extended from the in-the-round stage. Despite the fact that his reputation has evolved into that of an at-times schmaltzy crooner–truth be told, there were times in the night when Tony Bennett, Neil Diamond and Barry Manilow seemed more than just passing flashes–it was when he let his balladeer guard down that his true colors could shine.
While his vocals experienced their share of speed bumps throughout the set, Stewart’s signature sound has never been pristine, and the raspy, rough-around-the-edges hue splashed constant color amidst the musical palate of rock, folk, R&B and country. “Infatuation” could just as well have been performed by Aerosmith, while brassy saxophone powered “This Old Heart of Mine” and a fresh funk propelled “Hot Legs.”
After a short intermission, “The First Cut is the Deepest” and “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)” offered a double dose of 1976’s “A Night on the Town,” helping build to a finale highlighted by the still-contagious disco dynamics of “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?,” the bombast of “Young Turks” and the Celtic backbeat of “Rhythm of My Heart.” “Maggie May” lived up to its encore billing, erupting into a crowd sing-along through a confetti shower that rained down throughout.
While there’s no mistaking that Stewart’s vocal pipes may not be at the top of their game, any shortcomings were more than made up for with personality and flair to spare. With his styled, unkempt hair and sleek smile, he had an unassuming presence that presumed he not only got the jokes that cynics might lob in his direction, but was willing to go along for the lucrative ride. Video screens featured live footage of his wriggling backside, and the predominantly female crowd roared back with middle-aged delight. When he wasn’t wriggling, there was the frequent dance move or two thrown in for good measure.
Sure, chart-topping ballads like “Have I Told You Lately” coupled with covers of “We’re Having a Party” and “It’s a Heartache” might have lent the proceedings a more cabaret than arena-rock aura, but there was also an intimacy inherent in the night that couldn’t be denied. Chalk that up to Stewart’s charm; the man deserves his iconic status, and he reminded the Staples Center why in grand fashion. It was a consummate set, from one of classic rock’s consummate performers.
Set List
“Tonight I’m Yours”
“You Wear it Well”
“Lost in You”
“Reason to Believe”
“Infatuation”
“(I Know I’m) Losing You”
“Father and Son”
“Have I Told You Lately”
“This Old Heart of Mine”
“We’re Having a Party”
“Piece of My Heart”
“Hot Legs”
“Every Picture Tells a Story”
“Dirty Old Town”
(intermission)
“The First Cut is the Deepest”
“Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)”
“You’re in My Heart”
“Fooled Around and Fell in Love”
“Have You Ever Seen the Rain”
“Forever Young”
“It’s a Heartache”
“Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?”
“Young Turks”
“Rhythm of My Heart”
“Maggie May”
March 2007
28 – Fresno, CA – Save Mart Arena
30 – Reno, NV – Lawlor Events Center
31 – Sacramento, CA – Arco Arena
April 2007
2 – Denver, CO – Pepsi Center
3 – Omaha, NE – Qwest Center
10 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
11 – Oklahoma City, OK – Ford Center
13 – Kansas City, MO – Kemper Arena
14 – Des Moines, IA – Wells Fargo Arena
17 – San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center
18 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
20 – Green Bay, WI – Resch Center
21 – Milwaukee, WI – Bradley Center
24 – Winnipeg, Manitoba – MTS Centre
25 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
27 – Little Rock, AR – Alltel Arena
May 2007
1 – St. Louis, MO – Scottrade Center
2 – Cincinnati, OH – US Bank Arena
4 – Raleigh, NC – RBC Center
7 – Rochester, NY – Blue Cross Arena
9 – Manchester, NH – Verizon Arena
15 – London, Ontario – Labatt Centre
Paul Gargano
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