Review by Alan Weston, Liverpool Daily Post
âSO MANY songs,â said Rod Stewart from the stage, âabout 40 yearsâ worth.â How to fit them all in?
His answer was to focus on his greatest solo hits, of which there have been many, ranging from his signature tune, Maggie May, to more recent hits such as Rhythm of My Heart.
Rodâs repertoire consisted of a mix of his own material, and his take on songs by other artists, such as Van Morrison (Have I Told You Lately), Tom Waits (Downtown Train), and the singer who inspired Rodâs unmistakable vocal style, Sam Cooke (Twistinâ the Night Away).
That famous voice is still in great shape, although toned down from the raucous bellow which characterised Rodâs work with the Faces â of which, disappointingly, there was not a single example in last nightâs two-hour set.
Not that this seemed to matter to the enthusiastic audience, who engaged in Rodâs well-known passion for the beautiful game by throwing footballs on to the stage, which he gamely kicked, hurled, or headed back into the crowd.
Intriguingly, his well-known ode to and about former love Britt Ekland, Youâre In My Heart, has now become an anthem for Rodâs beloved Celtic FC, with archive footage of the team projected on to the giant screens behind the band. Those screens were often used to illustrate the songs, such as grim views of back-to-back houses for Handbags and Gladrags, and the naval convoy returning home from the Falkland islands for Sailing.
According to Rod, this was his first appearance in Liverpool since he performed with the Jeff Beck Group back in the late 60s. After the reception he received last night, I doubt it will be so long before we see him here again.
Reproduced with thanks to the Liverpool Daily Post
Review by Jade Wright for the Liverpool Echo
WHEN I go to see an iconic musician I make a mental list of the songs I hope they play, and the songs I hope they donât.
Last night Rod Stewart played every song on both my lists, and a whole lot more besides.
Swaggering around a shiny white stage, with every seat in the ECHO arena full, he was every bit the showman. All skinny legs and big hair, he flung the mic stand around and shook those hips for all he was worth.
And, unlike so many acts of his standing, he played every song the crowd were hoping for. No fillers, all killers, it was two hours of greatest hits.
From Tonight’s the Night to the Rhythm of my Heart, Have I Told You Lately that I Love You and Handbags and Gladrags, the familiar tunes were out in force.
Admittedly, there were far too many instrumental solos, and Rod disappeared too often to change costume â the crowd paid to see Rod the Mod, not the band.
Nevertheless, when he was onstage, he was the consummate entertainer. Telling stories between songs and dancing in a way that only a man whoâs worn tight trousers for years can, he put on a show that would shame most younger acts.
Reproduced with thanks to The Liverpool Echo https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-entertainment/echo-entertainment/2010/07/22/review-rod-stewart-at-echo-arena-liverpool-gallery-100252-26905655/
To see the pictures from Liverpool go to-
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/multimedia/music/music-news/images/2010/07/22/rod-stewart-concert-pictures-dave-munn-100252-26907614/