This week’s Christmas news and gossip

Main Photo By Daniel Beirne

A Coruña, Coliseum Spain
On Sunday Rod was back in concert at A Coruña, Coliseum Spain, Daniel Beirne was at the show to get some great photos

And here is a review of the night by Martin Heidt..

Imagine your favourite club is playing a big final and you can’t be there. That’s what happened yesterday. Sir Rod Stewart, an ardent supporter of Celtic Football Club and regular stadium visitor, missed the Scottish League Cup final, in which Celtic beat city rivals Rangers 5-4 on penalties to become Scotland’s most successful club, having won 119 trophies. No other club has won more title

Only true football fans will understand what Rod must have been like that day. But in the end, his immense professionalism won out and he made a virtue out of (football) necessity. He simply moved the celebrations after Celtic’s cup triumph to the north-west of Spain and invited 11,000 people to the party, who all turned up.

He provided the musical entertainment himself. In high spirits after the Hoops’ cup triumph, Rod took to the stage at 9pm sharp and opened the evening with INFATUATION, after which he shouted “Good evening Spain” to the celebrating crowd and announced that “we’ll be there for two hours tonight”.

This was followed by classics such as IT’S A HEARTCHE and FOREVER YOUNG, while BABY JANE and MAGGIE MAY got the audience really out of the saddle for the first time. With YOUNG TURKS, the 79-year-old finally had the fans wrapped around his finger. ‘We’re having a great time. It’s a great day,’ Rod exclaimed to the 11,000 in top form.

On this rousing and cheerful evening, Sir Rod did not forget the serious things in life and once again dedicated RHYTHM OF MY HEART to the people of Ukraine, with the well-known photo of President Zelensky emblazoned on the screen.

The last part of the show turned into a ‘big Las Vegas party’, as the online portal El Ideal Gallego called it: DA YA THINK I’M SEXY and SAILING were the two final highlights of the evening. During SAILING, the ‘gentleman of rock’ (El Ideal Gallego) was accompanied by a huge choir of several thousand voices, after which he waved his white captain’s cap and shouted ‘Goodbye A Coruna’ several times to the crowd.

At the end, El Ideal Gallego spoke of a fantastic evening that left him wanting more. The online newspaper La Region called the show ‘unforgettable’ and added: ‘Rod Stewart said goodbye to Spain in style’.

Jyske Bank BOXEN Herning, Denmark
On Wednesday Rod was in Denmark to play the Jyske Bank BOXEN Herning Benny Larsen was on hand to get some great shots and here is the review by Martin Heidt..

If, as a singer, you can surprise even those of your fans who have supported you for many years and have seen several hundred of your concerts, then you can actually give yourself a pat on the back. But more on that later.

Superstar Rod Stewart performed yesterday at Jyske Bank Boxen in Herning, Denmark, in front of over 10,000 people and played a ‘rousing and colourful concert’, as Messecenter Herning described it in a concert review, to round off his eventful year on tour.

Stewart thrilled the Danish fans with a setlist of 23 songs that included many of his great hits, such as Maggie May and Young Turks. The Brit, who celebrates his 80th birthday in a few weeks, started the evening in top form and in the best of moods, opening the show with the 1984 classic Infatuation.

However, the beginning of this generally successful evening was a little bumpy: Rod missed his cue during the opening song and had to start again. But he took it with professional nonchalance. ‘Sorry ladies and gentlemen, I fucked it up’, he called out to the audience in good humour and restarted after another very short intro of bagpipe music. The second attempt was a success and anyone whose feet weren’t wriggling by then was likely to have jumped out of their seat by Havin’ a Party at the latest and turned the arena into a huge dance hall with thousands of others.

It was hit after hit, hit after hit: You Wear It Well, Ooh La La, Rollin‘ & Tumblin’, Stay With Me, Forever Young – Sir Rod really stepped on the gas just before Christmas.

But then came a rather rare moment that left even Stewart fans who have been with him for many years in awe. Rod performed a song from his album Soulbook (2009), which last made it onto the 79-year-old’s concert set list 14 years ago: It’s The Same Old Song.

If, as a singer, you can surprise even those of your fans who have supported you for many years and have seen several hundred of your concerts, then you can actually give yourself a pat on the back. But more on that later.

Superstar Rod Stewart performed at Jyske Bank Boxen in Herning, Denmark, in front of over 10,000 people and played a ‘rousing and colourful concert’, as Messecenter Herning described it in a concert review, to round off his eventful year on tour.

Stewart thrilled the Danish fans with a setlist of 23 songs that included many of his great hits, such as Maggie May and Young Turks. The Brit, who celebrates his 80th birthday in a few weeks, started the evening in top form and in the best of moods, opening the show with the 1984 classic Infatuation.

However, the beginning of this generally successful evening was a little bumpy: Rod missed his cue during the opening song and had to start again. But he took it with professional nonchalance. ‘Sorry ladies and gentlemen, I fucked it up’, he called out to the audience in good humour and restarted after another very short intro of bagpipe music. The second attempt was a success and anyone whose feet weren’t wriggling by then was likely to have jumped out of their seat by Havin’ a Party at the latest and turned the arena into a huge dance hall with thousands of others.

It was hit after hit, hit after hit: You Wear It Well, Ooh La La, Rollin‘ & Tumblin’, Stay With Me, Forever Young – Sir Rod really stepped on the gas just before Christmas.

But then came a rather rare moment that left even Stewart fans who have been with him for many years in awe. Rod performed a song from his album Soulbook (2009), which last made it onto the 79-year-old’s concert set list 14 years ago: It’s The Same Old Song.

Extra night in Florida

It was announced this week that Rod has added a second show at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Hollywood, FL on March 2nd!

David Bowie LP’s

While Rod was in Denmark penny had a Christmas nostalgia night out with her brother at the Only Fools and Horses musical at the Eventim Apollo

One hundred and eighty

Legendary British darts quiz show Bullseye returns after 40 years on December 22nd..No don’t be silly Rod isn’t on but it does give us a chance to show a still from November 25th when Rod sang Have I Told You Lately at the World Darts Champion draw.

And Finally..

All the SMILER team would like to wish our members a very Merry Christmas and you all get everything you wish for

Hope everyone got their  Wolfie’s  orders in time for Christmas and New Years Eve… And we will see you when we see you..Slàinte Mhath