Main photo by gav.the_gardener
Caviar in The Ritz
Lets start this weeks news with a great photo of Rod in The Ritz with Caviar Expert Holly King and her mum Laura King MBE from King’s Fine Food, Holly told SMILER ‘Rod bid for the caviar tasting at a charity auction a few years ago that my director donated to the charity dinner Rod attended in support of charity’.
I am flying Passing high clouds
The week ended with Rod leaving the UK with his big free gig at the St. Marcos National Fair Star Forum in Aguascalientes Mexico coming up on Sunday
Rod was spotted leaving by Alyson Caldwell and also spotted arriving in Miami by gav.the_gardener who gave us our brilliant main photo.
Mexico
On Sunday Rod played St. Marcos National Fair Star Forum in Aguascalientes Mexico
Aguascalientes de Mexico caught Rod arriving for the show
Thousands of fans queued up 24 hours before the show to get a good view
Plaza de la Patria installed screens for 5,000 fans to watch the concert
And 35,000 fans got to see Rod in the flesh
TV host Yair Gómez got these Fabulous shots
Announcer and Programming Director of Radio Formula 106.9 Sandra Reyes Locutora sent you all a hug. from Aguascalientes Mexico and also sent these superb photos from the show, Sandra said ‘The concert of Feria Nacional de San Marcos at the Rod Stewart in Aguascalientes was a success. The legendary artist delivered the best of his musical career and his energy and charisma on stage made the audience at the Star Forum vibrate. Undoubtedly an unforgettable night for fans of the singer and for the fair in general’…Photos: FNSM Board of Trustees/Sandra Reyes
After the success of the show Joanne Harper posted this great photo with the latest member of the band violinist Chandra Meibalane who our Australia members have already had a chance to see in action.
This weeks Rod Art
This week we feature a great music Rod art with a twist ..
You may, or may not recognise the music above, it is the sheet music for Rod’s Forever Young and Dani Jones a Tattoo Artist from Toronto Canada used it for this fantastic tattoo for a client using a line from the song
Dani told SMILER this week “The tattoo was for my client, she’d prefer her name not used but she has given permission for her story to be shared”
“The tattoo is a loving tribute to a life long Rod Stewart fan, her dad. Early music memory was of Maggie May playing on the stereo. Like her dad, Rod was a constant presence and Forever Young their father daughter dance at her wedding.”
To see more of Dani’s work go to
https://www.instagram.com/jonesing.ink/https://www.instagram.com/jonesing.ink/
R.I.P. Paul Gregory
Last week the sad news came through that Paul Gregory had passed away, Paul was a very well liked and well known member of all the Rod groups and the news came as a huge shock to everyone who knew him and those that had only seen the fun packed pictures of him from over the years.
The SMILER team would like to pass on our deepest condolences to Paul’s wife Linda and the rest of Paul’s family and close friends.
Hard Rock Cafe Memorabilia #14
This week’s Hard Rock Cafe item was spotted by Jane Harrison who came across one of Rod’s shirts at Hard Rock Cafe Sharm El-Sheikh, Qesm Sharm Ash Sheikh, Egypt.
Have you ever spotted a Rod item in a Hard Rock Cafe or similar while you were visiting?..If you have send a picture in to [email protected] and tell us about it and I will post them in future ‘This week’s news and gossip’ posts.
Rod ‘struggling’ to pay for more NHS scans
Rod told SKY News that he is dedicated to continuing his generous donations towards supporting the NHS, amid a growing list of patients waiting for MRI scans as the national health service faces huge delays.
But he has admitted he “can’t get any response” from health service chiefs, despite having the funds waiting to help out the nation after revealing he would dip into his own pockets back in January following his own experience getting a scan.
Rod also said that he also supports the doctors’ and nurses’ strikes, saying he is “well on their side”.
“I said when I did Sky TV that I want to try and do them all over the country,” Rod explained previously.
“It’s like banging your head against a brick wall. I can’t get any response, People are crying out for MRIs, (and) I’m willing to pay for them, 30 or 40 in a few hours, and I can’t get anybody to do it for me.”
“I want to keep it going. I don’t want it to look like it was a publicity stunt,”
The New Single
The new single Me Oh My from GBX Anthems is now available on all platforms, All proceeds of this track will be going to Cash for Kids
Can we ask you all to get behind this & lets get it up those charts!!
The Celtic Foundation 2023
On Wednesday Rod performed a 40 minute set at this years Celtic’s charity foundation New York Gala Dinner in Manhattan helping to raise a staggering $500,000.
Former Hoops boss Gordon Strachan also held a Q&A for fans in attendance at the plush bash. Around 400 people showed up to enjoy the festivities including representatives from local Celtic supporters’ clubs in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Dallas and Dubai.
Rod’s set was absolutely incredible, jam-packed with a host of classics, including ‘You’re In My Heart’, ‘Grace’ and a wonderful rendition of ‘It’s A Heartache’, which led to a chorus of ‘In the Heat of Lisbon’ from the entire room
Rod’s Dolce&Gabbana went for $50,000 in the auction!, The funds raised in New York will allow the Foundation to continue its work in the city for another year, as well as supporting existing project delivery in Glasgow and in Ireland.
Afsaneh Djabbari-Aslani was at the show and told SMILER ‘Rod was wonderful’
Thanks to Lewis Kemp at Celtic FC Foundation for the other photographs .
Peter Davidson
In a mothers Day interview US Comedian Peter Davidson told Good Housekeeping Magazine “When I was younger, I bought the uncensored Eminem Show CD, which of course I wasn’t allowed to have, so I kept it in a Rod Stewart jewel case, My mom noticed, and for years she’d play Rod Stewart to have something we could bond over. I’d be sitting in the car and suddenly she’d say ‘It’s Rod!’ and start singing along to ‘Maggie May.’ I had to learn the songs just to keep the lie going. I kinda learned to like Rod Stewart.”
The SMILER Logo Statue
Our SMILER logo project is coming on great..they are looking fantastic
The first casts are done and Rod now has is famous mic stand, artist Tim Jeffs told SMILER this week “The first castings have been made. They will look better when you can’t see the grey resin!…Cleaning, priming and painting next”
Penny’s milestone
Penny posted this photo on Instagram this week to celebrate an important milestone.
Surrounded by many other happy women, Penny posted the picture to mark the first anniversary of the launch of the Menopause Mandate, an initiative campaigning to revolutionise the menopause support and advice women receive from the health service and wider society in the UK. Penny captioned the jubilant photo: “The energy today was electric! Thank you to everyone for making our first birthday super special,”
And Finally
Anyone attending the show at Palacio de los Deportes tonight have a fantastic night and please send any thoughts, reviews or pictures in for next weeks news and gossip
Cheers