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Kelowna was in the presence of Rock and Roll royalty on Thursday evening as Sir Rod Stewart graced the Prospera Place stage.
Being in the presence of a member from the musical hierarchy was worth the ticket price alone, yet the generation-spanning audience was gifted much more than a simple story to tell. Stewart conquered the stage with surprisingly exuberant energy despite his fractured foot.
The two time Hall of Fame inductee brought fans a 22 song setlist riddled with hits and showcased that, even at 73-years-old, he can knock out a modern chart-topper with the inclusion of tracks like “Didn’t I” from his latest studio album, Blood Red Roses.
As soon as the lights dimmed, those lucky enough to have floor seats were up and out of them, welcoming a leopard print doused Stewart as he kicked off his nearly two hour set with 1984 hit “Infatuation.”
Throughout his five-decade career, Stewart has been known for his rasp-ridden register, of which seems to have held up quite nicely over the years, based on his Okanagan performance, as he belted out one recognizable song after another from his genre-blurring songbook.
From the dance-inducing hit “Some Guys Have All the Luck," to a lighter raising, “The First Cut is the Deepest,” the spellbinding magic of ballad “Have I Told You Lately” — and his homage to the early days with Faces hit “Stay With Me” (my personal favourite,)
Stewart gave us all that we’d hoped for and more with a crowd-curated setlist.
Apart from being in awe from hearing songs off the soundtrack to their adolescence, attendees could also gush over the impressive stage set up.
With numerous screens hosting nostalgic images and videos of yesteryear, along with a 50’s inspired checkerboard floor, and a near 10 piece backing group, Stewart’s platform was a spectacle to enjoy on its own.
Though stand out moments presented themselves in abundance throughout the time traveling performance, major highlights would have had to come during Stewart's most popular, air-wave riding hits.
The first of which came only four songs in as Stewart dedicated “Rhythm of My Heart,” to the veterans and soldiers of the world. A fitting tribute for the first day of November, the 90’s hit prompted the first of many sing-alongs of the evening.
Despite having to hobble from each end of the stage, Stewart was a firecracker and full of tricks, surprising fans early on with the anthemic hit “Maggie May.” Taking on the lead, the audience serenaded Stewart for the first verse before the spry singer launched into the chorus.
His 20th song saw big batches of balloons drop from the ceiling, and a still excited Stewart catapulted into “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy,” which obviously was met by roaring cheers and groovy moves by the audience and Stewart himself.
After giving Kelowna an already electric performance, things were taken to new heights following his first “encore” as Stewart returned to the stage not once, but twice following curtain drop.
With a people-pleasing setlist, strong vocal performance, candid audience interaction and infectiously sassy energy, Rod Stewart rocked the Okanagan, giving fans an evening they will reminisce on for years to come.
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