Photo Credit James Edmond
Rod Stewart brings his Blood Red Roses tour to Glasgow on a cold night in the city, a trail of tartan scarfs making their way through the Glasgow streets heading toward the SSE Hydro. The crowds gathering outside the venue was made up of all age groups, but mainly of 40 plus age group, it was great to see families turning up to see their hero perform in the city.
First up was Glasgow band Johnny Mac & The Faithful to warm the audience up, the venue three quarters full as they took to the stage. The band featuring John Mclaughlin (lead vocalist), Gordy Goudie (lead guitar), Stevie Morrison (drums), Tam McKinley (bass), Joe Gallacher (guitar), Terry Dourish (keys and accordion) and Lisa Petticrew (fiddle), playing Celtic Rock n’ Roll and folk. They knew how to command the stage and enjoy the moment. Some of the audience were up on their feet dancing along to the music as Johnny Mac and the Faithful played a set of original and covers, this was the perfect set to get the Glasgow audience warmed up from the chills and ready for Rod to take to the stage.
The stage lights went down, the sound of bag pipes could be heard playing the intro, before the curtain was raised, revealing the vast stage in all its glory with huge LCD screen showing images that lit up the stage and the venue. Rod entered and opened the show with “Some Guys Have All the Luck”, smiling at the audience and moving from one side of the stage to the other taking in the venue, interacting with various band members with the LCD screens show images of Vegas with poker chips spinning on the screens. Rod dancing with backing singers and showing some of his dance moves, the song closed with Rod thanking everyone for spending their hard-earned money to come to the show from the bottom of his heart.
As the stage lights turned blue, the top of the stage read “Party”, Rod wearing his gold and black jacket and black trousers stood out from the blue lights, you could see him on the huge LCD screens having the time of his life. Singing the Sam Cooke classic “Having a Party”, the audience were dancing in the aisles. Playing through hit after hit, “It takes Two”, “Rhythm of My Heart” and classic “You wear it well” took the show to new heights of emotion, both from the audience and Rod.
Rod playing through songs from The Faces to present, delighted old and younger fans, with a stage show full of classics including “Maggie May”, “Downtown Train”, “First Cut is the Deepest” and “You’re in my Heart”, the audience, in full voice enjoying ever minute of their idol. As the set was coming to a close he finished off with “Go Your Own Way” a classic Fleetwood Mac Cover. As Rod left the stage you could see on the screen how much he was enjoying the show and looking around you could see that the Glasgow audience did not want this moment to end.
After a few minutes he returned to bring the house down with “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy”, dancing around the stage engaging with the audience at the front and capturing the moment with all his usual moves. This was followed with the 1983 classic “Baby Jane”, the Glasgow audience were giving their all, singing and dancing as they knew it was all nearly over, to close the show Rod played his classic hit “Sailing” and closing the night with the classic from the Faces “Stay with Me”.
This was truly a night to remember, as it was the second show of Rod’s sold out nights in the SSE Hydro, unsure where he gets his energy from, but he gave every single bit to put a show out to his fans and they loved every minute of it. Tonight was the night he gave his adopted Scotland a night to remember.
