When I first heard that Rod Stewart announced a concert at the Accor Hotel Arena in Paris a special song came to my mind immediately. “I met her in a little French cafe, legs like a young giraffe…” Well the 1986 tune RED HOT IN BLACK of the album EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART didn’t make it on yesterday’s setlist but Sir Rod surprised the crowd with some special songs indeed. HANDBAGS & GLADRAGS, REASON TO BELIEVE and DIRTY OLD TOWN were all part of the acoustic session in the middle of the show. Rod opened the evening with the concert classics HAVING A PARTY and YOUNG TURKS. 8000 people in the Arena and a very good mooded Rod on stage. Another brilliant Saturday night in the French Capital. Our singer presented very powerful and emotional versions of THE KILLING OF GEORGIE and I’D RATHER GO BLIND. BABY JANE and TONIGHT I’M YOURS – those powerful 1983/1981 tunes always bring the people on their feet. Of course they did it in Paris as well. SAILING is always a concert favourite. Very remarkable that MAGGIE MAY was replaced on the setlist. Rod performed his most important b side song ever at the very end (encore) on Saturday. In the eyes of many this is the only place in setlist order for good old MAGGIE.
Besides the show the band members who flew in to Paris on Thursday spend their whole leisure time cruising around the city, visiting the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and many more places. Even a boat trip on the River Seine on Friday night was on the list. Among the longtime fans were some well known faces from Germany, Canada, the UK, Belgium and France (of course France) who enjoyed the trip to the French Capital as well. Marco from Gutersloh in Germany passed the famous Ritz Hotel in the afternoon. In case you doesn’t know this is the place where Princess Diana started her tragic last car ride 1997. Marco found two Mercedes vans with darkened windows next to the hotel entrance in a side street and decided to wait and see if he could catch a glimpse on Rod. But he wasn’t lucky that day. Instead of our favourite singer some muslim women took these vans. And before you get wrong thoughts: it wasn’t Rod in disguise …
After the show many Rod fans gathered in a nearby hotel bar for some drinks and nice chats. The Rod Stewart summer tour continues on July 9th in Newcastle…
Review: Martin Heidt
Photos: Marco Jochum
Eiffel Tower pic: Amanda Miller
Montage Tommy Kevitt