This week’s news and gossip

Main Photo thanks to Daniel Grindstaff

Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre

On Friday Rod and Cheap Trick played Chicago and Jim Gronemann and Larry Brodersen got some amazing shots of the evening to go along with the thoughts of Martin Heidt

Sir Rod in Tinley Park: 22 songs – 2 hours of top-notch entertainment

As Muddy Waters, the American blues musician who inspired and influenced the young Rod Stewart, once said: ‘Going to Chicago is like travelling to another world.’

Well, Rod Stewart travelled to Chicago yesterday, Saturday, and played his concert in front of over 20,000 visitors at the Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, located in the Tinley Park district. For the fans, it was definitely ‘a journey to another world.’ In this case, a world full of hits from over six decades, and Sir Rod took his audience on this nearly two-hour trip, peppered with beautiful memories and the opportunity to simply forget the worries of everyday life for a while.

After US rock band Cheap Trick kicked off the evening with an hour-long set and got the fans in the right mood, Sir Rod took to the stage at 9 p.m. local time to thunderous applause and cheers from the stands.
And with that, it was over for visitors to enjoy a chilled evening in the Illinois sun. Stewart really stepped on the gas right from the start and sparked a general dancing and party frenzy among the visitors with his opening triple of ‘Infatuation,’ ‘Tonight I’m Yours’ and ‘It’s A Heartache.’
By the time he reached ‘It Takes Two’ – the fifth song of the evening – even the last dance refusenik couldn’t resist and got carried away by the general party atmosphere.

Young and old alike jumped around enthusiastically to the songs, while others showed off their singing talents, good or otherwise, especially during ballads such as ‘Tonight’s The Night’ and ‘Have I Told You Lately’.
Rod interacted with the fans, reached out to the audience, jumped around the stage like a teenager and swung his microphone stand through the air.
There was no holding back on or in front of the stage, and the arena became a party temple. And Sir Rod provided the music. Whether ‘Forever Young,’ ‘Maggie May’ or ‘Young Turks’ – the song selection left nothing to be desired.

The short breaks, during which Stewart enjoyed refreshments backstage and changed outfits, were bridged by the magnificent band with catchy tunes such as ‘I’m Every Woman’ and ‘Proud Mary’.

This did not dampen the good mood in the audience. A touch of melancholy set in as the show entered the home stretch. For many fans, the time flew by far too quickly. After a rather contemplative part with the Simply Red classics ‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’ and ‘You’re In My Heart,’ Sir Rod picked up the pace once again.

‘Da Ya Think I’m Sexy’ heralded the final phase in Tinley Park, with Sir Rod once again delivering two of his biggest hits, ‘Hot Legs’ and ‘Some Guys Have All The Luck’, before the ‘Love Train’ brought the evening to a close under the Chicago sun.

Set list:

1. Infatuation
2. Tonight I’m Yours
3. It’s A Heartache
4. Rollin’ & Tumblin’
5. It Takes Two
6. The First Cut Is The Deepest
7. Tonight’s The Night
8. Forever Young
9. The Motown Song
10. Young Turks
11. Maggie May
12. I’d Rather Go Blind
13. Downtown Train
14. I’m Every Woman (band only)
15. If You Don’t Know Me by Now
16. You’re In My Heart
17. Have I Told You Lately
18. Proud Mary (Band only)
19. Da Ya Think I’m Sexy
20. Stay With Me
21. Some Guys Have All The Luck
22. Love Train

While having dinner in Chicago Rod met Julie and she got this fantastic photo.

Ruoff Music Center Noblesville, IN.

Before the show Karve Pilates posted this shot saying ‘When your client sends a photo with the @sirrodstewart rocking OUR merch… and Rod gives it his stamp of approval ‘

On Saturday it was the turn of Indiana and Joy Ward was on hand to get us some shots and here are the thoughts from Martin Heidt

Under the stars of Indiana: Rod treats fans to another spectacular evening
​
​It is a hot summer evening in Noblesville, a town with a population of around 70,000 in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. By American standards, it was only a stone’s throw for Sir Rod Stewart and his crew from their last venue near Chicago to the Ruoff Music Centre, where Sir Rod played his next concert of the 2025 US tour last night: just 179 miles to cover.

The sun was shining and it was warm in Noblesville when Rod and his team arrived: just under 30 degrees Celsius, with high humidity. This evening would once again be a sweaty affair for everyone involved.
Hours before the show started, fans made their way to the venue and waited patiently to be let in. As always in recent weeks, US rock band Cheap Trick opened the evening with an hour-long performance. A set of 14 songs, including, of course, the band’s most famous song, ‘The Flame,’ quickly got the fans in the mood.

Then things got hectic on stage as the roadies quickly rearranged everything and prepared for Sir Rod’s performance, which the more than 20,000 visitors were eagerly awaiting.

Punctual as clockwork, the 80-year-old took to the stage to loud cheers and screams from the audience, waved briefly to the crowd and got started.
Sir Rod did not spring any big surprises in Noblesville, instead relying on the song selection he had presented the day before in Chicago. So ‘The Motown Song’ from the 1991 album ‘Vagabond Heart’ made it into the ‘starting eleven’ again.

‘You have to give people what they want to hear,’ the Briton likes to say, and what people want to hear from him includes songs like ‘Maggie May,’ ‘Young Turks’ and ‘Have I Told You Lately.’
The set list that Sir Rod has put together over the last few weeks and months is a hit with the fans, featuring several big hits mixed with soulful ballads and magnificent cover interpretations by the band when Roddy Boy disappears behind the stage for a quick refreshment and a change of clothes.

The visitors to his concerts turn the shows into magnificent evenings, because in Noblesville, too, the fans were in an extreme party mood. Some in the audience may have thought back to their first kiss when they heard schmaltzy songs like ‘You’re In My Heart’, while others felt transported back to the disco era when Sir Rod skilfully swayed his hips to ‘Da Ya Think I’m Sexy’, even at his rather tender age.

Hits such as ‘Tonight I’m Yours’ and ‘Stay With Me’ also carried the audience away. Who can sit still when the man on stage is pushing the accelerator to the floor?
When the ‘Love Train’ irrevocably headed for the end of the show after about two hours, some in the arena felt a touch of melancholy. It was supposed to be ‘One Last Time’ – was this really Rod Stewart’s final appearance on stage at the Ruoff Center?
Certainly, after another rousing performance by the music icon, the majority of fans were hoping for a repeat and therefore went home with mixed feelings.

After the show Rod met singer Shar White

Set list:

1. Infatuation
2. Tonight I’m Yours
3. It’s A Heartache
4. Rollin’ & Tumblin’
5. It Takes Two
6. Forever Young
7. The First Cut Is The Deepest
8. Tonight’s The Night
9. The Motown Song
10. Young Turks
11. Maggie May
12. I’d Rather Go Blind
13. Downtown Train
14. I’m Every Woman (band only)
15. If You Don’t Know Me By Now
16. You’re In My Heart
17. Have I Told You Lately
18. Proud Mary (/Band only)
19. Da Ya Think I’m Sexy
20. Stay With Me
21. Some Guys Have All The Luck
22. Love Train
    ​

Rod on TV

If you need a Rod fix in the UK you can catch Rod’s 2016 performance of Hold The Line on Michael McIntyre’s Big Show showing airing on Comedy Central Extra at 6:00 PM, Sunday 24 August.

The comedian hosts another evening of entertainment at London’s Theatre Royal on Drury Lane. This time he invites music industry veteran Rod Stewart and pop-rock singer James Morrison to perform, along with Extreme Flamenco fusion dancers, Los Vivancos, and comedian Romesh Ranganathan. The host also hijacks Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones’ mobile phone in Celebrity Send To All, which sees him fire off an embarrassing message to all the contacts in Jones’ directory, and makes dreams come true for an unsuspecting electrician in Unexpected Star.

Play with Rod

Rod Stewart has given fans a treat following the recent release of his Ultimate Hits album . He took to his Instagram to plead with his fans to make their own version. He posted a clip of a game which sees his tracks hidden around his studio and fans are tasked with finding them. “I’ve put out my Ultimate Hits, now you can make yours! Visit ‘Rod’s Studio’ to help me find as many of my tracks as possible before time runs out to make and share your unique version Ultimate Hits. Play now with link in bio!,” he penned alongside the clip.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sir Rod Stewart (@sirrodstewart)

One In One Out

On Tuesday Rod announced a new date at Dominican Republic on October 14th 2025Saying Can’t wait to play Arena Santo Domingo on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. Get ready, we’re bringing the hits and a whole lot of good times!
Fan Presale: Fri, Aug 15 @ 10am 
General On-Sale: Thurs, Aug 21 @ 10am

Unfortunately fans wanting to catch Rod play for the first time in Colombia at Bogota Movistar Arena were left disappointed when the concert was cancelled

This week’s Rod Art or A Fan’s Journey: Commissioning Art of Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood

By Kevin Rabbit Rapson

It started when I was shopping with my wife, Jayne, in Barnstaple, North Devon. I came across an art gallery and saw a painting of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Curious, I went in to take a look at it, and the artist approached me. He asked, “Why don’t you buy it?” In a joking manner, I replied, “I wouldn’t buy it. If it were of Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood, I would buy it.” To my surprise, he responded, “Okay then, I’ll paint it for you.” This is where the journey began.

A couple of months later, I received an email from David, the artist, who is based in Barnstaple but originally from Kent. He informed me, “I’ve got your picture ready. Why don’t you come down and collect it?” Excited, I went to collect the painting. While I was there, he revealed, “I’ve also got a surprise for you. I painted a picture of Rod the Mod from his early days.” As you can see in the photo, I was very pleased with his work.

David has given me permission to share this on SMILER. If any members are interested in having something done by David, feel free to reach out. His email address ([email protected]) and mobile number (07860 709 736) are available for those eager to get in touch.

The Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston

On Tuesday the tour landed in Clarkston Randi Jacobs Langan and Maryann Venier were at the show and got some great photos and here are the thoughts of Martin Heidt

A performance like thunder: Rod Stewart literally takes Clarkston by storm

Many of the approximately 15,000 fans at the Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, a small community about 65 kilometres from Detroit, probably thought there had been better concert evenings. But that was not because of the artists performing that evening.

The weather gods seemed to have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed that day, because just before the show started, thick clouds rolled in over the community of only 928 inhabitants, and shortly afterwards it began to rain cats and dogs, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

At short notice, the organisers decided to bring the start of the evening forward a little. So Cheap Trick’s performance began 30 minutes earlier than planned, at 7 p.m. The US rock band performed professionally, but their set was shortened by around 45 minutes due to the storm. Looking up at the sky, which was getting darker by the minute and the rain was increasing, did not bode well.

The weather did not spoil the fans’ mood, however, and despite – or perhaps because of – the adverse conditions, the audience celebrated a special party.

And so, even during Cheap Trick’s short performance, the atmosphere was excellent, with the audience eagerly awaiting Sir Rod’s performance. Some feared that the thunderstorm might lead to a last-minute cancellation.
But Sir Rod put a stop to that. ‘No way,’ he signalled clearly to the organisers backstage, also to nip any thoughts of a possible cancellation in the bud.

And so, accompanied by thunder and lightning, the 80-year-old took to the stage at the Pine Knob Music Theatre just 15 minutes after Cheap Trick. It was literally a thunderous performance: Stewart kicked things off appropriately with ‘Infatuation’ and ‘Tonight I’m Yours.’

Meanwhile, the fans who had made themselves comfortable on the lawn were already soaked to the skin, with lightning flashing across the sky.
On stage, Stewart professionally carried out his programme. He was probably thinking about how his boys from Celtic FC also have to perform on the football field in all weathers.

Rod rushed through his set list in unison with the storm, which remained unchanged from the last show in Noblesville. The audience braved the weather and celebrated exuberantly.
There was dancing and singing, people were having fun, and some may have been reminded of the classic ‘Singing In The Rain’ and felt like Gene Kelly dancing and singing in the rain.

Rod was also having fun, smiling often at the audience, dancing and prancing around, and showing himself to be in top form both vocally and physically. Stewart professionally performed his nearly two-hour show and sent his fans, who were soaked to the skin, home happy at the end.
The news portal mlive.com also summed up a great evening and concluded its analysis of the show with the words: ‘If this really is Stewart’s last tour, the fans couldn’t have asked for more.’
There’s not much more to add to that.

Rod was that pleased with the heroes who braved the weather he sent this message

Set list:

1. Infatuation
2. Tonight I’m Yours
3. It’s A Heartache
4. Rollin’ & Tumblin’
5. It Takes Two
6. The First Cut Is The Deepest
7. Tonight’s The Night
8. Forever Young
9. The Motown Song
10. Young Turks
11. Maggie May
12. I’d Rather Go Blind
13. Downtown Train
14. I’m Every Woman (band only)
15. If You Don’t Know Me by Now
16. You’re In My Heart
17. Have I Told You Lately
18. Proud Mary (Band only)
19. Da Ya Think I’m Sexy
20. Stay With Me
21. Some Guys Have All The Luck
22. Love Train

Ascend Amphitheater, Nashville, TN

When Rod arrived in On Thursday the tour hit Nashville, Krystal King Picked up an extra appearance when she was asked to play the @livenation VIP Lounge on Thursday for Rod’s concert!

Joy Ward, Scott Carmack, and Becca Grace Gilbert were at the show to capture the night and here are the thoughts of Martin Heidt

Perfect symbiosis: Rod celebrates the next big party with his fans

Let’s start this review by mentioning that the weather in Nashville was on our side again. This was in stark contrast to a few days earlier, when the performance in Clarkston was accompanied by thunder, lightning and lots of rain.

Sir Rod hadn’t quite gotten over what happened at the Pine Knob Music Theatre yet, so he sent a message via his social media channels the next day: ‘Sincere to all my fans who attended my show last night at Pine Knob. You Were just fabulous even through the rain. I could’nt have asked for more. God may bless all of you and may you stay forever young. – Sir Rod Stewart’

But now on to Nashville, where, as already mentioned, everything was back to normal in terms of weather.
The Ascend Amphitheatre in Nashville has a total capacity of 6,800 people, including reserved seating and a lawn area. The venue has a 1½-acre lawn and offers its visitors a combination of seated and standing room.

And the place was packed. Right from the start of the evening, which was kicked off by Cheap Trick, who this time played through their twelve-song set, the audience was in high spirits.

But that was about to get even better when Sir Rod came on stage right on time, beaming with joy as he waved to the crowd and then rocked out with his usual opener, ‘Infatuation.’

The fans were immediately at operating temperature and moved in unison. Dancing to the rocking ‘Tonight I’m Yours’ or ‘Young Turks,’ singing along at the top of their lungs (and pretty much knowing all the lyrics) to the schmaltzy ‘Tonight’s The Night’ or ‘Have I Told You Lately.’

Sir Rod signaled every minute, every second, how much fun he is currently having dancing across the stages of America and singing his songs. This mood spread to the audience – a perfect symbiosis for a successful concert evening.

Tonight, fans in St. Louis will be able to see for themselves when Rod celebrates his party at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre.

Setlist:

1. Infatuation
2. Tonight I’m Yours
3. It’s A Heartache
4. Rollin’ & Tumblin’
5. It Takes Two
6. The First Cut Is The Deepest
7. Tonight’s The Night
8. Forever Young
9. The Motown Song
10. Young Turks
11. Maggie May
12. I’d Rather Go Blind
13. Downtown Train
14. I’m Every Woman (band only)
15. If You Don’t Know Me By Now
16. You’re In My Heart
17. Have I Told You Lately
18. Proud Mary (Band only)
19. Da Ya Think I’m Sexy
20. Stay With Me
21. Some Guys Have All The Luck
22. Love Train

After the show Rod met up with Daniel Grindstaff who you will remember had a number one hit on the bluegrass charts in America with his version of “Forever Young” with Paul Brewster and Dolly Parton.

Daniel told SMILER after the meeting “I had the chance to meet the voice who made “Forever Young” iconic—and whose music has shaped generations: the legendary Sir Rod Stewart. A true rock and pop legend, his influence spans across genres, it was surreal to connect over a song that’s meant so much to myself and so many others. It’s amazing to see where a song can take you—and how deeply bluegrass music weaves into every genre. Huge thank you to Mike Walton and Sir Rod’s team for making this unforgettable meeting happen. And thank you Sir Rod Stewart for the kindness and many years of music- A moment I’ll never forget.”

Album Release Review: 50 Years of Atlantic Crossing

By Martin Heidt

Off to new shores and across the pond to number one in the charts – that’s how you could sum up Rod Stewart’s sixth studio album in a sentence.
Stewart released this album exactly 50 years ago to the day. AC was divided into one side with fast songs and one side with slow songs. Rumour has it that this structure of the album came about as a result of a suggestion by Rod’s then partner Britt Ekland. Shortly before the album’s release, Stewart had moved to the United States and was breaking new ground for that reason alone. This was also noticeable in the personnel who worked with Rod in the studio during the recordings. For the first time, these recordings were made without Rod’s Faces mates Ronnie Wood and Ian McLagan and his regular musicians. Instead, he hired a group of US studio musicians, including The Memphis Horns and Booker T. and the MG’s.
Atlantic Crossing features two of Stewart’s most popular songs ever: ‘Sailing’ and ‘I Don’t Want To Talk About It’. Probably because of these songs, but not only because of them, Atlantic Crossing became one of Stewart’s most successful albums of his career.
The album shot to number one in Australia, Norway and the United Kingdom, number nine in the United States and number 11 in Germany.
Rod received a total of four gold and five platinum awards for his work.
In 2009, an extended version was released on a double CD, which included the bonus song ‘Skye Boat Song’ and numerous alternate versions of the original tracks.
Atlantic Crossing still plays a major role in Stewart’s life today. With ‘Sailing,’ ‘I Don’t Want To Talk About It’ and ‘This Old Heart Of Mine’ (in the faster 1989 version), three tracks from the album are still among fans’ concert favourites.
Speaking of fans, they still love AC today. ‘This album takes me back to a wonderful time every time,’ wrote Melinda from the USA. And Claude from France adds: ‘Atlantic Crossing takes me back to my youth, and it’s still a pleasure to listen to this album today.’
Track list:

1. Three Time Loser
2. Alright For an Hour
3. All In The Name Of Rock’n’Roll
4. Drift Away
5. Stone Cold Sober
6. I Don’t Want To Talk About It
7. It’s Not The Spotlight
8. This Old Heart Of Mine
9. Still Love You
10. Sailing
    ​

And Finally..

Have a great weekend with the sun shining on your back..

Don’t rush out to buy a paddling pool from Argos or a disposable BBQ, Wolfie’s is only £25 with your Clubcard at Tesco so you can enjoy your whisky cocktails while letting the neighbours hear how good your Rod vinyl collection is!

And anyone going to Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in St. Louis tonight have a great time and any fans planning Agua Caliente Casino, Rancho Mirage, on September 20th or CAVina Robles Amphitheatre, CA on September 21st please let us know and send in any thoughts or photos and we will see you next week…