(including The O2 Arena, Greenwich Friday 20th. December 2019)
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome all you good people – Yes, the story continues, you surely guessed didn’t you? After all you cannot have a part one without a part two could you? Plus I did leave a few clues didn’t I? But how was your counting? I deliberately didn’t make a straight listing of the 22 songs I believe Rod sang on Tuesday, just simply included them with a commentary – if you were smart and counted them you would only have found 21! The omission was the one Rod introduced by saying “I recently did this with my old mate Robbie, he was thinking of coming along tonight but cried off with a bad back, so instead I’m joined by the nearly as attractive Becca Kotte!” – As they made a duet to perform It Takes Two – which is exactly what I’m doing to describe my Ten days of Heaven, now where were we?
Wednesday 18th. December – I had nothing to do on that wet afternoon, but to settle down and write you a line (or two!), I’ve been sorting through my photos since last night I saw yer, Hell we had such a bloody good time, you sung so well.
Having been told “That’s Your Job”, even with an escape route of Mike making the journey down from near Manchester, it would appear I still held prime position to sharpen the old pencil to bring you a story or two.
With the first part finished and posted in good time for the 2nd class Christmas post, the evening was spent with my Football playing and Fitness class mates in an appropriate venue that probably many of you think represents my reviews – The Cock & Bull in Sutton.
Friday 20th. December – What happened to Thursday, I guess you’re asking? Well unlike some, we only had tickets for 2 of the 3 nights. Feedback suggested the show was a degree (or more) better than Tuesday night – With Reason To Believe thrown in and the extra encore of Sweet Little Rock ‘n Roller – we obviously didn’t stamp our feet enough on Tuesday – although on the night Rod had said he had been suffering with a cold, not that you could tell.
There may have been one or two more alterations to my Tuesday list on Thursday, I guess I just need somebody out there to tell me what they may have been and what they replaced – if anything.
Awoke feeling I hadn’t had enough sleep, probably in anticipation of the day ahead, a bit of organising to do, take a headache tablet and we were off early before 12 on another déjà vu trip around the back streets of South East London. The game plan (I was instructed!) was get parked, nip on the tube to Westfield at Stratford – a bite to eat, scan the stores then back to the O2 to meet up with the Smilers in the Slug and Lettuce again.
However, Stratford was mad busy, we struggled finding something suitable to eat and because of the number of people, the longevity there was cut to a minimum – Of course I was devastated!!! Back to the car, put on extra tartan and off to the pub to join Jeff and Yve who had already taken up residence. You knew as the next couple of hours went by that we were in for a much better night than Tuesday. Our group was swelling and Rod was being played, so sing-along’s and photos were being taken with the atmosphere of joy and hope filled with anticipation of seeing Rod on his final UK date for what might be some time.
We opted to see where our seats were at the start of Johnny Mac and The Faithful’s stint so left the bar around 7:20. Although 2 rows further forward, what it brought even more into play was the elevated lighting at the side of the stage which made taking photographs much harder as they were an obstruction – but you get what they say on the ticket – Side view, limited view, so no good complaining.
Having completed their act the lights came up again and the auditorium was filling rapidly and we started spotting a few people sitting not that far away, first identified was Rod’s sister Mary, then Penny and then we noticed Jim Cregan. Although would you believe sitting right next to us were Tom and Tracey – which means 3 of the last 4 concerts we have attended for Rod we had people we know sitting next to us. One big family you see.
The lights would dim just before 8:30 and the bagpipes rang out – at this point I will state I will try not to repeat much of the playlist from part 1 – simply add quotes I remember and the alterations he made in his set-list.
Some Guys again kicked us off, then for me a better replacement for Having A Party has to be as introduced as “Here’s A Sam Cooke one” – Twisting The Night Away. With that familiar statement “It’s nearly Christmas, it’s Friday night, we were here for 2 hours 10 minutes last night, not like some that only do an hour and a half”.
Rod would add at the end of Twisting “We are in a special night, the final show of the tour, and I thank you all for coming along to see our shows throughout Europe and the UK with the extra 9 cities added. I appreciate the tickets don’t come cheap, so thank you for coming out on this awful night – so let’s enjoy ourselves, after all it is Friday night – but you know that” – A similar introduction (as quoted above) for It Takes Two, would be followed by him mentioning “My sister Mary, who’s now 90 and here tonight, my brother Don who is nearly 90, plus my brother Bob who’s 83 – This song is for you from 1972” – As he sang You Wear It Well.
The order from this point ran as Tuesday, Rhythm of my Heart, Forever Young, Georgie then Young Turks. I had been forwarded a listing of Tuesday and sure enough it’s numbering reached 24 – But really, is “The Intro” and “Drum Solo” an actual song? So, I’m sticking to 22 on Tuesday. Now after “The drum solo” – Rod would say “Here’s one of two songs from the brilliant days with The Faces we are doing for you tonight“ as he launched into Stay With Me. The mood softened again with a sing-a-long to Tonight’s the Night, followed by his treasured hobby video and the beautiful Downtown Train.
It was time for a costume change, plus the stools placed on the stage, Rod would say “Your chance now to sit down whilst we do our acoustic set, here’s another Faces favourite” as we skipped into Ooh La La (a replacement of Dirty Old Town). Gasoline Alley would follow before the curtain lifted to reveal The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – The same order as Tuesday – First Cut Is The Deepest, I Don’t Want To Talk About It (with a far greater audience participation), You’re In My Heart. Curtain Fall and time for Grace, curtain raise for Have I Told You Lately – At some point Rod made reference to his wife Penny being in the audience and a reference with Hockey and the fact his son Liam was in the audience.
Time for the band to cover Fleetwood Mac’s – If You Go Your Own Way and the final costume changes straight into Baby Jane exploding on stage. The curtain raised for the new slow start with the orchestra to Maggie, followed by the falling balloons and Da Ya Think I’m Sexy, as that back curtain raised he thanked the Orchestra as he said he was playing with them for the last time as we swung into Sailing, the main curtain fell, but this time we to would be treated to Sweet Little Rock ‘n Roller. There was a twist in as much as to add a real Christmas feel to the final concert, Johnny Mac and his band, plus Penny and Mary came up on stage to sing a rendition of Jingle Bells – Rod shouting 2 hours 15 minutes as the curtain fell for the very last time.
At this point, it’s time for reflection, maybe a little sombre, but Rod did say at one point “You never know when you may see me again” … He always says in interviews he loves playing live, with an imminent knee operation, tour of Australia and dates in America for 2020 already in the diary. It does make you think, could he really do another tour of this magnitude around Europe and the UK in another 3 years – by which time he would be close on 78 years old. Are we at a point when just one off concerts in prestige venues maybe all that goes on offer? I hope not, but again, if we are, I cannot complain, his longevity exceeds most artists out there. I guess I’m coming back to Rod’s opening number, many of us don’t think it’s one of his best – when you look at Give Me Wings, Hot Legs, the Faces All Over Now or even Infatuation to name a few – Some Guys pales to all those – but maybe he’s just telling the story in the way only he knows how of how he sees his life – and we too have been so lucky to see such an entertainer in our case for the past 46 years – although it’s nearer 49 years since Maggie May first took hold of you. Who knows with a reported Country / Folk album next on the agenda, maybe his 3 albums of all his own work has also come to an end. Which ever way he may choose, were behind him, win or lose, as he will always be Forever Young.
*At this point the “Rod only” fans may want to have a break and consider putting on the Christmas dinner – but if your still counting, that’s only 8 days – and there are 2 more left.
Sunday 22nd. December – At least the day had a bit of sunshine to it, unlike what felt like Ten Days Of Rain that had closed my local golf course. The final music extravaganza was upon us, the pre-Christmas Hurtwood Park bash with “The Jones Gang” with Kenney and his band.
We had attended last years and loved every minute, the intimate gig in the Polo clubhouse for a lucky few that had just got in early to get a ticket. Although it’s tucked away deep in the Surrey countryside, where the weaving country lanes in the pitch black of night might appear somewhat hazardous, it’s worth the white knuckle ride, no doubt this time with large puddles to negotiate along the way as well.
Alterations to the line up this year with Dean Rees stepping in for Mark on keyboards and Jim Kirkpatrick for Johnson on guitar – to add to the regulars of Nick Cook on procussions, Pat Davey on bass, Robert Hart on vocals and the one and only Kenney Jones on drums.
My turn to drive the estimated 50 minute to one hour journey, just as excited as we had been for the recent 3 previous events described already – plus it completed my original Faces living triangle in just 10 days – whilst giving a thought to the two no longer with us.
The journey was easy, and under the hour, friends already there and more coming through the door as the happy party mood set in. The main difference here is we get a spot centre stage right at the front.
There was support listed which didn’t come on till just after 8 (advertised as 7:30) – And to our surprise and large bonus, Kenney would play drums as he stood up and said “Thank you all for coming to another Christmas show, I’ve got a group of friends along to play a set of one of my favourite bands numbers, so we have decided to call ourselves The Shagalows” (I don’t think I miss heard it like Robert Hart did as he mentioned it as The Shagalots a bit later!!)
Okay let’s be honest – The Shadows to me should be left in the past, an instrumental set for probably three quarters of an hour doesn’t do it for me – It almost reminded me of when my brother in law played me Tubular Bells and raved on about it – Yawn – Let’s leave it and say “Just not my cup of tea”. Not that I could fault any of the playing by any of the group – they were good, just simply a bit monotonous. They did finish on a high though with an instrumental version of Rock Around The Clock.
With little gap in between, the main act took to the stage and gave us an hour and three quarters of a brilliant mix of numbers that are listed below. Apart from one glitch to get Won’t Get Fooled Again started, it was quickly skipped and then thrown back in again, it was a hell of a rocking night, and you even get to thank the man himself as he gets off the stage – how about that! And he’s happy to have his picture taken with you if you want – it really is that personal event. So now it’s time for Christmas and 2020 – I wish you all well and hope another opportunity to give you a little light reading comes again. Till then take care and here is that play list from the magnificent Jones Gang:-
Can’t Get Enough of Your Love (Bad Company)
Maggie May (Rod Stewart)
Time Of Your Life (Jones Gang)
Substitute (The Who)
Can’t Explain (The Who)
Feel Like Making Love (Bad Company)
Saw Her Standing There (The Beatles)
All Or Nothing (The Small Faces)
Tin Soldier (The Small Faces)
What’cha Gonna Do About It (The Small Faces)
Mr Brown (Jones Gang)
Itchycoo Park (The Small Faces)
Stay With Me (The Faces)
Here It Is Merry Christmas (Slade)
Won’t Get Fooled Again (The Who)
Sweet Little Rock ‘n Roller (Chuck Berry)
All Right Now (Free)
Words By Colin Baker
Photos By Colin Baker
Montage By Tommy Kevitt