What can I say… not only a most fabulous venue, but a most amazing show, topped by an exuberant Rod performance. He was right on top of his game for this one, as were the whole band, and the audience played it’s part in this historic gig with full-on singing, dancing and general Rod-crowd antics…. like collectively making sure the giant balloons reached the stage, while staff and band tried to repel them.
The first ever major act on the official opening night of the Hydro in Glasgow.
Not something anyone else can ever say now.
The setlist was hardly a surprise as the well-rehearsed tease of Newcastle served up the hint of a familiar “greatest hits” night for this occasion. The only substitute was “Georgie” making an appearance, replacing “I’d Rather Go Blind”, the very song I paid the ticket price to see, but that’s OK as I can put up with concerts like these forever and a day.
It was THAT good an experience.
The venue seems so well organised and friendly, although I’m sure others have their own tales. The shopping mall INSIDE the venue offered drinks, snacks and souvenirs, and escalators and lifts all made it so easy for everyone to enjoy. Wider than usual aisles, and broad seats for added comfort with a perfect pillar-free view in the whole concert hall. An awesome spectacle which will set the standard for others in future.
The stage was a colourful arrangement more akin to a TV studio than a rock event, but the place still rocked anyway. Lighting and sound were quite magnificent, with only a couple of VERY MINOR opening night twitches… for those interested, there were dark spots at the front corners of the stage where Rod, Jimmy and later Ruby would disappear from view when they stepped into them. The sound was perfect throughout, with one technical miss on the opening of a song where Julie’s harp fell silent… obviously the ear monitors were OK as Don picked up on acoustic guitar and lead the song in. Harp sound was restored and sounded good later in the song.
Rod was doing so well, with hardly a wrong word in any of the songs delivered with passion and enthusiasm (still not sure if he was just playing with the line in Have I told you lately, rather than singing it wrong) and then it happened… one of the toughest songs to remember as every chorus and every verse have a different rhyme, and Rod managed to rewrite it on stage… it was She Makes Me Happy, and he laughed and apologised at the end of it, but we were all enjoying it so much, it really didn’t matter. All those hits just kept rolling out… and Rod just kept delivering.
I will say again that I thought he should sing more songs from TIME, but I will also re-iterate that those songs are so difficult to fit into a setlist of the quality that Rod has assembled, so easy to see why he thinks twice about every inclusion. The same songs that sit so well on your iPod or play in the car, growing on you all the time, just don’t pack the same punch as those greatest hits in a live stadium, no matter how good they are. (My personal favourite “Sexual Religion” didn’t even make it].
There were times when I remembered conversations on this group about Dave Palmer’s solo, and Ruby’s songs as well as the girls singing “Soul Girl” while Rod changed clothes… well in the scheme of things, those moments were an integral part of the whole experience. Dave’s solo was again interesting and entertaining and at that very moment, the stage looked AWESOME. When Ruby sang, I could hear all the qualities I love about her rising to the fore as she delivered a confident and powerful vocal BEFORE outshining her old man in their Forever Young duet… sure she didn’t mean to, but the crowd carried her to a new height tonight.
The trouble with Rod is that he doesn’t surprise us any more. Perfection has become the NORMAL setting for him, and this was as close as it gets. I have a couple of personal grouses, but they can keep until I meet up with him and we have covered everything else about his music and football before I need to bring them up.
Anyone going to the HYDRO this week…. GO ….. you’ll love every minute of it.
Set List
This old heart of mine
You wear it well
Twisting the night away
Sweet little rock n’ roller
Rhythm of my heart
Just one more day sung by Ruby
Forever young
First cut is the deepest
I don’t want to talk about it
Have I told you lately
Brighton beach
Can’t stop me now
She makes me happy
The Killing of Georgie
Soul girl
You’re in my heart
Maggie May
Sailing
Hot legs
Baby Jane
Encore
Da ya think I’m sexy
2nd Encore
Auld Lang Syne
Photo by Michaela Hombrecher