Main Photo of Sir Rod and Nora By Audrey Arturo
Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
On Friday night the tour with Cheap Trick rolled into New Hampshire
Russ Ouellette, Gabriele Fishwere and Samantha Jewett were there to capture the night with some great photos and Martin Heidt reviews show
A little variety never hurts: Rod Stewart in Gilford
Basically, we can keep it short. Rod Stewart continues to perform at a very high level and remains in top form even 14 days after Glastonbury.
The set list at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at Meadowbrook in Gilford remained largely unchanged from the music icon’s recent performances in good old England.
However, with ‘Mandolin Wind’ and ‘Reason To Believe,’ two songs that don’t usually feature so often crept into the programme. Of course, the visitors to the arena still got their money’s worth.
The audience danced to their hearts’ content to the opener ‘Tonight I’m Yours’, ‘It’s A Heartache’, ‘Forever Young’ and ‘Maggie May’, while ballads such as ‘Tonight’s The Night’, ‘Have I Told You Lately’ and ‘Sailing’ transformed the semi-open pavilion into a sea of lights.
When Sir Rod quickly took a break backstage to refresh himself or change into new clothes, the band took over the stage as usual and presented the audience with the powerful songs ‘Lady Marmalade’ and ‘Proud Mary’.
After almost two hours, the evening entered the home stretch. After ‘Sailing,’ Rod stepped on the gas again and belted out his top hits ‘Da Ya Think I’m Sexy,’ ‘Stay With Me’ and ‘Hot Legs’ to the fans.
Then it was over, and around 9,000 visitors in the packed NH Pavilion went home satisfied. Some hoped that there would be another reunion, even though this year’s tour is themed ‘One Last Time.’ But who knows what Sir Rod will come up with next year.
Gabriele told us “Rod brought this fan up on stage. She went to 32 concerts and had a Rod concert ticket from 1978 signed by him on her shirt”.
And Samantha summed up “WHAT A SHOW! The crowd participation was outstanding…and we all certainly let the good times roll!! Such a fantastic evening at our local venue, it doesn’t get much better than this!!”
Setlist
- Tonight I’m Yours
- Some Guys Have All The Luck
- It’s A Heartache
- It Takes Two
- The First Cut Is The Deepest
- Tonight’s The Night
- Forever Young
- Young Turks
- Maggie May
- I’d Rather Go Blind
- Lady Marmalade (Band only)
- Mandolin Wind
- Reason To Believe
- Have I Told You Lately
- Proud Mary (Band only)
- Love Train
- Sailing
- Da Ya Think I’m Sexy
- Stay With Me
- Hot Legs
TD Pavilion at the Mann Philadelphia
Saturday night was a party in Philly with the band arriving at the TD Pavilion
Audrey Arturo and Roland Macher was there and got some amazing shots and here is the review from Martin Heidt
Philadelphia: Rod Stewart was once again THE man at The Mann Center
A barrage of hits like a thunderclap, thousands of enthusiastic and happy fans – Sir Rod Stewart’s North American tour continues its success unabated.
Just one day after the show in Gilford, Stewart’s entourage travelled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On Saturday evening, around 14,000 fans, music lovers, fans of great live music and people who just wanted to party gathered at The Mann Centre for the Performing Arts, as the venue is officially called.
And they did not regret coming in the slightest. Special guest Cheap Trick opened the evening with a ten-song set, including, of course, the American rock band’s most famous classic, ‘The Flame’.
The atmosphere among the audience was already at boiling point when Sir Rod took to the stage. The ‘Streets of Philadelphia’, once sung about by Bruce Springsteen, must have been pretty much deserted that evening as the seats in The Mann Center filled up and everyone waited for Rod Stewart’s performance.
This time, he presented his fans with a different show opener, ‘Infatuation,’ which in no way failed to serve its purpose. By the time he launched into ‘Havin’ A Party,’ no one was left in their seats. People danced and sang along at the top of their voices – often out of tune. But no one on or in front of the stage cared as the Stewart party got into full swing.
The audience knew the lyrics to the Rod classics by heart, and during the ballads, many couples embraced each other and reminisced about wonderful memories from the last 40, 50 or even 60 years. Others captured the most beautiful moments of the evening with their smartphones or simply stood in front of their chairs, moved, and sang along fervently.
The Faces classic ‘Ooh La La’ made it into the two-hour programme once again, and ‘Mandolin Wind’ and ‘Reason To Believe’ were also back on the set list. Otherwise, Stewart presented his audience with the hits of his career in his usual manner.
At the end of the show, there was a slight change. ‘Hot Legs’, which had been the finale in Gilford, was dropped, and Sir Rod ended the show with ‘Some Guys Have All The Luck’ instead. Those who were there live that evening were lucky indeed.
Audrey said “This little girl Nora was in the row behind us and she was adorable. She was screaming “I love you Rod” during much of the show. He gave her a signed soccer ball and at the end, he had her father lift her up on the stage. She was adorable! After a few minutes with Rod, all of the girls came over and gave her hugs. It was really very sweet”.
Set list
Some Guys Have All The Luck
Infatuation
Havin’ A Party
It’s A Heartache
It Takes Two
The First Cut Is The Deepest
Tonight’s The Night
Forever Young
Ooh La La
Young Turks
Maggie May
I’d Rather Go Blind
Lady Marmalade (Band only)
Reason To Believe
Mandolin Wind
Have I Told You Lately
Proud Mary (Band only)
Love Train
Rhythm Of My Heart
Da Ya Think I’m Sexy
Stay With Me
A book for the little girl or boy in your life
We spotted this great idea for a book on Amazon
ROD STEWART: “The Boy Who Sang His Way to Stardom – From London Street to Global Beats” (A Biography Book for kids) By Tiffany M. Loftus
Discover the incredible true story of a boy with big dreams and a voice the world would never forget!
Meet Rod Stewart, the music legend who started off as an ordinary kid on the streets of London—and rose to become one of the most famous rock stars on the planet!
In this fun, inspiring, and kid-friendly biography, readers ages 6–12 will follow Rod’s journey from kicking soccer balls in the park to singing on sold-out stages. Along the way, they’ll learn how Rod faced challenges, chased his dreams, and never gave up—even when people said he couldn’t make it.
With colorful storytelling, fun facts, and messages about confidence, creativity, and being yourself, this book shows how Rod used his one-of-a-kind voice and wild style to connect with millions.
Broadview Stage at SPAC Saratoga Springs, NY
On Tuesday Rod was back in New York and pre concert the band went to The Polo Bar – A Ralph Lauren Restaurant.
Meanwhile it’s Forever Young Rosé for Madelyn Dwyer LaRosa and the SMILER‘s in the crowd
Stephanie J Bartik was at the show and here is her review and stunning photographs of the evenings proceedings..
I have to preface this by saying: I’ve been a die-hard Rod Stewart fan since the 1960s.
From his early days with Long John Baldry and The All Stars, through The Jeff Beck Group and Faces, to his solo stardom—I’ve followed every era. I was hooked by that bluesy, raspy voice, his quirky crooked smile, and of course, the spiky hair. I’ll admit, I kind of ducked into the shadows during his disco phase (hey, we’ve all made questionable choices, right?), but even then, the hits were undeniable. I’m just more of a purist.
Before the show, I did what I always do—scanned online to get a feel for the setlist and staging, to know what to look out for photographically. I saw a few concerning comments: “his voice is gone,” “he moves more than he sings,” and so on. My heart sank a little. That’s the tough part about being a lifelong fan—you’re not just shooting a concert. You’re chasing a piece of your past. And being a bit older now myself, I understand things change. We age. Bodies don’t work the same. Why should we expect singers to remain untouched by time when none of us are?
Still, I went in hoping for the best. This was the 7th stop on his 20-show tour.
The opening number felt… tentative. His voice faltered a bit, and for a moment, reality hit. But then—almost like someone waved a magic wand—Rod found it. His tone warmed, his energy rose, and that familiar sparkle in his eye returned. The crooked smile was back. He moved with confidence, cracked jokes, interacted with the band, and looked like he was having the time of his life. And just like that, I felt a smile spread across my own face as I clicked away behind the lens.
The crowd? Electric. On their feet for most of the night—clapping, dancing, and singing along like we were all old friends at a local pub. Rod delivered a show that was less of a performance and more of an experience. He played all the crowd favorites (yes, even the disco-era bangers), and when he performed Etta James’ I’d Rather Go Blind, the chills were instant. That moment alone was worth the price of admission.
This wasn’t just nostalgia—it was a reminder that you’re never too old to rock and roll.
He’s still got a few local shows left on the tour, and if you get the chance: GO. Sure, you’ll see the clips on social media. But trust me—nothing compares to seeing it live, feeling the crowd’s energy, and watching an icon breathe life into songs that have lived in your heart for decades.
Thank you, Rod. You brought this gal back to her teens—and reminded us all that the music never ages, even if we do.
To see more stunning shots from the night go to https://radioradiox.com/xperience-magazine/
And to see more of Stephanie’s superb photography check out her website www.nyrockstarphotographer.com
Cynthia Clark Dann was also in attendance and got some great shots of the full stage and here are the thoughts of Martin Heidt
Rod Stewart thrills fans in Saratoga
One more time – Rod Stewart put on another spectacular show on Tuesday, transforming the Performing Arts Centre in Saratoga into a party temple.After the warm-up with Cheap Trick – the American rock band – the first flame (The Flame) was lit that evening, already getting the more than 5,000 fans fired up.When Rod Stewart opened his nearly two-hour show with ‘Infatuation’ and ‘Tonight I’m Yours,’ no one in the sold-out arena could keep their feet still.
In no time at all, most of the fans were up out of their seats, dancing, singing and simply enjoying an evening of magnificent musical entertainment.
The audience’s enjoyment spread to the stage, where Sir Rod and his band played one hit after another. Every now and then, the 80-year-old gave his fans a breather with a few ballads, only to hit the gas again straight afterwards.Some wondered how someone of his age could be so fit and agile, as the singer danced across the stage with a broad grin on his face, blew kisses to the audience and made the fans laugh with his jokes.
Anyone who sees Sir Rod sweeping across the stage these days may find it hard to imagine that this could possibly be the last time the Briton presents his hits from over six decades.When the curtain fell for the last time after about two hours with ‘Some Guys Have All The Luck,’ the crowds happily made their way home or gathered in the city’s bars and cafes for a nightcap or two, reminiscing about the show in the hope that it might not be Stewart’s last performance at the Performing Arts Centre after all.
Set list:
- Infatuation
- Tonight I’m Yours
- It’s A Heartache
- It Takes Two
- The First Cut Is The Deepest
- Tonight’s The Night
- Forever Young
- Ooh La La
- Young Turks
- Maggie May
- I’d Rather Go Blind
- Lady Marmalade (band only)
- Mandolin Wind
- Reason To Believe
- Have I Told You Lately
- Proud Mary (Band only)
- Love Train
- Rhythm Of My Heart
- Da Ya Think I’m Sexy
- Hot Legs
- Some Guys Have All The Luck
Ooh La La
Irish band Amble played a blinding cover of Faces Ooh La La at Glasgow TRNSMT Festival 2025 on Saturday
For more info on the band go to https://www.ambleofficial.com/
Live Aid: A milestone in music history – without Rod Stewart
By Martin Heidt
Exactly 40 years ago, one of the biggest music events the world has ever seen took place. The charity concert, organised by Bob Geldorf (The Bootown Rats) and Midge Ure (Ultravox), took place on 13 July 1985 simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London (subtitle Feed the World) and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia.
Most of the top international stars of the music scene at the time, including Queen, Mick Jagger, Madonna, Elton John, Santana, The Who and Paul McCartney, performed alternately on the two stages in London and Philadelphia for more than 16 hours. However, a number of top stars were missing, such as Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen.
Sir Rod Stewart was also not at Live Aid, even though his name was initially on an official announcement. For years, it was said that Rod had not managed to put together a band for the show in time (even though he had just finished a world tour three months earlier).
So what was the real reason? For a long time, Stewart remained silent about the background. It was not until 2021 that he spoke out in detail for the first time in an interview.
‘We were supposed to perform,’ Rod told the BBC, “but a few guys from the band told me that our ex-manager had refused because I wasn’t getting the right coverage in the news. He wanted me to only perform if I was on the CBS news at 10 o’clock, He said, “If not, he won’t do it.” And that wasn’t what it was about. It was about raising money for children. It wasn’t about which news channel you would be seen on in America. I only found out about this now,‘ said Rod. ’I thought it was strange that I wasn’t there.”
The proceeds from the worldwide fundraising appeals, amounting to approximately 200 million German marks (equivalent to 218 million euros today), went to hunger relief in Africa. On 9 November 2004, a DVD set of this concert with a playing time of about 10 hours was released. The proceeds from this will also go to hunger relief in Africa. The funds went primarily to the organisations UNICEF, Bread for the World and Band Aid Trust.
Watch out for Martin’s new 24 hour Rod Radio
https://stream.laut.fm/rodstewart or https://laut.fm/rodstewart?autoplay=1
Wimbledon
Any one watch Wimbledon?..Nah us neither, but I’m sure Sir Cliff was watching
But we did have a glass of Wolfie’s
Guitars, whisky, and a suspicious number of tennis balls. #WolfiesWhisky
And Find Myself A Rock n’ Roll Band…
While the band were in SPAC Saratoga Springs some of them were photographed in stunning quality by concert photographer Mark Kurtzner..take a look at these…
On Drums Dave Palmer
On Bass Curt Schneider
On Guitar Emerson Swinford
On Percussion Matt O’ Connor
On Keyboards Kevin Savigar
On Saxophone Jimmy Roberts
On Violin, Mandolin, and Guitar J’Anna Jacoby
On Backing Vocals Becca Kötte, Georgia Napolitano and Joanne Harper
On Lead Vocals Sir Rod Stewart
And finally…
I know this sounds like one of those annoying fake Facebook stories that appear every day now, from Heartland Melodies, Echoes of Country, Soulful Rock Sessions and others who I will start to name and shame soon.. but I swear it’s true
A pensioner wrongly suspected of cutting down the iconic Sycamore Gap tree has told how he resorted to wearing a Rod Stewart wig in public as the finger of suspicion was pointed at him.
Former lumberjack Walter Renwick, 70, was arrested along with a teenager soon after the world famous tree was felled in September 23. But both were released without charge as detectives probing the bizarre act of vandalism turned their attention to the real culprits, Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers, who are due to be sentenced this week.
Walter said: “It was heartbreaking. There were police everywhere, drones flying around the valley, divers in the lake, they were 100 per cent certain I’d done it. Every time I went shopping in Haltwhistle or Hexham, people were nudging each other and saying ‘that’s him that cut the tree down’. I know it was daft but I put a Rod Stewart wig on so people didn’t spot me.”
Anyone going to Merriweather Post Pavilion,Columbia on Saturday or Budweiser Stage, Toronto, Canada on Tuesday please send in any pictures or thoughts for next weeks news, meanwhile we leave you with a great shot of Penny and the boys on a stroll around central Park.
See you next week…