This was the sixth show of Rod’s 12-City North American Tour but he’s been touring all year across the pond. After this show Rod returns to his residency in Vegas and then picks up the remaining six shows of the tour in December,
We had very pricey front row seats like we had in Chicago but we were pleasantly surprised when we found them to be almost center stage whereas we were off to the side two nights before. Although we loved where they were located— they were horrible seats! No, I mean the actual chairs we had to sit on—they were so close together and hard to sit on. (Or maybe we’re just getting old.) We don’t usually notice the actual chairs because for Rod we’re always standing but for Steve Winwood just about everybody sits.
This is no disrespect to Winwood—he’s just that kind of performer. While listening to him and seeing the simplicity of his presentation with a band of only five, it made me wish even more that I had had the opportunity to see Rod with the Faces live back in the day. Steve Winwood is a good opener for Rod—he has a lot of loyal fans like the two guys sitting behind us who sang every word to every song. And they sang Rod’s songs too.
During his almost two hour show, Rod apologized for this show being rescheduled from April and said he was going to make up for that by adding a couple of songs. “It’s a Heartache” was a well-received add. And he delighted me with “I’d Rather Go Blind” as he did in Chicago. But in Chicago he dedicated it to his long-time fans whereas here said the he and Ronnie Wood put it together in three trys one night around 10 back in 1970. My reaction to it in Chicago was that it reminded me of when Rod said back then that it was four sets of fingers to one throat minus the brass accompaniment of today of course. But here in Detroit—maybe because my vantage point was different—it brought tears to my eyes. I was mesmerized by his performance of this song and am one I won’t soon forget.
I love when there’s a “cock up” (as Rod puts it). He started “Young Turks” over because he came in too soon at the beginning and he slapped himself and laughed and then in trying to be serious at the beginning of “Have I told you Lately” a girl in the third row yelled something and Rod had to stop and start over. It makes Rod look as human as we all have “cock ups” in our lives.
Rod talked about how Detroit brought back some very naughty memories of when he was there in his younger years. I would love to hear some of those stories—sure, he told some of them in his autobiography but I’d love to hear the ones he had to leave out. He said he was a very naughty boy! He also said he wished those in Detroit all the best with their economic situation and assured them that he thought it would recover soon. And then he thanked everyone for coming out to see him. He said in an interview with the Detroit Free Press leading up to the show that he was hoping to go to the Motown History Museum with his daughter Ruby while he was in town—I hope they got a chance to do that.
His third add to the show was “Stay With Me” which he did right after “Hot Legs” and he kicked soccer balls out during both songs. What a good time that was. Rod has always interacted with his audience better than any other artist I’ve seen. But I’ve noticed over the last couple of years that he is even more engaged with the audience if that’s possible. He said recently that he thinks the experience at Caesars with the stage being so close to the audience has honed his ability to bring the audience closer to him, and I think he meant it not only physically but also figuratively. Those who have been to the Vegas shows would agree—it’s an intimate experience with Rod no matter where you’re sitting. I’ve always said, you haven’t really seen Rod unless he sees you and I think he knows that about his fans.
When Ruby (Stewart) first came out she asked if her father was treating us well to which she got a roaring response. Then she said “I taught him everything he knows” which showed she has indeed inherited her father’s keen sense of humor. She did a tremendous job singing the new song she wrote. She pranced across the stage and took control of it with confidence and belted out those notes like…well, like her father. Her voice is so soulful and has a raspy tone that I hadn’t noticed before. She is a true professional. It’s so touching to see her sing “Forever Young” with her father. With the high-heeled boots she was wearing, she appeared taller than Rod and it was neat to see Rod look up at her.
The two songs he sings from the new album are breathtaking to say the least. The lyrics of “Brighton Beach” are comparable to “You’re in My Heart” and should be a Number One hit in the states as the album is in the UK. Before he sang “Can’t Stop Me Now” he explained it was about his early days trying to get a record deal and how record companies told him they couldn’t because of his “my hair, my nose and my clothes”. Then he laughed and said “Fuck them”. (Please excuse the vernacular-I’m simply quoting Rod.) And the crowd went wild. Actually that was a very appropriate statement for that time and even for now as I think I would easily drop the F-bomb in response to some of the critics and the cynics who get paid to write reviews. It’s so good that Rod stopped listening to them years ago.
Review by Marcy Braunstein
Photos by Kathy Hurd