Review: Rod Stewart****

THERE had been whispers prior to Rod Stewart’s latest nationwide tour that the ageing rocker was offering little more than an expensive karaoke session of bygone hits with little or nothing to get excited about.

The complaint among detractors was that at the tender age of 66, this old man was somewhat past his best.

Stewart’s last real hit was back in 1993 with the rather awful All for Love performed alongside Bryan Adams and Sting, while his last solo number one was 28 years ago when Baby Jane soared to the top of the hit parade.

Yes, he is living on past glory, yes his show is full to the brim of songs we have all heard before and yes he is probably even going through the same dance routines as 20 years ago for some of them but does it really matter?

The thousands who flocked to Elland Road for the Leeds leg of his Heart and Soul tour were given the full works. From Handbags and Gladrags, to Sailing and This Old Heart of Mine. They came to hear their favourite track and went home happy having heard their hero belt it out.

His voice can still hold up to the rigours of touring (his rendition of Maggie May was outstanding), while the old dance moves are still achievable (just) despite the advancing years. Instead of appearing fed up at having to go through the motions, Stewart seems to enjoy going over old ground. He knows his audience and while his concert may not be full of new material, it is full of quality songs picked from a career which deserves to be re-run on stage every now and again.