CONCERT REVIEW: Rod Stewart at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa

Shortly before the show began at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, Florida, the sound of countless bagpipes filled the hall where 7,000 visitors were about to spend an atmospheric evening with superstar Rod Stewart at Hard Rock Live.

Shortly after the Scottish sounds, Depeche Mode's rousing classic “Just Can't Get Enough” rang out over the gigantic speakers and the jumping and dancing of the fans began even before the actual concert opener.

And of course Sir Rod didn't let his fans down and opened the two-hour evening with his “You Wear It Well”. When Stewart stormed onto the stage, the audience saw his broad smile and heard his unmistakable voice and erupted in cheers. Rod was on top vocally, hitting all the high notes of the song (and staying that way for the entire evening), while the concertgoers sang along to every single word of the chorus at the top of their voices. A successful start to a magnificent evening.

And the 80-year-old didn't give his audience a break at the beginning. He danced across the stage like a youngster to “Ooh La La”, encouraged even the very last audience members who refused to join in during “Havin' A Party”, jumped around during “Young Turks” like in the official music video from the 1080s and let the audience reminisce during the CCR classic “Have You Ever Seen The Rain”.

The time flew by and after two rather contemplative songs (“The First Cut Is The Deepest” and “Tonight's The Night”), which allowed him and the fans to take a short breather, the tempo was turned up again with “Forever Young” and “Maggie May”.

“I'd Rather Go Blind” as well as ‘Downtown Train’, and Rod's powerful interpretations of these songs, enchanted the 7000 people just as much as the disco classic ‘Da Ya Think I'm Sexy’ or the ballads ‘Mandolin Wind’ and ‘Have I Told You Lately’.

Every Picture Tells A Story” brought back memories of the good old 70s for many, and Stewart said goodbye to the stage after 21 songs with ‘Some Guys Have All The Luck’.

“Rod Stewart has once again enchanted his fans”, the online music portal ‘Rock At Night’ summarized the evening more than aptly. “The entire audience sang along to his well-known hits without being asked, which shows what a long-standing and legendary status Sir Rod has in the music world,” the magazine summed up.

Setlist:

- You Wear It Well

- Ooh La La

- Havin' A Party

- Young Turks

- Have You Ever Seen The Rain

- Rollin' and Tumblin'

- The First Cut Is The Deepest

- Tonight's The Night

- Forever Young

- Maggie May

- I'd Rather Go Blind