Spandau/Rod Stewart Dubai Review
Rod Stewart and Spandau Ballet hit the 7s stadium to show the youngsters how its done… Discuss this article
Rod Stewart is a legend. He looks like he got dressed in the dark and cut his hair with the gardener’s shears, but he can’t half put on a show.
We’ve seen our fair share of stadium big-hitters during our time in Dubai but never have performers been so obviously adored. Not just Rod, of course, lest we forget the eighties superstars, Spandau Ballet, who took to the stage before him.
They too, were a delight, if you’ll pardon the mum-like appreciation. Tony Hadley may dress like an Estate Agent but the man can’t half knock out a tune.
Even the songs that nobody recognized became instant classics in Tony’s hands while True and Gold brought the house down. Grown men punched the air in appreciation as ladies of a certain age wildly debated the various merits of the brothers Kemp.
Martin came out on top, despite his inexplicable wardrobe change, from a semi-respectable white shirt to a Village People-esque leather waistcoat. But what really stood out, was how well the band seemed to be getting on.
We almost shed a tear, thinking back to the bad old days when Martin was ‘Steve’ from Eastenders, Gary wasn’t speaking to him, and Tony took comfort in cake. On Friday night, the boys could not have been better.
Next came Rod. Or, as he now likes to be known, The Rodfather.
There are very few men in their sixties, who can assign themselves a moniker like that without being pointed in the direction of the doctors but Mr. Stewart is not most men.
He arrived on stage on time, none of your farting about keeping the fans waiting. He knows he’s a legend. He’s got the supermodel ex-wives and the mansions to prove it.
Rod doesn’t need to pretend and we loved him for it. Who else can pull off a raw silk mustard blazer and trousers tight enough to make Mick Jagger wince?
Aside from the timing, and impeccable fashion sense, Rod has also got the crowd chat down to a fine art. We loved him already but the entire stadium could have kissed him as he belted out classics from Maggie May and Sailing to The First Cut is the Deepest and Do You Think I’m Sexy with hardly a whiff of the ‘new material’ we’d all been dreading.
Rod knows he doesn’t need to push his new album. His hardcore fans will buy it regardless.
We’d forked out for the posh tickets at Dhs750 a head and there were hundreds of others like us. Nobody left unhappy, despite the queues at the bar. Most of us would have stayed for another couple of hours and enjoyed the evening all over again.
The message to Dubai’s events organizers – concentrate on bringing us the Golden Oldies before they start dying out. They don’t make them like this anymore.
By Emily McCarrick
Time Out Abu Dhabi, 9 May 2010
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