When Rod Stewart takes the stage at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace this week (Oct. 6, 8-9), it represents two important milestones: a.) it’s the first time he’s set foot on a Las Vegas stage since the pandemic shut down the Strip; b.) it will be almost 10 years to the day since his residency, Rod Stewart: The Hits, premiered in Sin City. In both cases, it’s cause for serious celebration by Stewart’s legion of fans, who span the generations and genres.
Stewart has spent his career churning out hit after hit, not only with groups but also as a solo artist—his discography now spans 31 solo albums (including 16 singles that cracked the U.S. top 10), meaning he has a deep well from which to draw for any given show, and trust us—you will definitely hear the hits.
Those who doubt Stewart can still deliver at 76 will be quickly silenced once he takes the mic to belt out classics like “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” “Maggie May,” “Every Picture Tells a Story” and “You’re In My Heart (The Final Acclaim).” His energy level is infectious, as is his sense of humor and audience interaction. (At one point, Sir Rod was kicking soccer balls into the crowd, a nod to his early years as a footballer for his school’s team, but such antics were deemed a little risky, so he has since stopped.)
It’s hard to pick the strongest creative period of Stewart’s career. His work with The Jeff Beck Group and the The Faces in the ’60s and ’70s helped shape him into the solo rocker who catapulted to stardom with the release of 1971’s Every Picture Tells a Story, and Stewart would remain a prominent force throughout that decade with monster, seductive hits like “Tonight’s the Night,” “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy” and “Hot Legs.”
He continued his streak of hits in the ’80s and ’90s with “Passion,” “Infatuation,” “Baby Jane,” “Young Turks,” “Some Guys Have All the Luck,” “Downtown Train” and “Rhythm of My Heart.” Subsequent years saw him inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, set a Guinness world record for the largest free concert attendance in history (3.5 million people on Copacabana Beach in Rio) and sell out venues as part of his Out of Order Tour throughout the Americas.
By the new millennium, Stewart changed things up in a way no one expected, covering the Great American Songbook through multiple albums and equaling his sales from the 1970s in the process. He’s known as much to rockers as he is to blue hairs, a claim few entertainers can make. What makes Stewart’s achievements truly extraordinary is that he has compromised nothing in the process—he remains a true original in every way, which is why every performer under the sun has wanted to work with him over the years—everyone from Stevie Nicks and Stevie Wonder to Dolly Parton, Diana Ross and Elton John. The word “legend” is thrown around too easily these days, but in Stewart’s case it’s a no-brainer.
Caesars Palace, 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
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