Rod Stewart has hit back at accusations that he takes a rest off stage during his concerts, insisting he can still run 100 meters in under 20 seconds despite being 81 years old.
Rod Stewart's speedy defense
The Scottish rocker, who is currently on his One Last Time farewell tour, addressed the criticism directly. “I get criticised: ‘He’s gone off stage, and he’s having a rest’. Having a rest? I’ll have you know I can run 100 meters in 19 seconds!” he said.
Stewart recently performed his final gig at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, marking his 14th appearance at the venue. He told the audience: “This is my last time here, so let’s have a party tonight...I’ve got to milk it.”
Costume changes and nostalgia
The tour includes five costume changes, and after one such change, Stewart returned to the stage in a red suit, joking: “So, I’m wearing a red suit now. Men at my age should know better. But I don’t care.”
As the tour winds down, with final dates in Europe and the UK in 2027, Stewart has been reflecting on his favourite venues. “There have been so many but you never forget the first,” he said. “When I started with Long John Baldry’s band we had a weekly residence at London’s Marquee Club.”
He also recalled the biggest concert in history on New Year’s Eve in 1994, performing for 3.5 million people on Copacabana Beach. Other memorable venues include the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Wembley Stadium, and headlining Glastonbury.
New music on the horizon
Despite slowing down on touring, Stewart has plenty of new music in the works, including a pop album, a country collection, and a long-awaited album with his old band, The Faces.
Before singing Stay With Me, he admitted he was still working on that Faces album, “due out in 12 years.” He added: “Ronnie Wood is one of my closest mates and we found some Faces tracks from the ‘70s. We dug ‘em up and were back in the recording studio – so hopefully we’ll have a Faces album one day soon.”
Stewart recently hinted at UK tour dates, saying: “I’m touring the UK next year, doing The O2,” adding “that’ll probably be it, I think.”
