Sir Rod Stewart, 81, has added two additional dates to his upcoming The Final Encore Tour, citing "phenomenal demand" as he prepares to bid farewell to life on the road. The new shows will take place on May 15 at London's O2 Arena and May 18 at Glasgow's OVO Hydro in 2027.
The initial run of seven shows across Scotland and England sold out, prompting fans to demand more from the Maggie May hitmaker. The tour kicks off on April 29 next year at Glasgow's OVO Hydro. Sir Rod had originally been expected to finish the tour on May 14 at the O2.
Announcing the final dates
Sharing the news, Sir Rod said: "Due to phenomenal demand, I'm delighted to announce two final dates for the Finale Encore Tour! I'll be playing The O2 Arena in London on May 15 and the OVO Hydro in Glasgow on May 18, 2027. Can’t wait to see you all there!"
At the time of announcing his retirement, Sir Rod said: "My dear friends, the time has come to say farewell to life on the road. After more than six decades, The Final Encore will most definitely be my last."
He added: "I've been singing the music I love since I was 19 years old, and I've had the privilege of taking it around the world to all of you. It has given me a life beyond anything I could ever have imagined, and I hope I've given you some fond memories in return. So, may I take this opportunity to thank you for making this extraordinary life possible."
Health concerns and recovery
Over the summer, the musician continued his One Last Time tour, his farewell to the United States. One concert was paused, and the musician was seen using an oxygen mask after almost fainting. The remainder of the tour was then cancelled due to health issues. Sir Rod later shared that he had undergone heart surgery.
A statement at the time read: "On the advice of his doctors, he will take the next four weeks to recuperate and regain full fitness before returning to the stage. Unfortunately, this means he will be unable to continue his current tour dates. Information regarding affected performances will be communicated by the respective promoters and venues."
Sir Rod's friend, Grammy Award-winning singer Richard Marx, believes that the legendary hitmaker will never officially retire. Speaking previously to the Mirror, Richard said: "I was really worried about him this summer, because I could tell he wasn't completely himself. We did a tour together, but the show that he did the night before he went into the hospital and found that he had this heart issue, you should've seen him."
Friend's confidence in his recovery
Richard revealed that he "knew" Rod wasn't "feeling right". He said: "He's very conscious of his health, and he knew something was off." Now, Richard believes that Rod is "totally fine".
He added: "When he said 'I'm not retiring,' trust me, he's not retiring. He'll never retire. But I'm kind of relieved that he's going to pull back from these big tours. Ever since I became friends with him, it's impossible for me not to sometimes stare at him – it's Rod Stewart."
Richard also noted that Sir Rod will often question whether his voice is "up to it", but ultimately decides that the show must go on. "He'll hit these notes and I'll go 'What the f**k dude?! You're amazing.' He's so incredible, and I love being able to say that I idolised him my whole life, now he's my friend, and he's everything I wanted him to be."
