It�s severe to knock a tireless 63-year onetime British stone vet like Rod Stewart.
Sure, his Clive Davis-inspired four-volume raid on the American songbook grew tedious, but it likewise commercially rejuvenated his life history. Since then, however, he�s unleashed a less compelling collection of classic rockers that makes the Songbook discs seem like virtuous genius.
Last night at the Comcast Center, Stewart set on a set that remained impressive and entertaining despite his reliance on material that isn�t in particular flattering to him.
In a shiny flatware blazer and white button-down with skinny tie, he opened with �Some Guys Have All the Luck,� one of his more annoying �80s radio hits, although it made for a spirited party-starter one time some sound issues got hammered out. A stage set constructed of billowy white curtains gave the show a slightly surreal feel, as did the amusing (just egomaniacal and creepy introductory video advertising a fabricated film coroneted �The Rodminator.�
From there he strolled the extraordinarily enthused but less-than-capacity crowd through and through time-tested favorites like �The First Cut Is the Deepest,� �You Wear It Well� and a churched-up �You�re In My Heart� with an able tercet of backup gals. They also proven a great showcase for the trivial talents of J�Anna Jacoby. A pared-down �Tonight�s the Night� retained most of the original�s sexual tension, while �Stay With Me� and �Hot Legs� strutted with abandon.
But the covers were a curious lot. At least the Songbook series presented him in a new light (in the commencement). But Stewart doesn�t bring anything fresh to John Fogerty�s soggy �Have You Ever Seen The Rain?� or �It�s a Heartache,� which could just as easily be croaked out by Bonnie Tyler or even Kim Carnes; unfortunately, last night, Stewart�s readings of both were inconsequential. Cat Stevens� sentimental �Father & Son� went over better thanks to some home motion picture clips and retro stills of Stewart with family. Sam Cooke�s �Havin� a Party� and the Holland-Dozier-Holland classic �This Old Heart of Mine� got a significant lift from Bavarian bombshell Katja Rieckermann on sax.
Overall, Stewart would�ve through with better to fill that space with sorely lost tunes like �Every Picture Tells a Story,� �Young Turks� and/or �Reason to Believe.� The 18-selection place ended predictably with �Maggie May� followed by �Da Ya Think I�m Sexy,� all fine and well, but no measure for last year�s gigs, which averaged 28 songs.
Singer/songwriter Josh Kelley, married man of actress Katherine Heigl, warmed up with an assortment of sexy, soulful blues that showcased his impressive pipes. On guitar he and his three-piece band soared, but the piano tunes bordered on schmaltz.
ctreacy2003@yahoo.com
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