‘Attack’ by Lady Gaga - but Sir Rod keeps his record

It was an attack on the top. While Sir Rod Stewart played his concert in Dortmund last Saturday, US singer Lady Gaga also took to the stage in faraway Brazil. The ‘Poker Face’ singer performed at a free concert on the famous Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro.
And this show drew the crowds, but not as many as 31 years ago, when Sir Rod attracted 3.5 million fans. Or was it 4.2 million? Stewart performed in front of around 3.5 million people on New Year's Eve 1994, in a show that is still regarded by the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest show of all time - Guinness actually mentions 4.2 million people, but some of the audience are said to have only been on the beach for the New Year celebrations. Stewart sang great hits from his solo career such as ‘Maggie May’ and ‘Baby Jane’ as well as from his time with The Faces such as ‘Stay with Me’.
In 2023, Rod recalled the performance in Rio de Janeiro, but a whole memory stuck with him. ‘I had checked into the Copacabana Palace and then got into trouble with the hotel management,’ the singer told the TV programme “Fantastico”. ‘They threw me out because I had to do something to pass the time until the concert and played football in my room,’ laughed Sir Rod.