Another Tampere Review (by Veikka Putkisaari)

Rod Stewart served up a breathtaking selection of legendary songs. At the same time, he showed that he is still in as good a shape as he was on his last visit to Finland in 1998. The concert got off to a lively start with the song Infatuation. The curtain went up and the audience in the Nokia Arena rose respectfully. The audience was then treated to a series of 80s hits as Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me), Some Guys Have All the Luck and This Old Heart of Mine followed each other and took over the arena. Throughout the concert, the audience was fuelled by Rod's lively remarks, such as: "Enjoy yourselves, we're going to play the best songs all night! Have fun, guys, have fun!" When ‘Young Turks’ ended and Rod launched into his biggest hit ‘Maggie May’, even the usually reserved Finns stood up and sang along.

The Finns are not known abroad for being loud or overly enthusiastic. But at prime time on Friday evening, there was a goosebump atmosphere in the Nokia Arena. Even before the show, people arrived early at the venue to eat, drink, socialise and buy Rod merchandise. Many fans were beaming with excitement, and there was a surprisingly wide age range in the audience - from babies to grandaddies.

One of the biggest cheers of the concert came during the tender yet raw legendary rendition of I'd Rather Go Blind. Whistles and shouts from the audience complemented the emotional atmosphere of the song perfectly. Celtic FC's chances of winning the Scottish Championship were also reflected in the setlist. While the backing singers performed a cover of I'm So Excited (by The Pointer Sisters), Rod donned a yellow suit and dedicated the next song to his favourite club: Celtic United - You're In My Heart (The Final Acclaim). While Rod sang, highlights of the best Celtic games were shown on the background screens.

The heartfelt moments continued as the yellow-clad Rod treated the Tampere crowd to If You Don't Know Me By Now from his Songbook album. The touching song mesmerised everyone in the arena.

As the concert progressed, one hit followed the next. Rod changed his outfit once again and gave a spectacular performance of one of his biggest hits from the 80s: Baby Jane. Footballs were then brought on stage, and lucky fans who caught one were in for a treat when Stewart got the whole hall dancing with Da Ya Think I'm Sexy. At the same time, Rod Stewart gave excited fans in the front rows a high-five and even hugged a lady in a blue dress on the left side of the stage.

After the disco dance, it was time to slow down as Stewart, now wearing a sailor's cap, performed one of his most legendary songs: Sailing. Flashbulbs lit up throughout the Nokia Arena, and even a few eyes glistened with tears. Afterwards, the curtain fell, but the audience's applause was unbroken. Stewart and his band returned to the stage once more, in true Faces style, and played Stay With Me. The audience danced, cheered, screamed and enjoyed themselves wholeheartedly.
The curtain closed and the lights came on. The concert was over, but the magical atmosphere lasted for a very long time!