Even neutrality fell by the wayside: Zurich pays homage to Sir Rod

So much for neutral Swiss people. That may be true on a political level, but last night the Swiss completely abandoned their famous neutrality and took a clear stand: in favour of Sir Rod Stewart.
Around 15,000 fans came to the Hallenstadion in Zurich to experience what may be the British singer's last performance in the land of precision watches, high-quality chocolate and cheese fondue. And in the end, no one had any regrets about spending their hard-earned francs.

Sir Rod proved once again in the city of 400,000 inhabitants on Lake Zurich that age is just a number. In high spirits, the singer, who will turn 81 in a few weeks, walked onto the stage at 8 p.m. sharp, like Swiss clockwork.

From the very first beat, the Swiss, otherwise known for their reserve and reticence, switched into full party mode, with a man with tousled hair and a rough voice providing the musical accompaniment.
The audience danced and sang along at the top of their lungs, with some fans even going completely wild when . At the front, many fans wearing jerseys from Stewart's favourite club, Celtic, pushed closer and closer to the stage. They wanted to look the master straight in the eye, to high-five him.
Stewart enjoyed this evening, as he had enjoyed all the others before, and left hardly anything to be desired with his selection of hits. Whether ‘Forever Young’, ‘Maggie May’, ‘Baby Jane’ or ‘Young Turks’, the set list in Zurich was also a cross-section of 60 years of a magnificent musical career. At an age when his peers tend to spend their twilight years with a cup of tea in an armchair in front of the television, Sir Rod dances and swings across the stage, swings his hips and blows kisses to the crowd, who can't get enough of it all.
Of course, at almost 81, he had to take a little break here and there and refresh himself backstage, but then the once again magnificent band (it cannot be mentioned often enough) took over and did not allow the good mood in the arena to diminish even slightly before Stewart returned in a new outfit.
Time flew by, and when Rod, wearing a captain's hat on his tousled hair, sang ‘I am sailing, I am sailing, home again, cross the sea...’, some realised that the end of the show was near.
During ‘Da Ya Think I'm Sexy’, the obligatory signed footballs had been thrown into the crowd, and during ‘Love Train’, the finale of this sensational evening, large, colourful balloons rained down from the ceiling.
After about two hours, Sir Rod left the stage with a quick wave to the crowd. The lights came on, the show was over. And there was not one among the 15,000 who would not want a repeat performance.
The fans made their way home, still buzzing with excitement. Claudia K. couldn't stop raving as she headed for one of the exits of the Hallenstadion: ‘I'm still floating on air! What a great concert! Just WOW!’ And Claudia M. simply said: ‘I bow down to that voice, that man, unbelievable.’