Viva Sir Rod: Music legend Stewart conquers the Mexican capital

What a fiesta! 20,000 fans packed into the Sports Palace—or rather, Palacio de los Deportes—in Mexico City to celebrate 80-year-old Rod Stewart's first performance in Mexico this year.

“The living legend proved that age is just a number,” wrote the Mexican newspaper La Jornada euphorically, hitting the nail on the head. Sir Rod once again danced across the stage like a newly hatched chick, his energy, which he displayed despite the extreme altitude of the city and the resulting thin air, captivating the audience from the very first moment. The crowd went wild in the arena and Sir Rod delivered the perfect music to match.

With “Infatuation” as the opener, Sir Rod skillfully kicked off the impending fiesta, and by the time he played “Tonight I'm Yours,” there was no end to the excitement in the stands and rows of chairs.

With “The First Cut Is The Deepest” and “Tonight's The Night,” the hero slowed down the tempo a little, only to get the hot-blooded Mexican fans really excited again a little later with “Baby Jane” and “Young Turks.”

Once again, the set list left little to be desired, which is quite an art considering that Sir Rod has built up such a large repertoire of classics over six decades that it is almost impossible to fulfill all the audience's wishes.

But the Brit with Scottish roots always manages to send his audience home inspired and happy. It was no different in Mexico City, where Stewart once again found the perfect mix of powerful, rocking songs and emotional tearjerkers, which the audience accompanied with just as much enthusiasm as the good old Maggie May, which of course is a must at any Rod Stewart concert.

The song “People Get Ready” was particularly well received by Mexican fans, as were the moments when Stewart took a break backstage and his magnificent band took over the stage.

In the end, Mexico City had celebrated its own big fiesta, and there was probably no one among the 20,000 fans who did not hope that there would be another One More Time next year.