Rod Stewart Still Wears It Well In Northern Return

Rod Stewart might have just released an album with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra but for tonight it was back to his old roots.

The northern date was the first Sir Rod has played in a couple of months and it showed - he appeared to have the enthusiasm and energy that came across in the gig.

The sound of bagpipes resonates around the arena, the curtain drops and there he and the band are.

There was a lot of attention to detail - the band, singers and Rod are all dressed in matching gold and purple as they enter the stage, in fact he changes his outfits many times during the gig - forever Rod the Mod.

Some Guys Have All The Look opened up a 2 hour show of back to back hits. It Takes Two now a duet with Robbie Williams on the new album, is sung with one of his backing singers "she's better looking than Robbie" he jokes.

Forever Young develops into a tap dance by the backing singers against a backdrop of some Gaelic violin playing, adding some light and shade to the gig.

The Etta James cover, I'd Rather Go Blind was performed as soulful as ever proving that even at 74 years of age his voice can still make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

A lot of artists in London in the late 60's were influenced by the old blues acts such as Hambone Willie Newbern, so it comes as no surprise when Stewart drops his version of Rollin and Tumblin. If this was your introduction to the blues it was a great start.

Maggie May is reinvented as on the new album before the 1971 Number 1 turns into the original recorded version. He remembers when he played at the infamous Twisted Wheel club in Manchester, offering if anyone was there in the late 60's to come back stage after the gig to meet him.

There is the customary acoustic session where he and the band perform the hits such as First Cut Is The Deepest, You're In My Heart and Grace. The stripped down versions let the quality of his vocals shine.

Sailing is taken over by the sold out audience. If this was the first or last time they get to see Stewart it was one they will never forget.

Balloons drop from the ceiling as Baby Jane and Do Ya Think I'm Sexy charges up the gig. At one point with the fans throwing the balloons in the air it threatened to distract them from what was actually going on stage front.

Stay With Me was an unexpected surprise taking the audience back to his Faces days in 1971. Sung with vigour and attitude it was one of the highlights of the night.

The smile on his face as he leaves the stage is replicated with his fans. We might all be getting older but as one of tonight's songs says, tonight we were all Forever Young.