Stewart clarified on Instagram that he had no intention of retiring when he announced the North American leg in November, adding that he is simply finished with extensive international tours.
In any event, the 80-year-old’s performance for metro Atlanta fans was full of hits, Las Vegas showman antics, emotional music, and affection for his contemporaries.
The source is Ryan Fleisher.
The source is Ryan Fleisher.
Stewart, who had spiky blonde hair and was dressed in black slacks and a white suit jacket, took the stage just before nine o’clock at night. He shimmied, twisted, and planted his hands on his hips as he sailed through favorites like “Infatuation” and “My Heart Can’t Tell You No.”
Stewart quickly realized during the show that his outfit was too hot for Atlanta’s oppressive heat.
Before singing “Having a Party” from 1993, Stewart remarked, “It’s ridiculously hot, but we’re ready for you.” Tonight, we’re throwing a party.
Stewart’s act featured four different outfits, but none of them were appropriate for the heat in Atlanta. With a musical spectacle that had all the pizzazz of a Las Vegas residency, he was still able to captivate spectators.
There were always ten or more persons on stage. Stewart allowed his seven-piece band and five backing singers and dancers plenty of time for solos and dance breaks, so they performed as if they were opening acts in their own right.
For the AJC, credit goes to Ryan Fleisher.
For the AJC, credit goes to Ryan Fleisher.
Stewart’s trademark rasp brought his anthems on heartbreak and desire to life in almost 20 songs. The First Cut is the Deepest, a single from the 1970s about the disappointment of love, sounded poetic as Stewart’s harsh voice turned the stage into a starry night.
Similarly, Stewart’s soulful tone blared as he performed Tonight’s the Night (Gonna be Alright), the No. 1 song. Additionally, Stewart didn’t have to sing when he sang Maggie, another No. 1 song. Singing along, almost everyone in the amphitheater stood up.
The fact that you can still tour at 80 is a benefit of doing so. Finding out how many of your classmates didn’t make it to tour at 80 is the worst aspect of the experience.
Stewart devoted a significant portion of his performance to paying tribute to his deceased musician pals. Stewart took a moment to gaze at her photo that was displayed on the screen before beginning to sing It Takes Two, a duet with rock icon Tina Turner from 1991. At the age of 83, Turner passed away in 2023.
Stewart also honored Ozzy Osbourne, a close friend and trailblazer who passed away this month. His age was 76. Stewart dedicated his 1988 song “Forever Young” to Osbourne during the performance. Osbourne’s rendition of the song was accompanied by a strange, apparently artificial intelligence-generated video that featured him among other deceased music icons like Tupac, Prince, and George Michael.
Fortunately, the unsettling image was short-lived.
Stewart also paid homage to Simply Red and Christine McVie. He sang her rendition of I’d Rather Go Blind, which was first recorded by soul icon Etta James, for the former. Stewart, dressed in a red suit, sang a cover of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes’ song “If You Don’t Know Me by Now” for the latter.
The source is Ryan Fleisher.
The source is Ryan Fleisher.
Both tributes benefited greatly from his vocals. However, it irritated me that the Black musicians who initially sang the songs were not given the credit they deserved.
Stewart didn’t let the mistake stop him from entertaining the crowd. He kicked a soccer ball into the audience for the sensuous 70s rhythms, Da Ya Think I’m Sexy and Hot Legs, which he performed later in his show. Around 10:30 p.m., he played the 1984 hit song “Some Guys Have All the Luck” to close out the performance.
Even though it might not happen again, Stewart provided Atlanta fans a memorable evening for an hour and a half.
