Rod Stewart danced and showed off his signature moves at the Northwell at Jones Beach Theater in New York on Friday night, continuing his North American tour after a run of health setbacks forced him to cancel several shows.
The 81-year-old appeared on stage in a black and gold jacket and pinstripe trousers. During the concert he paid tribute to Bonnie Tyler, who died unexpectedly at the age of 75 last month, weeks after going into cardiac arrest following surgery that left her in an induced coma.
Stewart’s comeback follows a difficult stretch on the road. He pulled out of a California show in June citing a respiratory infection that had spiralled into laryngitis, then paused a Utah concert to use an oxygen tank on stage. He also postponed shows at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, citing the need for vocal rest.
The California cancellation drew backlash after Stewart was photographed cheering on Scotland at their World Cup match against Haiti in Boston less than 24 hours later. Speaking on talkSPORT, he addressed the criticism directly, saying he really shouldn’t have gone to the game but had promised his two sons since they were born that they would attend a World Cup together. He added that it wasn’t a good look but that he was going to have to take the stick for it.
Stewart is currently on the North American leg of his farewell tour, One Last Time, which he launched in 2024. He said he has around 40 shows this year and plans to tour the UK the following year, including a date at the O2, which he suggested would probably be his last.
