Before Robbie, before Harry, before Zayn, there was Rod Stewart, the original British rock god. After all, Stewart always has and always will be a born showman. And at 78 years old, there’s no slowing down for the diehard Celtic supporter. He is still in the finest of voices and going as strong as ever. 

In the heart of the Southern Highlands, nestled between Mittagong and Bowral, a 12,000-strong capacity crowd descended on the Centennial Vineyards for a Day at the Green. Having never attended a Day at the Green, I was immediately blown away by the landscape. Surrounded by acres of trees and lush greens as far as the eye could see, there really couldn’t have been a more idyllic place for concert. Even Cyndi Lauper, who performed an hour long set before Stewart hit the stage remarked “how beautiful is this sunset?”

But before Lauper or Stewart took to the stage, we were graced with the sounds of Kiwi rock legend Jon Stevens, best known for fronting INXS after the passing of Michael Hutchence. Despite possessing a healthy catalogue of his own hits, Stevens performed predominately INXS songs, much to the delight of the Aussie crowd, who sung along to every word. As he crooned the songs that launched INXS to worldwide fame, the beauty of his voice shone through, full of richness and body. Unsurprisingly, ‘Never Tear Us Apart’ (which Stevens termed ‘one of the greatest songs ever written’) was a highlight, with Stevens balancing power and emotion perfectly. Stevens’ own song ‘Take Me Back’ was also a huge hit, getting the crowd on their feet and dancing. 

Lauper kept the crowd hyped, although a light shower perhaps put a slight dampener on her set. When playing her hits back-to-back, it became easy to appreciate what a wonderful songwriter Lauper is across a variety of genres. From ‘Time After Time’ to ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ the hits just kept on coming. I was pleasantly surprised to hear Lauper sing ‘Not My Father’s Son’ from her musical Kinky Boots, which is one of the best-written musicals of the 21^st century. It was yet another reminder of the depth that Lauper possesses in her writing. 

Then, it was time for Sir Rod. Donning a gold sparkly jacket, he entered the stage with a pizzazz and swagger that only he could pull off. 

“I hope you’ve all had a drink. I know it’s Sunday night but I certainly have,” he started off with to laughter from the audience. 

But behind all the showmanship, was an absolutely stunning voice. The highlights of the show were the stripped back ballads that felt so intimate, as if it were just Stewart talking to the audience. Stewart performed a stripped back version of ‘Maggie May’ which was delicate enough to tug the heartstrings but had enough gravitas to still bear resemblance to the original song. Then it was into ‘First Cut is the Deepest’ for which he had the whole crowd singing with him. His cover of ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’ was also beautiful and poignant, with Stewart’s raspy tone lending itself well to the Etta James classic. 

For his last show in Australia, Stewart strayed from the setlist a little, delighting the audience with ‘Reason to Believe’ which he has rarely performed in the last decade. It was raw, emotional and powerful, still connecting with the audience over 50 years since he first performed it. 

While Stewart carried the show in his own right, his band was equally fabulous. His two violinists drew rapturous applause from the audience as did his saxophonist and harpist. But the biggest applause was reserved for his backing singers who treated us to barnstorming renditions of ‘I’m Every Woman’ and ‘Lady Marmalade’. Stewart was clearly the main act, but the show wouldn’t have been the same without his incredible band. 

To conclude, Stewart treated us to two of his biggest hits. ‘Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?’ was performed with the requisite swagger of a man who knew he had the audience in the palm of his hand before the night finished with a rousing rendition of ‘Sailing’ that had the whole audience on their feet. 

One would expect that this might be the last time Stewart comes to Australia to perform. Then again, who can be sure for certain? Because if one thing is clear from last night, it’s that the man from Highgate has still got it and he has it in spades. 

Rod Stewart, Cyndi Lauper and Jon Stevens – A Day at the Green, Bowral – 2nd April 2023

Photo credit: Tim Bradshaw Photography

Rating: ★★★★