For a time Saturday night, the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls was transformed into a Las Vegas showroom, as Rod Stewart closed out the current leg of his 'Hits' tour with a concert that actually looked even better than it sounded.

I'm not saying there was anything wrong with the music, but I don't think I've ever seen a concert that was more visually appealing than the one Rod pulled off in Sioux Falls. From the large curtain that surrounded the brightly lit stage, to the sharp, matching wardrobe selections for the band and back-up singers, to the massive high definition screens behind the stage, it was impossible to take your eyes off the action.

In the middle of it all was the 70-year old rock legend. soaking up every second of the festivities, exuding a healthy dose of the two C's - class and cool. Sure he's not hitting all of the same notes he did back 'in the day', but he is still a master showman. Two specific moments demonstrated that for me:

  • When an artist introduces a 'newer' song, regardless of the stature of said artist, people usually take that time to hit the restroom or top off their drinks. But when Rod masterfully setup the back story to his 2013 song "Can't Stop Me Now" (which was dedicated to his late father, Robert) and invited the crowd to watch for pictures of his dad on the screen during the song, the stampede to the concession stand never happened.
  • It's not very many people that can turn one song into an event, but Rod managed to pull that off with "Forever Young". Rod sang the first half of the song (with help from the audience on the chorus), then exited the stage while members of his band broke into an extended percussion jam, only to have the star of the show return several minutes later, wardrobe change and all, to bring the song home. Impressive.

It was not the longest concert I've ever attended, and there was plenty of Rod's legendary catalog left untouched, but just about everyone left with a smile on their face; some even with a soccer ball personally signed by Rod and propelled into the seats by his right foot during 'Hot Legs".

Next stop for Rod, another residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. But for a couple of hours Saturday, Rod Stewart brought Vegas to us.

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