Oooooh, I love stories that write themselves and this one needs little help from me. Rod Stewart even in his dotage (and despite a lame performance at MSG late last year) has remained a first rate live performers even with his recorded work went into a 30 year tailspin of American Songbooks and Motown covers like Michael McDonald’s richer, smarter brother.
So why it took so long for a thorough live outing I don’t know. There have been three live albums, non particularly good and the most recent the MTV Unplugged set from the early 90s, so this one is really the last word and a major release.
Or nearly the last word. Why the late 1976 start date? Where are his peak early 1970s years? It is truly bizarre his label Rhino are not including them and I can only hope that the reason is because they are holding back for one more release. But till then this will do.
what follows is the PR release off the Ultimate Rock website:
“Live performances from the most commercially successful years of Rod Stewart‘s solo career (so far) are being collected in a new four-disc box set, scheduled to arrive in stores on March 18.
Titled ‘Live 1976-1998: Tonight’s the Night,’ the box gathers up 58 performances, most of them previously unreleased. Source tapes for the material include recordings from Stewart’s 1976 U.K. tour, Los Angeles shows from 1979 and 1993, Wembley concerts from 1980 and ’81, a 1984 show in San Diego, a 1989 appearance at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, and a 1998 London show.
‘Tonight’s the Night’ serves as Rhino’s latest foray into the Stewart archives, which previously yielded a separate four-disc set (‘The Rod Stewart Sessions 1971-1998′) focusing on studio tracks
Live 1976-1998: Tonight’s the Night’ Track Listing Disc One: 1976 ‘Three Time Loser’ ‘You Wear It Well’ ‘Big Bayou’ ‘Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)’ ‘The Wild Side of Life’ ‘Sweet Little Rock ‘n Roller’ ‘I Don’t Want to Talk About It’ ‘The Killing of Georgie (Part I and II)’ ‘Maggie May’ ‘Angel’ ‘Get Back’ ‘(I Know) I’m Losing You’ ‘This Old Heart of Mine’
Disc Two: 1976-1981 ‘Sailing’ ‘Stay with Me’ ‘Born Loose’ ‘(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right’ ‘I Just Want to Make Love to You’ ‘Blondes (Have More Fun)’ Medley: ‘(I Know) I’m Losing You/It’s All Over Now / Standin’ in the Shadows of Love / Layla’ Medley: ‘Twistin’ the Night Away / Every Picture Tells a Story’ ‘She Won’t Dance with Me’ ‘Passion’ ‘Gi’ Me Wings’ ‘Hot Legs’ (with Tina Turner)
Disc Three: 1984-1989 ‘Tonight I’m Yours (Don’t Hurt Me)’ ‘You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)’ ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay’ ‘Hungry Heart’ ‘Bad for You’ ‘Some Guys Have All the Luck’ ‘Rock Me Baby’ ‘Infatuation’ ‘I Ain’t Superstitious’ ‘Every Picture Tells a Story’ ‘Lost in You’ ‘Forever Young’ ‘Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?’ ‘Crazy About Her’ ‘Try a Little Tenderness’ ‘You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)’ (Reprise)
Disc Four: 1991-1998 ‘Downtown Train’ ‘This Old Heart of Mine’ ‘Stay with Me’ ‘Sweet Soul Music’ ‘Mandolin Wind’ ‘Highgate Shuffle’ ‘Baby Jane’ ‘Baby Please Don’t Go’ ‘Cut Across Shorty’ ‘(Find a) Reason to Believe’ ‘Handbags & Gladrags’ ‘Having a Party’ ‘People Get Ready’ ‘Have I Told You Lately’ Medley: ‘Twistin’ the Night Away / Chain Gang’ ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’ ‘Rocks’”
