Rod Stewart It is Ivete Sangalo carried out on Allianz ParkIn Sao Paulo, on Saturday evening the 30th. The idea of bringing together an English rock icon and an Axé star has sounded strange ever since the Legends In Concert project was announced. In practice it was even stranger. Ivete Sangalo’s decision to open Rod Stewart’s show and perform a few duets with the Brit at the end of the show seemed more like a marketing item for the Bahian singer than any attempt to promote Brazilian music or to unite such different musical genres.
“Veveta” took the stage to join Sir Rod on vocals on the 1975 ballad “Sailing” and the danceable 1978 “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy,” the melody of which, as everyone knows, is the same as the song “Taj Mahal” is taken from Jorge Ben Jor. However, it would have been better if someone had avoided the meeting, which sounded boring and forced. Financially alone, the partnership may have had a significant impact: 35,000 tickets were sold (sold out) and the Palmeiras Stadium was full of spectators.
After opening the British singer’s show, Ivete took the stage for two songs with the artist at Allianz Parque on Saturday evening 30. Photo: Stephan Solon/Disclosure
Brightness, nostalgia and an arsenal of hits
The venue was the same where the British star had performed three times before: in 1989, 2008 and 2015 for a total of 16 shows in Brazil, the first of which was at Rock In Rio in 1985. In 1994, Rod performed History on Copacabana Beach with a free show that attracted around 3.5 million people, according to the Guinness Book. However, this Saturday’s performance may have been the 78yearold singer’s last in the country. He recently said he didn’t want to do any more rock ‘n’ roll tours. “I want to do something different. It feels like the end of an era. All things must come to an end. I’m not retiring and I still love singing, I’m just looking for something new,” he told the Daily Record.
Like a character straight out of the 1980s, Rod Stewart took the stage at Allianz Parque at 9:30 p.m. He wore a shiny suit that highlighted his traditional blonde spiky hair. In the background sounds the catchy and sensual beat of Addicted To Love, a cover by Robert Palmer, in an arrangement similar to the original, reinforced by the vocals of the beautiful and talented girls who spice up their excellent backing band all with a serious look that matches music video for Palmer is modeled after.
Rod Stewart in concert at Allianz Parque on September 30, 2023 Photo: STEPHAN SOLON/DIVULGAÇÃO
It wasn’t a choice that, shall we say, immediately thrilled audiences, particularly those in their fifties and sixties. The euphoria came with the lively You Wear It Well, with a separate show from violinist J’Anna Jacoby, and Oh La La, a gem for fans of the Faces, a band Rod was a member of between 1969 and 1975 an unusual choice, given that the original recording is sung by Ronnie Wood, years before he joined the Rolling Stones.
“Thanks, we’ll play for two hours!” Rod warned, with no time for idle talk. The shower of hits was supported by an exquisite production that complemented a show full of tributes to Tina Turner in It Takes Two; to Christine McVie, in Blues I’d Rather Go Blind; to the Ukrainian people, in Rhythm Of My Heart; and even Celtic FC, Rod’s favorite club, in You’re In My Heart all intertwined with a handful of Stewart’s classics, such as Maggie May, Young Turks, Baby Jane and Forever Young, as well as a number of usual covers from his repertoire that make his unique hoarse voice immortalized: “The First Cut Is The Deepest” (Cat Stevens), “Have I Telled You Lately” (Van Morrison), “I Don’t Want To Talk About It” (Crazy Horse) and others. However, the version of Have You Ever Seen The Rain?, which would be a fitting choice for a rainy night in the capital São Paulo, was missing.
When Ivete Sangalo finished singing the hit Sorte Grande (Poeira), it became clear: great misfortune for the audience, who had to witness the noncontact performance of the singer from Bahia, who sang with Cria da Ivete, a song whose theme is drunkenness between a group ” “hot, experienced and dangerous” friends.
Ivete Sangalo during the show before Rod Stewart’s performance at Allianz Parque Photo: STEPHAN SOLON/DIVULGAÇÃO
The artist, who has just announced a mega tour to celebrate her 30th career anniversary, is a ubiquitous figure on television, be it in soap operas, films, commercials or variety shows. His latest studio album, Onda Boa com Ivete, was released in 2022.
“Won’t Rod be impressed by this woman?” Ivete joked, talking about herself in the third person after stringing together other hits like Festa, Tempo de Alegria and Acelera Aê. “Rod is totally in love with me,” he later said.
Rainha do Axé, who described herself as a fan of the rocker, tried to overcome the inadequate repertoire and the disinterest of the audience with remarkable friendliness and good choreography, but without success. It wasn’t a night for fooling around.
Rod Stewart and Ivete Sangalo
The meeting of the artist duo was announced on April 10 this year. The presentation is part of the “Legends In Concert” project, which aims to bring together some of the biggest stars in world music in unprecedented gatherings.
Setlist for Rod Stewart’s show at Allianz Parque (September 30, 2023)
- Addicted to love
- Wear it well
- Ooh La La
- Infatuation
- Young Turks
- Baby Jane
- Forever Young
- First cut
- You’re in my heart
- Maggie
- Better to go blind
- Downtown train
- Heartbeat
- I am every woman
- talk about it
- I told you
- Mrs. Jam
- Some guys
- It takes 2
- sexy
- Sailing
Setlist for Ivete Sangalo’s show at Allianz Parque (September 30, 2023)
- Ivete’s descendants
- Time of joy
- Rocked
- Dust
- party
- gets faster
- Good night
- Thank you, Axe
- Pharaoh
- Prefix/Baianidade Nago
- Hug me
- Rare beauty
- Rua da Saudade
- eve
- Dance
- Crowd
- Sweet
- Suck everything
- Exit
- If I didn’t love you
- When the rain passes
- Ivete’s descendants
- The world is going
- Arere