Sir Rod Stewart is set to captivate the Glastonbury audience today as he takes the Pyramid Stage for the festival’s much-anticipated teatime legend slot. The 80-year-old icon, known for hits like “Maggie May” and “Sailing,” will perform despite recently overcoming an illness, celebrating a remarkable six decades in the music industry.
With six number one singles and ten number one albums in the UK, Stewart has a rich catalog to draw from. However, he expressed concerns about the limited time for his performance. “It’s difficult because they only gave me an hour-and-a-quarter slot. So I begged them: can I do another 15 minutes?” he shared with Radio Times. “Because usually I play for two hours. It means that there’s a lot of songs that people love that I won’t be able to play. And I’ve got three guests coming on.”
Performance Schedule and Special Guests
Sir Rod Stewart will grace the Pyramid Stage from 15:45 to 17:15, following acts such as The Selecter, Celeste, and The Libertines. After his set, Nile Rogers and Chic will take over from 18:00 to 19:00, with Noah Kahan following at 19:45. The day will conclude with Olivia Rodrigo headlining at 21:45, performing hits like “deja vu,” “good for u,” and “traitor.”
Joining Stewart on stage are three special guests. He has confirmed the presence of his Faces bandmate and Rolling Stones legend Ronnie Wood. Additionally, he teased the appearance of Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall, jokingly mentioning a humorous song before clarifying, “We are going to sing ‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now.’ And then Lulu is coming on.” Fans can expect a memorable collaboration with Ronnie, Mick, and Scottish singer/songwriter Lulu.
Rod Stewart’s Musical Legacy
In anticipation of his Glastonbury performance, Sir Rod has released his “Ultimate Hits” album, featuring each of his six number one singles. These include classics such as “Maggie May” (1971), “You Wear It Well” (1972), “Sailing” (1972), “I Don’t Want to Talk About It” (1975), “The First Cut Is the Deepest” (1976), “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” (1978), and “Baby Jane” (1983).
Known for his unique pre-performance routine, Stewart shared, “The vocal cords need a lot of looking after. I mean, they’re absolute gold. I warm up for an hour, warm down for half an hour. And when I feel I’m losing my voice, I go into what they call ‘voice rest’ and wear a little card around my neck that says ‘I can’t talk. Don’t talk to me.'”
Controversy and Public Reaction
Despite his legendary status, Sir Rod has faced backlash recently after expressing support for Reform leader Nigel Farage. This endorsement has sparked outrage among some fans, leading to a mixed reception at the festival. During a performance by Irish rappers Kneecap, the mention of Stewart prompted boos from the audience, with one of the performers joking, “He’s older than Israel.”
“Do the right thing and boo Rod Stewart off the stage,” wrote a user on social media, reflecting the sentiments of some festival-goers.
In response to the controversy, Stewart has criticized the “teatime legend” label, stating, “I just wish they wouldn’t call it the tea time slot. That sounds like pipe and slippers, doesn’t it?”
As the festival continues, all eyes will be on Sir Rod Stewart’s performance, which promises to be a highlight despite the surrounding drama. Whether the audience will focus on his musical prowess or his political stance remains to be seen.
