Rod Stewart bids farewell to his rock repertoire with Hits tour with last minute tickets now on sale

Rod Stewart fans can expect all the big hits from the last leg of his Australian tour. See his Sydney setlist.

Rockin’ Rod Stewart is on the last leg of his Hits tour of Australia, his live swan song to his five decades of rock classics as the enduring superstar dedicates his musical future to his love of the “great American songbook”.

As the Hits tour lands in Sydney, fans looking for last-minute deals could snap tickets up for the Qudos Bank Arena show on Wednesday from $89 from Ticketek and Lasttix.

Stewart’s final lap of Australia with a rock show was interrupted at the halfway mark when he was forced to abandon a Day On The Green gig in Geelong just hours before stage time due to a viral throat infection.

But after a few days of vocal rest, the wildly popular rocker was back on the road and seemingly no worse for wear from his brief illness.

Stewart told News Corp Australia he wanted to pull back from his big rock tours to further explore the American standards from the 1920s to 1960s made famous via Broadway and Hollwyood musicals, which he began recording in 2002 and covered over five albums.

Rod Stewart is on his final “rock” tour of Australia. Picture: Sonia Bettinelli / Supplied

“It is the last time and I will savour it,” he told News Corp Australia.

“We have all waited long enough for my friends down there. It’s going to be wonderful. But it won’t be the last time I am down there because I want to move on and do the American Songbook, and I am making a swing album with Jools Holland. I just want to change things up.”

As his Hits tour setlist reveals, Stewart has always had a gift for picking covers and turning them into bigger hits for their original songwriters.

Among the tracks which he has performed at every gig on the tour here are Have I Told You Lately (Van Morrison), First Cut Is The Deepest (Cat Stevens) and I Don’t Wanna Talk About It (Crazy Horse).

And then there’s his show closer Sailing, which was originally released in 1972 by Scottish duo The Sutherland Brothers before Stewart made it his own in 1975 for his first American album release.

Stewart performing Addicted To Love with his band. Picture: Supplied / Sonia Bettinelli

Other more random covers include the show’s opening Addicted To Love, complete with a recreation of the legendary Robert Palmer music video which helped propel MTV to global success, Lady Marmalade and Donna Summer’s Hot Stuff.

The setlist is heavy with the global chart-toppers which have remained fan favourites since the ’70s and ’80s, including Do Ya Think I’m Sexy, Maggie May, You Wear It Well and Young Turks.

Stewart’s final Australian shows, which feature special guest Cyndi Lauper, on the Hit tour are at Qudos Bank Arena on March 29, the rescheduled A Day On The Green in Geelong on March 31, Roche Estate, Hunter Valley, on April 1 and Centennial Vineyards, Bowral, on April 2.

For all official tickets, livenation.com.au

Rod Stewart setlist, Adelaide Entertainment Centre, March 21.

1. Addicted to Love (Robert Palmer cover)

2. You Wear It Well

3. Ooh La La (Faces song)

4. Having a Party (Sam Cooke cover)

5. Some Guys Have All the Luck (The Persuaders cover)

6. It Takes Two (Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston cover)

7. Rollin’ and Tumblin’ (Muddy Waters cover)

8. Forever Young

9. The First Cut Is the Deepest (Cat Stevens cover)

10. Maggie May

11. I’d Rather Go Blind (Etta James cover)

12. Young Turks

13. Rhythm of My Heart (Marc Jordan cover)

14, Hot Stuff (Donna Summer cover)

15. People Get Ready (The Impressions cover)

16. I Don’t Want to Talk About It (Crazy Horse cover)

17. Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)

18. You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)

19. Have I Told You Lately (Van Morrison cover)

20. Lady Marmalade (LaBelle cover)

21. Baby Jane

22. Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?

Encore

23. Sailing (The Sutherland Brothers cover)