Rod Stewart’s one and only concert in Vilnius

VILNIUS - Rod Stewart will give his first ever concert in Lithuania on June 10. This historic outdoor event will take place in Vingio Park of Vilnius. According to rumors, Stewart could pocket half a million euros for this concert. No wonder that ticket prices seem astonishing, even for Britons: while an average ticket to a recent concert by Paul McCartney in Britain cost 80 British pounds (one-fifth of the Lithuanian average monthly salary after taxes), tickets to Rod Stewart’s concert in Vilnius cost from 30 to a ‘criminal’ and ‘a pension-level’ 175 British pounds (119-700 litas, or 34-203 euros). Entry for children under six years old is free - try to pretend to be a child of this age in case you have no money.

However, the 65-year-old Stewart, who now is already a father and grandfather of numerous offspring, is worth seeing. It is a once in a lifetime kind of event: during the outdoor parties at night near some bonfire in the Soviet-era, many Lithuanians grew up singing the Lithuanian version of Stewart’s Sailing, which was written in 1972 when, officially, this singer did not exist for the Soviet media.

Stewart is a conservative performer: he will sing mostly his old songs in Vilnius. Stewart supports the British Conservative Party and he is conservative on other issues as well. Stewart has for decades managed to keep the same haircut and not look stupid. He is faithful to his taste: all his numerous wives and girlfriends have been blonde top models. Stewart was conservative in preserving his tradition to divorce them after several years. Although recently, he has gotten tired of those marriages-and-divorces and stated, “Instead of getting married again, I’m going to find a woman I don’t like and just give her a house.”

The concert will take place on the eve of the World Cup football championship in South Africa. Football is everything for Stewart. He is an avid fan of Celtic Football Club, based in Glasgow. He is one of only two people to have a seat for life at Celtic Park stadium. He even offered Glasgow Celtic the use of his private, full-size pitch at his English mansion, when they lost their training ground. The Edinburgh Hearts, the Lithuanian-owned team with some Lithuanian players, has won against Celtic in the past - let’s hope that Stewart is not angry at the Lithuanians.

The concert starts at 20:00. Tickets can be bought on-line at www.bilietai.lt if you are real fan of Stewart’s Maggie May, Tonight’s The Night, I Don’t Want To Talk About It, The First Cut Is the Deepest, Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?, Baby Jane, Downtown Train or Have I Told You Lately. Sir Elton John stated that Stewart is the best rock’n’roll singer and the only white male singer who can sing perfect soul music.

Stewart’s concert is organized by Makroconcert, which is the largest Eastern and Central European-based event organizer (with headquarters in Vilnius and branches in Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Czech Republic and Kaliningrad). Over the last few years Makroconcert has promoted such outstanding artists as Elton John, Seal, Billy Idol, Patricia Kaas, Vanessa Mae, Cesaria Evora, Robert Plant, Branford Marsalis, Vonda Shepard, Reamonn, Def Leppard, The Prodigy and many more.

Stewart chose the Lithuanian rock band RebelHeart to warm up his concert. RebelHeart was established in 1992, and has been a warm-up group for many concerts including that of Marilyn Manson. Stewart is arriving with his group of musicians and his support team of 70 people. Get ready for his three-hour show.

Rod Stewart also to perform in Tallinn on June 12.