Rod Stewart’s return to Abu Dhabi on Wednesday night carried quiet significance. Not because it marked the end of his career – with US dates already scheduled for 2026, that clearly is not the case – but because his Etihad Arena show was the final concert of this leg of Stewart's One Last Time tour and, in all likelihood, his last performance in the Middle East.
Rocker and crooner Stewart will turn 81 in January, but he shows little interest in nostalgia for its own sake. Instead, this was a confident, generous performance from an artist fully at ease with where he is and what he still has to offer.
Abu Dhabi, the tour’s only stop in the Middle East, felt like an appropriate setting for a night that balanced reflection with celebration. One Last Time has been framed as Stewart’s final large-scale world tour, and the performance drew fans from across the region for what may be a final opportunity to see the rocker and crooner live in this part of the world.
Time has reshaped Stewart’s stagecraft. The London-born Scot now relies more heavily on his excellent band and accomplished backing singers – and does so without ego.
Several times, he stepped away from centre stage entirely, allowing them to shine, most notably during a spirited Tina Turner cover and other extended musical interludes. These moments did not dilute the show. Rather, they reinforced Stewart’s comfort in sharing the spotlight, a hallmark of an artist secure in his legacy.
When Stewart returned, each time in a dazzling new outfit, his presence was immediate. That unmistakable husky voice, weathered but expressive, still carries emotional weight, particularly when applied to the songs that have accompanied audiences for decades.
As familiar ballads unfolded, the reaction within
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