Rod the Mod

Some guys have all the luck.

As a favour I was designated driver for a friend who writes for the Irish Post and the Celtic View. Comps tickets right down the front. Moyra said: "Are you gonna chuck yer knickers at him". I thought that was Tom Jones. Anyway...I was excpecting a night of pure cheese. I'd cringed when he was on Diana's gig last week.

The smell of cheap perfume and booze breath, the sight of hen night pink hats, peroxide and bad teeth and the drip of orange rain that washed off the skin of the uninhibited women around threatened to "overwhelm me".

But.....it has to be said..... I was, at moments, carried away on pure Rod charisma. Lumps in the throat moments as he sang songs about "home" and sons and fathers as images of cobblestoned streets with wee filthy faced nyaffs sat in laceless boots, his brothers, his kids, his team and his Mum n' Dad came on the screen. Songs dedictaed to the memory of Jinky Johnstone (wife in the crowd) with footage of him skinning on the wing, the Scotland football team with footage of some classic goals and Celtic (give big Jock his knigthood!). Classic Rod moments - keepie uppies with the ball and kicking about 40 footballs into the crowd. All that was missing from 30 years ago were the one-armed press-ups. The Faces songs mixed in with his big hits and soul covers gave us 30 songs over 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Then he brought his 2-year old laddie on stage in his wee kilt for a dance and it was getting me right there (touching my chest).

Talking about the crowd participation on other stops on the tour he told his backing singers "Wait til you get to Glasgow!". They didn't let him down. It pissed down all night but they didn't let that put the proverbial dampener on things. A sold out Hampden singing some of his classics (unaccompanied at points) is something to behold. Pure Scots joy. I went in sceptical but was hooked (A couple of bevvies woulda been nice though).

Las Vegas in the rain.

Rod in Glasgow.....101 things to do in Scotland afore ye die?......Maybe.