Live 1976-1998: Tonight's the Night

This 58-track collection offers an in-depth look at Rod Stewart, the live performer. Arranged chronologically, the set tells the tale of a born rock star and his wanderings through various decades; it ends in 1998, by which point the industry was changing beyond recognition and Stewart was back to punching hard, prior to his Great American Songbook releases. The first 15 tracks here come from a number of gigs in December 1976 in Leicester, England, at a time when Stewart was still considered a rocker. By the next round of shows in 1979, he was a pop-rock star with the disco-tinged smash “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy,” which doesn’t appear here until a 1989 performance in New Jersey. Despite that huge hit, Stewart was still punching hard in other areas. His performances throughout the ‘80s cut more sharply than one might expect (his version of Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart” from San Diego in 1984 is a restrained, melodic performance). The '90s are covered with the final 17 tracks. Whether it’s Tom Waits’ “Downtown Train,” Tim Hardin’s “Reason to Believe,” or Oasis’ “Cigarettes and Alcohol,” Stewart sings them as if he wrote them.