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Wales Online
Wales Online
Entertainment
Anita Merritt & Ben Hurst

Rod Stewart 'storms off' stage as 'gig cut short by venue'

Rod Stewart ‘stormed off stage’ when he was told he couldn’t continue due to a strict curfew. The Maggie May singer was appearing at the Home Park stadium in Plymouth on Saturday night when the incident happened, leaving fans disappointed.

The 78-year-old legend suddenly plunged into darkness at 10.30pm - and fans said that he stormed off when he was told he couldn’t continue. It was said to be down to a curfew at the venue meaning acts couldn’t go on after that time.

One fan told Devon Live: “After attending the Rod Stewart concert yesterday evening, he finished his second to last song – the finale being We Are Sailing – to be told it was 10.30pm and he couldn’t continue,” one fan told Devon Live.

“With this Rod stormed off the stage and the concert was left without light, only to be told the Lord Mayor had put a stop to it. Hundreds of fans like myself were left in shock.”

Another said: “It was a fabulous night, but what an abrupt end. A guy dressed in black came onto the stage and ordered Rod off because of a curfew. “Rod, of course, immediately left and the lights came on. No goodbye to fans, no encore. Everyone was stunned at the rude and abrupt ending to what was an amazing concert.

“Who was the guy in black who asked Rod to leave the stage? Why did Rod end the concert so abruptly? We were at the front and poor Rod looked stunned. For an artist to have his performance cut short so rudely and abruptly at the finale is awful. We came out saying that he was amazing but we would never attend a concert at home park again because performers are dragged off stage because of a curfew.

“Another few minutes to finish and say goodbye is all it would have taken. He had not even reached the end of the song before he was asked to leave the stage They should have started earlier if they had such a strict policy.”

Neither Rod or the venue have publicly commented about why he was taken off stage early. This week Sir Rod took to Twitter to counter suggestions that he was about to retire.

He said: “I’d like to clear up any confusion that I may have caused with my dear fans and the media. I shall never retire! I was put on this earth to be a singer and will keep doing so for as long as the good lord lets me.

“I’ll be playing the hits as advertised for the UK, US, South America and Vegas and into 2024 but no retirement as such. During recent interviews, I’ve mentioned my newest passion is big band/swing music and when we wrap this greatest hits tour, it’s something I’m very eager to share with you.I could never turn my back on the songs that I’ve written and sung over the last six decades.”

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