This historic first for Stewart and The Bahamas gives the island of Abaco and the club bragging rights as the first Family Island to host in concert an international performer and recording artist of Mr Stewart’s magnitude.
Since its inception, The Abaco Club has offered members and guests the best and the variety of amenities one expects to find at a top-class retreat.
Often when the club is summed up by many, all they can say is: “It’s out of this world” or “It’s off the chain”. The recent merger between The Ritz Carlton and The Abaco Club will embellish this magnificent property and services even more.
The importation of Rod Stewart, a London-born entertainer extraordinaire, to perform at a private function for members and guests of The Abaco Club is another example of de Savary’s commitment to export and import culture.
Also determined to showcase Bahamian culture whenever possible, The Abaco Club is one of the few resorts in The Bahamas with local musicians performing nightly and Junkanoo groups twice weekly.
Mr de Savary hosted more than 100 Bahamian musicians, entertainers and performers on Rhode Island two summers ago to perform at a charity fund-raising event.
The contingent comprised The Royal Bahamas Police Force Band, Colors Junkanoo Organisation, Action the Limbo Dancer, Ms Daphne Brown, a 15-year-old Abaconian songbird, and Stone McEwan with his band.
Busters Beach Bar at The Abaco Club was transformed for the Rod Stewart performance. A stage was erected, lighting and sound equipment were added along with other amenities that enhanced the all-white dress code for the event.
Mr Stewart has a long successful musical history that extends back to 1964. His solo career effectively went into orbit with the 1971 release of “Maggie May,” an enduring rock classic with a rustic, ramshackle style.
This was his first charting single in the US. The song stayed at number one for five weeks and it is one of the cuts from his third solo album “Every Picture Tells a Story”, a rock classic.
His first five albums; “The Rod Stewart Album”, “Gasoline Alley”, “Every Picture Tells a Story”, “Never a Dull Moment” and “Smiler” all appeared in a yearly procession between 1969 and 1974 on the Mercury label, and are considered by many to be his best work.
Over the years, Stewart in his expressive soulful voice has put his own stamp on pieces originally recorded by The Temptations, “I Know I’m Losing You”, Van Morrison, “Have I Told You Lately”, Tom Waits, “Downtown Train”, Jimi Hendrix, “Angel” and The Sutherland Brothers, “Sailing”.
At his first Bahamian concert, Stewart performed some of his most popular chart-topping hits such as “Maggie May”, “You’re In My Heart” and “Young Turks”. Couples immersed into each other when he bellowed “Tonight’s The Night” and “Have I Told You Lately”. Everyone was on their feet dancing to “Do You Think I’m Sexy”.
