“To my knowledge - my brain is delicately balanced - the only time I'm aware that I played in Columbus before was the late '70s. Story continues A long time since Stewart's last visit to Columbus, OhioĬolumbus fans haven't been treated to Stewart's presence very often, though he has frequently appeared in Cleveland and Cincinnati. Of course, they like the stuff they know, but it's gratifying that they react just as strongly to me digging out obscurities and playing them. I'm deliberately picking out things that I think the audience won't have ever heard me do. But into every set, we try to inject songs that I've either never played before or that I've never played in the place that I'm playing.

“There are some songs I have to play because they're popular. They sort of one-up each other by requesting the most obscure things,” he said. The ones who know everything are a tad obsessive. Willie Nelson: Willie Nelson's performance at the Ohio State Fair was simply 'fabulous' (Of course, there's also a small third camp: “People who have been dragged along by their significant others,' he said. ''You told me it was Rod Stewart!' They're expecting me to sing 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?' or something.”) “They either know one or two songs by me, or they know absolutely everything,” Stewart said. The audience for his concerts is divided into two camps. Stewart, 76, is best-known for two huge hits from the late '70s, “Year of the Cat” and “Time Passages.” His repertoire, however, is much larger than that, including a number of songs documenting historical events, or, as he puts it, “obscure historical songs about the Russian front during World War II, which don't do very well on the radio.” Things change all the time.” Al Stewart discography includes 'Year of the Cat' and 'Time Passages' He's back on the road now, and set to perform at the Southern Theatre on Aug. 18.ĬOVID and the postponement have not dimmed his sense of humor.Ī look back: Singer Al Stewart concert May 22 in Columbus canceled due to COVID diagnosisĪsked how he was feeling about being back on tour, he replied in a recent email that he was “feeling effusive and perplexed, but that's just today.

18.Īl Stewart was originally scheduled to perform in Columbus in May, but that concert was postponed when the Scottish singer-songwriter tested positive for COVID. Singer-songwriter Al Stewart is coming to Columbus on Aug.

Up! by Al Stewart