Sir Rod says not to-knight to Saudi Arabia show
There is a nobility with this knighted rock star.
Rod Stewart is following his conscience over his bank account, declining an offer to play Saudi Arabia. A Colosseum at Caesars Palace headliner since 2011, Stewart announced his reasons Thursday on Instagram.
“I’m grateful that I have a choice whether or not to perform in Saudi Arabia. So many citizens there have extremely limited choices — women, the LGBTQ community, the press,” it continued. “I’d like my choice not to go… to shine a light on the injustices there and ignite positive change.”
The details and terms of Stewart’s appearance have yet to be reported.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community are not afforded state-recognized rights in Saudi Arabia, where same-sex sexual activity is illegal and punishable by up to life in prison.
Stewart also said recently he had been offered $1 million to play Qatar, but also declined for that country’s history of human-rights violations. Homosexuality is also illegal in Qatar, punishable by up to three years in prison.
The 78-year-old Stewart is one of rock’s biggest stars, a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee as a soloist and a member of the Faces. He also boasts the longest unbroken theater residency of any headliner currently playing Las Vegas.
Carlos Santana pre-dates Stewart as a residency headliner, opening at the then-Joint at Hard Rock Hotel (the Theater at Virgin Hotel today) in 2009. But Santana ended that two-year run in 2011, moving to House of Blues the following year.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.