On December 23, 1974, Rod Stewart led the Faces in their final concert in the UK, giving a rollicking show at London’s Kilburn State Theatre. Although the band would tour the U.S. in 1975, this farewell concert is often listed as their last performance together.
The Faces, which had grown out of the dissolution of the Small Faces in 1969, created great music during their time together. But by the time of their performance at the Kilburn, the end was near for the band.
The show featured lead singer Rod Stewart, keyboardist Ian McLagan, guitarist Ron Wood, drummer Kenney Jones and bassist Tetsu Yamauch. Yamauch replaced founding bassist Ronnie Lane, who had left the band the summer of 1973.
Rounding out the show was a guest appearance from Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones on for “Sweet Little Rock’n Roller,” “I’d Rather Go Blind” and “Twistin’ The Night Away.”
By the time of this show, Stewart had already established himself as a solo artist with Every Picture Tells a Story (1971). He had already had the massive hit “Maggie May,” which the band plays at the show.
For the 1975 U.S. tour, Wood played with the Faces and also toured with his new band, The Rolling Stones. With Wood and Stewart finding other work, the writing was on the wall for the Faces. But it was a great run.
The show ends with a short “We’ll Meet Again,” a song the band closed with since 1971. But, despite various forms of reunions, London would never see the Faces like this again.
What is your favorite song from The Faces? Leave your two cents in the comments.
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The great alt-country band Uncle Tupelo played its last concert on May 1, 1994, at Mississippi Nights in St. Louis, Missouri. Fortunately, the concert is now available on YouTube in high quality video.