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Forty-three years of marriage later, the couple returned to see Stewart’s farewell tour on Friday night at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater.

“This is our last time to see him before he’s gone,” Roy said as the lights dimmed and the red curtains rose.

Stewart’s fans showed up to see the 80-year-old showman run through six decades of hits. It was the last stop on his 20-city “One Last Time” road trip, dubbed as his final large-scale tour.

Stewart didn’t disappoint. He engaged the nearly sold-out crowd throughout the show. His band was tight, and the chemistry between them was clear. And — a surprise — he sang tribute after tribute to some of music’s biggest icons.

But performing 23 high-energy tracks at 80 is much different than hitting the stage in one’s youth. And the acclaimed entertainer began to visibly tire halfway through the setlist.

Kicking the show off with “Infatuation,” Stewart quickly reminded everyone why he is one of the best-selling music acts of all time. He danced nonstop as he ran through the setlist, comprised of original songs and beloved covers. He swayed his hips as he crooned the chorus to “The Motown Song.” And he stood centerstage during “If You Don’t Know Me by Now,” tilting his head back and releasing a striking falsetto that seemed to surprise even himself.

Stewart’s vocals were raspy and raw but the words were clear as he sang in his signature style, a mix of talking and singing. He twirled the microphone stand behind his back, executed 360-degree spin moves and worked the entire stage.

But 10 songs in, it was clear that Stewart was battling against time. His dance moves slowed down on “Young Turks,” and he held on to a napkin during “Have I Told You Lately” as he coughed on stage as the show wrapped up. His giant smile, however, and playful, animated movements remained unchanged.

Through it all, there was something magical about the performance. While his movements got slower and more careful the longer he performed, Stewart never stopped entertaining. And he seemed to find a fresh wind of energy at the start of every song. It was as if the rhythms and melodies were lifting him afresh with every restart.

Ample breaks were woven into the set to ensure he got a breather. He sat on the platform steps alongside his backup singers during “Maggie May” and “Downtown Train.” And he popped backstage to switch into one of four colorful suits while his singers were performing “I’m Every Woman.”

Stewart dedicated several songs to music friends who’d died over the years. He dedicated “It Takes Two” to Tina Turner and “Roll and Tumble Blues” to Muddy Waters.

But a highlight came during “Forever Young,” which Stewart dedicated to Ozzy Osbourne. As Stewart sang, an AI-generated Osbourne soared through the clouds on a huge screen behind the stage. But it wasn’t just Osbourne. He was joined by AI-generated video of Turner, Amy Winehouse, Tupac Shakur, Whitney Houston, Freddie Mercury, Prince, Bob Marley, Aaliyah, Kurt Cobain, Michael Jackson and Juice World.

Stewart’s band and on-stage ensemble added solos, duets and high-energy musicianship to the performance. His three background vocalists doubled as dancers and musicians. They bounced from mic to fiddle to violin to percussion while keeping up with lively choreography all night.

Harpist and percussionist Julia Thornton closed out “Forever Young” with a magical solo. Guitarist Emerson Swinford delivered a solo during “Infatuation,” fueled by powerful riffs and playful musical banter with saxophonist Jimmy Roberts.

A longtime touring member of Stewart’s band, Roberts was a star on stage, stirring the crowd’s emotions with passionate solos on “It Takes Two,” “Some Guys Have All the Luck” and “I’d Rather Go Blind.” Stewart dedicated the latter to English singer Christine McVie, who died in 2022.

He performed a few more songs, including “Stay With Me” by the Faces, Stewart’s old band, sang “Love Train” for an encore, then bowed to the crowd as the curtain fell.

On Friday night in ��ѿ��ý, Stewart was a magician of showmanship. Despite his age.