Tonight's the night at the Mission

I have attended all but four Mission Estate Winery Concerts ... basically, I missed the early ones.

Through the years I have seen the Hollies and the Beach Boys and a knight of the realm singing everyone's songs but his own.

I watched the Doobie Brothers through what appeared to be a sweet-smelling smoky gauze ... very perplexing.

I stood astounded at the conclusion of Engelbert Humperdinck's set that the old balladeer hadn't unleashed Ten Guitars - arguably the only song every last member of the human seascape had heard of from his catalogue.

I met Chris De Burgh at the airport and all he wanted to know was "where's a good beach to have a swim?"

John Farnham still owes me a beer and was good enough to contact me a week after he played the great stage in 2004 and said he hadn't forgotten ... and next time he was in the Bay he'd sort me out. I'm still waiting but, hey, he's an Aussie, it'll take a while.

Since day one, back in 1993 when Kiri emerged on to the stage and sang to a genteel sea of faces and picnics, the Mission Concert has become a staple part of the New Zealand entertainment calender.

Some concerts were simply superb, and all were memorable in their own way. Not to mention colourful. The diversity has been staggering, and given the big audience numbers attending, it is a fact that for someone out there, the best of them all in their eyes was either Chris de Burgh or Julio Iglesias.

Because music is very subjective. Everyone is someone's favourite.

Me?

Rod Stewart in 2005 ... but no surprises there because when I could wear flared trousers without causing laughter I loved the Faces and have a couple of the albums, and as a fledgling guitarist learned to play the chords of Reason to Believe because it's just a simple succession of C, D, G and Em.

Sting probably second, followed by The Beach Boys then Tom Jones ... who was just terrific. All Las Vegas and larynx.

Through the years the hosts and the promoters put a lot on the line in picking the artist.

It's the old saying - you can't please them all. But I think they've done pretty well although, yes, a couple caused my eyebrows to arch slightly.

And every year, upon the announcement, you hear the mumblings of "why don't they get Paul McCartney or Bruce Springsteen?"

Don't think they haven't tried.

So Rod is back for an encore, and I believe rightly so.

There were some who bemoaned that he'd done his Mission stint - why have a second shot at it?

But why not?

I didn't hear anyone walk away from his concert seven years ago grumbling. He didn't spark. He ignited.

The 20th year of staging the Mission Concert deserved an extraordinary performance and this forever-young rocker will provide it. So Rockin' Rod will set the bar high again and the drivers of the great event will have to come up with a really smart follow-up for next year.

Mmm, I've heard a rumour already ...