Sir Rod Stewart and Jools Holland treated London commuters at a train station to a surprise performance of tracks from their newly announced swing album.
The duo are set to release Swing Fever on February 23 via Warner Music. The 13-track collaboration will feature classic songs such as Ain't Misbehavin’, Frankie And Johnny, Sentimental Journey and Lullaby Of Broadway.
Both model railway enthusiasts, St. Pancras International was a fitting place to launch their new project.They were joined by an 18-piece band on Tuesday for the musical treat within the station’s main Arcade and in front of the magical St. Pancras Christmas Tree.The performance follows in the footsteps of world-famous performers including Elton John, Ed Sheeran, John Legend, and Jeff Goldblum, as well as the public day-to-day.
Public pianos were launched at St. Pancras International in 2012 when theâ¯City of London Festivalâ¯celebrated its golden anniversary on a grand scale. The pianos remained available to playâ¯ever since, with Sir Elton also gifting a piano to St. Pancras himself in 2016.
The station has become known for regular performances from stars, talented members of the local area, and even visitors from afar.
The station’s main Arcade, which is host to the pianos, has become a hub of cultural activity over the years, creating a strong sense of community and lively destination for exciting arts experiences.
Speaking about Holland and Sir Rob's performance, Wendy Spinks, Commercial Director at St. Pancras and HS1 Ltd, said: “As a destination at the forefront of new and exciting arts and music experiences, we were honoured to host Sir Rod Stewart and welcome back Jools Holland for an impromptu performance today. It was a brilliant surprise that brought smiles to star-struck Christmas shoppers and those travelling through. One of many incredible magical moments at St. Pancras this season!”
Meanwhile, Holland said of his and long-time friend Sir Rod's team up: "The effect that this music has on me, and whenever I put it on where people are, they feel this thing, they want to move. Music is an expression of a lot of different things, and joy is an important part of what it does. You can feel the joy in this music, and it's unashamed joy as well."
