An Evening With Francis Rossi – Songbook Tour 2026
While we received press pass to the concert in Theatre at Tanzbrunnen, Cologne from the promoter, there was a photo ban during this concert applicable to the audience as well. The photos illustrating this article are provided by the promoter: RBK Fusion. All photos: LynnFrances Photography.
Francis Rossi, is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known as the co-founder, lead vocalist, and sole continuous member of the legendary rock band Status Quo. Born on May 29, 1949, Rossi has fronted the band for over six decades, steering them to global fame with their signature boogie-rock sound. Beyond his work with Status Quo, he is a versatile solo artist and author.
Rossi released three solo albums, over 100 singles and 33 studio albums with Status Quo with a career spanning 63 years. Status Quo, one of UK’s longest running bands had 60 chart hits over the years in the UK, more than any other band. They performed 3700 documented and roughly 6000 undocumented gigs over the years. Between 1968 and 2019 the band was on multinational tour every year, their highest gigs per year was 144 in 1971. While they had massive success in UK and Europe they had only minor chart presence and never broke through as a mainstream band or toured extensively in North America.
‘The Accidental’ by Francis Rossi, wase released through earMUSIC on 30th January 2026 on CD, LP and Digital formats, comes as something of a surprise… It was a surprise certainly to Francis, who had no plans to record an album. While Rossi’s previous solo albums explored his love for acoustic ballads, vocal harmonies, and the blend of British rock with country influences, this album, Francis Rossi’s first in seven years, marks a true return to the energetic, guitar-driven sound that made him a legend with Status Quo. ‘The Accidental’ sees Francis Rossi playing to his strengths, but taking risks, cutting loose, and exploring new territory – this album is all about old bones and fresh blood.
- Historic Milestones: Earned a Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to the British Music Industry, entries in the Guinness Book of Records, and famously opened the historic 1985 Live Aid concert.
- Musical Style: Revered for his melodic, tasteful guitar playing and distinct lead vocals.
- Honors: Awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2010 for his services to music.
Rossi’s guitar of choice is the Fender Telecaster, and he has used several over the years including his trademark green 1957 model with a maple fretboard, which he purchased in 1968. It was originally sunburst, but was painted green in 1970. Through the years several parts had been replaced with G&L parts, and a third pickup had been installed in a configuration much like a Stratocaster.
The living-room style stage setup in front of the seated audience at the Tanzbrunnen Theatre in Cologne has attracted about 800 people. The Status Quo frontman Francis Rossi performed alongside longtime collaborator and guitarist Andy Brook, who also co-produced Rossi’s 2026 album, The Accidental. Both musicians played Fender Acoustastonic Telecaster seated in red armchairs, separated by a tea-table with a classic green table lamp on top. The setup was completed by a screen projecting album covers and material relevant to each song. The whole setup gave the night an intimate feel, shrinking the distance between the artist and the audience.
The 76 years old Status Quo frontman presented an acoustic evening with songs, stories, dry British humor and many memories from over five decades of music history. The concert had a long storytelling intro, it took 14 minutes until the first song took off.
With no opening act, the set was split in two by a 15 minutes break featured mostly Status Quo songs and no tune from the latest release.
Setlist:
Set 1: Pictures of Matcstick Men, In My Chair, Spinning Wheel Blues, The Wild Side Of Life, Gerdundula, Don’t Waste My Time, Rock ’n Roll, Burning Bridges.
Set 2: What You’re Proposing, And It’s Better Now, Someone Show Me Home, Tongue Tied, Roll Over Lay Down, Rockin’ All Over The World, In The Army Now, Down Down, Caroline.
Concert review in progress….
