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Rolling Stones, 3.7.22

Proceedings kick off with a tribute to Charlie Watts, for whom Mick asks the crowd to show some love. The compliance is enthusiastic: the Stones had been playing with him for 60 years after all. In fact, looking around, there were hundreds of Charlie T-shirts in the crowd. This is a legend much missed.

Coming on to 1965 single ‘Get Off My Cloud’, the Stones immediately get the crowd involved; this is to be a call-and-response heavy gig, and the throng is more than happy to get involved. An unusual mix of super-fans, media and those wealthy enough to afford Golden Circle access (more on that later) bob along to ‘19th Nervous Breakdown’, ‘Tumblin’ Dice’ and ‘Out Of Time’ before ‘Angie’ allows Mick to demonstrate just how little his voice has changed with age. 

‘Can’t Always Get What You Want’ is the first of several super, mega, massive hit renditions, most of which come during the final third of the set: ‘Paint It Black’, ‘Start Me Up’, ‘Gimme Shelter’, ‘Jumping Jack Flash’ and encore tracks ‘Sympathy For The Devil’ and ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ run one to the next, the band showing no sign that six decades of playing these hits has dampened their enthusiasm for them. This is perhaps the most impressive thing of all; more even than the fact of Keith Richards’ sprightliness. As Mick tells the crowd ahead of the encore tonight, this is the band’s 203rd London show — and yet they play as if it still genuinely delights them. Jagger, Wood and Richards lark about on stage, jostling one another and as Wood takes a bow, Mick implores people to buy his handprinted set-lists because “he’s got a young family to support”. I doubt I am the only one wondering tongue in cheek just how many families there may be to be supported.

Though this Soho House-ification of the rock show has a real bearing on the overall vibe of the night, the Stones themselves are marvellous as ever, their light undimmed by the many years that stand between 1969 and its tribute to Brian Jones, and tonight with its Charlie Watts tribute. It may no longer be ethically viable to release hundreds of white butterflies into the Royal Parks, but by playing their hits with such vim to a crowd of multi-generational fans, The Rolling Stones have proven that sixty years is nothing at all.

The Rolling Stones played:

Get Off My Cloud
19th Nervous Breakdown
Out Of Time
Angie
Can’t Always Get What You Want
Like a Rolling Stone
You Got Me Rockin’
Honky Tonk Women
You Got The Silver
Happy
Miss You
Midnight Rambler
Paint It Black
Start Me Up
Gimme Shelter
Jumping Jack Flash
Sympathy for the Devil
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction

Editor
Editor of LLR since 2005

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