[www.rollingstone.com]

By Patrick Doyle
November 27, 2012 12:35 PM ET

From the comparatively stripped-down stage to Jeff Beck's cameo on "I'm Going Down," the Rolling Stones' first major show in five years Sunday night at London's O2 arena was full of surprises. We've compiled five of the biggest and are expecting plenty more at their remaining dates. Will Eric Clapton show up during their second night in London on Thursday? Jimmy Page? In New York, will Paul McCartney sing "I Wanna Be Your Man" with the band? We'll have to wait and see.

1. Opening with "I Wanna Be Your Man"
The first song is arguably the most important moment of a Stones show, from the stripped-down "Not Fade Away" to kick off the Voodoo Lounge shows to the dramatic meteor explosion during "Satisfaction" on the Bridges to Babylon tour. This time, the band surprised fans with "I Wanna Be Your Man," which John Lennon and McCartney wrote for the Stones when they needed a hit in late 1963. "John and Paul flogged us a song which we've never played onstage before," Keith Richards told the BBC recently. "You realize this is a new song to me. You get into it and everybody's playing and you're going, 'This is amazing.' This could be almost a new song!" One prediction: With all the guests popping up at these shows, it's not far off to imagine McCartney joining the band for this song – perhaps at the December 15th Newark gig, to be broadcast on Pay Per View?

2. Keith Richards' playing
Fans have been considerably worried about Richards' playing since several erratic performances after he fell out of a tree in Fiji in 2007. And he's admitted he didn't spend the years following the Bigger Bang tour playing guitar. "I don't practice as much as I should, probably," he said recently. "But now that we're putting the act together again, I'm getting the chops back together." There were a few hiccups, including Richards flubbing the intro of "Honky Tonk Women," but fans agree his playing was better than it has been in years. Said "citadel" on fan forum It's Only Rock and Roll, "At the start he seemed almost nervous . . . Not moving much, playing the rhythm . . . Somewhere in the middle it was as if the old confidence, posing, playing all came back. Suddenly some great riffs, licks, solos, moving, posing, even running around." Added "rockenrohl," "Best Keef I've seen in more than a decade. He really got his shit together."

3. The length of the show
Even though the band cut two songs that had been in the night's set list ("Lady Jane" and "Satisfaction"), their 23-song set was one of the longest shows in their history, clocking in at over two and a half hours. Not too bad for a band whose drummer is 71 years old. "I think the band wants to give the fans their money's worth," keyboardist Chuck Leavell told Rolling Stone during rehearsals. "There's no secret what the ticket prices are, so I think we want to make sure that we deliver."

4. "Midnight Rambler" with Mick Taylor
Fans have missed Taylor's epically proficient playing since he walked in 1974, and his return has been Number One on every hardcore fan's wish list for decades (he did play with the band onstage in Kansas City in 1981). He returned full force during "Midnight Rambler." According to everyone who was there, the guitarist hasn't lost any chemistry with his old bandmates. Said "Silver Dagger" on the Stones forum IORR, "It was brilliant though and Mick was a bit sluggish at first, but then really up[ped] the pace. Grown men wept. It was almost like being transported back to the US tour in '72. Almost."

5. Bill Wyman still rocks
Whenever the Stones swing through London, fans always wonder whether Bill Wyman – who left the band in 1992 – will make a surprise cameo. Last night, it finally happened. While the Stones had announced Wyman would be joining the band before the London show, the image of seeing the 76-year-old original member back with his old friends wasn't any less moving. Wyman looked right at home, cracking a grin as he laid down a rock-solid groove on "It's Only Rock and Roll" with Charlie Watts while Keith and Ronnie wailed away on Chuck Berry-style licks, and sticking around for "Honky Tonk Women."

It's also surprising Wyman didn't play on more songs. Surely current bassist Darryl Jones would have understood taking a backseat to let Wyman play the entire show to celebrate their 50th anniversary, but it's likely the band didn't want to disrespect Jones, who's played with the band since 1994. "Darryl doesn't get enough recognition," Richards told Rolling Stone in October. "He and Bill can talk about songs they want to step in and out of." Here's hoping Wyman gets more songs on Tuesday.

wow! I get quoted in Rolling Stones magazine. awesome!!

Congrats on the quotes! Here's my top 5:

1. Mick Taylor's song! I still can't believe they picked Midnight Rambler. Thought it would be something he plays a lot like Sway or CYHMK.
2. Keith's playing (well above my expectations - let's hope he keeps it up).
3. Wyman and Taylor did not play at the same time. (I thought they'd play together).
4. Mick Taylor only playing one song (thought he'd play more)
5. Sir Mick on All Down the Line singing the (fade away) ending on the studio version and NOT running out of breath (I didn't see him run out of breath, correct me if I'm wrong). He went all out at the end of that song.

To me, the set list was not surprising at all (probably b/c we heard them rehearsing IWBYourMan), but with that being said, I thought the set list was very good.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-11-27 22:42 by BustedButton.

Bejesus - I got quoted too. Hey ma, I made it into Rolling Stone.

Very very cool..congrats to all included!

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Silver Dagger
Bejesus - I got quoted too. Hey ma, I made it into Rolling Stone.

Hehheh, you want to keep an eye on that photo of Keith reaching out of D-Powderman's t- shirt or that'll find it's way on to an album cover.......... .great photo btw.........



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012-11-27 22:54 by EddieByword.

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EddieByword

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Silver Dagger
Bejesus - I got quoted too. Hey ma, I made it into Rolling Stone.

Hehheh, you want to keep an eye on that photo of Keith reaching out of D-Powderman's t- shirt or that'll find it's way on to an album cover.......... .great photo btw.........

#

Nice one Mike. Disappointed not to meet you the other night. You going Thursday?

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Silver Dagger

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EddieByword

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Silver Dagger
Bejesus - I got quoted too. Hey ma, I made it into Rolling Stone.

Hehheh, you want to keep an eye on that photo of Keith reaching out of D-Powderman's t- shirt or that'll find it's way on to an album cover.......... .great photo btw.........

#

Nice one Mike. Disappointed not to meet you the other night. You going Thursday?

Not unless I win the lottery tomorrow...... .......starving artist............I just listened to the first half of Sunday, great stuff despite my perenial frustration at the lack of Sliver Train, Winter & 100 years ago........



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-11-27 23:00 by EddieByword.

Congrats to all who were quoted.

My biggest surprises:

-- How great, BIG and nasty the guitars sound on all the videos...

-- that I can't get their version of I Wanna be Your Man out of my head...

Awesome, citadel and Silver Dagger! You deserve the recognition, and IORR deserves it too!

Re: Keith saying IWBYM is a new song to him; didn't he play it on the Talk is Cheap tour?

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shawnriffhard1
Re: Keith saying IWBYM is a new song to him; didn't he play it on the Talk is Cheap tour?

Yes, he's FOS......we should know by now............ ...or maybe he's not and things really are "hazy" as he says............



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012-11-28 03:56 by EddieByword.

Great article and I agree with the points they make about how there were several pleasant surprises at the show. And how cool is it that they quoted members of this forum in the story.

Too bad they don't practice checkbook journalism....

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EddieByword

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Silver Dagger

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EddieByword

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Silver Dagger
Bejesus - I got quoted too. Hey ma, I made it into Rolling Stone.

Hehheh, you want to keep an eye on that photo of Keith reaching out of D-Powderman's t- shirt or that'll find it's way on to an album cover.......... .great photo btw.........

#

Nice one Mike. Disappointed not to meet you the other night. You going Thursday?

Not unless I win the lottery tomorrow...... .......starving artist............I just listened to the first half of Sunday, great stuff despite my perenial frustration at the lack of Sliver Train, Winter & 100 years ago........

Ah yes, Saliva, er, I mean Silver Train...really wanted to hear that one.

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Cineplexed
Congrats to all who were quoted.

My biggest surprises:

-- How great, BIG and nasty the guitars sound on all the videos...

-- that I can't get their version of I Wanna be Your Man out of my head...

I can't get that out of my head either - and ironically, it was the one song before the show that I hoped they wouldn't play out of all the songs rehearsed. Now I am doing the opposite and really hoping they are going to play it again tomorrow. I think they will - that suit of Mick's is just made for it!

Big congrats to the citadel and Silver Dagger for making copy in Rolling Stone. Very cool! And we had Gazza quoted in the Sun. Whatever next?!

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shawnriffhard1
Re: Keith saying IWBYM is a new song to him; didn't he play it on the Talk is Cheap tour?

He did. he also played it regularly with a band called The Rolling Stones up to August 1964!