While listening to The Stones a couple of weeks back live from Halifax Commons on the Bigger Bang tour i was surprised to hear them start their set with Paint It Black. As far as i'm aware this is something they haven't done before or since. Does anyone know why they chose to do this on this particular night?

I don't think there is a particular reason for that. They did open the earlier Bigger Bang Shows with either Start Me Up or JJ Flash so why not trying out something different? Keith's guitar intro on Paint It Black could have been considered as a constructive feature for the show (it actually wasn't in my opinion, listening to the bootlegs of Halifax or Boston). You see, on the following nights they also tried out IORR or You Got Me Rockin' but what counts is the result --> coming back to JJ Flash or Start Me Up (2007) because it's only those two that provide the true and Stones-typical stirring up effect for a show

I'd like them to give I Wanna Be Your Man another go but i don't see it happening.

My favourite was Honky Tonk Women back in 1975-76. The hypnotic intro of Keith's riff...

Nope, especially not in stadiums (same for Get Off Of My Cloud). And I think IWBYM was a special feature for the British crowd.

Sympathy would be a great opener ...

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geordiestone
While listening to The Stones a couple of weeks back live from Halifax Commons on the Bigger Bang tour i was surprised to hear them start their set with Paint It Black. As far as i'm aware this is something they haven't done before or since. Does anyone know why they chose to do this on this particular night?

They opened with 'Paint It, Black' in Foxboro MA, the show preceding Halifax and again a few shows later in Regina.

A genuine surprise in Foxboro, as it was the first show of the Fall '06 leg.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-03-14 14:32 by bye bye johnny.

Some amazing setlists on that leg of the tour. This one is from Boston (the show before Halifax):


Paint It Black
Live With Me
Monkey Man
Sway
Sweet Virginia
Streets Of Love
Ain't Too Proud To Beg
Midnight Rambler
Tumbling Dice
--- Introductions
You Got The Silver (Keith)
Little T&A (Keith)
Under My Thumb (to B-stage)
Rough Justice
Jumping Jack Flash
Honky Tonk Women (to main stage)
Sympathy For The Devil
Start Me Up
Satisfaction
Brown Sugar (encore)

Wow that's a great setlist, i don't have a copy of this show but i wish i did!

they started with jj flash at murrayfield in 1999, was a great start to the show.

Yes i was at the murrayfield gig. I also thought Not Fade Away was a great choice on the Voodoo Lounge tour. I'd say my least favourite opener is Satisfaction. Done frequently on the Bridges To Babylon tour.

Let It Rock was the best opener.

Rip this joint would be a great opener. Have they ever opened a show with it?

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desertblues68
Rip this joint would be a great opener. Have they ever opened a show with it?

I guess it's one of those they will never play again. And I can understand that very well.

What I forgot to mention in my post above: Besides Start Me Up and JJ Flash, Street Fighting Man also seemed to work great as an opening song during the Licks Tour. Hope they will try it once again this year, we could also get that amazing tune back as a more regular part of the set this way!

I think Sympathy would be a great opener, "Please allow me..............

Plus it would get all the Whoo, whoos out of the way early...........

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EddieByword
I think Sympathy would be a great opener, "Please allow me..............

Plus it would get all the Whoo, whoos out of the way early...........

Of all the "would be's", yours is the most reliable one as the Sympathy-like intro they use since 2012 really seems to animate the crowd

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maradona

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EddieByword
I think Sympathy would be a great opener, "Please allow me..............

Plus it would get all the Whoo, whoos out of the way early...........

Of all the "would be's", yours is the most reliable one as the Sympathy-like intro they use since 2012 really seems to animate the crowd

Thanks, never been done before either.........

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buttons67
they started with jj flash at murrayfield in 1999, was a great start to the show.

It certainly was. I was there, right up front. There was no front of stage and security was rubbish with bottles and cans getting in and rolling about on the floor as the most mental Stones crowd I've ever been in (18 shows) leapt around.

It looked to be kicking off big time down the front that night, was a great show though.

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geordiestone
It looked to be kicking off big time down the front that night, was a great show though.

It most certainly did geordiestone! A wild-eyed bunch of mostly lads pushed their way up front at the last minute, intimidating those around them. They were guzzling vodka and popping pills. They were like the Cast from Trainspotting. I've since heard they came from Hamilton, my home town!

There was a big group of Geordies standing next to me at the show, perhaps you were one of them ?

Fully agree that it was a crackerjack of a show though with Mick on fire.

Leave us geordies alone

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Bastion
Leave us geordies alone

I actually like you Geordies, most especially your humour The ones I refer to were impeccably behaved. The idiots causing trouble came from elsewhere (my home town I'm told - their accents sounded about right).

Newcastle being so close to Edinburgh means that lots of you probably come North for gigs. IIRC the Stones haven't done Newcastle since 1990...

Back on topic,

I liked the unusual show opener of 'Not Fade Away', used throughout the Voodoo Lounge Tour, and the way they played it.

When they played here in 90 i was 16 and right in the middle of my exams. But i got to see them at wembley in 95 which was perfect as my other favourite band The Black Crowes supported them (although they went down like a led balloon on the day). I went to Edinburgh on an organised coach trip and was disappointed to be given a ticket for the seats. I was looking right down on the trouble and i'm sure it actually first started during Sheryl Crows set. Brilliant memories, i doubt they'll ever play Newcastle again which is a shame because Newcastle is definitely a Stones city, and are played regular on the city centre juke boxes in the bars.

Yeah Not Fade Away was a great opener moving straight into Tumbling Dice. I still get goosebumps thinking about it!

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geordiestone
When they played here in 90 i was 16 and right in the middle of my exams. But i got to see them at wembley in 95 which was perfect as my other favourite band The Black Crowes supported them (although they went down like a led balloon on the day). I went to Edinburgh on an organised coach trip and was disappointed to be given a ticket for the seats. I was looking right down on the trouble and i'm sure it actually first started during Sheryl Crows set. Brilliant memories, i doubt they'll ever play Newcastle again which is a shame because Newcastle is definitely a Stones city, and are played regular on the city centre juke boxes in the bars.

The football cathedral that is St James's Park (although it's currently having to manage without its 'Archbishop') is also much bigger now than it was back then.

You are quite correct in that the group of troublemakers appeared just as Sheryl Crow was finishing. Memories flooding back now. Despite their antics it was still great fun to be there.

I too was at Wembley in '95 with the Black Crowes supporting. My show was on the Sunday and the Black Crowes had to abandon their set after 4 songs due to the rain messing up their equipment.

Arsenal fan Mick said on stage that it was the Stones' 10th Wembley appearance - more times than Chelsea, then poor to mediocre.

How times change....

They opened with Its Only Rock And Roll when I saw them in 06. I guess it makes sense in message, but it was also kind of weird because it doesn't have this incredibly memorable riff or really start the show off with a bang. The show just kind of... starts. Which is cool in itself, but I was scratching my head not expecting that one when I saw them.

Under my thumb from the 1981/82 tour is my favorite, with Not fade away a close second. No need to start a show with a warhorse.

Pete.

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Pete66
Under my thumb from the 1981/82 tour is my favorite, with Not fade away a close second. No need to start a show with a warhorse.

Pete.

You beat me to it.

I also liked Not Fade Away

Opening with "Midnight Rambler" at that Australian theater Licks show was a pretty cool move.