Rolling Stones review – swaggering into their second childhood

4 out of 5 stars.

MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

With Mick Jagger’s recent heart operation clearly a success, the Stones sound better than they have in years

Edward Helmore
6 Aug 2019


Greg Allen/Invision/AP

It seems like barely yesterday it was 2012 and the Rolling Stones were celebrating their 50th anniversary. But that’s how it is with this band. They’ve been around so long that time has ceased to be of consequence. Sure it would be great to be transported back to 1969, to Madison Square Garden and to their bluesy peak. Or to 1973 and Sticky Fingers. Or to 1976, when they were shambling their way through the desiccated funk of Hot Stuff.

But the newest song they play here – not counting their cover of Bob & Earl’s 1963 classic Harlem Shuffle – was Start Me Up, and that was released 38 years ago. It doesn’t matter: like old lions who can’t run down the antelope any more, they can still corner them against the rocks. Tonight they observe the first rule of stage business: so long as you still look nimble, there’s no penalty to age.

Keith Richards still seems to surprise himself with his enduring ability to riff his way through the band’s repertoire. He laughs as he heads on stage, and laughs as he heads off, and seems to be laughing most of the time in between. He is charming beyond measure, almost winking during his song to Anita Pallenberg: “Hey babe, what’s in your eyes? I saw them flashing like airplane lights,” on You’ve Got the Silver. Though on some solo numbers he looks like he might not make through – Before They Make Me Run, for instance, or his long, closing solo on Satisfaction – the audience carries him by sheer force of goodwill.

For Jagger, setting aside a recent heart-valve operation and his latest foray into fatherhood, he may finally be putting aside his role as the satyr of the late 20th century. His lasciviousness and grinding are less overt: he’s no longer running around out of breath, unable to enunciate. And he is connecting with the music as he’s rarely done, singing like he cares about the words. Jagger struts but never scampers, and when he plays the harp, as on their magnificent opus Midnight Rambler, he plays like no one else.

While Richards stabs his way through Sympathy for the Devil and Gimme Shelter, it’s the youngest member of the group – Ron Wood, 72 – who carries the show musically. Given the solo parts on Midnight Rambler and You Can’t Always Get What You Want, his playing is more defined than it used to be, or at least he’s taken more responsibility for it. Whoever is mixing the sound on this tour should get a medal: the guitars are kept high in the mix, so much so that in some sections when Wood plays his loud, dirty-sounding Gibson Firebird they seem to jolt the stadium itself.

The only worry here is Charlie Watts. He seemed barely present at the start of the show, but after the requisite acoustic centre-stage section he gets his swing together.

The Stones no longer seem imprisoned by their legend – indeed, the sex and drugs is now almost the least interesting thing about them. They’re playing better than they have done in years and seem grateful to be out, almost surprised at their good fortune. At last, the band are gracefully growing into the grandeur of their substantial achievement.

[www.theguardian.com]

Great review.....Sums it up nicely...If i win the pit's in Miami see ya there!!!!

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JadedFaded
Tonight, the set list made me SO happy! Let it Bleed is my favorite album, and so much of it got played tonight. I was in heaven, especially since my lucky dips got me into PIT2! Very crowded, very humid, but enjoyed every minute! Thank you, Rolling Stones, I love you guys so much!!!

AGREE!

I was so stoked w/ the "Let it Bleed" heavy set list....

You Got the Silver was so good.

Wow, six numbers from LET IT BLEED plus "Honky Tonk Women" from the same year. If we leave Fonda STICKY FINGERS show and the promotion of SOME GIRLS in 1978 aside, is that some kind of record (so many numbers from one individual album)? Not even when they played those album-themed gigs, they played so many numbers from it. Or except SOME GIRLS not even any new album to be promoted has had so many numbers played at individual gig (STICKY FINGERS 1971? EXILE 1972?)? So, instead of promoting HOT ROCKS they have turned to promote LET IT BLEED?

Altogether, if we count their habit of picking up songs to perform, LET IT BLEED seems to be their 'favourite' album. Normally three war horses (plus "Honk") and now some extra numbers. If we would include the live-in-studio version of "Love In Vain" from 1995 and "Country Honk" from OLE OLE OLE, we could build up a live version of the whole LET IT BLEED album from 'modern era' shows.

- Doxa

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two4fun111
how was Lucas Nelson?

Started out promising....got very boring.

the last song seemed like the lyrics were the same line 45 times in a row.

2 1/2 stars out of 5.

just my opinion

YGMR came out in 1994, though

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Doxa
Wow, six numbers from LET IT BLEED plus "Honky Tonk Women" from the same year. If we leave Fonda STICKY FINGERS show and the promotion of SOME GIRLS in 1978 aside, is that some kind of record (so many numbers from one individual album)? Not even when they played those album-themed gigs, they played so many numbers from it. Or except SOME GIRLS not even any new album to be promoted has had so many numbers played at individual gig (STICKY FINGERS 1971? EXILE 1972?)? So, instead of promoting HOT ROCKS they have turned to promote LET IT BLEED?

Altogether, if we count their habit of picking up songs to perform, LET IT BLEED seems to be their 'favourite' album. Normally three war horses (plus "Honk") and now some extra numbers. If we would include the live-in-studio version of "Love In Vain" from 1995 and "Country Honk" from OLE OLE OLE, we could build up a live version of the whole LET IT BLEED album from 'modern era' shows.

- Doxa

LIV was played in 2013 and 2007, too. At least the latter version (Isle of Wight) is available, methinks.

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DandelionPowderman
YGMR came out in 1994, though

And 1973 wasn't exactly the hey-day of STICKY FINGERS...

But it is for us nerds to check (and care about) things like that...

- Doxa

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DandelionPowderman


LIV was played in 2013 and 2007, too. At least the latter version (Isle of Wight) is available, methinks.

- Doxa

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Doxa

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DandelionPowderman
YGMR came out in 1994, though

And 1973 wasn't exactly the hey-day of STICKY FINGERS...

But it is for us nerds to check (and care about) things like that...

- Doxa

True

Just make me think of how easy it would be for them to play Fonda-like gig for LET IT BLEED for its 50th Anniversary. They know all the songs rather well. But the ever-going dispute with Klein & ABKCO...

Shit, they could do that just by adjusting a bit their last night's setlist: Replace "Got Me Rocking" with "Live With Me" and then "Dead Flowers" with "Love In Vain". And play "Country Honk" instead of "Honky Tonk Women" and that's it... Not much harm done to the dramatics of their greatest hits show, casual fans wouldn't even notice anything special (if they manage with the odd arrangement of "Honky Tonk Women")....

- Doxa



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2019-08-06 16:55 by Doxa.

by the way....Ronnie Wood really got the job done last night.

I felt the band was really "on" last night....but, Ronnie really carried a huge part of the load, I felt.

He impressed me in ways I don't think I've appreciated at other shows

take a bow, sir....

by the way...what's up w/ all the people sitting down in Sec. 226?

I felt/feel a little bad if people behind me got their view blocked by my standing/dancing....but, well....

great show.

It was a bitter-sweet night for me. I went to the show with my Sister, her husband and daughter and my two teenage kids. We arrived early at Metlife at around 5:30. We were invited to the "Shodoobie" tail gate party in the E-21 section of the parking lot.

Within minutes I talking with old friends that I have not seen in as many as 20+ years. We just picked up right where we left off. Taking pictures, exchanging numbers, introducing our kids to each other.

We got to our seats about 8:15 and Lucas Nelson was playing. I'm not familiar with his music. I did not know he was Willie Nelsons son. Overall I thought he was a good warm up act.


Finally the lights above the stage were lit yellow with the "No filter" lounge. A few minutes after that came "The Rolling Stones" announcement and they went into JJ Flash.

From there the highlights for me were....

Harlem Shuffle....I had not heard it live since 81.

You Got the Silver.....My first time hearing it live.

Miss You.....During Darrels lengthy bass solo my daughter said to me "How long is this solo going to be?" and almost on cue Mick said to Darrel "Will you shut up already"....We had a good laugh at that.


Paint it Black....I've always considered it on the highest tier. A true masterpiece.

That rendition of Harlem Shuffle shows they got confidence. They could break out other obscure things with that mindset, I don't think it would fall apart

Great concert last night! Got monkey man and harlem.shuffle!

Thanks bye bye johnny for posting the fantastic pics and the Guardian review:

"like old lions who can’t run down the antelope any more, they can still corner them against the rocks".


Nice.


"...Jagger, setting aside a recent heart-valve operation and his latest foray into fatherhood, he may finally be putting aside his role as the satyr of the late 20th century.
His lasciviousness and grinding are less overt: he’s no longer running around out of breath, unable to enunciate. And he is connecting with the music as he’s rarely done,
singing like he cares about the words. Jagger struts but never scampers..."


The new and improved Mick.

GO MICK!!!

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Harlem Shuffle sounds amazing, you guys got an almost perfect setlist last night. Dump You Got Me Rocking and replace with Love Is Strong.

Quote
MisterO
It was a bitter-sweet night for me. I went to the show with my Sister, her husband and daughter and my two teenage kids. We arrived early at Metlife at around 5:30. We were invited to the "Shodoobie" tail gate party in the E-21 section of the parking lot.

Within minutes I talking with old friends that I have not seen in as many as 20+ years. We just picked up right where we left off. Taking pictures, exchanging numbers, introducing our kids to each other.

We got to our seats about 8:15 and Lucas Nelson was playing. I'm not familiar with his music. I did not know he was Willie Nelsons son. Overall I thought he was a good warm up act.


Finally the lights above the stage were lit yellow with the "No filter" lounge. A few minutes after that came "The Rolling Stones" announcement and they went into JJ Flash.

From there the highlights for me were....

Harlem Shuffle....I had not heard it live since 81.

You Got the Silver.....My first time hearing it live.

Miss You.....During Darrels lengthy bass solo my daughter said to me "How long is this solo going to be?" and almost on cue Mick said to Darrel "Will you shut up already"....We had a good laugh at that.


Paint it Black....I've always considered it on the highest tier. A true masterpiece.

I think HS would be 1989.

"No Anchovies, Please"

Quote
Hairball
Thanks bye bye johnny for posting the fantastic pics and the Guardian review:

"like old lions who can’t run down the antelope any more, they can still corner them against the rocks".


Nice.


"...Jagger, setting aside a recent heart-valve operation and his latest foray into fatherhood, he may finally be putting aside his role as the satyr of the late 20th century.
His lasciviousness and grinding are less overt: he’s no longer running around out of breath, unable to enunciate. And he is connecting with the music as he’s rarely done,
singing like he cares about the words. Jagger struts but never scampers..."


The new and improved Mick.

GO MICK!!!

Sorry but I NEVER saw Mick out of breath. He does sound wonderful though.

Videos going up here. A few more to upload. I will try to remember to reorder playlist in setlist order when I get a chance

[www.youtube.com]

Ronnie got a new guitar?



More pictures and reports here:


The Rolling Stones
Metlife Stadium - Show #2
East Rutherford, NJ, USA (near NYC)
Monday August 5, 2019

Bjornulf



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-08-06 21:54 by bv.

Harlem Shuffle my vid [www.youtube.com]

Quote
steffialicia

Quote
Hairball
Thanks bye bye johnny for posting the fantastic pics and the Guardian review:

"like old lions who can’t run down the antelope any more, they can still corner them against the rocks".


Nice.


"...Jagger, setting aside a recent heart-valve operation and his latest foray into fatherhood, he may finally be putting aside his role as the satyr of the late 20th century.
His lasciviousness and grinding are less overt: he’s no longer running around out of breath, unable to enunciate. And he is connecting with the music as he’s rarely done,
singing like he cares about the words. Jagger struts but never scampers..."


The new and improved Mick.

GO MICK!!!

Sorry but I NEVER saw Mick out of breath. He does sound wonderful though.

Mick did acknowledge being "a little out of breath" after he made his entrance at the White House Blues event. He was obviously back in shape by 2012, but at the time it was clear that the long layoff affected him as it would anyone.

I assume that always being called "superhuman" is a bit of a grind on him. It doesn't recognize how hard he's working.

He & the band were great.