Rolling Stones’ Ford Field show was well worth the wait

By Gary Graff
November 16, 2021


Scott Legato


When Paul McCartney dismissed the Rolling Stones as “a blues cover band” last month, Mick Jagger responded with a quick quip on stage in Los Angeles.

On stage at Detroit’s Ford Field Monday night, Nov. 15, Jagger and company had a similar reply for the Who’s Roger Daltrey, who branded the Stones “a mediocre pub band” in a new interview aired over the weekend. Instead the group answered the best way possible — with its music and a roof-raising two-hour-and-15-minute show to prove that nearly 60 years on the Rolling Stones have hardly run out of gas, gas, gas.

The venerable British rock group’s No Filter Tour has taken other hits as well during the past 20 or so months, having to postpone this U.S. leg for more than a year and a half due to COVID-19 (the original Ford Field date was June 10, 2020), then suffering the passing of drummer Charlie Watts in August. But on Monday the Stones sounded — and for the most part even looked — as strong as ever, defying age to stake yet another claim to the assigned mantle of World’s Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band.

Chief credit for that goes to Jagger, still performing like someone less than half his 78 years. From side to side, down a ramp that took him to the center of the stadium floor, sporting nearly a dozen different shirts and jackets, Jagger was in nearly constant motion, pausing only to play guitar on a couple of songs and take a break while guitarist Keith Richards performed a pair of songs. And if anything, Jagger became even more animated during the 19-song set’s second half, leading the meaty groove of “Miss You” and the titanic dynamics of an epic “Midnight Rambler” with youthful glee.

There was even a moment during “Paint It, Black” when the years seemed to visibly melt from Jagger’s lined face as he stood on the ramp, a fan gently blowing his overshirt as he spread his arms wide.

Jagger also made sure the Ford Field crowd knew that he, and the Stones, knew exactly where they were. After some in the entourage spent part of Sunday, Nov. 14, visiting the Motown Museum and Jagger bopped around downtown Detroit, posting photos on social media him standing near sights such as the Joe Louis fist on Woodward Avenue and the Stevie Wonder mural, there were other moments of Motor City love on Monday night. The group broke its COVID bubble a bit to welcome Motown legend Martha Reeves for a pre-show visit backstage, while on stage Jagger talked about the Stones’ affection for Motown as youths, and said “we can’t come to Detroit and not do a Motown song” before performing the Temptations’ “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” for the first time since 2007.

Later on, Jagger recalled playing the Super Bowl XL halftime show during 2006 at Ford Field (“We got through that one”) and poked a bit of fun at the Detroit Lions — “Things are looking up!” — after the team’s 16-16 tie, its first nonloss of the season, on Sunday. He also joked about going Fowling (he didn’t specify which location), eating at both Lafayette and American Coney Island restaurants, then finishing with a Boston cooler, “some Pepto Bismol and went to bed early.” But he also offered heartfelt thanks to Detroit fans for coming out to see the band so many times since the band’s first visit, back in 1964 at Olympia Stadium.

Richards was equally sincere, telling the crowd in between a rough and tumble “Connection” and a more successful “Before They Make Me Run” that, “It’s really good to see you all. It’s good to be anywhere and see anybody. … Bless you all for coming. This is what it’s all about.”

The Stones paid tribute to Watts, too. The concert opened with a video clips and an isolated drum track, while before “Tumblin’ Dice” Jagger, Richards and guitarist Ronnie Wood stood together center stage, noting that this is the first tour the band is playing without Watts and dedicating the show to him. Richards was caught on camera gazing heavenward as the song wound to a close.

Mainly the Stones honored Watts and the band’s legacy by playing a killer show.

The staging was stadium-sized but lean ‘n’ mean, shorn of the gimmickry of past tours and using pyrotechnics only as the final encore, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” came to an end. The band — 11 members strong, including Detroit-born saxophonist Tim Ries and all-star sax cohort Karl Denson — struck just the right mix of precision and ragged glory, with longtime associate Steve Jordan admirably covering for Watts and backing vocalist Sasha Allen screaming to the heavens herself during “Gimme Shelter.”

There a couple of semi-deep catalog digs such as “You Got Me Rocking” and a new song, the pandemic-inspired “Living in a Ghost Town,” while the mellow “Wild Horses” was named the winner of the Internet fan vote. But it was the parade of favorites that drove the night, and “Street Fighting Man,” “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” “Start me Up,” “Honky Tonk Women,” “Jumping Jack Flash” and the others sounded ageless all these decades later.

There is much speculation that the No Filter Tour, which began back in 2017, could be the Stones last — though the band has said no such thing. If that does prove to be the case, the Stones left Detroit with parting shot that was memorable, and a far, far cry from mediocre.

[www.theoaklandpress.com]

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Rocktiludrop

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Justin

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Rocktiludrop
Keith taking us from the sublime to the ridiculous and back to the sublime in the same show, this is the Mother of train wreaks, Ronnie looks embarrassed or maybe confused by Keith's comments before Connection.

Connection starts about 8.30 in.
[m.youtube.com]

Edit.
I'd like to add that Keith more than makes up for it with a powerful extended Before They Make Me Run.

Where do you see that about Ronnie? He's not visible when Keith kicks off Connection and the camera goes black by the time he enters the shot

Can't you read body language ?, Ronnie is stone-faced throughout Connection.

It's not just that, Keith was strange, said ok let's get straight in, no f--ckng about after clearly not getting straight into it and f--king about

It's no big deal, I'm just a trainspotter , pointing out that Keith's getting erratic and cranky, if anything it's funny.

Your totally off base IMO, seriously don't play poker the way you read body language. I was unsure what I was going to see but it ended up another classic Keith moment, saying he was tired(haha) of Ronnie milking it. Very funny actually. Before Connection in Atlanta Keith also said something about "no talk, here's Connection" so maybe he's got an issue with some of the side stuff. Who knows but you obviously don't. Go to the Ask Keith section on his site..

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Maindefender

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Rocktiludrop

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Justin

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Rocktiludrop
Keith taking us from the sublime to the ridiculous and back to the sublime in the same show, this is the Mother of train wreaks, Ronnie looks embarrassed or maybe confused by Keith's comments before Connection.

Connection starts about 8.30 in.
[m.youtube.com]

Edit.
I'd like to add that Keith more than makes up for it with a powerful extended Before They Make Me Run.

Where do you see that about Ronnie? He's not visible when Keith kicks off Connection and the camera goes black by the time he enters the shot

Can't you read body language ?, Ronnie is stone-faced throughout Connection.

It's not just that, Keith was strange, said ok let's get straight in, no f--ckng about after clearly not getting straight into it and f--king about

It's no big deal, I'm just a trainspotter , pointing out that Keith's getting erratic and cranky, if anything it's funny.

Your totally off base IMO, seriously don't play poker the way you read body language. I was unsure what I was going to see but it ended up another classic Keith moment, saying he was tired(haha) of Ronnie milking it. Very funny actually. Before Connection in Atlanta Keith also said something about "no talk, here's Connection" so maybe he's got an issue with some of the side stuff. Who knows but you obviously don't. Go to the Ask Keith section on his site..

I looked really hard for something...looked like pretty standard stuff.

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Nikkei
My god I'm not in a twist about it being pink. It is f*cking filthy, doesn't anyone see that?

No. Please do NOT enforce your private taste on others.
Keith is a grown up person. He may dress as he likes.
I don't worry a split second about how they dress.
Listen to the music, and buy a fashion magazine, if needed.

Bjornulf

after tossing my Atlanta and Dallas tkts (fam comes first) thought that was it, but wait! I had 3 days and Detroit's only 12 hours drive

hoping for something I hadn't heard, pretty sure they wouldn't play Worried About You but then Ain't To Proud To Beg showed up and fit the bill! Extended version, sounded great

sh*t, now I'm missing them again



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-11-17 17:18 by snoopy2.

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bv

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Nikkei
My god I'm not in a twist about it being pink. It is f*cking filthy, doesn't anyone see that?

No. Please do NOT enforce your private taste on others.
Keith is a grown up person. He may dress as he likes.
I don't worry a split second about how they dress.
Listen to the music, and buy a fashion magazine, if needed.

I agree,it's clearly high time for me to stop caring.

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Nikkei

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bv

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Nikkei
My god I'm not in a twist about it being pink. It is f*cking filthy, doesn't anyone see that?

No. Please do NOT enforce your private taste on others.
Keith is a grown up person. He may dress as he likes.
I don't worry a split second about how they dress.
Listen to the music, and buy a fashion magazine, if needed.

I agree,it's clearly high time for me to stop caring.

it was just a lighting/material/shadows issue fwiw.

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bv

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Nikkei
My god I'm not in a twist about it being pink. It is f*cking filthy, doesn't anyone see that?

No. Please do NOT enforce your private taste on others.
Keith is a grown up person. He may dress as he likes.
I don't worry a split second about how they dress.
Listen to the music, and buy a fashion magazine, if needed.

Thank you BV! There's far more important things to worry about, besides Keef's damn hat.

Few videos from Pit2/B, Keef side[v
[youtube.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-11-17 21:22 by FloridaStoner.

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FloridaStoner
Few videos from Pit2/B, Keef side[v
[youtube.com]

Thx for the Ain't To Proud To Beg.. I loved it that night and was hoping for a good video of it

Anybody notice a funny bit in the Detroit opening--no introduction, Keith walks all the way almost to the catwalk before hitting the opening chords, then Mick looks surprised and a little annoyed that Keith was in his way, but then laughed it off and sneaked by Keith?

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Shott
Anybody notice a funny bit in the Detroit opening--no introduction, Keith walks all the way almost to the catwalk before hitting the opening chords, then Mick looks surprised and a little annoyed that Keith was in his way, but then laughed it off and sneaked by Keith?

Looks like Keith came out as the band introduction was announced, but yeah you're right he walks out a lot further than usual before striking the opening chords.

SFM.
[m.youtube.com]

Keeef's just checkin' ta see if
catwalk safe for Mick ta prance on .... Glimmer Lurv ...



ROCKMAN

Glad to share..they are historic. Amazing energy
And the love from the audience, mirrors back from the band.

SFM with Charlie montage opening. [video [youtu.be]]



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2021-11-18 02:05 by FloridaStoner.

Motown brought back. Ain't To Proud to Beg. PIT 2B Keef side front row[video [youtu.be] ]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-11-18 02:08 by FloridaStoner.

If your gonna roll dice, ya better Tumblin Dice in Detroit. PIT2B, front row. [video [youtu.be]]

You can look for me, I can't be found.. cause.. Livin in a Ghost Town. PIT2B, front row.[video [youtu.be]]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-11-18 02:12 by FloridaStoner.

just posted this in the matt lee book page but figured it belongs here too

found this while looking thru local reports about the stones in detroit
at 51 secs

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Rockman
Keeef's just checkin' ta see if
catwalk safe for Mick ta prance on .... Glimmer Lurv ...

... or checking if anybody came to see the show?

Thank you Detroit, you’ve been great! Next stop….Austin!

Photos: J. Bouquet





[twitter.com]

Thank you for your kind comments. I like doing it for myself and other fans
All you video-philes out there.. Let me know what vids are showing the very best sound.. Always looking for good/better sound/vid camera - pocket one for concerts.
Sony DSC-HX99 right now.. takes great vids and decent sound but I never mess with the settings because some settings are global and mess up vid.. Means photos SUCK though. ah well.
New iPhone Pros 11, 12, 13 are taking amazing vids and decent sound but only really close up.

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StonedRambler

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dnewton99
Hi all

Videos from tonight going up here - [www.youtube.com]

I was in Detroit tonight and show was great. Guitar work from Ronnie and Keith was excellent. Let me know what you hear that is different, better or not..

I think the snare sound really improved over the course of the tour. Sounds really great now, a bit deeper and less machine-gun like than it did in the beginning. Also Steve seems to play more relaxed and is not pushing the groove as much anymore as he did earlier on this tour sometimes which fits better to the Stones feel.

And thanks for these fantastic videos you always do. They are the best!