It’s a bloody miracle that the Stones are still Rolling in 2024.

I hope everyone enjoys the show(s) they attend and there are some surprises in the setlists along the way.

After 25+ years of attending shows, I’m now content to play my records and enjoy the band from the comfort of my own home and automobile. July 11, 2015 in Orchard Park was “The Last Time” for me as far as shows go. I loved every minute of it along the way.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-05-05 17:36 by JimmyTheSaint.

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MichaelLassen
I wish and hope Mick will stick with the credo of “It’s only rock’n roll and we like it” instead of going into politics.(I never heard of their govenor before). Its enough of an embarrasment that he decided to cancel Brown Sugar (but at least we saw that Keith has learned the art of being diplomaticnwith his comments and obvious dissagreement over that decision).

Anyways, at least Jeff Laundry didn’t make it dirty and didn’t hint at stuff like if Micks hairdye finally got to his brain or certain experimental fluids etc.

Anyway, if Mick is going political, I look forward to his comments in California, New York, Chicago and Florida. Too bad they are not playing Washington DC ;-)

He could learn something from BV about not mixing rock’n roll and politics.

Hyping inclusivity in the face of policymakers who preach intolerance is too “political” these days? For what it is worth, he took a swipe at California’s Gov. Newsom in 2021. Based on challenges to authority in the 60s and 70s and ongoing jabs at officialdom, and songs like “Undercover”, “Highwire”, and “Sweet Neocon” in the 80s, 90s, 00s, the Rolling Stones have always had a political undercurrent. They just don’t revel in it—-and probably don’t care if people don’t like it. Good on ‘em.

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Testify
I always read interesting speculations about why for example Keith is only singing on one song or why they aren't playing MR, but usually the real reasons are always more mundane than people think.
I also read imaginative reconstructions about Mick's relationship with Keith, even if perhaps based on interviews.
I think if you interview Keith three times in one week and ask him the same questions, you'll get three different versions.
Some of Keith's fans are making him look like an idiot without meaning to. I'm sure there isn't a single thing that RS does that hasn't been approved by Keith and I'm sure that if that wasn't the case Keith would have abandoned the Stones long ago.
Stop thinking Keith is an idiot, I understand that you do this to pin all the things you don't like on Mick, but by doing so you make Keith look like an idiot.

Keith's not an idiot and to my knowledge no one has said he is, but since his intracranial hematoma in 06' and his wife's cancer in 07' he probably changed his priorities and realised family is more important than the Stones.
I wonder what mundane reason Keith's 3 songs on the album aren't being sang live, we could go on all day about Keith loosing his grip on the Stones, but in Keith's words Mick is a control freak and I'm guessing Keith's made peace with that aspect of his Glimmer Twin, and so now he just sits back and enjoys the ride. Who knows he might think to himself life is too short for power struggles or maybe this is exactly where he wants to be, sitting back with Steve at the drums and taking a back seat, perhaps he's done with Keef the other showman on the stage.

Hi, after many opinions about Keith's health, I would like to say the following about this. This definitely shows improper behavior, as long as no official report has been made about this by the band.Or I must have missed a message about this.
As a fan you should especially enjoy the fact that The Stones are still performing.Given their age, any comparison, especially with tours, from a more distant past is completely unjustified. I do understand anyone who places a critical note on the unprecedentedly high ticket prices.You can expect them to be completely filled.Yet every show is completely sold out.Nice to note that my earlier predictionNice about changing songs has come true.Enjoy the following show.

Was that Mick Jagger in Jazz Fest's Gospel and Blues tents on Saturday? Yes it was.

He has a roundabout connection to the Gospel Tent's sponsor, Morris Bart

By Keith Spera
May 5, 2024


Chris Granger/The Times-Picayune

Mick Jagger wasn't finished with the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival after the Rolling Stones' widely acclaimed show on Thursday.

Jagger was back at the Fair Grounds on Saturday not as a rock star, but as a music fan.

Accompanied by what observers believed to be members of his family, he took in a Saturday afternoon show at the Gospel Tent. Wearing a baseball cap pulled low and sunglasses, he sat a few rows from the stage on the right side of the sparsely populated tent.

One clip posted on social media showed him clapping along and raising his arms heavenward. Most standing or seated near him either didn't recognize him or chose to let him enjoy the music undisturbed.

Both before and after the Gospel Tent, Jagger made his way to the nearby Blues Tent, where he caught Americana banjo player Rhiannon Giddens' set and, at the end of the day, part of southwest Louisiana slide guitarist Sonny Landreth's show.

In the Blues Tent, he watched from the side of the stage. Giddens posted a photo on social media of herself posing with Jagger after the show.

Barstool Sports personality Ben "Mintzy" Mintz, a Monroe native and hardcore music fan who has been making the rounds at the Fair Grounds and at nighttime shows during Jazz Fest, posted a picture of Jagger in the Gospel Tent.

Jagger and his fellow Stones are longtime fans of New Orleans and its musical and culinary offerings.

Back in 2019, after canceling their Jazz Fest show so Jagger could have heart surgery, they played a make-up date in the Caesars Superdome that July. The band purposely scheduled a week off in New Orleans before the show, intending to spend time dining out and enjoying the city.

Unfortunately, the approach of Hurricane Barry delayed the Stones concert by a day and closed down many restaurants. Jagger noted on social media that he had to eat room service most of the week.

He's making up for lost time on this visit. After the Rolling Stones kicked off their "Hackney Diamonds" tour in Houston on April 28, they traveled to New Orleans. On Tuesday, April 30, two nights before their show at Jazz Fest, Jagger dined at Commander's Palace with three companions.

He also dined at Antoine's, where he was served a Jazz Fest-themed dessert.

After performing "Time Is On My Side" with Irma Thomas at Jazz Fest on May 2, Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood turned up at Preservation Hall later that night to play the song with her again, this time backed by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Jagger returned to the Fair Grounds on Saturday to hear some music.

The next date on the Rolling Stones tour is May 7 in Glendale, Arizona. Which means Jagger and company might still have time to enjoy the final day of Jazz Fest.

Dan Aykroyd played Ben Bart in "Get On Up." Morris Bart and his wife attended the movie's red-carpet premiere at the Apollo Theater, where they met Aykroyd and Jagger.

No word on whether Jagger made the Bart connection during his Saturday visit to the Gospel Tent.

[www.nola.com]
--



Mick Jagger kickin’ it at Gospel Tent

[twitter.com]
--

With Rhiannon Giddens



Well what a blast at @jazzfest New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival!!! Such a fun time in the blues tent, and had an unexpected audience member for some of the set

[www.instagram.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-05-05 22:01 by bye bye johnny.

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JivinSisterFanny

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MichaelLassen
I wish and hope Mick will stick with the credo of “It’s only rock’n roll and we like it” instead of going into politics.(I never heard of their govenor before). Its enough of an embarrasment that he decided to cancel Brown Sugar (but at least we saw that Keith has learned the art of being diplomaticnwith his comments and obvious dissagreement over that decision).

Anyways, at least Jeff Laundry didn’t make it dirty and didn’t hint at stuff like if Micks hairdye finally got to his brain or certain experimental fluids etc.

Anyway, if Mick is going political, I look forward to his comments in California, New York, Chicago and Florida. Too bad they are not playing Washington DC ;-)

He could learn something from BV about not mixing rock’n roll and politics.

Hyping inclusivity in the face of policymakers who preach intolerance is too “political” these days? For what it is worth, he took a swipe at California’s Gov. Newsom in 2021. Based on challenges to authority in the 60s and 70s and ongoing jabs at officialdom, and songs like “Undercover”, “Highwire”, and “Sweet Neocon” in the 80s, 90s, 00s, the Rolling Stones have always had a political undercurrent. They just don’t revel in it—-and probably don’t care if people don’t like it. Good on ‘em.

In Europe Sir Michael's banter is trying different European languages. In North America it's giving the impression that he is a local citizen. Hence talk about restaurants, local scandals and local politics.
I could be without but it's his choice to do so. And as long as he is not a poster on IORR he can be as political as he wants to.

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JimmyTheSaint
It’s a bloody miracle that the Stones are still Rolling in 2024.

I hope everyone enjoys the show(s) they attend and there are some surprises in the setlists along the way.

After 25+ years of attending shows, I’m now content to play my records and enjoy the band from the comfort of my own home and automobile. July 11, 2015 in Orchard Park was “The Last Time” for me as far as shows go. I loved every minute of it along the way.

I share the same sentiments as you. My last Stones concert was also July 11, 2015 in Buffalo. That was a great show for me for a lot of reasons. I think for myself I'm just gonna leave it at that and continue to enjoy my Stones music/DVDs in the comfort of my own home.

To everybody else who inhabits this site, I echo JimmytheSaint's sentiments-enjoy the current tour!

Whether Keith plays one or two songs is for me, and probably 98 percent of the audience, of non importance whatsoever.
It's a disappointment however that he doesn't choose one of the new songs from the new album instead of the "same old, same old".

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keefriffhards

Quote
Testify
I always read interesting speculations about why for example Keith is only singing on one song or why they aren't playing MR, but usually the real reasons are always more mundane than people think.
I also read imaginative reconstructions about Mick's relationship with Keith, even if perhaps based on interviews.
I think if you interview Keith three times in one week and ask him the same questions, you'll get three different versions.
Some of Keith's fans are making him look like an idiot without meaning to. I'm sure there isn't a single thing that RS does that hasn't been approved by Keith and I'm sure that if that wasn't the case Keith would have abandoned the Stones long ago.
Stop thinking Keith is an idiot, I understand that you do this to pin all the things you don't like on Mick, but by doing so you make Keith look like an idiot.

Keith's not an idiot and to my knowledge no one has said he is, but since his intracranial hematoma in 06' and his wife's cancer in 07' he probably changed his priorities and realised family is more important than the Stones.
I wonder what mundane reason Keith's 3 songs on the album aren't being sang live, we could go on all day about Keith loosing his grip on the Stones, but in Keith's words Mick is a control freak and I'm guessing Keith's made peace with that aspect of his Glimmer Twin, and so now he just sits back and enjoys the ride. Who knows he might think to himself life is too short for power struggles or maybe this is exactly where he wants to be, sitting back with Steve at the drums and taking a back seat, perhaps he's done with Keef the other showman on the stage.

There aren't three Keith songs on the new album, it's just one! I don't know why he only sings one live, but... I think Mick prefers to have more time to rest than less at 80! So I highly doubt it's Mick's choice.
The reason why Mick can have an extra song in this one doesn't make sense either, they have no obligation to stay within the two hour limit, so it doesn't make sense.
I didn't say that anyone called Keith an idiot, I just wrote that some of his fans make him look like an idiot without meaning to. If you say Keith has no control over what the Stones do, he does whatever Mick wants, you're making him look like an idiot.
It's one thing to try to get along while respecting differences, it's another thing to always say yes.
But I'm sure that's not the case, Keith is the majority shareholder and he makes the decisions together with Mick, with the normal compromises. However, Keith's fans always like to think that the questionable choices are always Mick's, but that's not the case, sorry.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-05-05 23:11 by Testify.

[www.facebook.com]


Well, what a front row atmosphere, impressive... Totally amorphous audience.

***
I'm just a Bad Boy Boogie

And so the new tour is underway - Here's a peak at Start Me Up multicam from New Orleans Jazz Festival, the first daytime show in forever... enjoy

[youtu.be]

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keefriffhards

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Doxa

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keefriffhards

Probably not the thread to discuss but why charge 300 Dollars to see a Stones show if you've lost interest, if it's just Mick and his creative and physical input alone it's not the Stones is it?

Your logic do not make sense, but if you don't like the Stones or what Keith Richards does is not good enough for you, no one is forcing you to buy a ticket and go to see the Rolling Stones.

But have you ever considered the shit you project here on Keith - him being just a pathetic Mick's whipping boy with no own say or will, not being interest in what he does, etc. - how would you think he would react if you would say that personally to him?

- Doxa

That's twisting what i said, GasLightStreet suggested have i ever considered Keith lost interest or can't do it.
I've said countless times you only have to look at the Berlin show last time out to see Keith still has it.

Let's assume he's not well at the moment and can't deliver, why charge top Dollar, that's my point.
If Mick isn't up to it he postpones the show, why send a sick 80 year old Keith out there if he's not up to the task, that's not fair to him or the paying customers.

Because Keith is only singing one song has nothing to do with charging top dollar - because he's playing every song regardless.

And, really, comparing Mick not being up to it vs Keith not being up to it, which has been excellently documented over the years, is comparing apples to lug nuts.

That's a weak argument.

We, Stones fans here at iorr.org, don't KNOW what's going on in regard to why one Keith song and not two. Speculation usually turns out to be 99% wrong. Does it matter if Keith is the one interested in only doing one song? I get why people prefer to hear Tell Me Straight over T&A. Meanwhile the Stones are delivering three new songs per show, and changing one of them out, while playing most of their usual hits, at least one with a new twist to it, and treasures, and fortunately have dropped IORR and MR - so far.

Some songs get a rest. Some don't get to be rested (Miss You, SMU, SFTD, YCAGWYW, PIB, HTW, JJF, Satisfaction) that easily could be. At this point, dropping IORR and MR isn't a big deal. They dropped Brown Sugar - the show is not effected. They have plenty of other songs to play.

They're taking between 4 and 6 days off between 5 and 7 day apart shows. Pre-show day soundcheck/rehearsal is not exactly something that is going to send them early to bed.

2 days until the next show. It's been 3 days since their Jazz Fest show. Maybe they'll play Get Close or Driving Me Too Hard next.

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Stoneage


In Europe Sir Michael's banter is trying different European languages. In North America it's giving the impression that he is a local citizen. Hence talk about restaurants, local scandals and local politics.
I could be without but it's his choice to do so. And as long as he is not a poster on IORR he can be as political as he wants to.

That's a great line there, Stoneage.

But political? All I can see that Sir Michael is not yet a a friend of the DECCA collection album... The anti-campaign continues...







- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-05-06 10:56 by Doxa.

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Doxa






- Doxa

You know your Stones history. As a Stones senior I remember this statement very well. It's only R&R and I still like it.

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powerage78
[www.facebook.com]


Well, what a front row atmosphere, impressive... Totally amorphous audience.

Maybe an "american" attitude among older audiences? I remember someone here in the past comparing that to european audiences.

More than anything, I see, finally, a definitive middle aged/old audience to a Stones concert. I remember, still in 2006, being close to the stage among many young (20thish/30thish) in a more mixed crowd as for age

One could argue that people in their 50 or 60 can still dance their a** off if they feel good about the music.

Paradox is that Stones music has been first of all music to dance and move with, Jagger being the master of the ceremony, but now the age thing is definitively taking over

Maybe people is just feeling good inside listening. It looks weird because of the past but it is quite normal indeed

forever young, inside

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midimannz
And so the new tour is underway - Here's a peak at Start Me Up multicam from New Orleans Jazz Festival, the first daytime show in forever... enjoy

[youtu.be]

Great work midimannz!

Quote
midimannz
And so the new tour is underway - Here's a peak at Start Me Up multicam from New Orleans Jazz Festival, the first daytime show in forever... enjoy

[youtu.be]

Thanks midimannz. Looking forward to the DVD.

Just noticed in one of BV’s photos in the show report section a fan is wearing the same shirt as Irma Thomas! Is that a popular design in NOLA? Or random coincidence..

So, Mick took a shot at Governor Landry ("...trying to take us back to the Stone Age...") at the NO show which seemed rather unseemly. The Governor gave as good as he got ("...Mick REMEMBERS the Stone Age...") and woke up to the lead story in the Sunday Times Picayune stating that he (Landry) is polling even better now than when he was elected.

I love the Rolling Stones with all my being but I can't take lectures on implied morality from Mick Jagger, of all people, seriously.

A phenomenal show, nonetheless.

awesome photos by BV on his report, thanks

Highlights of the Stones in New Orleans!

Video: Matt Clifford

[www.instagram.com]
--

Great footage with Irma Thomas.

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snoopy2
Just noticed in one of BV’s photos in the show report section a fan is wearing the same shirt as Irma Thomas! Is that a popular design in NOLA? Or random coincidence..

It is a shirt offered for sale at the Jazz Festival. That one is a few years old, they have a new one every year.

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TurningToGold2

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snoopy2
Just noticed in one of BV’s photos in the show report section a fan is wearing the same shirt as Irma Thomas! Is that a popular design in NOLA? Or random coincidence..

It is a shirt offered for sale at the Jazz Festival. That one is a few years old, they have a new one every year.

Thanks!

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rbk
So, Mick took a shot at Governor Landry ("...trying to take us back to the Stone Age...") at the NO show which seemed rather unseemly. The Governor gave as good as he got ("...Mick REMEMBERS the Stone Age...") and woke up to the lead story in the Sunday Times Picayune stating that he (Landry) is polling even better now than when he was elected.

I love the Rolling Stones with all my being but I can't take lectures on implied morality from Mick Jagger, of all people, seriously.

A phenomenal show, nonetheless.

Obviously The Rolling Stones are not a US band - or for that matter, a North American band.

If Bob Dylan had said the same thing would anyone be upset?

I live in SE LA. Landry is a dol and, OMFG, Mick is right.

Be grateful it wasn't U2.

Apparently you need to read the history of The Rolling Stones.

The behind-the-scenes story of how Irma Thomas sang with the Rolling Stones at Jazz Fest

The show was years in the making, but 'Time Is On My Side' came together at the last minute

By Keith Spera
May 15, 2024


Chris Granger/The Times-Picayune

On the evening of April 30, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival producer Quint Davis called Irma Thomas with an urgent query.

Was she willing to sing with the Rolling Stones two days later?

She was.

The Rolling Stones’ landmark Jazz Fest performance on May 2 was a decade in the making. But its most historic and emotional moment — the band and Thomas joining forces for “Time Is On My Side,” the song they both recorded in 1964 — came together at the very last minute.

“We didn’t know a thing about it until April 30,” Thomas said. “I was quite surprised. I wanted it to happen, but when the Rolling Stones were supposed to come (to Jazz Fest) in 2019, there was no indication that that was a possibility. I just figured it wasn’t going to ever happen.”

n separate interviews, Davis and Thomas described what transpired behind the scenes to create one of the greatest moments in Jazz Fest’s 53-year history — and how it could have turned out very differently.

Chasing the Stones

Quint Davis was determined to bring the World’s Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band to Jazz Fest. He spent years traveling to Rolling Stones shows around the globe and getting to know key members of the Stones organization, “always with the idea of them playing the festival.”

It was an uphill battle. The Stones typically don't do festivals and don't tour often.

But Davis had a powerful ally. Since 2005, AEG Presents, the second-largest producer of live entertainment in the world, has co-produced Jazz Fest with Davis’ Festival Productions Inc.-New Orleans.

AEG is also the exclusive promoter of Rolling Stones tours.

The company helped grease the (steel) wheels to get the Stones to Jazz Fest. Executives at Concerts West, the AEG division that deals directly with the band, “were always in my corner,” Davis said. “They were determined to see this happen.”

The Rolling Stones were initially booked as the marquee attraction for Jazz Fest’s 50th anniversary in 2019, only to cancel so Mick Jagger could have heart surgery. Jagger and company headlined the Caesars Superdome that July, but Davis still wanted them at the Fair Grounds.

They were rescheduled in 2020 and 2021, but those Jazz Fests were ultimately canceled by COVID. The stars finally aligned for 2024.

“You can do all the cajoling you can,” Davis said, but Rolling Stones manager Joyce Smyth “had to want to make it happen. And ultimately, the lead singer had to want to make it happen. It really came down to Mick wanting to do it. He was determined to play Jazz Fest in New Orleans.”

'Only one mind matters'

The festival routinely deals with A-list rock stars, but accommodating the Rolling Stones required a whole other level of logistics.

“It was an enormous challenge,” Davis said, one that went well beyond the 72-foot runway added to the main Festival Stage.

Backstage, the festival installed climate-controlled tenting over the trailers, flooring over the grass, a catering operation and six offices for Stones staffers. A shower trailer and an air-conditioned truck in which Jagger could exercise were brought in.

The dirt track behind the Festival Stage was closed to pedestrian traffic. Sections of the stage flooring were replaced with grates so cool air could be pumped onto the stage. Only a handful of rock legends, including Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty, had previously enjoyed an air-conditioned stage at Jazz Fest.

All that advance planning didn’t involve the performance itself. After opening the “Hackney Diamonds” tour in Houston on April 28, the Rolling Stones flew to New Orleans on their private jet — enjoying an inflight meal of shepherd’s pie — and turned their attention to their Jazz Fest show.

They wanted to make it special. They reached out to Dave Grohl about sitting in. Grohl, whose Foo Fighters would headline the same stage — minus the runway and air-conditioning — the day after the Stones, ended up just watching.

On the Tuesday between Jazz Fest weekends, the Stones asked Davis to recommend local musicians, including an accordion player, who could potentially be surprise guests.

Before suggesting Thomas, Davis called to make sure she was game. She’d spent that Tuesday at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church taping a promotional video for her forthcoming gospel album and had several performances already scheduled for Jazz Fest’s second weekend. But yes, she’d sing with the Stones.

Davis said he’d call her back.

He passed along her name to the Stones plus the names of two musicians who would already be at the Festival Stage for their own performances that Thursday: Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and guitarist Samantha Fish. He also recommended zydeco accordionist Dwayne Dopsie.

The Stones didn't want their surprise guests to have preceded them on the same stage, thus ruling out Andrews and Fish.

But they signed off on Dopsie and, according to Davis, loved the idea of sharing the stage with Thomas.

Such a collaboration may have been foremost in the minds of anyone who knows the history of “Time Is On My Side.” But as Davis put it, “there’s only one mind that matters, and that’s Mick Jagger. These are not committee decisions.”

Having gotten the go-ahead, Davis called Thomas again to confirm everything, including her fee.

The next afternoon at 1 p.m., she’d join the Rolling Stones for rehearsals.

Finding the right key

The band spent much of Wednesday, May 1, at the empty Fair Grounds, practicing and preparing.

Late in the afternoon, they banged out two songs with the Festival Stage sound system fully cranked up: “Angry” and “Whole Wide World,” both from their 2023 album “Hackney Diamonds.”

Otherwise, they rehearsed more discreetly in the backstage tents. When Thomas and her husband and manager, Emile Jackson, arrived, they were ushered into a dressing room. Thomas was soon escorted to Jagger’s dressing room, where he greeted her with a hug.

“He said, ‘Irma, it’s good to see you. This is going to be fun,’” she recalled. “I said, ‘It sure is.’”

They chatted about their respective ages — 80 for Jagger and 83 for Thomas — and about being grateful to still be able to perform despite having dealt with heart issues.

Thomas, Jagger and keyboardist Chuck Leavell took a stab at “Time Is On My Side.” The Stones hadn’t performed the song in 18 years, so Jagger consulted a lyric sheet. Thomas sang in Jagger’s preferred key.

“We went over it to make sure the key was comfortable for me,” she said. “I didn’t have a problem with it — I sing in all the keys, depending on the song.

“Mick was more concerned with making sure he knew where to come in with the introduction.”

The trio then joined the rest of the band in a different backstage space. Arrayed in a circle, they ran through “Time Is On My Side" a couple times. In a video clip later posted to the Stones’ social media, guitarists Keith Richards and Ron Wood are seen smiling broadly at Thomas and applauding her.

“It turned out to be quite easy,” she said. “It was a lot easier to do it in Mick’s key than the key I originally sang it in.”

Tears of joy and relief

On Thursday, May 2, Emile Jackson walked his wife onto the Festival Stage right after Dwayne Dopsie and his accordion accompanied the Rolling Stones on “Let It Bleed.” Waiting to go on in front of more than 40,000 people, Thomas wasn’t nervous.

“I don’t get nervous,” she said. “I was standing back there saying, ‘This is really going to happen.’”

Most of Thomas’ and Jackson’s children and grandchildren were in the audience. “They were able to enjoy that historical moment,” she said.

She especially appreciated that, just before Jagger introduced her, he described hearing this “great” song in 1964 and deciding to record it.

“He told them exactly what took place,” Thomas said. “He acknowledged the fact that I had done 'Time Is On My Side' first, that they loved the way I had done it, and that they got the song from me.

“Now maybe folks will stop saying that I’m singing a Rolling Stones song, because it came from him, out of his mouth, that they did get it from me.”

To see the Soul Queen of New Orleans sharing a stage with the Rolling Stones hit many fans hard, including Quint Davis.

“I kind of cried a little at the beginning,” he said. “It was really emotional. I believed it was happening, but I reserved a little ‘I can’t believe it.’

“What it took to do that, people will never have any idea.”

'A blessing'

Thomas didn’t watch the rest of the Rolling Stones’ set. Right after “Time Is On My Side,” she and Jackson headed home so she could rest before her gig that night at Preservation Hall (during which Ronnie Wood surprised her for an encore performance of “Time Is On My Side”).

“I was one busy lady those couple of weeks,” she said.

Jagger was also busy. The day after the Stones performed at Jazz Fest, he had lunch at Antoine’s, then attended a private party with Wood at a house in the Bayou St. John neighborhood.

He then returned to Jazz Fest on May 4. Davis was asked to recommend local acts for Jagger to see.

Hosting a star of that magnitude as a Jazz Fest guest “has got its own set of logistics,” Davis said.

A Jazz Fest "music shuttle," one of the white vans that continuously circle the festival grounds, transporting musicians from stage to stage, was assigned to Jagger and his 10 or so guests.

During Josh Kagler’s set at the Gospel Tent, Jagger sat in the audience. Suddenly the “church ladies” in his row “got religion, and they got up and started to dance around,” Davis said.

“Immediately Mick gets up and starts dancing like Mick Jagger in the middle of the church ladies. Unbelievable. He’s so real, so genuine. He’s a Jazz Fest man.”

The Stones’ universally acclaimed Jazz Fest performance “sparked the whole festival,” Davis said.

“I’ve traveled around the world with them. I’ve seen them a lot. I’ve never heard them better than they were at Jazz Fest. Never.”

And after 60 years, Irma Thomas finally got her Rolling Stones moment. She called it “pivotal” during her own show on Jazz Fest’s closing Sunday. Jagger had set the record straight: The Rolling Stones learned “Time Is On My Side” from Irma Thomas.

“It was a blessing,” she said, “that I didn’t expect.”
[www.nola.com]

Fantastic story ! I wonder if Quint Davis recommended seeing Little Freddie King in the Blues Tent. Irma & Freddie co-starred in a doc which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival not too long ago.

Enjoyed reading the backstory, thx. One of my favorite Stones moments