“The Stones were really on tonight at ____________ [fill in the blank].” “Mick/Keith/Charlie/Ronnie [choose one or more] was on a mission.” “The boys played as though they had something to prove last night.” I always find these sorts of fan comments to be amusing. When I think back over the forty some shows I’ve seen over the last 35 years (every L.A. show minus the Wiltern, London, New York, Chicago, Denver, Oakland, Anaheim, San Diego, Las Vegas, 8 Mick Taylor shows) I cannot recall a night when the Stones were not “on.”

Sure, there are differences between the shows. The venue of each show makes so much difference ... so do the acoustics ... so does the location of your seat and who you’re seeing the show with ... one’s medication of choice can definitely be a factor ... how about the set list or which album they happen to be supporting at the time? If you can discern the moods of each of the Stones when you’re at a baseball, football or soccer stadium, you certainly are a lot wiser than I am.

Honestly, in wracking my brain, I cannot recall a single show I attended in which the Stones did not appear to be excited or psyched for that day’s show. That’s one of the big reasons why they are and will always be the greatest rock ‘n roll band in the world.

Okay - I have a couple of other bones to pick with certain commentators here. People - like me - from Southern California did not attend the Las Vegas show because “all of Los Angeles leaves town for Thanksgiving” (we don’t), we traveled to Las Vegas because the MGM Grand Arena is a hundred times better concert venue than Dodger Stadium. Period. End of discussion.

I have to admit that Dean Goodman’s reviews used to annoy me. I’m not exactly sure when it started. I do have to give him some credit insofar as he has an occasional funny or clever (and perhaps even insightful) comment from time to time. However, if he actually lives only 1.6 miles from the Hollywood Bowl and is unable to walk his sorry ass to the Bowl, I have a hard time respecting him for contributing to the Hollywood gridlock problem.

Like many people who’ve seen the Stones a bunch of times, I love hearing them do songs that I have not seen performed live before. I therefore was very happy to hear Streets of Love for the first time, but for me, the peak experience of the Vegas show was hearing Keith totally nail Connection - that was a treat. (Heck, I even liked Love Train at Staples Center a few Halloweens ago.) Another highlight of the show for me was Under My Thumb (which would have been better without the prominent keyboard portions, but was still great).

Anyway - I’d love to hear some people’s comments regarding when the Stones were not “on.” Let it rip ...

Mick's solo Goddess In a Doorway was killed (stupid word for that, but you will know what I mean by reading on) by 9/11 - as it was released around the date. Music became somewhat 'unimportant' then. But I read about a very strange incident. A couple in NYC got married on that very day and the whole celebration got/was (you add the word to whatever you would feel in their place) - until the couple's DJ put on Shattered and the whole company started to dance and laugh.
So, the Stones are and were probably 'off' to some of the Ignorables at any time but those people usually die(d) away before the Stones. The sun, the moon etc. - to be continued!

I can think of plenty of times they weren't "on" collectively. With the exception of the Vegas show, I don't think I've ever seen Wood "on". I've often wondered why they kept the guy in the band. And while I believe Vegas was a special show, I think Richards disappeared for portions of it, which was when Wood really stepped up and filled in the blanks. Richards was okay for the first part of the Vegas show, seemed to take the middle portion off, and then re-appeared at the end. Only when prompted by Wood during the middle portion did he seem to "be there". I think what makes a lot of people think the Stones are always "on" is that Mick and Charlie never take a night off, and if the drummer and frontman are cooking, most bands have a good show.

There were a few times during the show in Vegas when I couldn't match what I was hearing with what either Keith or Ronnie seemed to be doing ... I have a feeling that if anybody is "stepping up" that it's Blondie Chaplin ... half the time he seems to be hidden behind Lisa Fisher, so it's nearly impossible to see what he's really doing back there ...

Sorry, for mistaking "on" in a general sense. I saw them in Cologne/Germany and Ronnie was terrible. A great concert though but the worst for me since 1982. Imagine: As you know Keith rather plays too few notes plus a Ronnie who doesn't play anything when needed ... the ultimate guitar band without guitars!!!