It's Only Rock'n Roll
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It's Only Rock'n Roll |
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Stones
NEWS |
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Hackney Diamonds |
Tour 2024 |
Mick Jagger |
Keith Richards |
Charlie Watts |
Ronnie
Wood |
Band 2
Tim Ries |
The set list
Show start : 9:15pm Show end : 11:10pm |
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One of the highlights of the show followed, a tight, rocking version of Dead Flowers. For me, Bitch was much like Tumbling Dice, just not that impressive compared with other live versions I've heard - the guitar hook in the song wasn't all that prominent and the sound overall was just not that tight like I'd expect from a normally awesome live song. However, once again the band recovered with a smoking Nightime is the Right Time, with great interplay between Mick and Lisa. For me, Keef's version of The Worst tonight was really top notch - he sounded clear and the song was delivered perfectly. Infamy was a nice rough-edged rocker to follow.
The B-stage was really something else tonight. I was about 4 feet from the band, right by the corner railing, and they were on with tight, rocking versions of Miss You and Oh No Not You Again, a pretty respectable dash through You Got Me Rocking, and a really strong Honky Tonk Woman. Maybe it was my vantage point, but the band seemed to turn it up a notch and really got into the crowd around the B-stage, with waves and hand slaps and lots of smiles towards the audience.
The closing portion of the show seemed to feed off of the B-stage energy, with a mind-blowing Out of Control (which seems to me to be the best song live off of Bridges to Babylon and always exceeds my expectations) and a great jamming version of Sympathy. The normal closers Brown Sugar and JJF were, as usual, crowd-pleasers and the encore Satisfaction a great way to close out the night. All in all, this was a strong effort by the band and another demonstration of their continued ability to rock. They showed again why they are the best live band in the world.
The show seemed a little hurried, but the crowd was really into it and seemed to be having a great time. You got to hand it to the sound man. This arena has the worst acoustics of any venue I've even been at. I'm a local so I know what I'm talking about. The bass was a little muddy, but the guitars and vocals were loud and pretty darn clear, a small miracle for the Ice Palace. All in all it was a good concert, but nothing super special in the set list. Kinda run of the mill. Highlights were Dead Flowers and Back of My Hand. Its Only R&R as the 2nd tune kicked butt. It was the best version I've ever heard of that song.
Hopefully they have not reduced to a standard set of only 20 songs now. You were smart if you saw them early on in Boston and got 22 tunes out of it. Mick recognized the fact that they were playing at the home of the Stanley Cup Champions and Keith was nice enough to warn us to "watch out for Wilma," the hurricane currently heading for this area. As far as Joss Stone goes I was really disappointed in her performance. I got her latest CD and studied up on her for the show. In fact of the 13 times I've seen the Stones, this was the first opening act I've ever watched. She is not at the point in her career to waste 10 minutes trying to get the audience to sing along with her. Unlike the review of her performance from Miami, I left and went and got myself another beer.
I have been a rolling stones fan for a long time having seen them for the first time in Bristol (UK) in 1982 and many times between then and last night. And I am happy to report they just keep getting better and surprising me. I had a seat in the first row at the back of the B stage so had an unobstructed view of the whole show. The start was pretty predictable but I don�t recall many reports on how cool the opening video is leading up to the Stones arriving on stage. The stage is nice � pretty low key but with amazing quality video. The absolute highlight of the entire night (or in fact of all the Stones concerts I have been to) had to be Back of My Hand � Mick introduced it as �new blues�. Keith and Ronnie sat down on Charlie�s drum stage and proceeded to kill us with their guitar playing but the surprise was Mick�s playing � phenomenal and he played a lot during this song, not the usual few chords then hanging up his guitar to sing. The acoustics and blending of those three guitars was something not to be missed. I didn�t want that to end � The three of them and Charlie � the crown were mesmerized. After this Mick asked us if we liked Country Music �once in a while?��and they headed straight into Dead Flowers after a quick change of guitars � this was the other highlight for me.
Keith did a nice �The Worst� followed by Infamy and there was nice back up for this (Bernard and Tim). The move to the B stage is very smooth and very clever. I enjoyed that set as I was within a few feet of them. The crew put the words to Oh Not You again written on a big piece of cardboard up on the floor but I don�t think Mick even looked at it. Keith moved around and smiled as only he can at us. Keith and Ronnie wove around each other � Mick reached out to all corners of the venue and got everyone fired up. He can move and you do wonder how he does it, but I suppose if it�s that much fun (and they really look like they are having fun) it is easier! SFTD and Brown Sugar were well done and longer versions, then all too soon it was over with a return to sing Satisfaction, the exploding streamers then they were gone.
Thanks for a great show and please, please continue with the true blues � Back Of My Hand has to be heard by all Stones fans!
The Stones came out at about 9:15pm and played for about 2 hours. They had a fairly good set list but with a catalog of songs spanning almost 40 years you are gonna be disappointed. I would have loved to have heard Gimme Shelter or Paint it Black - instead I get a Ray Charles tribute. Shattered would have been better than Dead Flowers but you can't always get what u want even though they didn't play that song either!!!! The show stoppers were sympathy for the devil, Out of Control, and Satisfaction. During Miss You which is one of their best songs in my opinion they had the stage move from the main stage to the center of the arena. It was really cool to see. They played oh no not u again, honky tonk woman and you got me rocking from the so called B stage. Miss You and you got me rocking sounded kinda weak live. Maybe they did it different i don't know. Im not saying it sounded bad just different. However, the stones sound just as a good live as they do on cd. Their performance matches their dvd's and it was truly an honor to see such musical legends play in my hometown. I hope to see Mick, Keith, Ronnie, and Charlie play for many more years to come except please god lower the tickets prices!!!!
The crowd was very upbeat and everyone seemed to be having a rousing good time. Like any Stones Fan if you had a wish list they would dust off some songs from the past of a more vintage type like the ones you never hear on the radio either like Time waits for No One, Hand of Fate and too many others to mention here. However I guess they want to keep playing the songs they have practiced to keep the flow of the show pumping.
A little under 2 hours for a Stones show is a little like getting an overview of the gettesburg address in 15 minutes. Anyway the Stones were crowd pleasers here in Tampa and they are amazing to see LIVE regardless of their age which the local papers had a little fun with in several articles commenting on their rusting body parts Ha Ha ! Well it went fast and the song highlight was certainly "Dead Flowers" with Keith mixing in the vocals with Mick in a shattering moment that would make any real Stones fan reminisce of that history of them together. How somehow you feel a part of the ambiance of the moment and share for a brief minute the Stones legacy between you and the Band even if your camera never seems to work right. The Stones did it again. Thank you!
Mick said hello to Sarasota Florida, Orlando Florida and Tampa Florida but no mention of CLEARWATER FLORIDA where Satisfaction was recorded on keiths tape recorder at JACK TARR HARRISON HOTEL. Chuck Leavell needs to stop thinking he is Mick Jagger and just play his bit and that's all, Chuck even comes to front edge of the stage when introduced and stays there till Mick gives him a facial expression that he needs to go back to the keyboards so he can introduce the rest of the band. Lisa Fischer sang this time with Mick and as you can imagine got a great ovation, Keith sounded great with Bernard with 80% of audience standing during his two songs.
Ronnie was like a perfectionist making the songs sound sharp and clear to what the songs actually sound like, Amazing and crisp, Mick played slide guitar very well,surprised me because he played Guitar as good as he plays harmonica almost, well actually not even close to how good he plays Harmonica but good anyway.
Keith hit Brown Sugar dead on and You Got Me Rocking was perfect and so was Out Of Control, very nice Guitars on those songs by Ronnie and Keith. Charlie Watts is the real deal playing like no other drummer ever has, and never missing a beat is unreal, Charlie is the engine of this band next to Jagger. I hope they tour again in the future, sure looks like they can go on and on like a energizer battery, quite amazing indeed. Thank you Rolling stones for another great show again.
The stage was no frills with 1 large video screen above it. At the halfway point in the show after Keith's 2 solo songs, the center forward section of the Main stage "broke off" and extended out down the gated center aisle to the middle of the arena with the band playing on it as it was moving out this time (this is known as the "B" stage) where they played a total of 4 songs to the back half of the arena. The difference in the B Stage schtick this time was that they were on the stage playing as it moved in out from the main stage, whereas previous tours had them "walking" across a catwalk over to the B stage that was set up before the show.
I wish Keith would mix it up a bit on his 2 solo songs as he seems to have stuck with these same 2 tunes for most of the tour so far, "The Worst" and "Infamy" off the new album. I would have loved to have heard "Happy" or "Thief In The Night" or "Before They Make Me Run", all 3 of which he performed on the '99 and even the '02 tours.
The set had no real surprises, mixing their classic top 7 radio hits with a sprinkling of 6 of their B stock period FM hits, the Ray Charles cover tune "Night Time Is The Right Time", 4 songs off the new album "A Bigger Bang" and a couple of surprises that have gotten rare live play ("She's So Cold" and the great tune "Dead Flowers" from Let It Bleed) during their 43 year run of touring the world. What other band in the history of music can make that claim ? None, that's how many.
One thing I will say. These guys are starting to show their age, but through it all, they are true pros that never let their fans down. I did get the distinct impression they wanted to get this show over with and get back to their limos & Lear Jet ASAP, though. Maybe it is because they are fairly deep into the tour now and they are starting to get tired, I would guess. The highlight of the evening for me was Dead Flowers.
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Thanks!
Thanks to
Jim Pietryga
for photo.
Thanks to
Bernd M,
Jeff Lekarczyk
and
Andrew
for news links!
It's Only Rock'n Roll 1980 - 2005