It's Only Rock'n Roll
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It's Only Rock'n Roll |
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Stones
NEWS |
Tell Me Forum |
Hackney Diamonds |
Tour 2024 |
Mick Jagger |
Keith Richards |
Charlie Watts |
Ronnie
Wood |
Band 2
Tim Ries |
Live pre/post show comments:
Overall, Saturday’s show at the SoFi was fairly flawless, with seven tunes rotated in. That’s a substantial shakeup in Stones terms. “Whole Wide World” and “Monkey Man” were other highlights for me, and of course there was “Heartbreaker” and “You Got the Silver.” Impossible, really, to rank them. They were all great. I didn't even mind “Miss You” because I watched cat videos in my Instagram timeline instead, though I did notice Tina missing her cue as the bridge began and Keith doing a costume change midway.
The only real concern was “Sweet Sounds of Heaven.” There’s just too much Tina. Mick’s a trooper, surely wiped out as his workout nears the two-hour mark, but I sensed the song almost falling off the cliff about half way through. It was fun, though, to wave my real lighter. Most problematic for me - and this is definitely not the Stones’ fault - was a chap on the rail near the back of Pit B who had the worst B.O. It permeated so widely that it was impossible to escape. I haven’t encountered this issue in America before.
With all the stellar performances, I’d forgotten until the very end that no guest stars graced the stage. They would have been unnecessary. The Stones don’t need backup.
The sun shone down, mostly, on the crowd arriving at this huge stadium complex. We expected many people to be arriving earlier it being a weekend, but this was not the case. There was a steady stream of fans from an hour before the many doors opened. Mostly people were dressed in some form of Stones regalia, but some were clearly out to make an LA fashion statement with garments more suitable for a party than a rock concert… but then a Stones show is a party.
The show started later than even seasoned tour-attendees expected. The notices said 8:45; it’s usually 10-15 minutes later. The air of expectancy stretched out to 9:10pm, with the vibrant crowd almost getting to the point of restlessness. Perhaps the delay was due to meeting and greeting the many celebrities who attend shows in LA. Matt Clifford did not provide an explanation when his roared out his opening words as the lights went-up on Ronnie and Keith striding onto the stage; on Chuck quickly taking the keyboards stool; and Steve jumping up onto drum riser looking very dapper in a lurid pink suit.
From the start it looked and sounded like Keith was on overdrive, or heat, or something to super energise both his physical movement and his playing. For me this was his show: driving every song; moving about, leaning back when playing, much more than we’ve seen this tour. His eyes can appear to have a slightly vacant look, but then you realise he is concentrating on his playing and what everyone else on stage is doing. Ronnie played another great show, but not quite to Keith’s level.
The strong drum beat indicated that Get Off Of My Cloud was following Start Me Up: setlist change number 1. The audience sang the responses, some of them even getting the timing right. Keith and Chuck were grinning, and I suspect all the band were doing the same and the crowd’s energy and momentum was infectious. Then a 5-string telecaster with capo appears and Dice had been promoted up to third place. Cue lots of horns from Tim and Karl, the latter playing the most enthusiastically and strongly that we’ve seen on this tour in my opinion. Plenty of dancing around the stage from Mick, who then announced that the next song was from “ ’ackney Diamonds ” in his Dartford meets London East End accent.
Then the song vote. After forgetting to mention this process a few days earlier, Mick looked at Keith to confirm that he had remembered it now and they smiled at each other. There were lots of smiles near me when Heartbreaker was announced for its third outing this year, and as the second setlist change. Mick clearly seemed to think that the band needed some direction, and he was gesticulating to keyboards, to backing vocals, to horns and indeed the whole band at one point to cue-in the evolutions of the song. A conductor who also sings.
The next change (number 3) was the 41st song played this year, Fool to Cry. This has a special place for me as it was the “active” single when I first saw the Stones. The combination of two keyboards (no Mick playing), wah-wah guitar from Ronnie, and licks from Keith worked well. Its fairly rare to hear it, maybe once per tour. Someone likes it, and Mick seemed to be directing vocals in the direction of someone at the front of the crowd, so perhaps it is him: who knows?
The setlist changes then continued with Whole Wide World and Monkey Man. Keith started the riff to WWW (the song not the internet address) before Mick had finished announcing where it came from, and the song really rocked. A classic Stones rocker on their latest album. Monkey Man is more of a deep dive, but they obviously like it this year as this was it’s fourth time on a setlist. The start didn’t work well, the delicate piano and guitar combination being lost, but then as the vocals approached Keith hit out with the main guitar riff and it was rescued. Mick has to cue-in the newish quiet section in the middle: all on stage seemed to enjoy playing this, one of four selections from Let It Bleed played last night.
By the time Mick was passed his acoustic guitar for YCAGWYW, the audience seemed a little reluctant to sing. The relentless pace of the first 8 songs sapped some people’s energy. But that soon changed with the French Horn introduction and as Mick encouraged audience participation, finishing with a call and response section at the end. He hesitates to start this, causing all the band but especially Chuck to watch him intently. He is almost teasing them as much as the crowd: having a lot of fun on stage. Ronnie played another nice solo, after being seemingly lost and missing his part in the middle eight playing over the untypical chord changes.
After a straight run of 11 renditions of Tell Me Straight, Keith dropped this and assumed an acoustic guitar for You Got The Silver: the third Let it Bleed cut in a row. Very sweet slide guitar from Ronnie, who concentrates so hard ensure that he perfectly the replicates the recorded licks. Keith hardly needed to refer to the teleprompter for lyrics, nor for Little T&A. He told us that he didn’t know what this song was about, and then gave us one of his wry smiles. More teasing. Before They Make Me Run sounded almost like the studio recording with more great guitar work.
After Sympathy (even more nice piano playing from Chuck) and Honky Tonk Women (great all round), the long-song slot was filled by Miss You. Keith played more guitar than usual on this; Darryl’s bass was turned up very loud and sounding very funky; and Mick danced his way to the extremities of the stage. The horn jam was excellent, with great playing and interaction from both Tim and Karl. If you can’t get Rambler then this is a very good, albeit very different, alternative.
Shelter starts with the spotlight on a sitting Keith, Mick watching for the guitarist rising and accelerating with a changing riff. Great dramatics, now complemented by the Mick/Chanel duet. Some of the studio recording was made on a long Boulevard we and the band drove down to this gig, which adds a little sub-text to the story. Chanel seems to reach deep down to reflect the strong emotion from the lyrics, which makes her performance so good: but then she was the star of a London West end musical after all. I’ll repeat that Shelter is now, for me, on another level to previous tours with Keith’s really strong playing and the Mick/Chanel duet: this band does not sit on it’s laurels even after 62 years. The same applies to Sweet Sound of Heaven, not just a great performance (and duet) but also such an apparently simple song that is both fresh and familiar: so very clever.
According to the ancient legend, a youthful Keith had to demonstrate that he could play a Cuban flamenco-style song on guitar. His doodling at the start of Paint It Black had little elements of the same music: he keeps Mick waiting before starting the tune that forms the basis of PIB. Another great version, followed by a highly charged JJF, which announces the end of the core set. After Sweet Sounds, and similarly strident Satisfaction ended the evening’s proceedings.
Ended that is apart from walking-up the endless ramps to reach ground level, and then across the acres of concrete and tarmac to reach the car, and trying to exit as fast as possible down the roads that were never intended to be used by 50,000 people leaving a concert. A great investment in a stadium; a torturous route to the floor for concerts; and a further addition to Los Angeles’ notorious traffic situation.
That said, the combination of it being LA; of the need to raise the performance level just a little more in such a music city; of great audiences; of benevolent weather; and a band on absolutely top form – these all contributed to two fantastic gigs this week. It sounds all positive, and there were some negatives for us in the overall logistics and the performance, but these pale into insignificance compared to the 4 hours of music we heard and performance we saw.
Shows number 17 and 18 in 2024 really hit the mark. Then it dawns on you that there are only two more shows before a hiatus (hopefully just a hiatus..) after the band and team has spent 4 months working hard. There are so many loyal fans out there: some cannot make any shows; for some its only one but that is so special; for a few it can be a crazy number of shows. I do hope that all those involved do remember that.
They waste no time getting into high gear. For me, JJ Flash or SFM are my favorite openers. But this time around it seems that they've added some extra juice to Start Me Up. Then Get Off of My Cloud follows. A great 1-2. I was surprised that the moved Tumbling Dice up to the 3 spot, but it worked real well here, a little downshift, but still cooking!
Angry works way better than Ghost Town did last time. And I got what I hoped for in the vote: They pounded Heartbreaker as if the played it every night.
My holy grail has always been to get Monkey Man live. And to get it from the pit was unreal! It truly made this grown man cry. I took a couple pix, shot 30 seconds of video and then I put my phone in my pocket to be 100% present and in the moment for this treat. I even closed my eyes for a little bit to really hear what I had been waiting to hear for 50 years.
A very strong Keith set. He started the tour doing 1 each show. Now up to three. Speaking of Keith: He may have played a flawless show. All his solos were clean sharp and strong. He'd smile his smiles, but it seemed to me that he was a man on a mission. Like I said, clean, sharp and strong all night.
From here to the end it's a master class in what makes Rolling Stones shows so great. The big hits, played with intensity and energy. The whole band brought their A game. They're pros. There are no bad shows. But this one just seemed to have amazing energy.
In my past reviews, it would occur to me that in some shows, Mick carries the band. Other shows seem to be Keith shows. Some are Ronnie shows. I think what made this one special is that they all were in high gear on this LA Saturday night.
Now it's onto Santa Clara for my 30th and maybe final Rolling Stones show. What a wonderful journey it is!
This was my third show of the tour. I was fortunate to be able to travel to Glendale, Arizona, in May for my first Rolling Stones show ever. I was also at Wednesday's L.A. #1 show. What took me so long to attend a Stones show is lost to time.
Next, the Stones tore into Get Off Of My Cloud. It was apparent that there isn't a rock band still performing today that is anywhere near the Stones' longevity, dynamics and creative output. Yes, my friends, that cloud cannot be touched by a mile.
If you have been a Rolling Stones fan since the 70's like I have, I am sure there is one album that introduced you to the band. I came of age during the release of Goat's Head Soup in 1973. It is the album that was imprinted on my young Beatles-centric 14 year old mind. But then there was something urgent and tender in that album. Over three shows I'd been wondering if I'd get to hear a song from GHS. Well, it happened and the evening couldn't have been more perfect. Heartbreaker was the fan vote favorite and it did not disappoint. From the opening riff, the familiar progression of chords, and Ronnie working the Wah pedal for an undeniable Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker). I have come full circle.
I got to hear Monkey Man for the second time, the first was at Glendale. Mick introduced the song by its title and the band immediately went into the playful tinkling of the keys, the progression of the riff, and we were off. Lyrically, it is such a playful tune that is fun to sing along with. I am happy to have heard it again.
Mick was definitely energized by the mojo coming from the audience last night. His vocals, phrasing and articulation were in excellent form. So whatever spell was cast before the show, be it magic, the monolithic talisman that is SoFi stadium or just the release that comes from knowing a hard week at work was now behind us (so let the party begin!), the audience that was brought together was as much a part of the show as were the Stones on stage. It was a symbiotic relationship, a give and take in the most joyous of ways. Several times Mick engaged us with a call and response interaction, of "oohs" and "ahhs", well after the song ended, which he seemed to delight in.
Midway through the show, after band introductions, Mick introduced Keith Richards for his turn at the mic. By now we were accustomed to a three song set. Keith's slow swagger to the microphone, gracing us with his innocent smile and humble persona. Keith gave us You Got The Silver, Little T & A, and Before They Make Me Run. Truly, he seemed to enjoy every moment, laughing, the most lively I've seen Keith, surely having a great time.
Gimme Shelter, perhaps the most momentous song in Saturday's set, is at its most raw and powerful. I couldn't wait for Chanel to come center stage to take the lead vocals as only she can dredge up that primal holographic voice tone from the underworld.
Toward the end of the night, Paint It Black, was again a powerful reminder that life does not always travel as a line toward a point on a random plane in space, but sometimes, if we are lucky, reveals itself as an infinite circle. Mick's vocals were as youthful and deliberate as the day it was released in 1966.
The all female Linda Lindas opened the evening. A power punk glam quartet, three of which are still teenagers were impressive, sparkly and energetic. They certainly earned their way onto the stage last night. I have a feeling we'll be hearing more about them in the future.
Much has been written on the age of the Rolling Stones, their legacy, their longevity. Hackney Diamonds is a dynamic album, and very much relevant today. I am grateful that I was able to come of age during the greatest decades of rock music. At my spot on the floor in the rear GA section, two young dad's in their twenties with their four and five year old daughters propped up on their shoulders asked me to take their photo with the stage as a backdrop. I gladly complied. There is a time to look back and glow in the sentiment of our time, but there is also a time to live in the moment. And to be able to hear the announcer say, "Ladies and gentlemen, The Rolling Stones" that time is now.
What a night! Great one-two punch of Start-Cloud. So glad to get Cloud, always a live favorite for me. Then the surprise, I even think I heard gasps: Dice in the 3rd slot. Not only did it sound great after Start-Cloud, but knew we’d be in for some “deep” track specialties, and wow, did we get them: I voted for Shattered, but Heartbreaker was just fantastic! Mick then mentions a new song for the tour, and lucky us to get the Hackney Diamonds tour premier of Fool To Cry. Throw in a terrific, unexpected Monkey Man, and what a fantastic trifecta of “deep” cuts!
Speaking of Hackney Diamonds: so happy to get Whole Wide World, since I got Mess It Up my two previous shows. Really enjoyed this one! I did have a brief pity party for myself, when Keith announced You Got The Silver, and realized I would not get Tell me Straight. But Keith delivered a great set, highlighted by an awesome, rousing Before They Make Me Run! The rest of the show with the war horses were just phenomenal! Really like the running order, where they mix up tempos and song genres. All in all, the Stones ended with another legendary LA show in the books! Thank you Mick, Keith, Ronnie and crew, fantastic night in your company again!!!
What a great set list – Heartbreaker, Fool to Cry, Whole Wide World and then Monkey Man – whew! The harmonica on Miss You was amazing as well. I loved Keith’s set as You Got the Silver is one of my all time favorites from him. All I can say is that I am so grateful that I was there and feel blessed to have one more show to go. So glad it isn’t at SoFi – lol. Somehow I got directed onto the 7 stories of ramps to exit. My step count for the day was 12,000 – lol.
Thank you to every member of the band for the incredible effort you guys put into every show and the amazing amount of pleasure you give to so many people. God Bless you all.
My review in no particular song order.
Great to hear Heartbreaker & Monkey Man again. I liked it so much in Cleveland so I guess we got an encore performance of sorts. I guess our votes for Sweet Virginia wasn’t enough!! We got an absolutely fantastic 3 song solo set from Keith with the trio of You Got the Silver, Little T&A and in my humble opinion arguably Keith’s greatest song Before they Make Me Run!! I wanted more Keith!! Fool to Cry. What great surprise. Never heard it played live before that I can recall. Great version. Fans around us were also happy to hear it. I was so shocked I was almost like a fool crying in his seat !! (That’s my best attempt at a Jagger style joke) Not that I was sitting down much anyway.
The sound is great in that stadium, although I thought it was a little muffled during Whole Wide World or maybe it was my ears finally giving out in the second show of the week. Whatever issue there was, it seemed to have been corrected.
I know I talk about these two songs everytime but how can I not mention again how great Sympathy and Gimme Shelter were. Crisp sound. The guitar work was as good as I’ve ever heard it in recent years. I’m a broken record by now on this. The interplay between Mick and Chanel on this is incredible. She looks great and sounds even better.
Another killer version of Jack Flash. Keith is really nailing that opening loud and fast. Ronnie is in top form. Sweet Sounds is another great opportunity to hear Chanel’s powerful vocals.
I’m trying to think of a negative to report, but I can’t really think of anything. The old “They didn’t play the song I really wanted to hear” isn’t a valid negative. We got a fantastic second show. It was an amazing conclusion to a great week in LA. (Well that and a quick stop at Randy’s Donuts on the way to LAX) It’s worth the visit!!
My Stones travel companions Dave , Angie and Pedro agree that this tour ranks up near the top of shows we’ve seen over the years. I personally always use the Detroit Comerica Park show on the 2015 Zip Code Tour as the standard by which I evaluate a show. Atleast for me. The shows on this tour that I’ve been at are right up there with it!!
The band is sounding better than ever. It’s been said over and over by many reviewers by now because it’s true. As we sit on the flight home to Canada, we leave L.A. completely satisfied with this rock vacation in Southern California with the Stones. Exploring Hollywood and Beverly Hills, dining on the Sunset strip, Amoeba Music,stunning views at night at Griffith Park Manhattan Beach, the Santa Monica pier, Venice Beach. We did it all and then some but all that pales in comparison with the two shows at SoFi. That’s what takes a great vacation and launches it into outer space! That’s the end of shows for me on this tour.
There are no good byes, no regrets and no expectations except to say see you down the road at the next tour. This band doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon! I’m looking forward to the next one, whenever that comes. Hopefully close to home in Toronto (but we’ll travel) Canada loves the Rolling Stones but then again who doesn’t?
Show day came and I didn’t have a ticket yet, but by playing the waiting game I scored a very good deal for a seat on the floor near the sound tent shortly before show time.
Showtime comes and… Wow! What the hell is this?! The Stones start blowing the doors off.
Honkey Tonk Women gets the crowd around me so into it that their singalong drowns out the band. Gimme Shelter ripped, I didn’t want it to end. Get Off My Cloud, Monkey Man, and Sympathy For The Devil all rock and rolled. And then there was, of course, Fool To Cry.
I was excited to hear it live but I didn’t expect it to also be such a heartfelt performance on top of it. The music, vocals, all of it sounded great. At least from where I stood.
The Rolling Stones continue to keep things in top form. All the shows I saw on this tour were consistently good. My personal favorite was Jazz Fest, but Keith, Ron, Mick and crew have been getting hotter and hotter with each show.
After the show I started walking towards my hotel which was an hour away, intending to get an Uber at some point, but with the nice weather, and the show buzzing in my head, I ended up walking all the way back.
The Saturday shows at this stadium have been anniversaries of the bands key dates. The last Saturday show October 17, 2021 was the anniversary of the meeting between Mick and Keith at the train station on October 17, 1961. This show on July 13, 2024 was near the anniversary of the band's first show on July 12, 1962.
At the first show Mick mentioned from the stage how the band came to LA 60 years ago for fame and fortune with a show in San Bernardino. Mick also mentioned how some of the band's best records were made in LA including Hackey Diamonds.
Beast of Burden really stands out night one. Wild Horses meant Midnight Rambler night 1 instead of Miss You. Bernard Fowler gave an interview to LA Mag the day before the 1st show saying Midnight Rambler is his favorite song to hear them perform. Bernard said, "It's always magic." Night 2 got Miss you which the crowd really seemed to enjoy. I miss when you used to get both the same night.
While this stadium has a covered roof the outside ends are open to allow air to flow through so me being at the open end of the stadium I was clearly able to hear the soundcheck night 2 of Heartbreaker, Fool to Cry, Whole Wide World, Monkey Man, and Keith on You Got The Silver.
Yes this $5 billion+ stadium has some unbelievable luxury suites with very fancy California wines. But what really stands out about this stadium was how accessible these shows were to all fans. These were wildly successful jam packed shows and while tickets went on sale nearly 7 months before the show date, late buyers were surprisingly able to get into either show for $20 on legiate ticket sales sites- lower than lucky ticket costs. Hard to believe in 2024. I think more than anything this had to do with what Mick mentioned from the stage at the second show about traffic taking 2 and a half hours. It would be tough for a late buyer to arrive plus paired with parking costs compared to other cities closer to population centers or more accessible by public transit.
On the night after the 1st show Tim Ries and Bernard Fowler had a Band 2 show at the Write Off Room. I think the capacity was roughly 100. Guesting on the penultimate song was Don McAuley, Charlie Watts and now Steve Jordan's drum tech. Then on the final song Darryl Jones and Steve Jordan joined Tim Ries and Bernard Fowler and band to play Satisfaction. The band members were very kind, greeting fans after the show.
An hour and fifty seven minutes earlier, an error-free first chord had started it up, and reminded me that we can’t take for granted the privilege of seeing them live.
Steve led them into the cloud at the 99th floor for the second number and I immediately noticed that - this being my first show of this tour - Steve is now more Jordan and less Watts. More straightforward and less adorned than Wyman & Watts, Jordan & Jones are a very interesting American canvas where they can lean on the same songs. What it started as a British bunch doing American numbers, is now an Anglo American combo doing British classics.
By their third number, Tumbling Dice, I started noticing what Dean and others said on this forum about the sound at this venue. We were right at the puzzling point where 2/3 was front and 1/3 was late reflections. I was also equally puzzled with Ronnie’s solo. It is not the first time on this number. It seems to me that he got tired of how good his were and decided to deconstruct it beyond recognition.
Angry was perfect, with both Mick and Keith at the height of their powers.
I won the vote with Heartbreaker, and they didn’t disappoint. It is a tricky number to get right live, but they delivered. The horns took me right back to those 75 bootlegs in this same city and reminded me again to be thankful and humble for the privilege.
Fool to Cry was a welcome surprise. Ronnie’s guitar was beautiful. And although at some point Mick and the band were in different places, it is always great to see them trying new numbers.
Ronnie’s work in Whole Wide World and Keith’s on Monkey Man were superb.
On a day that turned into history in just seconds after the events moments ago in Pennsylvania, Mick decided to play it safe and again made no reference to the coming elections, as he used to in pre-debate shows.
Keith’s set was powerful. I particularly enjoyed T&A, of 1981 quality.
Honky Tonk Women was festive, as it needs to be. The Argentine girls were in attendance for Miss You. At this point a footnote about the video graphics, which were rather cheap on this number. The disco feeling of past tours was replaced by a somewhat unsynchronized and rather childish design of drawings of lines and band’s first names. Although the Stones shows are always much more about them than what’s going on in the surroundings, an upgrade on what to do when the Stones are not on screen is desperately required.
Gimmie Shelter has now changed with Chanel. The fact that she owns the ending of the song shows how good she is and how respectful the Stones are of their new support. Conversely, I found her too pyrotechnic in Sweet Sounds of Heaven, which ended up being more about her than the song.
Superhuman Mick gave some Otis treatment to Satisfaction mid through, but by the time we left it was still Sympathy were many were happily singing on the way out of the stadium.
To see the Stones again, in such a powerful form, together with my son, was a privilege. I will always remember when I was when it happened.
Photo by Bjørnulf Vik
Photo by Bjørnulf Vik
Photo by Bjørnulf Vik
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Photo by Hendrik Mulder
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Photo by Mark Seidman
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Photo by Mark Seidman
Photo by Kurt Schwarz
Photo by Kurt Schwarz
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