Take a band full of talented musicians, add in some of the best known songs in classic rock and an enthusiastic capacity audience and you have all of the makings of a memorable gig.
With costumes from throughout The Rolling Stones’ long and storied career, period correct instruments and some well chosen songs, the show took a chronological look at the careers of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman and Brian Jones, alluding to the different characters in the band and the impact that they had.
The show delivered non-stop hits, although they stopped short of covering anything from the band’s latest release, Hackney Diamonds.
We started with This Could be the Last Time, before the darker hues of Paint it Black with sitar effects and a no-nonsense stomp through Buddy Holly’s Not Fade Away, with some fine rhythmic guitar and harmonica fills.
Country-style songs, such as Dead Flowers and Under My Thumb, showed that The Stones weren’t restricted to the blues roots with which they started their careers.
Three members of the audience were invited up to help the band during Satisfaction, and the crowd joined in for the whoops during a rousing Sympathy for the Devil which opened the second half.
From there on in, it was upbeat funk and blues. Harmonica and disco beats and driving octave bass where high in the mix during Miss You, which also featured a climatic guitar duel.
Start Me Up was rocked up and delivered with the band’s louche swagger, and Honky Tonk Woman was heavy on the cowbell and audience participation.
The encores were the hauting and noir-hued Gimme Shelter and a crowd pleasing Jumping Jack Flash.
Although a lot of The Stones’ biggest hits were played, it would have been good to have heard some of their slower ballads, such as Angie or You Can’t Always Get What You Want, but this is a minor complaint in a concert that delivered on all of its promises.