We went to see the Rolling Stones in Hyde Park. There is always a bit of trepidation when you see a band that you love and admire. Will they be as good as you remember? How will time have affected them? Will it seem as if they are only there for the money and are only going through the motions?
All those fears were set aside as they cam onto the stage at 8.30 and played a full 2 hours to a sold crowd of 65,000 on a hot (and I mean hot) summers day in London’s Hyde Park. The support bands were great (apart from Temper Trap who are not my cup of meat). King Charles was superb. The Vaccines delivered just what you expected of them, all good nothing band.
The best of the support by far was the excellent Gary Clark Jnr. The blues is alive and kicking flowing through his veins and out of those magic fingers. The support was worth the price of the tickets (and as I had to pay over the odds to get the tickets that is saying something).
The Rolling Stones. What can you say? Keef has a paunch, Ronnie has more lines that a train station, Charlie looks like a good old boy that you can meet in any London pub. As for Jagger, £300 a pop on anti aging cream and a 28 inch waist is a bit odd for a 69 year old. But he can still belt out a number. His voice has changed over the years losing some of the urgency and swagger of the 18 year old I first saw. Making up for those losses were a stage presence that has grown over the years and a voice that has become the epitome of real rock. Packed with power and delivery skills, his voice still moves you.
Even the best rock singer in the world would be lost in front of an average band. The Rolling Stones are anything but an average band. They all seemed up for it. They knew each others playing backward with that subtle psychic communication that happens when with people you have known and loved (and occasionally fought over so many years. God they were good. Even Charlie smiled!
The whole weekend cost us more than £1,000. To put that in context; that is what I earn in a month. It was about a third of what it cost the two of us to tour India for almost 3 months, including flights.
Was it worth it? You bet!
Rolling Stones Setlist HYDE PARK 6th July 2013
Start Me Up
It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll (But I Like It)
Tumbling Dice
All Down The Line (By Request)
Beast Of Burden
Doom And Gloom
Bitch (with Gary Clark Jr)
Paint It Black
Honky Tonk Women
You Got The Silver (with Keith Richards on lead vocals)
Before They Make Me Run (with Keith Richards on lead vocals)
Miss You
Midnight Rambler (with Mick Taylor)
Gimme Shelter
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Sympathy For The Devil
Brown Sugar
ENCORE
You Can’t Always Get What You Want (with the Voce Choir and members of the London Youth Choir)
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (with Mick Taylor)
My only, minor, quibble was that there was no Street Fighting Man. But that in the fans choice vote for the next show. Perhaps we aught to go back next week!