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 |
Rolling Stones 9:10pm - 11:10pm |
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Yes, you read the set list correctly, there was no It's Only Rock and Roll tonight. After hearing that song every single time that we've seen the band, we are thankfull that it was not played. The opening song was Jumping Jack Flash, a strong opener, despite some timing issues.
She's So Cold was awesome. Keith and Ronnie seemed to be connected and delivered quite a guitar weaving treat to experience. We couldn't take our eyes off of them, and they were so connected that they didn't seem to look at each other; they just rocked. We were treated to Worried About You. It's so nice to hear some songs that we've never heard before! Mick's voice took us to new levels. After Tumblin' Dice Mick remarked that it had been eight years since they had played St. Louis. He noted that the place is now called the Savvis Center rather than the Kiel Center, and that the Rams won the Superbowl in when? 2000? He wasn't sure. Rain Fall Down is a great song to hear live, and the audience seems to respond with dancing along. Midnight Rambler and Night Time Is The Right Time are a good back-to-back match. It's hard to follow Midnight Rambler with anything, but the Stones sustained the intensity. During the intros, Mick referred to Ron as a canary (referring to a bright yellow shirt that he was wearing) and then he introduced Charlie as part of the matching girls because Charlie was also wearing a bright yellow shirt. Get Off My Cloud is a great, fun song, and it's perfectly placed on the B stage. There's lots of audience participation. This was a fun week for us to see all three shows in a row. We notice that when there's a break between our attending a show, the atmosphere is very electric. The Stones are on fire, full of energy, constantly entertaining every section of the audience. Then when we start going to a few shows in a row, we start looking at other things, maybe focusing on another aspect of the stage, or minor mistakes on songs we hear all the time. However, 95 percent of the crowd is so in touch with Mick and his energy and the music, that nobody even notices these things. The Stones on a subpar night are still in a different league than any other band out there, and that's why they fill these shows up. The comments leaving the shows are always positive about what was experienced, with maybe a disappointment in not hearing that one person's favorite. But with a catalogue as extensive as the Stones, we think that they're absolutely reaching out to every person in the audience. |
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At 9:10 lights go down and the band hits the stage- Keith rips the opening lines to JJ Flash. The sound is good and loud, wouldn�t describe it as crisp but in your face like rock and roll should be. The JJ Flash is good, tight and right on the mark. Mick appears to look very serious the first couple songs in a black coat and satin pink shirt. The band then breaks into YGMR, looks bad on paper but its fine at the show. I like the way Charlie�s drums pop and bop under the guitar riffs, and the Hey Hey Heys get the house rocking. They pull out She�s So Cold, thought we were going to the LSTNT, but they did it back in 97 at the Dome, I should have known better. Love the big screen with the vintage clips of band though out the years. Only problem with the song, was my sister singing the words louder than then Mick, OK Liz- shut up, we know, you know all the words and so does everyone in our section. I liked the Rough Justice, Mick working the stage and Ronnie pulls off some good licks on the slide guitar. Usual Tumbling Dice, good not great, but Keith is bending the strings and its good and solid.
Small break as they set up the keyboards in center stage. What�s it going to be? They just played Memory Motel in Chicago and Worried About You is too fine a song for a secondary market show like St. Louis. Sure enough, Mick clips the open keys to Worried About You and the crowd goes nuts. It�s tight, totally on key and extremely soulful. It�s all Mick Jagger, doing his thing- so on the mark and so well. Love the tone, the band drops into the background, and the Highway Man takes us down, you know, love that falsetto voice parts-- it was nothing less than spectacular. Really great stuff, folks. Mick doesn�t go totally bat shit on the �Bayyyy-bees� but it was so righteous and well done. Made my show a real show, not just auto pilot Stones. The Rain Falls Down, was good perhaps a little less funky then I have heard in the past, but a solid effort. Next up is the Midnight Rambler, not the longest one I�ve heard-- but the show reaches some intensity with the lights down and Mick on harp. Keith and Ronnie slashing and ripping away, it was pretty damn good. In fact it was a great part of the show. Glad we got it.
I just want to say how much I admire Charlie Watts�s playing, the guy is on the mark every single beat, crisp, so tight and totally professional. He makes the biggest sound with the smallest drum kit in the business. Sometimes I think he is over looked as the best drummer in rock, he makes that band swing every single night he steps on stage. He is great, hats off to Charlie, take a bow. I thought for sure we would get Gimme Shelter, but they dust off the Ray Charles cover, The Right Time is the Night Time. Its good, well done, Lisa Fisher belts out her part and well received by the crowd.
I then leave my sister in the upper decks during the band intros and bolt downstairs to my friend�s seats near the B stage. I missed most of the This Place is Empty and find a spot to hang out in the isle during Happy and the B stage set. Happy was nice, fast and super solo from Ronnie Wood. Then the stage slowly starts to move the band closer to the back of the arena with Miss You. Its good, but I think the band is tired of this one, not as into it much as the other numbers. The stage settles right before me, and I can tell they are having a good time. Keith looks out into audience going nuts, he looks sort of baffled by how much everyone loves the Stones and going nuts. He is in his office, doing his work, you know, whats all the fuss about?? I think they sort of look like- they are an exhibit a in cage at the zoo in the middle of the arena. It so cool to see the boys up close, yes they look like a million years old. The Start Me Up is tight and controlled and sounds good. Get Off My Cloud is the only song that I don�t sounds that great. I heard it once in Chicago and thought I was in back London in 1966. It sounds to fast, too much like a 70�s rock song and doesn�t really have the same edge that it should have, for me. Don�t get me wrong, it was good-- everyone loves the Hey You part, but just a tiny bit off for me. The stage slowly moves the stage back with Honky Tonk Women, its good and tight. The crowd was singing and jamming right along. Then I bolt back upstairs to the upper deck.
The rest of the show was pretty tight, good and clear. Sympathy was fine, Keiths solos tend to wander sometimes but he as was good. Love Bernard and Lisa doing the Woot-Woos. Crowd was very into the show. I couldn�t believe we got the Paint it Black. Lights are down and once again the show reaches some real decent intensity. I see a red door I want to paint to black, I�m with you Mick. Brown Sugar was good and rocking. I tell my sister that I could find us a spot downstairs for the encores. We get down there and it was a real short break, and Keith starts the opening to YCAGWYW. It was fun, and loose--Mick working the crowd on the ramp down the middle, I love it. Then the almighty Satisfaction, Keith rips the cords and everyone in the house is dancing away. It was soon the mark, and so well done, Charlie hitting the skins, Ronnie and Keith working the crowd and Mick all over the place. It could not have been played any better. Great show, solid performance by the entire band, not auto pilot Stones for St. Louis. Mick was very very good, almost on fire.
On the way out, I was so jazzed, I couldn�t help myself from singing the Woot-Woos as we were leaving. A few people Woot-Wooed me back, it was fun. A woman looks at me while we are in a crowded line, and says-- Could you be any more annoying? I wanted to shove her stupid $5 poster down her throat, but I had such a great time, I just Woot Wooed her right back in her face, as I just saw the Greatest God Damn Rock n Roll band in the World in my hometown. Thanks boys, please come back again!!
The performance was one of the most inspired and energetic of the tour, and the sound was loud but sub-optimal for more than half the show, like too much reverberation or distortion. I was on the last row of the lower-level, perpendicular to the side of the �B� stage, and maybe the 8 foot concrete wall behind me had something to do with it.
For the second time, but my first, they played "Worried About You", and I thoroughly enjoyed it; would like to hear it again. They brought back "Night Time Is The Right Time", possibly because of St. Louis� stature as a premier blues town. No problem w/ how it sounded, but I�m ready for them to bring a new one to the table. Everything else was the usual fare we all know and love. I�m �happy� that Keith went back to one of his standards with Happy; and would like to see him do the same for his second number.
Well worth the short trip to Saint Louis.
The best song of the night was Paint it Black. I enjoyed She's so Cold. Their standard classics were great. I know many would like them to nix it up more, yet, for my Wife being a first timer, no SFTD, Brown Sugar, JJF, Honky Tonk Women and Etc. would leave her feeling cheated.
They play 2-hours straight no matter what and packing in 20-songs is hard. The full set list is mentioned above.
The band was tight and energetic. The last time here in 97 was a national broadcast so I think the expected the crowd to remember and appreciate them. The downer was the people around me. Not to go into detail, just to say first time Stones Concert, younger amateurs, need to respect the people around them.
Anyway, a goal of the tour is to get people to buy the new album, which I will soon. Now that is satisfaction, and that is how I would describe the concert. Mick, Keith, Charlie and Ronnie and the rest, you made my wife Christine Happy. What Legends!
I do have to say though I was a little disappointed by the fans that surrounded us. They sat during almost the whole concert. I can not see how in the world anyone could sit during the Rolling Stones. They rocked the Savvis Center. I have seen other concerts there, but none sounded the way that this one did. The songs that I have to say I missed though were definitely "Shattered", "Gimme Shelter" and "Beast of Burden". It was okay with me though that I did not see these, as I saw most of my favorites. They would be playing on stage for hours if they played everything I would have liked.
Lisa, the back up singer, has been with the band for years. She traveled with them for the Live Licks tour. She can wail like no other. The song that she sang with Mick during the concert rocked. She has a way with making songs better. She has such an incredible voice. I am all around pleased with the concert. My friends and I had contemplated on what songs they would sing. My boyfriend and I own the Live Licks DVD's and the CD's. I look and listen to both of them so differently now. I wish I could have another opportunity to see them, but I don't think it will happen.
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It's Only Rock'n Roll 1980 - 2006