It was a cleaner, more reserved Rolling Stones show than those of past years on Friday, June 21, their second show in South Philadelphia as part of their “50 and Counting Tour” at the Wells Fargo Center.
“We’ve been coming here since 1965,” Mick Jagger stated on stage. “Thanks for keepin’ comin’ back,” he said, as the band launched into Emotional Rescue.
Jagger had lots of room to prance around as he’s known to do on the wide expansive stage, while Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood held court with their guitars, not moving much but focusing on their playing. This was the biggest change from earlier Stones shows – those two pals didn’t play off each other and laugh the way they used to on stage. It seemed a lot more fun for them in days past, or maybe they’re just showing their age. (Keith is 69, same as Mick; Ronnie just turned 66; drummer Charlie Watts is 72).
But Jagger kept his usual energy up, waving his arms about and twisting and twirling his super skinny body around their trademark “tongue” design that extended out of the stage into the audience.
The back of the stage was taken up by a screen that projected images of members of the band up close. While this is a nice feature at such a large venue, some faces should not be magnified. Mick Taylor, for example, the guitarist who played with the Stones for five years after Brian Jones left the band, is back on stage on this tour for a few songs but the camera operator should have kept more distance from him in an attempt to shield us fans from the reminder that these guys aren’t spring chickens anymore. Same goes for Richards, Wood and Jagger. Let’s put it this way, plastic surgery is not something these rock stars have spent their money on – why torture the audience by supersizing every nook and cranny on their weathered faces? A simple full-length close-up will do.
The two and half hour show started with Get off my Cloud and ended with (I can’t get no) Satisfaction and included all the Stones classics in between like Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Brown Sugar and You Can’t Always Get what you Want (set list is below).
For Gimme Shelter, longtime back-up vocalist Lisa Fischer belted out the beginning while she reached out to Jagger and moved from the side of the stage to prominent center for “rape, murder, it’s just a shot away.” Earlier that day, Fischer spoke with Pierre Robert on 93.3 WMMR and talked about how she prepares each night to duet with the world’s greatest rock ‘n roll band’s singer. If you listen to the podcast, you can’t believe a woman with such a soft, quiet speaking voice can sing with such power.
Not that they needed it, but the Stones have been bringing a surprise guest up on stage for one song at most shows (the tour began in early May in California). In Philadelphia on Tuesday night it was Brad Paisley, and last night it was Aaron Neville for Under the Boardwalk. For a review of Tuesday’s show, please see National Rolling Stones examiner Carla Hay’s review.
For Honky Tonk Women, the focus was on Chuck Leavell, the band’s keyboard player for 31 years, who was nicely featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer by Sandy Bauers writing about his other vocation – forestry. He manages a 2,500 acre forest plantation outside of Macon, Georgia with his wife (while not on tour).
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter declared it “Rolling Stones Week in Philadelphia” and presented the band with a miniature liberty bell before the show Tuesday night. At last night’s show, Mick Jagger held the small bell up for the audience to see, clanged it, and thanked the mayor for giving it to him.
The three-song encore began with “the Chestnut Hill-based, 24-member choral group the Crossing” according to Dan DeLuca, the Philadelphia Inquirer Music Critic, singing the acapella part of the song. Half of the coed choir stood on the left side of the stage; the other on the right. The band slowly walked on stage as the song progressed, with Keith’s guitar riffs louder in the mix at times for emphasis.
The Stones’ show wrapped up with (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, the most electric moment of the show with Mick Taylor out for this one, too, the house lights up, the audience screaming “I can’t get no!”
All the band mates came to the front of the stage, put their arms around each other and took a bow, followed by just the four members – Mick, Keith, Ronnie and Charlie taking a bow. Then off they went, not to be seen again…until who knows when.
We’ll miss them but not their high-ticket prices. Only 1,000 of the 15,000 seats went for $85 (the lowest price including all the fees). Other tickets cost $150, $200 and up to $600. No other rock band charges that much. And hopefully, none will. As a young man from Newark, NJ said outside the venue before the show, “I’m broke as a joke,” after spending $150 on his ticket. “I don’t have any money left for a beer,” he lamented as he headed inside.
Setlist for Friday, June 21
Get off My Cloud
It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like it)
Paint it Black
Gimme Shelter
Under the Boardwalk (with guest Aaron Neville)
When the Whip Comes Down
Emotional Rescue
Doom and Gloom
One More Shot
Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’ (with Mick Taylor)
Honky Tonk Women
You Got the Silver
Happy
Midnight Rambler (with Mick Taylor)
Miss You
Start Me Up
Tumbling Dice
Brown Sugar
Sympathy for the Devil
Encore:
You Can’t Always Get What You Want (with The Crossing choir)
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
(I can’t get no) Satisfaction (with Mick Taylor)
Related Articles
No user responded in this post
Leave A Reply