Review by Junkman
“We heard the Eagles were playing Hotel California next door at the Forum, and we are going to do the same with Satanic Majesty’s — just kidding!” A playful Mick Jagger teased the sold out crowd at the massive SOFI Stadium on the second night of their LA run. He also noted that “they ran out of acid” as well. This was the kind of looseness and fun that the almost octogenarians, known as “The World’s Greatest Rock n Roll Band” for the last several decades, are having on this “No Filter” tour.
What else can you say about the Rolling Stones, that hasn’t already been said? They have been around seemingly forever, their song catalogue, stage, and production is extraordinary, and despite the death of drummer Charlie Watts at the tender age of 80 years young, they regroup and deliver, just like always. Singer Mick Jagger can still strut and prance just like he has since the mid 1960s, guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood still grind out the dirtiest licks in the business, and the fans come out in droves, in spite of astronomical ticket and parking prices.
Whatever it is that makes them keep going, was once again on display for two nights at the brand new and colossal SOFI Stadium, which is, yes, next door to the afore-mentioned Fabulous Forum, the scene of so many Stones performances over the years. The venue, home of the Rams and Chargers pro football teams, as well as the 2022 Super Bowl, is beyond enormous. The concourses are so big that King Kong could get lost in the crowd. The sound and lights are crisp and fabulous. As you can imagine, food and drinks are expensive, but lots of choices are to be had. There are plenty of ramps and areas that meet accessibility standards. Tonight, COVID-19 restrictions were in place and enforced, and masks were required indoors, but, as the night raged on, things loosened up, just like the band did.
As for the show, let’s just say that everyone got their money’s worth. After a spirited opening set from Canada’s The Glorious Sons, the stage was set. At approximately 8:48 PM, a huge, deafening roar from the crowd greeted the Rolling Stones and they launched into the 1968 protest song “Street Fighting Man.” Jagger immediately went to work, doing what he does best. Strutting, mugging for the crowd, waving his arms, and bleating out the lyrics to songs that he wrote and performed when he was close to 50 years younger, in the same key! All the while navigating what seemed like acres of stage, sometimes at full sprinters pace. As they say, “Whatever they gave him, I want some!”
A real treat for me was hearing the performance of “All Down the Line” from my favorite Rolling Stones LP, 1972’s Exile On Main Street. Like many in the crowd, I was immediately taken back to that point in my life when it was my favorite record in my collection. And the band nailed it. Obviously, the biggest change in this part of the tour is the fact that drummer Charlie Watts is not there. Drummer Steve Jordan is the PERFECT person to drum for the Rolling Stones, now that Watts has passed. I was actually in a discussion a few years ago with someone about this very subject, and I mentioned his name then, and I stand by it now. Apparently the band agreed, as did Watts, when he first became ill. Jordan, wearing an orange turtleneck and sporting big shades ala a young Stevie Wonder, was, as us drummers say, “In the pocket” all night long. His backbeat was not only driving the bands songs, but at times mimicked Watt’s swinging style to perfection.
Jagger thanked The Glorious Sons before leading the band into a couple more favorites of mine — “19th Nervous Breakdown,” which featured bassist Darrell Jones doing the Bo Diddley style bass-note figure after each chorus that was originally done by the late Stones guitarist Brian Jones when they recorded it back in 1965. Next up was the classic “Tumbling Dice,” another one from Exile On Main Street. Ronnie Wood added so much to the original version played by Mick Taylor by way of his slide guitar work. It fit seamlessly into what Keith Richards was doing throughout — to me, this is the true Rolling Stones sound. Not quite, blues, not quite honky tonk, just something in between.
Jagger again addressed the crowd: “Haven’t played this one in a while, I hope it all goes well” — and the band proceeded to delight the crowd with a spirited version of “Beast Of Burdon” from 1978’s Some Girls LP. The lighting director used the house lights to entice the crowd to sing the “Woo” parts of the song, while longtime back ground singer Bernard Fowler came out front and sang, along with Jagger, on the word “never” as part of the chorus.
Jagger also mentioned that this night was special — someone had told him that it was the exact date of the night when he and Keith Richards met at a train station 60 years ago. Kind of cool when you think about it…and all that has happened since.
It was then that the band did something awesome. Every night of the tour, they choose a song from a list of online requests. Supposedly, they don’t know which one until it’s flashed on one of their huge video screens. Tonight it was 1971’s “Wild Horses.” Unfortunately, a slight delay in its performance happened as Jagger pointed out: “We have 75 guitars backstage and can’t find the right 12 string.” They never did, but the band played on with Richards using a six-string Fender Telecaster instead. It worked out fine.
“Do ya feel like singing a bit?” Jagger asked the crowd before leading the band into an extended version of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” He used every inch of the long ramp that extended into the crowd to coax them into singing along, and, of course, they did exactly what he asked. The inebriated guy next to me even had the audacity to invent his own key to sing in, and then displayed his drunken waltzing skills to boot. Ya gotta love being at a live rock show. The band even ramped up the droning number a bit, double-timing the coda, courtesy of Steve Jordan’s wonderful drumming and band director and pianist Chuck Leavell’s spirited keyboard mastery.
The Rolling Stones’ timely 2020 single “Living In A Ghost Town” was a joy to hear live, unlike the over-played “Start Me Up,” which followed. Soon, the familiar cowbell into to the classic “Honky Tonk Woman” echoed through the stadium, and the band rocked that song just like it was 1969. Jagger was incredible, navigating the huge ramp and both sides of the stage, sometimes running at full speed, all the while singing the song in its original key. Again, he is 78 YEARS OLD!
It was then time for “Glimmer Twin” guitarist Keith Richards to take center stage. For someone who has been ridiculed for still being alive after all the abuse he’s put himself through, he looked healthier than I have seen him in years, complete with a twinkle in his eye, obviously enjoying himself. Wearing a slightly tilted yellow beanie hat and draped in an assortment of satin shirts, he looked like an old merchant marine sailor who had gotten into the wardrobe bin of a “fancy women” in one of the many ports he had visited.
After mumbling something to the crowd, he joyfully took lead vocals on two songs — the rarely performed ode to airport delays “Connection” from 1967, followed by “Before They Make Me Run,” another one from Some Girls. “Keef” is a rock star like no other. One of a kind. He truly is the “Rock” of rock n roll in my book. Jagger then joined him on guitar on “Miss You,” the biggest hit from Some Girls, spot-lighting Darrell Jones’ big, fat bass guitar bottom end notes that drive that popular disco-era song.
Jagger showcased his harmonica playing skills during the longest song of the night, the bluesy “Midnight Rambler.” With its many tempo changes, the show showed just how versatile the band can be. “This is our 49th show in Los Angeles!” exclaimed Jagger, sharing some Stones trivia with his star-struck crowd.
The band, covered by a huge plastic lighted awning, launched into “Paint It Black,” while the audience swayed and rocked to Jordan’s thumping drum beat and Wood’s imitation of the original recording’s sitar tone. Jagger pranced and stutter-stepped while singing the song from 1966’s wonderful Aftermath LP.
The percussion intro to “Sympathy for the Devil” followed, signaling to many of us that the show was approaching the home stretch. Jagger appeared in a shiny coat and tails and navigated the long ramp like a conga dancer. The fiery graphics on the huge video screens behind him helped enhance the spooky vibe. It seemed that everyone in the sold-out stadium was dancing and singing the songs “Woot- woos” like an extended background choral group.
The Stones ended their set with the obligatory “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” before leaving the stage briefly. The building rocked with applause as background vocalist Sasha Allen appeared and channeled original singer Merry Clayton’s gospel-like intro to “Gimme Shelter.” She then took center stage during the song’s coda as she strutted the long ramp and sang her heart out: “Rape. Murder. It’s just a shot away.” In her silvery fringed dress, one was reminded of vintage Tina Turner as the other members of fabulous Rolling Stones grinned and rocked this classic.
The band finished the night’s festivities with the obligatory “Satisfaction,” which had many in the audience, from toddlers in their parent’s arms, to senior citizens in wheelchairs and walkers, waving their arms and singing along. Plenty of air guitarists filled the aisles, and the mostly Caucasian crowd, sporting their new $50 Rolling Stones T-Shirts, tried out their best “moves like Jagger” dancing routines unabashedly, united as one, all enjoying these rock n roll legends. A brief firework display capped the evening.
For many, it was their first time seeing the Stones; for many — to paraphrase a line from the Rolling Stones vast catalog of songs — “This could BE the last time. Maybe the last time, I don’t know.” Time will tell. My thanks to those that made it possible for me to attend. As always, my thanks to the band. “It’s only Rock n Roll, but I like it!”
