LONDON — The Rolling Stones turned back the clock in style on Sunday with their first concert in five years, strutting and swaggering their way through hit after familiar hit to celebrate 50 years in business.
Report by Reuters
Before a packed crowd of 20 000 at London’s O2 Arena, they banished doubts that age may have slowed down one of the world’s greatest rock and roll bands, as lead singer Mick Jagger launched into I Wanna Be Your Man.
More than two hours of high-octane, blues-infused rock later and they were still going strong with an impressive encore comprising You Can’t Always Get What You Want and Jumpin’ Jack Flash.
In between there were guest appearances from American R&B singer-songwriter Mary J Blige, who delivered a rousing duet with Jagger on Gimme Shelter and guitarist Jeff Beck who provided the power chords for I’m Going Down.
Former Rolling Stones Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor were also back in the fold, performing with the regular quartet of Jagger, Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards on guitar and Charlie Watts on drums for the first time in 20 years.
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“It took us 50 years to get from Dartford to Greenwich!” said Jagger, referring to their roots just a few miles from the venue in southeast London. “But you know, we made it. What’s even more amazing is that you’re still coming to see us . . . we can’t thank you enough.”
The Sunday night gig was the first of two at the O2 Arena before the band crosses the Atlantic to play three dates in the United States. The mini-tour is the culmination of a busy few months of events, rehearsals and recordings to mark 50 years since the rockers first took to the stage at the Marquee Club on London’s Oxford Street in July, 1962.
There has been a photo album, two new songs, a music video, a documentary film, a blitz of media appearances and a handful of warm-up gigs in Paris.