CLEVELAND, Ohio – OK, let’s get this out of the way.
The core trio of The Rolling Stones are old, pretty darn old. Even if 80 is the new 70, The Glimmer Twins — Mick Jagger and Keith Richards — plus Ronnie Wood, the youngest of the trio who celebrated his 77th year on June 1, are definitely veteran senior citizens. And, in a wry bit of (presumably lucrative) self-realization with a dash of irony, the band’s current Hackney Diamonds Tour, which stopped at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Saturday, is sponsored by the American Association of Retired Persons.
Of course, the Stones are not retired. In fact, they are on the road once again and they (finally) returned to Cleveland on Saturday for only the second time this century.
Related: Rolling Stones in CLE: If this is ‘The Last Time’ no one could ask for anything more (photos)
Related: Rolling Stones in Cleveland 1964-2002: All the shows, all the reviews
COVID derailed their scheduled 2020 tour stop, so many area fans have waited 22 years for another chance to get their ya-ya’s out in their own backyard. On Saturday night, the Stones gave fans a musical trip into their past and present with a 19-song, 2-plus hour set of hits from the ‘60s through ’80s, skipping the ’90s and the aughts but bringing it on into the 21st century with a few new tunes.
Before the show, fans milled about in a wide variety of vintage (or at least reproductions of vintage) t-shirts, and as always, hardcore fans commiserated about the number of Stones shows they have attended across the decades.
Unfortunately, as many of those fans were attempting to settle in for the show, they could be heard grousing about the difficulty of getting to their seats. Note to stadiums hosting concerts: please tell concert-goers about any wristband requirements in your online communications prior to the show to streamline the seating process and so they don’t end up venting their frustrations at your innocent, hard-working employees.
Nevertheless, once the show started, all (or at least most) was forgiven with the ringing opening notes of “Start Me Up.” Jagger, resplendent in a shiny green sequin shirt and black jeans and shoes, gave fans and photographers a quick tour of some of his signature moves as he wiggled, jiggled, shimmied, and shook like the Jagger of, well, old.
The 11-piece touring version of the band features longtime sidemen, including keyboard player and music director Chuck Leavell, bassist Darryl Jones, background singer Bernard Fowler, and hornmen Tim Ries & Karl Denson, plus newcomer drummer Steve Jordan in the seat formerly held by the late, beloved Charlie Watts.
It’s a rock and roll machine, a live jukebox filled with Rolling Stones classics and a few new tunes from their highly regarded new album, “Hackney Diamonds,” from which they performed three songs.
A suitability loose & lively “It’s Only Rock and Roll” gave way to “Let’s Spend The Night Together” before a solid reading of the “Hackney Diamonds” lead single “Angry.”
Early on, Wood did much of the heavy lifting on solos, offering some sharp fretboard work on the fan-voted ““Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” and “Tumbling Dice” and unleashed some tasty slide licks on a low-key funky “Monkey Man.”
Jagger’s onstage energy level is legendary, but Wood was also constantly on the move and was clearly enjoying himself. Like, Jagger, Wood explored the considerable stage space, occasionally walking down the catwalk during his solos, and ensuring that the folks in the nosebleeds and on the sides of the stadium didn’t only get to see him on the massive screens on either side and above the stage while Richards mostly hung out by his Fender amps and Jordan.
Of the new songs performed, “Whole Wide World” had the most energy, with its lightly punk-infused riff and drawing another fiery solo from Wood.
“It’s good to do the new ones,” Jagger said after the song. “Because the new ones become old ones.”
Later, during an extended “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” Jagger stalked the long catwalk, bringing the band down to a heartbeat kick drum thump and prodded fans to singalong, which they happily obliged. The song’s coda even became a double-time rave-up with a soulful gospel feel.
During his moments of banter, Jagger referenced the 22-year gap between Cleveland shows and the band’s first local show at Public Hall in 1964. He also shouted out the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and suggested that everyone in attendance vote in the big U.S. election in November. “It may be the last time you get to vote,” he said ominously, drawing murmurs from the crowd.
As Jagger took a well-earned break, Richards stepped to the mic for three tunes, giving solid raspy vocals the new ballad “Tell Me Straight,” (“We’re still breaking that one in,” he said afterward), fan favorite “Little T&A,” highlighted with some chunky Chuck Berry inspired riffage and of course many folks favorite Keef tune, “Happy.”
Shortly thereafter, the massive screens on both sides of the stage turned red, and a refreshed Jagger came out in all black for “Sympathy For The Devil.” Jagger missed his vocal cue by a beat or two, but it didn’t matter as fans were already “whoo-whoo-ing,” and Richards finally left his safe space and headed to the far side, much to fans on that side’s delight as Leavell went bonkers on the song’s busy piano groove.
“Miss You” got the live equivalent of a 12-inch mix, with Jagger taking a hot harp solo and Jones stretching out the tune’s funky disco bass line into an in-the-pocket solo. “Gimme Shelter” gave backup singer Chanele Haynes a chance to show her chops as she scream-sang “Rape!, Murder!” and then harmonized, danced and strutted at the front of the stage with some Tina Tuner-like ferocity alongside Jagger.
The set wound down with a trio of the band’s ’60′s hits, “Paint it Black,”and “Jumping Jack Flash,” with Richards intro chords leaping out of the massive speakers and Jagger still moving like Jagger.
The Rolling Stones, Inc. rock and roll machine ended the show with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” featuring one of Richards’ best solos of the night and Jagger briefly getting down on all fours to emphasize his inability to achieve the goal laid out in the song’s title.
Who knows when or where the Rolling Stones will return to Cleveland (in the arena down the street, please), but the fans young, old and everywhere in between seemed to have gotten their Stones jones satiated as they made their exodus (as Bob Marley’s “Exodus” played over the sound system) back to their cars to wait for the next chance to get some live licks from their favorite band.
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