 Hartford Civic Center
on Saturday 5th of September 2002.16.000 are expected to see the evening
show in Hartford, CT.
Set list:
Street Fighting Man - It's Only Rock'n'Roll - If You Can't Rock Me -
Don't Stop - Rocks Off - Love In Vain - Let It Bleed - Monkey Man - Gimme
Shelter - Tumbling Dice - Slippin' Away - Before They Make Me Run - Start
Me Up - Love Train - Honky Tonk Woman - Can't You Hear Me Knocking -
Satisfaction - Mannish Boy - You Got Me Rockin' - Brown Sugar -
Midnight Rambler - Jumping Jack Flash.
 Review
Stones Play Like They're Proving Themselves Anew
October 6, 2002
By ERIC R. DANTON, Courant Rock
Critic
When Pete Townshend inducted the Rolling Stones into the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, he urged the band not to grow old gracefully,
saying, "It wouldn't suit you" and meaning it as a compliment.
No worries.
At the geezerly ages of 59, 58, 61 and 54, respectively, Mick Jagger, Keith
Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood show no signs of growing old gracefully.
Back on the road for their first tour since 1999, the four main Stones were as
alive and energetic Saturday night at the Hartford Civic Center as they have
ever been. Perhaps more so - improbably, the band's energy level only rose as
the set went on before the musicians took their final bows after nearly 2½
hours on stage.
From the opening visceral kick of "Street Fighting Man" to the
wonderfully messy finale of "Jumping Jack Flash," the Stones played as
if 40 years of history counted for nothing, as if they had to prove themselves
anew to the fans in the sold-out crowd, some of whom paid $300 each for their
seats.
The audience didn't take much convincing - it was the Rolling Stones, after all.
There's an interesting on-stage dynamic among the members of the band, as each
Stone tends to do his own thing. Jagger and Richards spent a fair amount of the
show studiously ignoring one another. Mick strutted, danced and preened his way
around the stage, while Keef clowned with Wood or played his guitar in front of
Watts, with his back to the audience. Wood, meanwhile, demonstrated his mastery
of the singular art of strumming his guitar with a lighted cigarette lodged
between the fingers of his picking hand.
 The
lack of interaction early on certainly didn't affect the music. The rolling
faux-country of "Let It Bleed" and the buzz-saw guitar riff of
"Can't You Hear Me Knocking" sounded fresh, though both songs are more
than 30 years old. The show seemed to serve as a big ice-breaker for the
musicians, who were acknowledging each other more toward the end.
At many Stones shows, the unflappable Watts gets the most applause when Jagger
introduces the band. In Hartford, the biggest ovation went to Weston's own
Richards, who then sang a few tunes while Jagger disappeared.
The band ended its regular set on a small stage in the center of the arena,
where the musicians played a powerful version of "Mannish Boy," a
blues classic, before jumping back into the Stones' own catalog with "You
Got Me Rocking" and "Brown Sugar." The band returned to the main
stage for an encore.
The Rolling Stones' set list Saturday was: "Street Fighting Man,"
"It's Only Rock and Roll (But I Like It)," "If You Can't Rock
Me," "Don't Stop," "Rocks Off," "Love in Vain,"
"Let it Bleed," "Monkey Man," "Gimme Shelter,"
"Tumbling Dice," "Slipping Away," "Before You Make Me
Run," "Start Me Up," "Love Train," "Honky Tonk
Woman," "Can't You Hear Me Knocking," "(I Can't Get No)
Satisfaction," "Mannish Boy," "You Got Me Rocking,"
"Brown Sugar." Encore: "Midnight Rambler," "Jumping
Jack Flash."
Stones Rock CT!!!
Greatest rock and roll band in the world continues to impress fans
By Dale Zupsansky, Stamford, CT
This past Saturday the Stones continued to roll through North America
stopping at the Hartford Civic Center. The band was rockin and the fans let
them know by showering them with deafening applauses throughout the night.
Again Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood mixed up
the set list this time doing a set from Let It Bleed featuring Love In Vain,
with Ronnie doing his beautiful slide work on the solos, Let Bleed, Monkey
Man and Gimme Shelter. The crowd was lively and applauded every song as if
it were their encore. The energy level on stage was just as electric as the
crowd. Mick did his thing, seducing the crowd with every word he sang and
every move he strutted. Keith struck the chords of his guitar with a
vengeance while doing his familiar poses between riffs. Ronnie continues to
impress this tour with his fine guitar work and playful enthusiasm, which he
brings to each performance. Charlie, of corse, didn't miss a beat, playing
like a 16 year-old boy would at his first gig. From the opening chords of
Street Fighting Man to encore of Midnight Rambler and Jumping Jack Flash,
the band looked as if they were happier than ever and their sound reflected
it.
Perhaps the most amazing thing about this tour is the Stones ability to mix
150 something songs into various sets lists. While other entertainers such
as Paul McCartney, U2 and Bruce Springsteen playing the same set lists every
night, the Stones have decided to take the opposite approach and play
different set lists practically every night. It seems as if they always know
how to please their fans from the hardcore fans who get to hear classics
such as Far Away Eyes and Loving Cup to the casual fan who wants to hear
them play classics such as Honky Tonk Women and Jumping Jack Flash. Nobody
goes home unhappy.
 Besides
the Let it Bleed set on Saturday, Mick, Keith and the boys dusted
off a few other classics playing very raw-sounding versions If You Can't
Rock Me and Rocks Off. The crowd reacted with a roar when Keith busted out
the opening chords of Can't You Hear Me Knocking, which sounded better than
ever with Mick playing an impressive harmonica solo, which was not
originally in the studio version.
On the center stage, the Stones began by performing blues classic Manish
Boy, which received a roar from the crowd every time Mick shouted, "I'm A
Man!!!" For the encore, the band did a great version of Midnight Rambler
with Keith adding a little extra to the slow, bluesy riff right before the
song goes into its slow and almost quiet interlude. The Stones concluded
with Jumping Jack Flash with the entire crowd on their feet in the
confetti-filled room. Forty years later the Stones continue to put on a
performance that nobody can ever match. Mick, Keith, Charlie and
Ronnie.....Don't Stop!!!!
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