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THE ROLLING STONES
The Shepherd's Bush Empire
June 8. 1999
by
Massimo Bonanno
Although in London everybody unofficially knew, THE ROLLING STONES no so
secret gig at the Shepherd's Bush Empire was officially confirmed at 8 a.m. by
Virgin Radio: tickets would go on sale at 11 a.m. on Monday June 7, at Tower
Records in Piccadilly.
More than 5000 fans, including myself, queued under pouring rain along
Piccadilly, hoping to get one of the 1.500 tickets that went on sale. Each lucky
fan had his/her hand stamped and it meant he/her was allowed to get the 10£
ticket and a coloured (yellow, green or pink) plastic wrist band.
Rumours said that perhaps Marianne Faithfull was going to join the band for a
version of "Sister Morphine", and tickets had been requested by
several VIP's including Pete Townshend, Damon Albarn of Blur, Kate Moss.
On tuesday evening, as fans gathered outside the Empire, touts charged as
much as 1.200£ for a ticket.
Wearing a pink wrist-band, I was admitted to a seat in the tiny gallery, from
where I had a nice view of the stage and moreover I had not to spend the whole
night standing up, in the middle of the screaming, jumping and sweating audience
as I did four years before at the Brixton Academy.
Shery Crow opened the hot evening, but it was when THE ROLLING STONES
suddenly materialized on stage that the audience went berserk: as the opening
notes of "Shattered" filled the small venue, everyone jumped on his
feet while MICK JAGGER, once again, impressed the audience with his incredibly
energetic and fantastic stagecraft. At the end of the number MICK shouted:
"Welcome to Shepherd's Bush! I've been waiting to say that for a long
time!"
He strutted around in tight black jeans, pink shirt and black waistcoat which
soon he pulled off to reveal a tight black vest. "It's Only Rock'n'Roll"
followed, then it was "Respectable" at the end of which CHARLIE has to
change his snare drum since he had hit it so hard he broke it. After "All
Down The Line" , before launching in a rocky version of "Some
Girls", MICK threw a bemused smile to the audience then, in the middle of
the song he sang, "some girls give me children that I have never asked them
for...some girls are so corrupt, I only make love to her once!". The band
mixed greatest hits and never performed live numbers, in fact for the first time
ever in their career they played a stunning version of "Melody" from
"Black And Blue", followed by "Brand New Car" and "Moon
Is Up" both from "Voodoo Lounge".
Then KEITH played and sung the two numbers "Before They Make Me Run",
featuring Leah Wood, Ronnie's daughter on back-up vocals, and "You Got The
Silver", a nice track where both RON and KEITH played great slide guitar.
Then it was MICK again on vocals as the band played "I Got The Blues"
from "Sticky Fingers". MICK then did lead the whole audience through
endless choruses lasting a few minutes of "You'll Never Make A Saint Of
Me", at the end of "Saint Of Me".
"Honky Tonk Women" saw Sheryl Crow on the mike again with MICK, then
there was the great finale: "Route 66", "Tumbling Dice", and
"Brown Sugar".
It really was a great show, a spectacular one, proving once again that THE
ROLLING STONES are still the greatest rock'n'roll band around.
Insiders were amazed to see Jerry Hall backstage to greet MICK and the boys,
will they really divorce? MICK's daughter Jade was there too, stars in the
audience included actress Liz Hurley, Bon Jovi, Bob Geldorf, Jimmy Page, The
Chemical Brothers, rock veterans Aerosmith.
As I was leaving the premises I bumpted into Anita Pallemberg and Chris Jagger.
What a night!!
Massimo Bonanno
Read Blue Lenas review
from the Shepherd's Empire
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