Like a Rolling Stone

Honestly, the Rolling Stones were never one of my top 5 groups (although Roger always liked them), but after seeing them in Adelaide on Saturday, I've seen the light.

Thanks to Craig Stratford, who is our Aussie friend working with Roger, he lent us his Land Rover to drive to Mildura where we rented a car to drive to Adelaide.  Several times leading up to the weekend, I questioned whether it was worth the hassle and expense.  Roger kept saying it was an opportunity we shouldn't pass by -- I'm glad I listened to him.

I've been carrying the tickets around in my passport holder since March!

We stayed at the Stamford Plaza which was just a short walk to the Oval that you can see in the background.

About 55,000 fans --- most of them Baby Boomers --- packed the Oval. Most of us had gray hair and we remember watching Neil Armstrong walk on the moon and what the world was like before internet and social media --- but the stadium had a fantastic electricity about and spirits were high.

Australian rock icon, Jimmy Barnes warmed up the crowd with his band

 It was a gorgeous night with temps around 20C.

And what we were waiting for...

The Rolling Stones!  

Back in the day, Bic lighters would have been held up like a galaxy ---in 2014 they are replaced by cell phones.

Fantastic set list
(photo off of the Stones' website)

They started off with Jumpin' Jack Flash with Mick Jagger resplendent in his shiny green jacket.  He changed several times and was constantly flinging jackets off throughout the concert ---- reminded me of when I have hot flashes.

Mick, Ronnie and Keith probably had a combined BMI of 19 and had faces etched with years of hard living --- but they sang, played and raced around the stage like rockers half their age.

Mick!

After the first song, Mick apologized for everyone having to wait so long for the band to come back.  Apparently only 2,000 tickets were turned in after the March concert was cancelled.  The crowd cheered him on, and throughout the night, he made several references to Adelaide and Australia.

When a huge breach of security happened and a man ran on stage from backstage, he was quickly tackled and removed by 2 guards.  Mick joked that a game of Aussie Rules was being played on stage, and it was all part of the act.  Good on him.

Charlie Watts was definitely the best preserved one of the four boys.  Clearly he didn't spend as many years involved in sex, drugs and rock 'n roll.

Keith Richards did a couple of solos while Mick was off stage

Thanks to the huge screens, everyone felt like they were close to the stage --- these guys really are larger than life.  The middle screen had many shots taken from concerts held in the 60s up to the present.

Ronnie Woods smoked through the whole concert: while he was singing...playing the guitar..and playing the keyboard!

Great back up musicians and singers

Mick played the guitar and mouth organ -- there is Ronnie with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth while playing!

Mick strutted and skipped throughout the 2-1/2 hour concert.

Years of practice enabled Ronnie Wood to smoke while playing

What a finale!

A choir from Adelaide appeared on stage after it went dark following the song, Brown Sugar.  They started off the song, "Can't Always Get" and then the boys came on stage.  Fabulous.

One of the best things was to see the guys still have fun doing concerts, and their bond from being together for 50 years was evident.

The Stones ended the two and half hour concert with  Mick singing he couldn't get any "Satisfaction" -- however, there is no doubt that we sure did.

"Life is about using the whole box of crayons."
                                                            Anonymous