So last night, I was maybe 5 yards from the stage. Today, at least 120 yards - maybe more! Still, I was cajoled into paying over £100 to see the Stones at the vast London Arena (Olympic Stadium). And guess what - it was worth it!
Support came from Liam Gallagher who had the decency to include a decent amount of Oasis material - almost all of it much stronger that his other stuff. Vocals were a bit dodgy to start with, but improved and we took the opportunity to "borrow" some empty seats for his performance and sip an outrageously priced (£6.90 !) pint of beer.
Organisation at the stadium was slightly haphazard. A sensible "no bags" policy led to long queues (after we had got in) and even tubes of mints were being confiscated at the gate. Most of the stewards were unable to identify which seats were reserved and which were not.
This eventually led to us being "evicted" (with load of other people), but we were happy enough to stand on the pitch for the main act. They delivered a fantastic setlist and belied the fact that most of them are in their 70's! I went to see them in 1990 thinking it was probably a "a farewell" show, but this had more energy and quality than I'd have dared to expect.
The predictable "breather" was when Keith Richards sang his 2 songs which most of the audience clearly didn't know or care for. Surely he'd have been better singing another classic Stones song that he co-wrote (even if Jagger sang on the original).
That aside - a great evening!
Setlist - Liam Gallagher
Rock 'n' Roll Star
Morning Glory
Greedy Soul
Wall of Glass
You Better Run
Some Might Say
Cigarettes & Alcohol
Live Forever
Setlist - The Rolling Stones
Street Fighting Man
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It)
Tumbling Dice
Paint It Black
Ride 'Em on Down
Under My Thumb
Fool to Cry
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Honky Tonk Women
Before They Make Me Run
Slipping Away
Sympathy for the Devil
Miss You
Midnight Rambler
Start Me Up
Jumpin' Jack Flash
Brown Sugar
+
Gimme Shelter
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
