Forget all the hype. On Tuesday Sept. 23, the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world took the stage at Soldier Field in Chicago. The Stones captivated a crowd of around 50,000 people in a mesmerizing fashion. The stage was a spectacle unlike anything that has been done in previous years. At 9:20 p.m., the introduction began and the foundation was set for the Bridges to Babylon Tour of 1997.
After a feeble showing from the opener, Blues Traveler, and following a brief introduction, including some interesting lion roars and metallic sounds, a huge explosion of noise and lights occurred and the virtuoso of rock, Keith Richards, took to the stage. Richards was wearing a leopard-skin silk shirt with a long, heavy leopard-skin coat. He captivated the crowd as he jammed out some riffs from the Stones hit "Satisfaction" on his guitar. After what seemed to be an eternity of yelling and sc
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| Ron Wood, Bill Wyman, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger are The Rolling Stones. |
The stage was a sight to be seen. Predominately gold, it contained an enormous amount of detail, despite its gargantuan size. On either side were two gold columns that contained many speakers. In the middle of the stage, set high above the musicians, was a jumbotron that displayed a crystal clear image of the Rolling Stones and various other effects to the crowd. Placed behind curtains that were revealed after VH1 had covered the first two songs were two air-filled statues of a nude man and woman on either side of the stage. Later in the show, these figures disappeared and became unidentifiable hanging sculptures.
The Rolling Stones, at the average age of 53, played an incredible 24-song set, which lasted more than two hours and 15 minutes.
The set, in order, included: "Satisfaction," "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll," "Bitch," "Let's Spend the Night Together," "Rock and a Hard Place," "Ruby Tuesday," "Anybody Seen My Baby" (new), "19th Nervous Breakdown," "Out of Control" (new), "Under My Thumb," "Miss You," "All About You" (sung by Richards), "I Wanna Hold You" (Richards), "Little Queenie" (center stage), "Let It Bleed" (center), "The Last Time" (center), "Sympathy for the Devil," "Tumbling Dice," "Honkey Tonk Women," "You Got Me Rocking," "Start Me Up," "Jumping Jack Flash," "You Can't Always Get What You Want" (encore) and "Brown Sugar" (encore). As a special treat to the fans in the back sections, the band was thoughtful enough to leave the main stage and head to a makeshift stage in the center of the football field. For three songs, the Stones jammed outside in the kind of climate we have all grown to love in Ann Arbor. This single act showed everyone the professional style that makes the Stones what they are today.
Many questions have been brought up about whether Mick Jagger can still sing his songs (which are nearly all based on sexual themes) with the same intensity as when he was younger. At age 54 and with grandchildren, Mick Jagger can still light up a stage and perform in front of a crowd in the style that has made him so famous. This is especially evident in the newer songs that the Stones performed. "Has Anybody Seen My Baby" and "Out of Control," both from the new Bridges to Babylon CD (released Sept. 30th), are two songs that bring out the classic Rolling Stones style. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.
After the Rolling Stones finished 22 songs with a backup crew consisting of enough secondary vocals and instruments to make Jimmy Page and Robert Plant jealous, the band left the stage and Soldier Field turned pitch black Instantly, lighters emerged and the crowd began to yell "encore!" Finally, huge fogger emitted a fog thicker than a bad day in Boston. Lights began flashing and millions of streamers were shot into the air as the Rolling Stones once again entered the stage. This concert was truly an event that will be remembered for decades by those who can still recall where they were that night.
From different costumes for each song to a rapping session with the backup vocals to an interactive stage, the Rolling Stones truly put on a show. The Stones represent all that is rock 'n' roll. Captivating an audience of more than 50,000 is no small task, but if anyone could possibly hypnotize a crowd of such size, the Rolling Stones can.
The opening day of the Bridges to Babylon Tour was a class act. The songs filled the audience with an intense energy while the stage provided a visual masterpiece to complete an impressive welding of the senses.
Hey, it's only rock 'n' roll, but I like it.
09-30-97
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