Rolling Stones

Venue:

Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Date: 15/06/2024

Hello Cleveland! Mick said he had always wanted to say that. He would have had other opportunities, however this was their first show in the city since 2002 and 60 years(!) since their first one which he informed us was apparently very poorly attended.

I had 3 realistic options for a tour stop within fairly reasonable driving distances,the others being East Rutherford near New York and Philadelphia. Cleveland won, with the show being on a Saturday and the added bonus of taking place on Father’s Day weekend. So my 17 yr old daughter joined me for her first and very probably last Stones show. It was no. 29 for me. She loved it btw

I have travelled a lot for Stones shows and when it takes place in a relatively smaller city, it is like they take over the place. Fans everywhere wearing a multitude of T shirts from past and present tours and Stones tracks blaring from speakers downtown where the stadium is conveniently placed. A black middle aged lady of ample proportions had even set up a drum kit to join in the fun.

I had bought “Lucky Dip” tickets, 2 for $95. You find out where you are sitting once you pick them up at the show. We did pretty well, a side view but in a lower bowl 100 section. Tickets that would have cost $250 each otherwise. Couldn’t see the drummer, but that meant I could somehow imagine that poor departed Charlie was still up there somewhere

Sunset was around 9.20, the cue for Keith to lurch on to the stage banging out the opening chords to Start Me Up, the rest of the band on his heels. Followed by It’s Only Rock n Roll and Let’s Spend the Night Together. A solid, but fairly unspectacular start. Nice to see Keith and Mick singing together during LSTNT. Then came Angry from new album Hackney Diamonds, not my favourite but somehow about halfway through something clicked and then they were “on” for pretty much the rest of the night.

Heartbreaker had won the fan vote which was my choice and we got an excellent version. I had been hoping for She’s a Rainbow but it wasn’t an option as they had played it previous show in Philly. Another personal fave Monkey Man followed and momentum was maintained for the rest of the show, a rare 3 song Keith set also going down very well with the enormous crowd.

Some slight quibbles, I really wanted to hear Sweet Sounds of Heaven but that has apparently been dropped. It also seems either Midnight Rambler or Miss You is the choice, we got the latter. I love it, but it ain’t no Rambler. Shout out to backing singer Chanel Haynes for her Tina Turner impression during Gimme Shelter, something she has much experience of.

Well I have got this far without mentioning the age of the band, Steve Jordan and Darryl Jones provided an excellent foundation, Keith played a lot and generally well, there were some searing solos from Ronnie and what can you say about Mick? Is the guy human? He sang very well, moved and danced around the stage like a 50 year old. Couple of errors here and there, Mick came in late on Gimme Shelter, Keith flubbed his solo on Honky Tonk Women. But who cares, the Rolling Stones are a miracle, we won’t see their like again.

The audience:

Ecstatic

It made me think..

This could be the last time, somehow I think there may be at least one more tour though if the remaining members stay in decent health.

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