........IT'S A GAS GAS GAS!

Santiago Bernabau Stadium, home of Real Madrid Football Club, is one of the world's most famous sporting stadiums. It's four tiers rise almost vertically forming an intimidating colosseum. However on Wednesday 25th June 2014, there's no round ball being kicked around, for rock'n'roll's most revered geriatrics are in town playing for the first time - and no doubt the last - in Madrid in 10 years before an adoring (and surprisingly young) crowd. It may come as something of a surprise, but I've never seen The Rolling Stones in concert before (neither has Dulcinea). The thing is, I like them, really like their classic 60's and early 70's stuff, but I don't love them. However, the concert going CV would be seriously lacking if I had never seen them play, even if it is in the unlikely location of Madrid.

Dulcinea - rock chica

Spanish TV star in front of us - the one on the left!

Spaniards in a night club is one thing, 60,000 of them packed into a confined space is utterly intoxicating when the opening bars of 'Jumping Jack Flash' erupt from the PA.

 From that point until the last note of 'Satisfaction' 2 1/2 hours later, they are a show within themselves, lifting the roof off Bernabau (well, they would have if it had one!). But this was a landmark night for us. As Mick, Keith, Charlie and Ronnie grow older they collectively seem to look more and more alike, all of their faces resembling a contour map of the Swiss Alps, but they were far more sprightly than we expected a 73 year old, two 70 year olds and a 67 year old to be, even if they did carefully manage their time on and off stage. And while the night was one to remember, there was an incongruousness to it - there's something a bit zany about Mick pouting, prancing (moving like Jagger), and going through numerous changes of clothes (the diaphanous black number couldn't hide his man boobs though!) while his two sidekicks adopted consistent guitar hero poses - but they clearly enjoyed themselves and it was GREAT.

I've gotta....

....move like Jagger!

They played OK. Charlie obviously doesn't go anywhere (quote from Dulcinea: "he looked like he didn't want to be there. The only time he smiled was when he waved goodbye at the end!"), but the other three are in their own bubbles, rarely coming together and at times it was like they were playing three different songs and oblivious to one another.

A rare moment together

 Oddly, there was little interest shown in maintaining the crowd at fever pitch with lengthy bouts of silence between songs. A the mid point, Mick made an exit (probably for some oxygen!) and Keith sucked all the air out of the audience with two turns at the microphone; it was interesting also to see the teleprompter being put to gut use when he "sang"! Did it matter? Of course not. With such a superb songbook to draw from, and with a crowd that erupted into singing with each and every one of them, then the music looked after itself. Did it matter that Keith wasn't playing half the time - of course not, especially when Mick Taylor is waiting in the wings! Did it matter that it was, for the most part, rough and raw - of course not, this is rock'n'roll after all.

Pretty agile for 70 year olds

Chuck, Charlie and Darryl

Chuck and the boys

Some highlights: the modern day phenomenon of a sea of arms in the air and LCD screens glowing in the dark - an amazing sight;

LCD screens!

the mobile beer salesman designated to the gold seat section - very civilised;

Beer on tap - Madrid style

proceedings took on an almost cabaret feel as each member of the band was formally introduced to the crowd - it was corny to say the least;

Introducing Mick...

....Keef...

....Charlie.....

....and Ronnie

former Allman Brothers Band pianist Chuck Leavell was GREAT; Bobby Keys on sax, a permanent fixture since 1970, was GREAT; Mick Taylor was GREAT, even if 'Midnight Rambler' literally rambled interminably on; backing singer Lisa Fischer was GREAT - BIG voice, BIG hair, BIG boots, BIG....well, EVERYTHING about Lisa was BIG and BEAUTIFUL and her performance on 'Gimme Shelter' left Mick in her BIG shadow (Footnote: check out a recent documentary called 'Twenty Feet From Stardom' - it's about the life of a backing singer and Lisa is a major part of it); the expectation and excitement of opening song was GREAT, especially for someone who has never seen The Stones before; a cracking rendition of 'Like A Rolling Stone' was GREAT ("we haven't done this one for a long time"); Mick speaking in Spanish with an East London accent was funny, but GREAT (you can imagine the crowd's reception); and as I've already said, the crowd was SERIOUSLY GREAT!

The Rolling Stones rocked Madrid's (and our) socks off for one last time - they won't be back. It was a night of sheer joy. Sure, they're well past their prime and frankly, should stop now. But there are things that transcend the purely analytical, and 60,000 delirious fans are testament that it doesn't really matter how good or bad these rock'n'roll immortals sound, their mere presence and the might of their songs is enough in itself to raise a crowd to fever pitch, and justification for them to keep rolling on - just don't expect them to sound fantastic anymore. I left with one major regret - I wish I'd seen them 40 years ago!!

Thanks.....

....for....

....the.....

....memories.

Here's what they played:

Jumping Jack Flash
Yopu Got Me Rocking
It's Only Rock'n'Roll (But I Like It)
Tumblin' Dice

Angie (low point of the night - Mick's vocals were awful and the song was almost unrecognisable)

Keith goes acoustic on 'Angie'

Like A Rolling Stone (online song vote winner with 80,000 votes)
Doom & Gloom
Out Of Control
Honky Tonk Woman
You Got The Silver (Keith on lead vocals - dreadful)
Can't Be Seen With You (Refer above!)
Midnight Rambler - featuring Mick Taylor on lead guitar, it did drag on though!
Miss You - thunderous bass from Darryl Jones
Gimme Shelter - Lisa Fischer almost stole the show
Start Me Up
Sympathy For The Devil
Brown Sugar
Encore:
You Can't Always Get What You Want - fantastic, with Choir JORCAM
Satisfaction - what a way to bring down the curtain