Well it's been two weeks already since my buddy Buzzard and I made the trip to Vancouver to see The Rolling Stones in concert at BC Place Stadium. The Stones are on tour for their album Hackney Diamonds, their first studio album of new music since 2005's A Bigger Bang. With no Edmonton date announced we decided it was a great chance to see them play live one more time. I remember when I saw The Stones for the first time in 1994 in Edmonton on the Voodoo Lounge Tour, I thought I better see them now, as I may never get to see them again. Well here we are 30 years later and The Stones are still out there kicking ass. Who would have thought!
Our Friday, the day of the show started with us going down to BC Place Stadium around noon hoping they would have a merchandise tent set up so that we could buy some merch early instead if trying to get a t-shirt at the show that night. Thankfully they did have a merch tent set up so we were able to buy our shit in advance. Which was a great idea on The Stones part and ours. I heard from a couple of my friends that were at the show and tried to buy a t-shirt at the show. They didn't bother after seeing the line ups, would have missed a good part of the show lining up.
Buzzard and I got to the venue early as we had no idea what getting in would be like with an expected crowd of 55,000, and we figured we would catch the opening act if we could. As luck would have it, it wasn't too bad getting in. Long line up, but it went quick, so that was nice.
Therefore we were in early, got some beers, found our seats way up in the upper deck and got settled in, in time for opening act Ghost Hounds from Pittsburgh, PA. I had never heard of them before, and since we were there early, we checked them out. Apparently they are a band started by Thomas Tull whom is a billionaire entrepreneur and was originally the guitarist and songwriter. From what I can tell he is no longer in the band. So if you ask me, I would bet he bought his way into having the band he started Ghost Hounds open a few dates for The Stones. But what do I know. Anyways, there music is a mix of blues and soul. To me, I found nothing original or overly great about them. I wasn't impressed, at best a good bar band. A Forty-five minute set was more then enough.
Before opening act.
Ghost Hounds at BC Place.
After a 45 minute break, it was time for The Rolling Stones. This would be my fourth time seeing the Rolling Stones in concert. The first two times were in October of 1994 in Edmonton at Commonwealth Stadium back to back shows on their Voodoo Lounge Tour and then again in 1997 at the same venue, 60,000 per show on their Bridges To Babylon Tour. So three times in four years, and yet they haven't been back since. Makes no sense to me. Maybe next summer they will come back to Edmonton. So, hence making the trip to Vancouver this time around.
It was now time for The Rolling Stones! When buddy came out and announced The Rolling Stones, I got shivers up the spine, haven't had that feeling in a long time, and I wasn't even on good drugs. Thirty years and here I was seeing The Rolling "Fucking" Stones in concert again, this time touring for their latest release Hackney Diamonds, which in my opinion is a damn good album.
By the time 9:30 to be exact when the band hit the stage, the crowd had accumulated, to my guess 55,000 people. To see Mick Jagger (80), Keith Richards (80) and Ronnie Wood (77) come out on stage and hit the chords for the opening song "Start Me Up" the crowd were on their feet from the get go. Is there a better song for The Stones to open with, I think not. While only Mick and Keith are the only originals still in the band, Ronnie has been with them since 1975. To me, Mick and Keith still look the same as when I last saw them in 1997, Ron looks older but hell he is 77 now and beat lung cancer in 2017 and small-cell cancer in 2021. Even at their ages they still kicked ass playing their brand of rock n' roll. Rounding out the band was Darryl Jones on bass, which he has been doing since 1994 after Bill Wyman left the band. On drums now is Steve Jordan taking over for Charlie Watts who passed away in 2021. Steve Jordan previously drummed in Keith Richards band X-Pensive Winos. Steve was great on the drums but it's hard not to miss the laid back drumming style of Charlie Watts. It was good to see Chuck Leavell on keys, Chuck has been touring with The Stones since 1982. There were a couple other members on backing vocals and such. One of the backing vocalists was a lady by the name of Chanel Haynes, and holy fuck can she belt it out. She and Mick on "Gimme Shelter" was really something to see and hear. The lady can sing and really brought out the best in Mick. Mick wasn't going to be shown up by Chanel. Both of them trading off vocals was amazing.
About half way through the show Mick took a break and Keith Richards took over vocals for not one, not two, but three songs in a row. I wasn't expecting that at all. While his vocals aren't near as strong as Mick's, it was awesome to hear him sing a new song "Tell Me Straight" from Hackney Diamonds. Next up was "Little T&A" and then "Before They Make Me Run". No backing tracks used by The Stones, rough around the edges just the way a live concert is supposed to be.
The whole two hour show was so fucking good. One hit after another, Keith or Ronnie would hit a chord and almost instantly you knew what song it was, even the new songs they played went over well. Mick still commands the stage like a man in his 30's, very impressive. The stage set up was great, sound was great, the whole damn experience was great. Goodtimes!!!
A good friend of mine Darryl, who had floor seats for the show knew some guys that did set up and tear down for the show managed to get me a setlist from the show. Checkout the setlist, like I say just one great song after another. Thank you so much Darryl!
Here are some pictures I took at the show.
T-shirt front.
T-shirt back.
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