Bandlands
  November 7, 2006 
 sample of Satisfaction courtesy of Abkco Music
Other Stones Reviewers:
SF Chronicle
Joel Selvin
Oakland Tribune
Jim Harrington		 What an amazing show! Inspiring awesome display of Rock
and Roll. What it is Kids! The Rolling Stones.

.

 I decided not to test the no camera no recorders admonition. I'll be a good boy and enjoy the show. What do I remember? Did I take notes? No. 

 It took place outside on November 6, 2006 at the Oakland Coliseum, it was a heavenly night with the almost Full Moon up above and the weather amazingly balmy close to 65 degrees. I was back behind home plate, a little under the first deck, with the stage set up out in Centerfield. It was a fine place to be. Yes it would have been great to have been in the first row, but back where we were we had an almost direct view of the stage and the 4 story tall video screen over the stage provided great shots with the dozen or so camera operators doing there pro work with getting fine shots a good editor somewhere in some booth with his hand on the buttons making crisp edits. Yes I would have probably kept the camera on Charlie Watts back there on drums a bit more. The sound was Thunder but it was clean Thunder. Mick seems to be in fine shape he apologized perhaps a bit too much for the postponement as this show was originally scheduled for Sunday. Ain't no problem Mick we aren't going to sue you like those rich losers wherever the heck they were. Yeah the man can get Laryngitis after singing for two hours a show I think I can understand that when you are 100 years old you have to cut the guys some slack...

What a great band did I say that already? This is what is called Rock and Roll Magic, when a band comes in and has all that High Tech wonder behind them of a magic light show and the Video and some FireWorks at various times, but at no point in my mind did it ever take away from the joy and spontaneity of seeing a  bunch of very loose smiling and happy guys who could be playing at Peri's in terms of their being real and genuine.. and having Fun. Yes Mick is Mick and will forever be doing his prancing and all that stuff I never quite loved him as much as I do now. As a matter of fact we can forget that first show when I finally saw the Stones  back at Candlestick sometime maybe around 1981 when George Thoroughgood and his Delaware Destroyers and J Geils opened up for him and somehow maybe I didn't get stoned enough (forgive me Moms and Dads) but Coliseum fatigue set in early that day and in the years in between I just said let them play Peri's then I will come out...

 But now is now and maybe the fact that Van Morrison was opening up spurred me out on and in fact I was thinking that Van might be the best part of the evening but I was wrong. Van was great but barely warmed up even finishing with his big hits, Wild Night, Brown Eyed Girl and a potent Gloria. Van needs to be seen on his own not opening for anyone. Tonight he and his great band were just the warm-up act.

  I am just so happy that I got to really soak it in. The Great Ron Woods on guitar, no Ron doesn't just throw down a few rhythm chops behind Keith. A great Rock guitarist in his own right, strong gritty lead playing. Keith Richard, do you Love that man? If you love Rock you Love Keith. What a great spirit and wondrously juicy guitar work all through the show. There must have been a few thousand guitarists out there drooling, How does he make that simple Rock and Roll sound ... sound so awesome! I wish I knew how to do that. To the crowd ... .'Happy to be here in Oakland tonight. Happy to be anywhere.'


 Come on Guy what do you remember... ? well basically the set had very few surprises it just all sounded great. Most of the tunes were from the three or four year period from Beggar Banquet, to Let it Bleed and Sticky Fingers... something like that. Jumping Jack Flash started off. A great 'She's Hot' wherever that  tune was from. Another fine version of a recent song that I can't remember... (Doh!). Midnight Rambler gave Mick a chance to play Harmonica... Hey What the H***! Mick plays great blues harmonica. I mean it. I mean seriously darn good. Never quite realized how good.

 Definitely a high point for me was Keith Richard giving Mick a breather and singing that song that has the chorus 'You Got the Silver You got the Gold' and I don't know the title but I have heard it before and that was just beautiful as Keith just nonchalants his way but with delicious masterful control and I am talking vocals here. Some very nice Ron Wood slide guitar backing it up. 

 I can't remember when they rolled that stage out towards us in the back here (way out front in the back) behind home plate. I loved 'Just My Imagination' which seems to have become my theme song as I grow older. Let's pay honor to the beautiful people in attendance particularly all the women who were... many about my age and were looking awesome. yes I am talking some very fine women over 50 years old. Serious kids that's exactly right someday when you get as old as me you'll believe me and what a lot of gorgeous young women too and they seemed to be the ones dancing up a storm and that was great to see. Some hottie tossed a bra onstage at some point, then a few minutes later looked like some Red Panties were up there which Mick draped over  Charlie's Bass drum.... it probably happens every night. Of course I really got lucky getting the lovely _____  to accompany me, yessirree though I'm not sure I wanted to hear her suggestion that I should meet her mother on the drive over, a lovely woman no doubt. Not what I was hoping to hear but that's OK it was all great.

 Mick gave the entire Band an introduction including back up singers, who did a sweet job and very solid horn section. Will you give it up for Bobby Keys on Sax still playing with this band after all these years?. I made a lot of noise for Bobby. I remember in 1981 he was there on stage and  he was there laying down some sweet Sax on Sticky Fingers.. when was that 1971? Can't You Hear Me Knocking...I remember.. I think he was there backing up Joe Cocker and his Mad Dogs and Englishman tour particularly I remember New Paltz that summer of 1970? The man was looking great and sounding great. Everyone was looking great sounding great.

  Sympathy for the Devil was hot, scary and nasty all Red Lighting with a variety of Snake Skin motif on the big screen and Mick dressing in Red 'Pleased to meet you'. All that Sympathy for the Devil stuff really turned me off back 35 years ago all the silk scarves, and prancing & make-up etc.. I was really quite happy being a Dead Head in those days. Tonight it all felt safe as if Mick by acting that song out was somehow taking it on. I am the Devil if you think so... ' who killed the Kennedy's when after all it was you and me' you know those lines. After the song the fade out of the the Stone Logos with the tongue now seen as a Forked tongue... Oooh Baby please beware... Look the bad in the Eye and Mock it ... you mean stick your tongue out at it? Yes that's it or just accept it... *

  Somehow the bad boys of Rock are upholding the mantle of a Great art form that is not dead yet and at it's highest form as witnessed tonight continues to be an
amazing cultural event that some might not believe but seems Wonderfully Wholesome... forgive me for saying it as people just Rock to great Music and get there Spirits Lifted. To me that's what Rock has always fundamentally been about.

  Bunch of great music the classics, Honky Tonk Woman, Brown Sugar, Start Me Up, Paint it Black... and then the fine encore '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' which says it all once again. The crowd was having a great time the Music was ageless, the audience was ageless, I don't know somewhere between 8 years old and 80. There was great warmth tonight in the Oakland Coliseum. The show ended with hugs and high fives as the entire band and accompanists stepped forward to take a bow and then just the four aging (magnificently... well pretty fine for most mortals) members stepped forward...Ron (not quite an original, ) Keith, Mick and Charlie it was like the end of a great play when the cast takes its bows as bouquets are thrown and that's what it was.

 If there was a CD made of this show I would recommend you buy it.

 
 Please if you were there Email me your photos.


 

                            say hey guy@bandlands.com

 

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