Although he doesn’t run or jump, he is still 78 years old. 90% of musicians and soloists who make their living today from music are still hieratic to their audiences. Yesterday’s performance by Mick Jagger, aged 78, demonstrated that age is just a state of mind. The 231 years that the Rolling Stones have left are barely visible on stage. “Hello Madrid!” As soon as the concert started, he shouted.
It was obvious to the thousands of fans that crowded a stadium without the no-ticket sign, but they were close. The Stones opened with a tribute for Charlie Watts, their drummer who died last August at age 80. Madness overtook the Wanda Metropolitano. Jagger, who was dressed in black but wore a bright red jacket throughout the concert, said that it was their first European tour without Charlie Watts. It’s hard not to be excited. It was impossible, and the thousands who crowded the stadium cheered.
The Stones took a while to make use of the huge stage under their feet. To avoid making a mistake, the Stones used fluorescent tapes to define their steps. They also played with the sides and stepped on the first section of the tongue. (The stage had drawn on its upper part the sexy smile that has been a symbol for the British throughout its history.) But it wasn’t until “Miss You”, eleven songs later that Jagger crossed the bridge that he was able to get closer to the people and the center of the stadium.
The Stones started late, at 10:15 p.m., but it didn’t matter because the public was committed, supporting every gesture of Jagger who danced and moved sensuously to celebrate the 60 years. The public even gave a “happy birthday” to Ronnie Wood, who had just turned 75 clubs. This is an important milestone, as these concerts are measured down to the millimeter. The event marked the beginning of a tour that would take him to 12 other European cities over thirteen dates. But everything went well.
A few moments from the Rolling in Madrid performance.
There were songs before ‘Miss You’ like ‘Street Fighting Man’ and ’19th Nervous Breakdown’. Wood and Richards remained steadfast to their Les Pauls and Telecasters, spreading the beat and setting the tone for a lively, fun, but low-risk concert. Although there were some Mercury-style Jagger outbursts, the best was yet ahead. The stadium collapsed when the volume was turned up enough for all the guitars to be heard. That and four of his most memorable songs were left for the end.
Jagger admitted that “You are the greatest audience”, and he was honest. Jagger admitted truthfully that he was the best audience when ‘Start Me Up’ and ‘Paint It Black’ were played -with the stage dyed in red to simulate that the Wanda Metropolitano had fallen into hell herself- and ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’ confirmed this. Just a few minutes later, the encore featured ‘Gimme Shelter’. This was a duel between Jagger, the chorus girl and the stage language that closed the concert. Jagger is no more a mountebank. He still moves like a snake and Wood and Richards but who cares? The most important thing was always music, and the Stones are masters at that.
