Satan, please don’t. When Mick Jagger becomes a ‘trending topic’, we put ourselves in the worst. And more in these dark times. And more if it is a few days before the start of a European tour that begins in Madrid. But it is a false alarm (or neurosis). Good! And yet, when the almost octogenarian Michael Philip Jagger walked out on stage at the Wanda Metropolitano this past night, we were all set for the best. It’s a miracle. An athlete. It’s the vibe of the Rolling Stones frontman who just had over 45,000 people howling. It is unnatural. Satanic, say the marketinian tongues. He sounds ‘Street Fighting Man’.
“My name is Riots. I will scream and scream, I will kill the king, I will criticize all his lackeys.
What can a poor boy do? Singing in a rock’n’roll band”, sings the dancing animal-grandfather flanked by his royal escort Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, the boy from the troop who turned 75, a great celebration party and tour debut, ‘ Sixty’, for the sixty anniversary of the Legend. Simply and grandiloquently: one of the greatest phenomena in the history of popular music. The tour smells like goodbye. And emotion reigns: it is the group’s first ‘show’ without Charlie Watts on drums, who died last August. Before jumping to the tables, on the screens, they dedicated an emotional ‘in memoriam’ to him. “It’s our first act (sic) in Europe without Charlie. We miss him so much,” Jagger confessed in Spanish. A very powerful ’19th Nervous Breakdown’ had just sounded.
“I’m very happy to be back in Madrid,” Jagger continued after interpreting the contagious ‘Sad Sad Sad’. The sound, good in decibels, although things started somewhat crooked in the guitars, immediately came the forcefulness. The decoration, colorful and elegant, without overwhelming. And the doubts about how Richards would drive, of which it was pointed out that he was lately more failing, were settled with a ‘no mess’. That yes, the concert was held in Jagger, force of nature (many jumps at 78 years old!), a festive Ronnie Wood and Richards who keeps the rascal face and even moves his shoulders playfully. He plays ‘Out of a Time’, backed by a good choral team. It’s the first time they’ve played it live, says Jagger. moment.
It must be explained that earlier, at eight o’clock, Javier Vargas and his very nephew, John Byron Jagger, had come out to give an energetic warm-up recital with vintage blues. Then the Catalans and Beatlemaniacs Sidonie would appear to offer their lively pop with a sixties aroma. They played ‘Our dance on Friday’, ‘Fascinated’ and even presented a new song: ‘Heavy and stupid’. But let’s go to the Rolling again, to the alleged contest for online fans to choose which song plays now. ‘Beasts of Bourbon’ came out, where in its nudity some guitar imbalance was noted. Not in the looks of Wood and Richards, who were directly amused. Highlight how the singer played with the fans: “Real Madrid”, timid applause. “Atletico de Madrid”, remarkable ovation. “The best football is in Madrid.” Consensus ovation!
“Rock is dead,” they say from the guillotine of trends. Rock has been killed, if anything. With tickets for this ‘show’ from 50 euros to 280, without distribution costs included, the new blood that every artistic movement son of rebellion requires will hardly be able to access. And what a pity because they would have lived the lucid anthem, ‘You ca n’t Always get What you Want’, with Jagger at the end of the catwalk for the first time, among the heavenly choirs, singing: «In the glass of him there was a man bleeding. She was practiced in the art of deception. Well, I could tell by his bloodstained hands. You can’t always get what you want, oh yeah girl.” Another of the stellar moments of the night.
Let’s remember that it was a summer night in 1962, June 12 to be exact, and the ‘Londoner’ girl had a date at The Marquee Moon club with a new group presented as Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones, for a song by Muddy Waters (“Rollin’ Stone Blues”). Let’s remember that by chance, old childhood acquaintances, Jagger and Richards, already out of sight, met by chance on a train, the former carrying some rhythm and blues vinyl records. Let’s remember Charlie Watts. And let’s remember that 60 years after that incredible meeting in such a monstrous city, the Wanda vibrates in a concert that may be the last here. One last lesson in immortality. 2 hours and a quarter. Now, all at once: ‘Start Me Up’, ‘Paint It, Black’, ‘Sympathy For The Devil’, ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’, ‘Gimme Shelter’ and ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’. ..
