Surprise Show From Rolling Stones
Surprise show from the Rolling Stones? Yes please!
The Rolling Stones officially launched the release of their new album, Hackney Diamonds, with a club show Thursday night at Racket on West 16th Street in New York’s Meat Packing District.
Taking the stage shortly after 10, they treated the 650 friends, family members, celebrities and media to a seven-song, 35-minute set that included the live debuts of four tracks from the new album.
Mick Jagger said they had done so many album and tour launch events in New York that they missed them, so they needed to record a new album.
With cameras rolling for future release, they performed:
- “Shattered” (Some Girls, 1978)
- “Angry” (Hackney Diamonds)
- “Whole Wide World” (Hackney Diamonds)
- “Tumbling Dice” (Exile on Main Street, 1972)
- “Bite My Head Off” (Hackney Diamonds)
- “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” (1968)
Here are a couple of clips from last night:
They then left the stage, but returned for “Sweet Sounds of Heaven,” also from Hackney Diamonds, with Lady Gaga reprising her role on the album.
This was the Stones’ first show since August 3rd of last year in Berlin, Germany, and first U.S. show since November 23rd, 2021 in Hollywood, Florida.
Among the celebs on hand last night were:
- Elvis Costello and his wife, Diana Krall
- Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds
- Hackney Diamonds producer Andrew Watt
- Ed Burns and his wife, model Christy Turlington
- Daniel Craig and his wife, actress Rachel Weisz
- Christie Brinkley
- Chris Rock
- Jimmy Fallon
- Trevor Noah
- Producer Tony Visconti
- Ethan Hawke
- Jann Wenner
- Questlove, who opened the show with a DJ set
Of course we’ve already learned about a U.S. Tour for next year with the Stones – thanks to Ronnie Wood
Among the Stones’ more memorable album and tour launches in New York are:
- Playing on a flatbed truck driving down Fifth Avenue in 1975 to announce that year’s tour.
- Taking a train into Grand Central Station in 1989 to announce their Steel Wheels tour.
- Mick Jagger, driving a red 1955 Cadillac convertible across the Brooklyn Bridge with Keith Richards sitting beside him and Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood in the backseat to announce their 1997 Bridges to Babylon tour.
- Riding aboard a blimp in 2002 that landed in Van Cortlandt Park in The Bronx to announce their tour.
- Playing on a balcony at the Juilliard School of Music in Manhattan to announce their 2005 tour.
