Stones back to full force

Band finally launch UK dates

21 Aug 06 - The Rolling Stones were back to full force last night when they played their first UK date in more than three years last night as part of their A Bigger Bang world tour.

Only last week, Mick Jagger went down with a bout of laryngitis, meaning they had to cancel two shows in Spain.

However he was back in full voice last night at Twickenham Stadium - and guitarist Keith Richards also seemed to be back to full health following his recent brain op after he fell out of a tree while on holiday in Bali.

The rock veterans - with a combined age of 249 years old - had wanted to launch the UK leg of their tour at Wembley Stadium. But the opening was delayed again - leaving Jagger to quip last night that it might only be finished in time for an Arctic Monkeys farewell tour.

A Bigger Bang showcased a stripped down, back to basics, rough and ready rock'n'roll band, and the opening raw-as-could-be version of Jumping Jack Flash proves that the Stones were the original garage outfit. They were the original showmen too and the rest of the set pulls out all the stops, as you'd imagine from a show that starts with fireworks.

At one point, the section of the stage that the band are on begins moving forwards into the crowd and then just keeps on going, the SS Rolling Stone going for a pleasure cruise amongst the faithful.

Throw in fire shooting from the stage for Sympathy For The Devil, some giant inflatable lips, a cover of Ray Charles' Night Time Is The Right Time and a set that takes in fan favourites ("Tumbling Dice" and "Midnight Rambler"), Sixties classics ("Ruby Tuesday"), and crowd pleasing party tunes ("It's Only Rock'N'Roll, a particularly excellent "Honky Tonk Women") - and you've got business as usual from the greatest rock'n'roll entertainers on the planet.
 

Jody Thompson & Ian Watson