Rolling Stones MetLife Stadium Concert Review: Mick’s Still Got It

After announcing a surgery to replace a heart valve, Mick Jagger and the rest of the Rolling Stones postponed the American leg of their 2019 No Filter Tour. Weeks later, a video emerged, showing that the 75-year-old Jagger had not missed a beat since, dancing to an upbeat track in the studio post recovery.

Soon after, the Stones rescheduled their initial 17 stop run across the USA, announcing two shows at East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium originally scheduled for June 15^th and 17^th. I was fortunate enough to be bestowed a pair of tickets to the August 1^st show from my father, who explained this was not a show, but a right of passage for any classic rock lover.

MetLife Stadium was alive the moment I arrived at the venue. Fans, from the young to the elderly, were here for a celebration rather than a show, partying and tailgating hours before the gates opened. Decked out in hot licks from all eras, the fans were here to pay respect to their home team rather than catch a show in Jersey. Though it took a while, the arena was full by the end of the night, with everyone dancing and singing along to a varying range of tunes from the Stones catalog. Even from the nosebleeds, the vantage point was solid with four towering skyscraper like screens showing every aspect of the performance. Whether Mick was pointing fingers at the crowd or Keith hitting an open G chord, anyone could see everything that was happening all night long.

Kicking off with the 1968’s hit “Street Fighting Man”, the Stones played a set with their classics, sprinkling a handful of gems as well. Some of the other highlights include 1967’s “Let’s Spend the Night Together” with Chuck Leavell carrying the weight on the keys, voter’s choice song of 1967’s “She’s a Rainbow”, and 1978’s Some Girls track “Miss You” featuring a heavy and tasteful bass solo from touring member Darryl Jones. One gimmick that the Stones do is switching up their setup by walking down a runway to an acoustic stage, in which the quartet ripped through Exile on Main Street’s “Sweet Virginia” and Sticky Finger’s “Dead Flowers”. This was a crucial moment from my experience because this is the moment, I realized how underrated Ronnie Wood is on guitar. At that time, he was playing some spectacular and melodic slide guitar licks and would shred in the spotlight a few more times throughout the evening. This was eye opening and only increased the amount of respect I have for this band even more. My favorite moment of the entire night was when Mick tossed the lead vocals to Keith Richards, him jokingly telling the crowd “Ok, time to go get a beer”. However, I truly enjoyed his spotlight and lead on Steel Wheel’s “Slippin Away” and Some Girl’s “Before They Make Me Run”, two tracks that I was not super familiar with. And just like that, an hour and a half with the Stones came and went, ending the evening with a firework heavy encore featuring the anthems “Gimme Shelter” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”.

After consistently performing for fifty plus years, no other band can come close to the magnitude of the Stones. Mick, Keith, Charlie and Ronnie are icons of the genre, beloved by fans across the globe. Their tongue and lips logo is easily one of the best of all time and hands down one of most recognizable logo of any classic rock staple. Their take on the blues and rock has become one of the most identifiable sounds and continues to sell out stadiums around the world. With each member well into their seventies, one must ask, when will they call it quits? Despite their age, the Stones absolutely tore the house down at MetLife and have no plans to take their foot off the gas pedal any time soon. If you ever get the chance to see the Stones, do not miss this once in a lifetime experience.