The Rolling Stones - No Filter 2021 Tour pulled into Detroit on Monday night. It was a brisk 30°f downtown, but the bars surrounding Ford Field were packed inside and out, classic rock blaring over portable PA speakers, 40-60 somethings pounding Jameson rocks and Labatt Blue. Me? I was on the fence. I'd seen the Stones four times, twice from way up close, including an amazing night at the Horseshoe in 1997. I worship at the altar of Keith, and I've heard the stories and seen the clips - he's not all there all of the time these days. I was very tempted to leave my fond memories intact, but as I told my friends with tickets already, I'm still in that sorta post-Covid-I-have-to-go-to-EVERY-show phase, and this could really, truly be it for the Stones. I snagged a rear-main-floor GA ticket and pointed my car towards the skyline.
Opener Ayron Jones came out looking and sounding like a culmination of all the acts I've seen supporting the Stones before: Living Colour, Blues Traveler, and Lenny Kravitz. He and his band held their own on stage as people found their seats out front, threw in an unnecessary Nirvana cover, and wrapped up around 8:15.
Around ten to nine the lights went down, there was a photo/video-montage tribute to Charlie Watts that was met with loud, affectionate cheers from the audience, and the open-G intro chords to “Street Fighting Man” filled the air. After a couple songs, Mick, Keith, and Ronnie met center stage for some touching words about their lost drummer, dedicating the show to him before they started the next song.
It's been said before, but Mick Jagger is some crazy force of nature - running around like a man a third his age, every bit as animated and on-queue as he ever was. He also gets points for some obscure Detroit references (“What up Doe?”, American VS Lafayette Coney Island) and some not-so-obscure (the dreadful Lions, Motown). But it was Ronnie Wood who carried the night musically - smooth, tasty licks, great tone, and an ear-to-ear smile between the deep, worn lines on his face. For his part, Expensive Wino drummer and producer Steve Jordan did a perfectly adequate job filling the unfillable shoes of Charlie Watts - giving the seniors a bit of a kick, but always appropriate to the song.
Keith transitioned in and out of true engagement. At times he was on fire and on beat, stringing beautiful riffs and leads together effortlessly. At other times, he seemed on the precipice of sleep, looking down at the five strings of his Telecaster like he wasn't sure what they were there for, what song it was, or where it was going next. His stocking cap lent more an air of a weathered New England lobster fisherman than the haloed rhythm guitarist of the greatest rock band of all time, but his eternally happy to be playing demeanor was and has always been infectious. "Before They Make Me Run" was stellar - animated and mostly-remembered vocals and great feel. "Connection," a GREAT song from Between the Buttons, not so much - the solo consisting of an awkward 5 notes, off time and at-best borderline on key. My buddy Brian and I exchanged a concerned cringe followed by a guilty chuckle about our synchronicitous (yes, Ricki, I just invented a word 😉) take after that one. But make no mistake, gaps aside, when Keith was on, he was 100% KEEF - fun, loose and absolutely rocking.
"Midnight Rambler" (in this writer's opinion the definitive and greatest Stones song ever) was the highlight of the night. The rising-falling-rising momentum, the dirty blues licks, the ultimate breakdown, and the sped-up finale all intact and perfectly executed. For those 14 minutes, they were the best band that ever was, anywhere. It was truly amazing.
The encore kicked off with "Gimme Shelter" and Sasha Allen’s screaming vocals induced goosebumps and brought the roof down. They closed with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” that saw Keith’s now-cranked guitar carrying the signature riff he recorded onto a bedside tape recorder some 56 & ½ years ago, occasionally dropping out for a couple inexplicable, awkward bars, then catching up like it was supposed to be that way.
God, I love The Rolling Stones. I’m so glad I went to the show. The great moments were great, the lulls were at worst…good. Mick is still every bit “Mick.” With Charlie gone and Keith’s on-off presence, it’s Ronnie who’s now the backbone of the band.
I’m not sure what the future holds for them – or Keith – or the three of them together on stage. I’m not sure if there should be a Stones without a fully-present Keith, but you can argue that that’s been the case for decades, whether it’s age, heroin, acid, women, or weed behind the lapses. Or maybe not without Charlie, for that matter, who never missed a gig before this tour. If you get a chance, go see them, it’s worth the effort, and the clock is certainly ticking.
Detroit setlist: Street Fighting Man | You Got Me Rocking | 19th Nervous Breakdown | Tumbling Dice | Ain't Too Proud to Beg | Wild Horses | You Can't Always Get What You Want | Living in a Ghost Town | Start Me Up | Honky Tonk Women | Connection | Before They Make Me Run | Miss You | Midnight Rambler | Paint it Black | Sympathy For the Devil | Jumpin' Jack Flash | Gimme Shelter | (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
Jeremy Porter lives near Detroit and fronts the rock and roll band Jeremy Porter And The Tucos. Follow them on Facebook to read his road blog about their adventures on the dive-bar circuit.
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Twitter: @jeremyportermi | Instagram: @onetogive & @jeremyportermusic
