Photography
STEVE
KAGAN
srol
By ROB MEACHUM
The house lights went out and an expectant
hush settled over the sold-out crowd of 15,000
at Detroit's Cobo Arena last Sunday night.
Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common
Man" blasted over the sound system as the fren-
zied audience, after having suffered some two
nonths, waited to see their man.
The stage was thus set for perhaps one of
the greatest rock and roll bands of all times:
The Rolling Stones.
MOMENTS LATER, a bright white spotlight
focused on the bad boy himself, lying down and
coquettishly fanning himself at a tip of the
five-pointed, star-shaped stage.
The crowd roared with approval as Mick
Lagger and the band broke into a wild, earthy
r endition of "Honky Tonk Woman," precisely
two hours after most of them had entered the
concert hall. Jagger, in his usual high energy
Ayle, danced and pranced around the stage, bad
mouthing those lucky enough to receive seats
close to the action, and, in general, earning his
money well.
A temporary addition to the band, guitarist
Ron Wood (presently on leave from Rod Stewart
and the Faces) displayed his talents from the
beginning, oftentimes trading the lead guitar
role with Stones regular Keith Richards. Wood's
guitar solo was exceptional when the band per-
formed "You Can't Always Get What You
Want;" his tone quality was excellent, his riffs
were quick and well done and he displayed the
confidence that. one looks for in a musician.
AND TO NO ONE'S great surprise, the now
legendary giant phallus made its appearance
thruugh a hole in the stage during "Star, Star"
- a popular Stones tune. The manner in which
Mick humped and licked the symbol can only
suggest that the one thing left in his life that
he hasn't already done is to make love to him-
self.
Other favorite numbers - Brown Sugar,
Midnight Rambler. Wild Horses - proved the
band's musical ability as well as their ability to
get along as a group. Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie
Watts (drums), Ollie Brown (percussion) and
last, but not least Billy Preston (keyboards)
added tremendously to that sound and perfec-
tion.
Some concert-goers noted that Preston al-
most upstaged George Harrison when he toured
with him last winter. He didn't quite do it to
the Stones, but it wasn't until he did his own
two songs that the audience got up and started
to dance in the aisles. Jagger got up too - onto
a rope and swung out into the audience about
five feet above their reach.
They finished the evening with an inspired
version of "Jumpin' Jack Flash," to the sour
disappointment of many who had wanted to
hear "Sympathy for the Devil." While the band
was busy finishing the tune, Jagger was busy
dumping water on his frantic fans. As Mick
poured the last bucket on himself, the audience
yelled their approval.
It was only rock and roll and they loved it.