It’s only rock ’n’ roll but they loved it

IT was as it was meant to be. Every classic number rolled into a colourful night of high-pitched singing, gritty guitar riffs and lyrics you’d sang at every party worth remembering.

The Rolling Stones lit up Slane on a day that eventually stopped raining. And just in time too.

With Start Me Up, the once bad-boy now veteran-rocker Mick Jagger led the band through a medley of tunes. You still look as wonderful as you did 25 years ago, he told the 80,000 packed crowd in a clearly-practiced tribute as Gaeilge.

By nearly 9pm, fans, young and old, had packed Lord Henry Mountcharles’ grounds following earlier support by The Charlatans and The Hold Steady among others.

Fellow band member and Kildare resident Ronnie Wood received several chants throughout the two-hour show. In anticipation of yesterday’s All Ireland football semi-final, he responded at one stage —“Go on the Royals!”

Often, it felt like a sing-song in your neighbours’ house.

Undoubtedly, these guys can still tour and while they took turns resting they must be still the world’s lords of rock ‘n’ roll. Halfway through, part of their stage separated into the air and hovered through the crowd.

Akin to a David Bowie song, the band danced on what looked like a floating space ship for half an hour.

Manipulating every chorus, Jagger kept all sides of the crowd on their toes. The extended version of Midnight Rambler, Honky Tonk Woman, Jumping Jack Flash and You Can’t Always Get What You Want were all highlights.

In between tangoing with his Fender Stratocaster, Keith Richards also led songs.

Jagger clad in a red cape climbing up stage with a blinding red screen also took Sympathy for the Devil to new heights.

The disappointment of not hearing Gimme Shelter was made up for with the encore, Brown Sugar. As thousands of fans watched a dream night fade as the four band members left, the traditional Slane fireworks kept up the smiles.

It was only rock ‘n’ roll — and we liked it.