Hailed for more than five decades as the âgreatest rock ânâ roll band in the world,â the Rolling Stones more than lived up to that description during their two-hour July 13, 2024, concert at SoFi Stadium, the second of two sold-out shows at the 70,000-seat football stadium on the southern fringes of Los Angeles.
With original members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards now past 80 and longtime guitarist Ronnie Wood not far behind at 77, the group delivered an exhilarating performance that belied what one might expect of a group of senior citizens touring under the sponsorship of the AARP (seriously!).

Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards at L.A.’s SoFi Stadium, July 13, 2024 (Photo by Thomas K. Arnold, used with permission)
Jagger still has the swagger, the pout, the sass and even the sensual hip swings and other moves that made him the British Invasionâs bad boy. If Paul McCartney was every young girlâs dream, Jagger was her fantasy. Richards, whose longevity despite years of hard living punctuated by spells of heavy drug use has made him the subject of countless social media memes, still has the licks and stoic stage presence that make him the perfect counterbalance to Jagger, his songwriting partner. And Wood, the baby of the core Rolling Stones trio, is a stylish guitarist with periodic bursts of flamboyant showmanship that add even more life to an impeccably well-crafted and choreographed stage show that remains one of the liveliest in all of rock ânâ roll.
Related: When the Stones played London’s Hyde Park in 1969
Credit must also go to the other musicians, including drummer Steve Jordan, who has the same understated playing style as the late Charlie Watts, who died three years ago; Chuck Leavell, the former Allman Brothers Band member who has served as the Stonesâ keyboardist and musical director since 1982; and singer Chanel Haynes, whose vocal gymnastics during âGimme Shelterâ were among the concertâs many high points.
Itâs a wonder the Stones didnât play âTime Is On My Side,â because it certainly appears to be.
The SoFi Stadium concert included a fair representation of the Rolling Stonesâ 60 yearsâ worth of recorded music, from mid-â60 hits such as âGet Off of My Cloud,â âPaint It Blackâ and â(I Canât Get No) Satisfactionâ to later classic-rock favorites such as âMiss You,â from 1978âs Some Girls LP, and the show opener, âStart Me Up,â from 1981âs Tattoo You.
The Stones also treated fans to a surprise performance of the ballad âFool to Cry,â from 1976âs Black and Blue, which has reportedly been played only 14 times during their many years of touring, as well as deep cuts such as âMonkey Manâ and the perennial concert favorite âMidnight Rambler,â both from 1969âs Let It Bleed, and two songs on which Richards sang lead, âYou Got the Silver,â also from Let It Bleed, and âLittle T&A,â from Tattoo You.
Watch the Stones play the rarely performed “Fool to Cry” as well as “Monkey Man” in L.A. on July 13, 2024
Unlike most of the legacy bands that continue to tour well into their senior years, the Stones continue to make new musicâgood new music, even great new music, as their latest album, 2023âs Hackney Diamonds, attests. As a result, the band, live, is no nostalgic jukebox but, rather, an incredibly vibrant and relevant rock ânâ roll group with the same sass, style and vigor the Stones have exhibited for longer than virtually every one of todayâs chart-toppers, and maybe even their parents, has been alive.
The Stones included three songs from their latest LP in their SoFi show, including the radio favorite âAngry,â an infectious tune with a sizzling music video starring actress Sydney Sweeney. A review in the British daily The Telegraph called it the band’s “best single in four decades,â sung by Jagger with âextravagant, leering defiance.â
âWhole Wide Worldâ is an anthem-like rocker, punctuated by several searing, soaring guitar solos, that calls to mind the early Clash, with a catchy hook that caught the crowdâthree generations strongâand soon had everyone dancing and swaying in their seats or on the floor.
And the gospel-tinged âSweet Sounds of Heaven,â which the band saved for the encore, just ahead of closer â(I Canât Get No) Satisfaction,â saw singer Haynes masterfully sub for Lady Gaga, featured on the studio version, in a stunning duet with Jagger.
The song was a fitting near-finale, particularly the line, âLet us sing, let us shoutâŠLet us all stand up proudâŠLet the old still believe that theyâre young.â
Related:Â Links for 100s of classic rock tours
Hackney Diamonds, and other Stonesâ albums, books and merchandise, is available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.
Watch the Stones perform “Gimme Shelter” at the SoFi Stadium show
The tour ended on July 21 with the encouraging words from Mick Jagger, “See you soon!”
Thanks so much to everyone that has come to see us on this tour, we had an absolute blast! See you soon! pic.twitter.com/4PoT0EFqpz
— Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) July 22, 2024


1 Comment so far
Jump into a conversationHer voice is otherworldly and her stage presence is so powerful and reflective of the great Tina Turner!