The Rolling Stones opened their Stones Tour '24 Hackney Diamonds on Sunday to a sold-out crowd of more than 70,000 fans at NRG Stadium in Houston.
The Stones played only three new songs from the album, choosing to focus on classic hits like “Start Me Up,” “Gimme Shelter,” “Jumpin' Jack Flash” and “Satisfaction,” according to a press release. The decision to focus on older material was not surprising for a group with more than six decades of songs to choose from.
It was the rockers' first performance of material from their 2023 effort “Hackney Diamonds” since the album's surprise release at the 600-seat club Racket in New York last October. (Fans and celebrities packed that small venue simply expecting a Stones show and instead were treated to a variety of new songs and a Lady Gaga cameo.)
As the tour progresses, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and company plan to make stops at stadiums in Glendale, Arizona; Las Vegas; Seattle; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Foxboro, Massachusetts; Orlando; Atlanta; Philadelphia; Cleveland; Denver; Chicago; Vancouver; Inglewood; and Santa Clara.
When the Stones arrive at SoFi Stadium this summer, they will be joined by War and Treaty on July 10 and Linda Lindas on July 13.
“Hackney Diamonds” is the rockers' first studio album of original material in nearly two decades, following 2005's “A Bigger Bang.” It is also the Stones' first LP since the death of founding drummer Charlie Watts in 2021. It's the band's first time on tour since their 60th anniversary tour in 2022, and the tour will also include a stop at New Orleans Jazz. and Heritage Festival on May 2.
“Charlie was one of the funniest guys I've ever met,” Richards told Times music critic Mikael Wood in 2021, “and the man least likely to be famous. He hated that part of the job and used to make fun of it savagely.”
When “Hackney Diamonds” came out, Wood wrote in his album review: “The songs combine the same ingredients the Stones have been using since the beginning (blues, rock, soul, country, gospel) but are tighter and punchier than in the song. any of the previous LPs from the band's last era.”
Meanwhile, according to Rolling Stone, at the Houston concert a fan said: “People say Joe Biden is too old to be president. They need to look at Mick!
That being said, the Rolling Stones' 48th tour is sponsored by AARP.
