The Rolling Stones threw their traditional warm-up club gig Saturday in L.A., before 700 people in a club called Echoplex in Echo Park. The surprising thing may have been the price, offered in a lottery to fans who heard about it on Twitter, only $20.
The lowest ticket prices for their arena shows are about $250 so that was quite a bargain. And as one who has been lucky enough to witness a Stones club show, there is something about the effect of seeing them in a club setting.
The 14-song set list Saturday from what I could tell started with “You Got Me Rocking” before covers of “That’s How Strong My Love Is,” “Little Queenie” and “Just My Imagination” as well as “Respectable,” “She’s So Cold,” “Live with Me,” “Street Fighting Man,” “Miss You,” “Start Me Up” an in the encore, “Brown Sugar” and “Jumping Jack Flash.”
But it must have been cool when Mick Taylor, who is joining the band on the 50 and Counting tour, came out to do “Love in Vain” and “Midnight Rambler.”
The band banned smartphones and cameras from the gig so there are few images floating around of the spectacle.
The tour kicks off May 3 at the Staples Center.