We went to see Rod Stewart tonight. I knew I liked his early stuff, particularly his work with Faces- a very under-appreciated band. What I had forgotten was how many other good songs he has recorded. I like his early stuff (pre-1980) better, but I enjoyed some of his newer stuff more than I thought I would- particularly his excellent cover of Cat Stevens’ Father and Son.

It was a very good show. My favorites were Dirty Old Town, from his first solo record (1969), and Stay With Me, from Faces’ A Nod is as Good as a Wink (1971). He played for a solid two hours, and did most of his big hits as well as a few covers, most notably Tom Waits’ Waltzing Matilda.

Good stuff.

Every time I begin to forget what an incredible live band they are, the Stones play in Houston and I am reminded that they are simply the greatest live rock and roll band ever.

Raina and I saw them tonight. It was a great show, perhaps my favorite Stones show ever. Highlights were a magical rendition of Dead Flowers, an amazing cover of Ray Charles’ Night Time Is The Right Time, a very energetic Get Off Of My Cloud and perennial concert favorite Sympathy For The Devil. Seeing the Stones live is still one of those pinch yourself moments for me, and those moments are special indeed.

The Stones simply rock. Not on every song anymore, but when they hit their groove, which can happen at any time, even within a song, nobody does it better.

Here’s the setlist:

1. Start Me Up
2. It’s Only Rock’n Roll
3. She’s So Cold
4. Tumbling Dice
5. Oh No Not You Again
6. Rain Fall Down
7. Dead Flowers
8. Bitch
9. Night Time Is The Right Time
   — Introductions
10. Slipping Away (Keith)
11. Infamy (Keith)
12. Miss You (to B-stage)
13. Rough Justice
14. Get Off Of My Cloud
15. Honky Tonk Women (to main stage)
16. Sympathy For The Devil
17. Brown Sugar
18. Satisfaction
19. You Can’t Always Get What You Want (encore)
20. Jumping Jack Flash (encore)

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Fred Wilson has posted a review from the Stone’s Giants Stadium show last night. He lists the entire set, with a little commentary. I took Cassidy to see the Stones the last time they were in Houston (1/25/03), because one of my graduate school friends went with his parents to see The Beatles when he was four and I wanted to give Cassidy a similar story to tell.

I’ve seen the Stones 4-5 times and have tickets for the Houston show in a few weeks. Absolutely are they great live. Here are a few of my all-time favorite concerts:

1) REM – Fox Theatre, Atlanta (1984): Simply the best rock concert I have ever been to. Every moment was magical.

2) Bruce Springsteen – Charlotte Coliseum (around 1976): He played for 4 hours, including 30 minutes or so after the lights were turned on. I was just getting into Bruce at that point, but I knew I had seen a show I’d never forget.

3) Allman Brothers – Somewhere in Charlotte (around 1979): The only time I have ever seen one of my all-time favorite bands in concert. It was at some outdoor place. I didn’t drive, and I can’t recall exactly where it was.

4) Lynyrd Skynyrd – Charlotte Coliseum (around 1976): Also the only time I ever saw the second greatest southern rock band (behind only the Allmans).

5) Neil Young – Houston Music Hall (around 1987): We were afraid it was going to be a rockabilly show, but it turned out to be a Crazy Horse reunion show and an amazing one.

6) Boz Scaggs – Charlotte Coliseum (around 1977): I got drug to this when all I knew about was Lowdown and before I knew about his blues roots. He rocked the place and I was so glad I went.

There are no Grateful Dead shows on the short list, because even though they are my other all-time favorite band and I saw them 6-7 times, I never caught a magical show like a lot of folks talk about. All of them but one were very good. But none of them were magical enough to make the list (the closest one was the Southern Star Amphitheatre in 1985). I got into the Dead late (in the late 70s), which may explain why I never caught one of the magical shows.

Honorable Mention: Commodores (around 1980), Earth, Wind and Fire (around 1980), Mother’s Finest (around 1977) and of course the Stones (any of the shows).

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