Full Circle with Friends and the Rolling Stones

By: Matthew  Mosteller

On June 27, 1972, my girlfriend at the time, now my wife, Cathy, my lifelong friend, Greer Radcliff, and other friends attended The Rolling Stones's “1972 American Tour“ concert at the Mobile Civic Center. After finishing our freshman year in college at our respective schools, we gathered for a night of “It’s Only Rock n’ Roll, but We Like It! We Like It, Yes We Do.“

Last fall when it was announced that The Stones were coming to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in May 2024 for their exclusive Thursday afternoon event we knew we had to be there. What really sold us was the show would be from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, perfect for certain attendees' lifestyles.

On May 2, 2024, this past Thursday, the three attendees from 52 years ago and a New Orleanian local and dear friend, Adair Brown, headed to New Orleans. We were going not just to relive our past, but to enjoy the Jazz Fest moment and to make new memories because “Time Was on Our Side” this evening. We were excited to hear the Rolling Stones 2024 Hackney Diamonds Tour concert.

The moment we realized that our digital tickets were not forged and we actually got in with our 19” base folding chairs, we relaxed and could immediately feel the energy of the event. Everyone was there for one thing —to see Mick Jagger and The Stones.

The crowd around the Festival Stage was 40,000 strong — age that evening was irrelevant because Mick, Keith, and Ronnie were up there singing, playing, and dancing at 80 years old which gave us all encouragement.

The opening act was the  New Orleans funk, jazz, soul, blues, gospel rock band called Dumpstaphunk with Ian Neville on keyboards. This was actually what the crowd wanted as a prelude to a thirty-minute break. Out of nowhere came that famous three-chord guitar riff by Keith of “Start Me Up“!   

They went on solidly for two hours. Enclosed below is Ronnie's signed copy of the setlist. One of the highlights was a duet of Mick and Irma Thomas singing her song and the Stones's first USA hit, “Time Is On My Side.” 

I really enjoyed the 2024 version of “Jumping Jack Flash.”  Cathy’s favorite was the  “Gimme Shelter“ duet of Mick and  New Orleans native, Chanel Haynes who previously starred as Tina Turner in Tina, The Musical at a  West End theater in London. Adair loved “Out Of Time,“ and Greer‘s favorite was “Let It Bleed,“ which was originally released in 1969, our junior year of high school.

In essence, the whole event was so exciting and well run by a city that knows how to put on a show. That evening over supper as we were summarizing our experience of the day, we agreed that music as timeless as The Stones surely helps bind friendships together, even those over 50 years old.

The T-P/Nola.com had this to say after the show: Rolling Stones’ Age-defying 2024 New Orleans Jazz Fest.