ARE YOU MADE OF STONE?
Simply put, The Stones Roses proved their skeptics (including yours truly) WRONG! This controversial reunion tour was not about one last massive paycheck (well, not only in any case) but judging from what was happening on stage – the verve, the energy, the sheer joy of performance and the chemistry amongst Reni, John Squire, Mani and Ian Brown, it was clear that the music was uppermost in the band’s mind and giving the fans exactly what they wanted.
Considering that the band’s main oeuvre consisted of two LPs and various singles A and B sides, the quality of the set list was impeccable. The highlights of the first half most definitely were “Mersey Paradise”, “Shoot You Down”, “Sally Cinnamon” and the funky “Fools Gold”.
Ian Brown – for all his legendary vocal deficiencies – pulled his weight best he could, prancing around the stage like some kind of monkey king – confidence exuding from every pore. The rest of the band were magnificent – from Mani’s groovy bass work, Reni’s phenomenal drumming and John Squire’s electrifying guitar skills – and together with Brown, were irresistible to anyone fortunate enough to witness the spectacle.
The band upped the ante in the final half of the set, delivering one incredible song after another – “Waterfall”, “Don’t Stop”, “Love Spreads”, “Made of Stone”, “This is the One”, “She Bang the Drums” and the inevitable “I Am the Resurrection” bringing down the house! I loved the fact that there was no hokey encore – after that fantastic climax it was clear that the band had given everything and the group hug at the end brought tears to every fan’s eyes – the camaraderie so evident to all.
An unforgettable night of great music from a legendary band! What more could you ask for???
Thanks to Stella Soong/Lushington Entertainment for making this review possible.
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