Morning Spin: Live at the Wiltern by The Rolling Stones
The Stones perform in a theater with a set list of rarities
Live at the Wiltern
The Rolling Stones
Rolling Stones Records
Released March 8, 2024
In 2002/2003, the Rolling Stones celebrated their 40th anniversary with the release of the Forty Licks greatest hits compilation and a world tour. In some cities, the band performed at three different venues – a stadium, an arena, and a theater. The theater shows saw setlists full of songs that were rarely, if ever, performed live.
On November 4, 2002, the Stones appeared at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. The Wiltern was built in 1931 and its art deco design makes it a historic landmark and the largest theater in the city. The Stones performed to an audience of approximately 2,300.
Solomon Burke, a founding father of soul music, was the opening act. The Stones recorded and performed his signature song “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” early in their career but rarely since. Burke joins the band onstage and lends his powerful, gospel-preacher vocals. On the accompanying video, Burke brings out the cape he wears during performances and puts it on Mick Jagger while proclaiming him “the TRUE King of Rock and Roll.”
The set list is peppered with rarely played songs from throughout the band’s history. “Dance, Part 1” is, obviously, a dance groove while Mick Jagger urges the audience to “get out to something new.” “Stray Cat Blues” from Beggars Banquet is a politically incorrect song about underage sex. “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” includes an extended jam featuring a fine harmonica solo from Jagger. The concert ends like most Stones concerts end with a mad dash through the hits culminating with the top five hit and my personal favorite, “Tumbling Dice.”
The band sounds a little shaky at the beginning of some of the rarities. “Neighbours” sputters until saxophonist Bobby Keys steps in to deliver one of is signature solos. The ballad “No Expectations” is another deep cut from the Beggars Banquet album. Keith Richards has a tendency to rewrite riffs on stage and the start of the song is unrecognizable. Ronnie Wood provides some tasty slide guitar but can’t match the brilliant feel of Brian Jones on the studio version.
Live at the Wiltern is a nice companion to the previously released Licked Live in NYC as documents of the Licks Tour. The Paris Olympia Theatre show was released on the Four Flicks DVD box set. There are several other theater shows from the US and European legs of the tour that deserve at least a digital release. Hopefully we will see more of them in the future.