New Live Album Rolling Stones

Live at the Wiltern is the latest live album of the Rolling Stones, released march 8th.

This show, part of the 2002 to 2003 “Licks World Tour” was performed on Nov. 22, 2002 in The Wiltern, an intimate theater in Los Angeles. Several regular Stones auxiliary players, including bassist Darryl Jones, keyboardist Chuck Leavell and saxman Bobby Keys, were there, too. The recording quality is exceptionally good on this 3LP set.

The Stones also brought out several ’60s soul songs at the Wiltern that night. One of them, the horn-powered “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love,” jumps in a way not usually associated with the Stones (a good thing). And co-writer Solomon Burke taking one verse and adding harmonies adds an element of joy.

Two other soul oldies, “That’s How Strong My Love Is” (associated with Otis Redding) and “Going To A Go-Go” (Smokey Robinson), don’t quite hit that height, but are well performed by the fabulous band.

One thing you can count on from the Stones their classic live rock and roll performances are always hitting a groove, sometimes transcending it. The version of “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” here is the perfect platform for Keith Richards’ and Ron Wood’s guitar lines to weave around each other – one of the longtime touchstones of the Rolling Stones’ sound.

There is, maybe surprisingly, no “Satisfaction” on the Wiltern setlist.  I guess fans will have to be content with dozens of other versions of that one.

While the performances here are never less than solid (Mick Jagger is his usual self, as one would expect, however less physical because of the size of the stage…) it’s the song choice that separates Live at the Wiltern from the Stones the many other live sets. These guys have such a huge back catalog, they could cobble together several more good “rarities” sets. So there could be more suprises in the (near) future……