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The crowd of celebrities, music industry insiders and media people that packed into New York’s Racket club on Thursday night had every reason to believe they were there to attend a Rolling Stones concert, but it was initially impossible to be sure to be. The invitation simply announced the event as an “album release party” timed to coincide with the release of Hackney Diamonds. We were told that all phones and smartwatches would be placed in bags and that “armed guards” and “personal security guards” would not be allowed in. “Dress cool,” the invitation says. “It’s a party!”
The party started with a DJ set from Questlove and Samantha Urbani, while the VIP section slowly filled with the likes of Elvis Costello, Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz and Chris Rock. Rumors had been circulating all week that the Stones would be playing a mini set. The stage was set up with their equipment, but it felt like an impossible dream that the biggest rock band in the world would be playing in a 600-seat club that was hosting two nights with Ben Kweller and a Talking Heads tribute band on the Calendar is available.
Then after 10 p.m. the lights dimmed and the Stones actually took the tiny stage. The core band consisting of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood, bassist Darryl Jones and drummer Steve Jordan were only joined by keyboardist Matt Clifford and background singer Chanel Haynes. (Longtime keyboardist Chuck Leavell, backup singers Bernard Fowler and Sasha Allen, and horn players Karl Denson and Tim Ries were all missing that night.)
“How are you doing?” Jagger asked the crowd. “Are you having a good time?” We play old! We will replay!”
The band started old, returning to 1978 with “Shattered,” a tribute to a far darker New York than today. This was the Stones’ first ever appearance in over a year, and there was concern in some quarters when a planned summer tour was canceled without explanation. However, there was no sign of rust tonight. Jagger was in top form as he glided across the narrow stage and spewed the story of West Side rats and bed bugs downtown without even looking at the teleprompter.
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This was followed by the live premieres of “Angry” and “Whole Wide World”. They are two of the best songs from “Hackney Diamonds,” which numerous reviews have called his best album in decades. (The best thing since “Steel Wheels”? “Undercover”? “Tattoo You even?” We’ll have to hear it a few more times to be sure, but there’s no doubt that it’s shockingly great.) Both songs sparkled with life on stage.
“It always seems like we release our new albums in New York,” Jagger said. “We made it in an airship [in 2002]. We did it on a flatbed truck driving down 5th Avenue [in 1975]. We did it in a convertible and drove over the Brooklyn Bridge [in 1997] and a train going to Grand Central [in 1989]. We missed the releases so much that we had to make another album to re-release.”
“Tumblin’ Dice” was next, but the shortened band meant they couldn’t do the usual longer coda. It was instead a quick and dirty piece, similar to the original Exile on Main Street. Chanel Haynes did an excellent job on background vocals. Their only previous performance with the Stones was in 2022, when they flew to Milan at the last minute to sing “Gimme Shelter” when Sasha Allen had to miss a show. At the time, she was playing the role of Tina Turner on the West End stage, and the producers fired her because she missed an appearance for the performance. It seems like she made the right decision because it meant she returned to the stage with the Stones at least one more time.
“This is the first club gig we’ve played in New York in a long time,” Jagger said as the song ended. “I used to come to this club when it was called Highline. Then it was blow and then powder. Anyway, it’s great to be here and cause some excitement. We’ll be sure to stir things up with his next one. It’s called ‘Bite My Head Off’.”
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These are the Hackney Diamonds songs with Paul McCartney on bass. It would have been a truly historic moment to see him as a guest, but the Beatle is in Australia on his own tour. They coped well without him, playing the song at breakneck speed while Richards and Wood exchanged licks with relish. “Do you think I’m your bitch?” Jagger roared. “I’m messing with your brain!”
After the band intro, Jagger told the audience that they were familiar with the next song. It was Jumpin’ Jack Flash, and it was just surreal to experience it up close in a sweaty club rather than an 80,000-seat football stadium. And even though they’ve played it 1,200 times over the past 55 years, more than any other song in their extensive catalog, nothing about the performance felt remotely counterintuitive.
At the end they left the stage and returned after about a minute to hear the live debut of Hackney Diamonds’ “Sweet Sounds of Heaven.” Lady Gaga sings it with them on the record and it was no surprise when she hit the Racket stage as she watched the show from the wings all night long. Wearing a red sequined jumpsuit, Gaga beamed with joy as she joined Jagger in bringing the gospel ballad to climax after climax. “New York City, the Rolling Stones!” Gaga roared at the end. “Bow.”
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It was an impossible moment to top. They didn’t even try. And even though they only played seven songs and only three oldies, no one came out unhappy. This was the smallest venue the Stones have ever played in New York City and likely the only gig they will play anywhere this year. Everyone knew they had just experienced something historic.
The show is preparing for a stadium tour that will most likely cross America next summer. Let’s hope they break tradition and play more than just two or three Hackney Diamonds songs in the set. This is not another Voodoo Lounge or Bridges to Babylon. It’s not just a few decent songs and a lot of filler. This is a colossal achievement that no one excepted from a group formed when JFK was president. They’ve often seemed on the brink of death in the past, and things will never be the same without Charlie Watts, but The Rolling Stones proved tonight that there’s at least one more great chapter to come before this whole saga comes to an end.