Here is OBR
latest product, the vinyl version of the Stones 2021 stop at Foxboro’s Gillette
Stadium, or more accurately on a tent on its field as specified inside the cardboard
sleeve, a show that was arranged for the friends of Robert Kraft, the Kraft Group
CEO that manages the New England Patriots as well as the Gillette Stadium.
Frankly I had hoped for a stereo version of that recording, but unfortunately
it is in mono again. The Stones concert happened a week before the start of the
band’s 2021 No Filter US Tour, but it was designed well before Charlie Watts
passing less than a month before this show for Kraft’s birthday. This in fact
turned out to be a very historical concert which has so far remained unheard (the
audience consisted mostly of Kraft’s friends) so it is remarkable not only because
it is the first live act of the band with Steve Jordan on drums, but also for
the live debut of Living In a Ghost Town and of Trouble’s A Coming, the latter an
obscure cover of a Chi Lites 1970 track, unreleased at the time, so this is a
must for Stones fans and collector and of course the vinyl release with its
bright green or black platters and the thick cardboard covers will delight fans
and collectors. Likewise, the cd version. this release is subtitled Praying And
Playing which are Ron Wood’s words pronounced during the tribute to Charlie
that happened right after Tumbling Dice when the 3 surviving members hugged
each other watching a video of their 59 years buddy. Living In A Ghost Town premiered
soon after, welcomed by the audience that did participate to it. In the Band Introduction
Steve Jordan is called “a great friend of Charlieâ€. Miss You is remarkable for the
saxophone solos duel between Karl Denson and Tim Ries. Street Fighting Man
should have been played, it seems, but was skipped for unknow reasons. This is
a nice audience recording, that is significant for its uniqueness and shall be
regarded as another substantial chapter in the Stones alternative story written
by this underground label. The band plays reasonably well, of course all ears
are for Steve Jordan, who tries not to overwork too much the songs in order to replicate
Charlie Watts touch, however his way of hitting the drums is different and
noticeable especially on Sympathy for the Devil; Jagger is out of breath a lot
after some songs, showing not to have yet been in shape.
Packaging
is excellent with each album that is housed into a black antistatic inner
sleeve and, as written before, this vinyl release is available in 130 numbered copies
in green vinyl and just in 40 numbered copies in black vinyl; now at first
sight it seemed that the numbers were also on each platter’s label, but then I
found out that the printed number (40) that was on the green vinyl discs (mine
was no.61) are also on the black vinyl labels (mine was no.9). However, the covers
of green and black vinyl are different for completists pleasure with the black
vinyl version here shown sporting a dedicated drawing.
