The Rolling Stones’ Zip Code Tour – Orlando

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The Rolling Stones are in a league of their own – not just with their musical history but with the size of shows they play and the amount they charge (tickets were upwards of 425 dollars). Stadium shows and the ticket prices carry huge expectations and the Stones proved they are still very much masters of their craft.

The show kicked off with a quick montage of Stones history ending with a “Welcome to Orlando” sign shown as Keith Richards hit the opening notes of “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”. A large burst of fireworks followed on the first drum beat and the crowd of 50,000+ excitement exploded.

“All Down The Line” was a nice surprise early in the set – a deeper-cut classic Stones rocker but the band seemed to really hit their stride with “Tumbling Dice” which saw Mick Jagger taking full advantage of the catwalks to lead a stadium-wide sing-along.

Stadium shows tend to allow the pyro, larger than life video screens and stage setup to steal the spotlight from the music. Yet they also create an atmosphere of sorts – it is hard to match 50,000+ singing along providing energy that clearly feeds back to the band. Songs like “Start Me Up” mixed in pyro at just the right moments to elevate the atmosphere and music to a giant celebration level.

It is almost too easy to make jokes about their age (ranging from 68-74) yet critics would be hard pressed to find more showmanship, energy, and musical passion in bands half their age.

Every show the band turns to the internet to allow fans to vote for one song in the set – with usually including one option from the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. The winner was, and according to Jagger by a landslide, “She’s So Cold”. That, along with “Miss You” later in the set took what are rather polished album cuts and turned them into full fledge rock songs.

The tour has been loosely promoted as a celebration of their classic “Sticky Fingers” album due to the recent re-release. They dusted off some lesser played songs – “Bitch” and “Moonlight Mile”. “Bitch” being a highlight of night thanks to the guitar efforts of Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood.

The over 10-minute long “Midnight Rambler” filled with a collection of guitar, vocal, and harmonic solos, was a perfect example of how the band can take a simple blues song and translate it to the stadium setting. For many, extended jams are cue for a bathroom or beer break, but whether it was the passion of Jagger’s vocals or the back and forth guitar trading of Richards and Wood, the crowd’s energy never fell off.

With the show clocking in at just under 2-hours, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” starts the encore with a choir from University of Central Florida there to provide the famous acapella parts – a job they did so well it felt as the album was coming alive in front of you. A powerful rendition “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (which was written right here in Florida) closed the show with a giant fireworks display.

A lot of musicians love to proclaim they’ll play until they can’t anymore – and anyone who was in attendance has to hope that’s the case with the Stones. The on-stage chemistry and presence is stronger than most acts; the music is filled with more passion, and songs are so classic that you can’t help to want much more from them.

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Living among the too-many-to-count theme parks of Orlando, FL, Andrew is always looking for an excuse to check out a show, buy some vinyl, modify (instead of play) his guitars, and eat food your mom would consider unhealthy.

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