The Rolling Stones/Smashing Pumpkins

The Stones kicked off the second European (and presumably final) leg of the "Bigger Bang" tour Tuesday night with a sold out performance in Werchter, Beligium (which according to media reports created a 30 mile traffic jam!). The setlist was as follows....

1. Start Me Up
2. Shattered
3. Rough Justice
4. Rocks Off
5. Heartbreaker
6. Some Girls
7. Waiting On A Friend
8. Can't You Hear Me Knocking?
9. Tumblin' Dice
10. I'll Go Crazy
11. Wanna Hold You
12. Slipping Away
13. It's Only Rock and Roll
14. It's All Over Now
15. Satisfaction
16. Honky Tonk Woman
17. Paint It Black
18. Jumpin' Jack Flash
19. Brown Sugar
20. Sympathy For The Devil

I've written before about all the moaning and groaning that goes on amongst some of the hardcore Stones fans regarding these setlists. I've said it before and I'll say it again if they didn't play a good deal of the so-called warhorses at these big stadium shows many people would leave unhappy. They're merely giving the people what they want, and this is a fine set-list as far as I'm concerned. "Some Girls", "Waiting On A Friend", "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" and "It's All Over Now" are all inspired choices given the fact that they haven't been played much, if at all lately.

Will Mick and the boys add yet another Stateside trek to the tour? That I seriously doubt, but you never know. I must admit, having seen the Stones so many times over the last couple years it just doesn't seem quite right not having a Chicago Stones concert to look forward to in the coming months! A four DVD set from the "ABB" tour will be released on Tuesday....

Also currently touring Europe is Billy Corgan's revamped version of The Smashing Pumpkins. Over the last few days the band has been releasing footage from the first show of the tour (which took place on May 22 in Paris) including this electrifying take on "Zero".