Wrinkly Rockers Rule The Roost
We, along with many others, reported the story that the Stones were rejected as Glastonbury headliners due to the band, who currently have the world's biggest earning tour, demanding one million for their services.
Given that they seem to consider one of Britain's most loved music events as not worth the effort for less than a six figure sum, it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect that they were taking home a similar fee to play an event of the legendary status as the Isle of Wight. So did the organisers, and more importantly the paying punters get value for money from an act still going over four decades after forming?
Jagger, Richards and co were slightly later than advertised as they took to the stage, but wasted little time in turning the Seaclose Park field into a jumping mass of bodies by launching into 'Start Me Up'.
This was the last of the real A-league of their hits for almost an hour, with 'Start Me Up' being closely followed by the likes of 'You Got Me Rocking', 'Rough Justice' and 'Can't You Hear Me Knocking'.
The band did invite two of UK music's rising stars to join them on stage. First Paolo Nutini performed 'Love In Vain', then Amy Winehouse dueted on a cover of the Temptations track 'Ain't Too Proud To Beg'.
The classic track 'Tumbling Dice' followed the Amy Winehouse appearance, with the band then playing two Keith Richards fronted numbers, 'Wanna Hold You' and 'Slipping Away'.
It was around the halfway mark in the set that the full band took advantage of the extension to the stage, which saw a runway stretch out into the crowd. 'Miss You' was performed from here, as was '(I Can't Get Know) Satisfaction', the track that ensured everyone in Seaclose Park were moving.
The remainder of the show saw hits 'Honky Tonk Women' and the mass audience participation moment 'Sympathy For The Devil'. The huge classic rock giant that is 'Brown Sugar' brought the main set to a close, however the best was still to come.
The band returned for a one song encore consisting of 'Jumping Jack Flash', before leaving the stage for the climax, that put the big bang straight through the stomach of the 'Bigger Bang World Tour'.
With David Bowie's 'Heroes' playing at the same volume as the Stones had been at for the previous hour and a half, one of the most spectacular fireworks displays you could ever wish to see obliterated the night sky and could surely have been enjoyed from Southampton.
This marked a triumphant end to the weekend, however the first half of the set could have done with a heavyweight hit or two. Granted when you've that number to choose from you'll never please everyone, but for me 'Street Fighting Man', 'Give Me Shelter' and 'Wild Horses' were notable absentees from the night. That said the crowd made their way out of the arena satisfied that they'd seen one of the all-time greats in action, even if it did look like they were tiring as their set drew to its close.
So has Glastonbury missed out by not paying the big bucks? When they can boast The Who instead they probably haven't, however the show the Stones put on was still one hell of a way to round off three days of music, even if Muse edged the battle of the headliners on points.