The Rolling Stones Prep Release of Live At The Wiltern 

The Rolling Stones have announced the latest title in their ongoing live archive series with Live At The Wiltern, scheduled for release on March 8, 2024 via Mercury Studios.

The concert, cut before an intimate crowd in the famed Los Angeles venue The Wiltern Theatre on November 4, 2002, was part of the band’s Licks World Tour in support of their then-new compilation Forty Licks, released in honor of their 40th anniversary at the time. And as a respite from performing their biggest hits in stadiums and sports arenas across the world, the Stones chose to treat the lucky 2000+ fans inside the Wiltern to a show packed with some of their deepest nuggets.

Of course, the group could never get away with eschewing the war horses, so the likes of “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Start Me Up” and “Tumbling Dice” anchored the set on this night. But coloring the gig was a cache of cuts the Stones rarely play in concert, unearthing gems like Tattoo You’s “Neighbours,” “Stray Cat Blues” from Beggars Banquet and the Keith Richards-sung Voodoo Lounge highlight “Thru And Thru” among others.

“We couldn’t really go through a whole tour doing predictable shows,” guitarist Ron Wood told writer Paul Sexton for Live At The Wiltern’s extensive liner notes. “We’ve got to have songs out of the blue.”

“It makes it interesting for the audience and the band,” adds singer Mick Jagger. “I’ve got to think a lot more about setlists than I’ve ever done.”

Enthuses Keith Richards: “Sometimes on the road, the weather’s bad and half the band’s down with something, but apart from those obvious blue days, there’s an amazing freshness about these guys.”

This extended lineup of the band on this night is a further testament to this particular period in their career. So in addition to Jagger, Woods, Richards and the late, great Charlie Watts on drums, they are joined by A-List musicians bassist Darryl Jones, keyboardist Chuck Leavell, saxophonist Bobby Keys and backing vocalists Lisa Fischer, Bernard Fowler and Blondie Chaplin. Soul legend Solomon Burke, meanwhile, makes a special appearance on an uplifting version of the 1964 soul classic “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love,” co-written by Burke alongside Bert Berns and Jerry Wexler.

With Tom Petty, Neil Young, Sheryl Crow, Johnny Depp, Stephen Stills and Eddie Murphy in the audience, The Rolling Stones delivered one of the most electrifying shows of their long career.

The Rolling Stones Live At The Wiltern will be available on the following formats: DVD + 2CD; Blu-Ray + 2CD, 2CD, 3LP (3 variants: Black, Gold (D2C Exclusive), and Black & Bronze Swirl (Amazon Exclusive).

The Stones are prepping a new North American tour in support of their latest studio album, Hackney Diamonds, which kicks off on April 28 in Houston, TX and wrapping up on July 17 in Santa Clara, California.

 

Tracklist:

CD1:

Jumpin’ Jack Flash

Live With Me

Neighbours

Hand of Fate

No Expectations

Beast of Burden

Stray Cat Blues

Dance, Part 1

Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (with Solomon Burke)

That’s How Strong My Love Is

Going To A Go-Go

Band Introductions

 

CD2:

Thru And Thru

You Don’t Have To Mean It

Can’t You Hear Me Knocking

Rock Me Baby

Bitch

Honky Tonk Women

Start Me Up

Brown Sugar

Tumbling Dice

 

VIDEO: The Rolling Stones Live At The Wiltern trailer