Review: The Rolling Stones bedazzle with new tracks and duets at historic Orlando concert [PHOTOS]

We all know that “Rocks Off” is one of many examples of truly quintessential Rolling Stones material. But when you put it up against “She’s A Rainbow” in a survey that will determine which non-setlist standard the greatest rock and roll band of all time will perform on the third day of Pride month in the Don’t Say Gay state, the Exile on Main St. opener doesn’t stand a chance.

“Some of these [songs] are banned in Florida,” Mick Jagger muttered in the seconds leading up to the revelation that the piano-opened Their Satanic Majesties Request cut won the fan vote.

The thought of the still-brisk-as-fuck frontman—a former part-time Lakewood Ranch resident—now being an octogenarian is pretty depressing on the surface, especially considering how a good chunk of performers his age just get into town, play for an hour or two, and then get out. Jagger, on the other hand, does at least a little bit of a culture dive into where he’s playing, and then preaches his learnings (mostly factoids and lore that local fans know all too well, but wouldn't hear from, say, Paul McCartney) to 60,000 screaming rock and roll fans, even if it’s just a shoutout to Clearwater, where Keith Richards came up with the guitar riff to the band's biggest hit inside of what is now the Church of Scientology.

“We’ve got some great local celebrities out here tonight,” Jagger added, shouting out golf legend Tiger Woods, confusing *NSYNC with The Backstreet Boys when mentioning Joey Fatone, and revealing how Gov. Ron DeSantis was hanging out in one of the stadium's suites (which a spokesperson later denied). The latter was met with an unusually healthy mix of cheers, boos, and middle fingers.

“He’s having a date night with Mickey Mouse. I'm so glad they finally made up,” he jabbed.

At 9:25 on Monday night, his best friend, the almighty Keith Richards, shuffled onstage at a very sold-out Camping World Stadium with his standard, piratey grin, and launched into the first three notes of “Start Me Up.” Jagger, rocking a burgundy, glitter-dusted jacket, skin-tight black pants, and still maintaining a head full of greyish brown hair, strutted out like a flamboyant frontman a quarter his age would, and made the band’s last no. 2 hit—which, until this year, has not been a regular show opener since 2005’s A Bigger Bang tour—an explosive introduction to the nearly two-hour gig.

Ronnie Wood—who would also sport multi-colored jackets, as well as a transgender flag manicure on one hand—traded beautifully messy solos with Keef on “It’s Only Rock ’n' Roll (but I Like It),” and Jagger would often throw on an axe to be part of the fun, like on the rousing-as-always “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” And the Let It Bleed song still rings true, because the guys getting a local choir to sing the opening and background vocals (a hope for many in attendance) appears to have faded into a special occasions-only practice.

Jagger would dash (and I mean dash) up and down the stage’s massive catwalk during “Honky Tonk Women,” and Wood, err, would join him up front on “Miss You,” which Richards was not present onstage for during the first verse.

Everybody’s favorite lively immortal did get a chance to shine on his own, though. Before splitting riffs with Wood on “Little T & A”—his lead vocal contribution to Tattoo You—Richards introduced “Tell Me Straight,” a new track off of the Stones’ first new album of brand-new material in 18 years, last October’s Hackney Diamonds.

The record, which has been widely hailed as the band’s best in decades, shares a name with the current tour, and in truth, the Stones’ fellow bands and artists more than 25 years into the game should be taking notes on how to properly execute a new album tour. Only four tracks from Hackney Diamonds (including a Chuck Berry-esque rendition of opening track “Angry,” played a half-step or so down) appeared on the final, 19-song setlist, and everything else was just a flashy, rollicking reminder of who the boys are, and what they’ve given fans over the years. In short, those who prefer to stick to the Bill Wyman stuff (but remain gaga over current bassman Darryl Jones, who would rip out a masterful solo on "Miss You") are now aware of the new material without being one "Sympathy For The Devil" short.

But one elephant remains very much in the room: How is Steve Jordan handling filling the shoes of Charlie Watts three years in?

The drummer (personally appointed by an ailing Watts weeks before his 2021 death) gave “Get Off of My Cloud” a far longer intro than his predecessor ever did, but his love and mad respect for the late drummer is incredibly visible in his playing style, which kicks Watts’ legendary simplicity up a notch. Jordan, who killed it on the cowbell during “Honky Tonk Women” also uses a damn near identical kit, and his cream-colored suit was a reminder that it wasn’t a rare feat to see Watts dressing fancy.

And while it appears that the band’s onstage graphics—and Jagger’s banter—have been mostly cleared of the remembrances of their bandmate seen in Tampa in October 2021, he’s technically still part of the show. On “Miss You” and “Dead Flowers,” a recording of Watts counting the band in played quietly enough that you'd think someone was shouting it off-mic, but loud enough for live Stones album connoisseurs to recognize that often-silent voice anywhere.

And, Watts’ archive recording wasn’t the only special guest on the country-inspired, heroin-mentioning “Dead Flowers,” either.

Following “She’s A Rainbow,” Jagger shouted out opening act Tyler Childers (who plays a solo gig in Tampa later this week), and invited him back onstage to duet with him on the mainly acoustic Sticky Fingers cut, which was a bit less harmonious during the verses than I was hoping on Childers’ end, but still came together well during the choruses.

Childers, who hit the stage at 8 p.m. on the dot Monday night, veers away from the bro-country movement, and finds meaningful topics to center his material around. The 32-year-old and his massive band would rip into brilliantly orchestrated bluegrass-slash-rock jam sessions while banjos, wah pedals, and fiddles kept a presence all across the stage for 45 minutes. His band intros came off as very Springsteen-inspired, as he basically told a stripped-down version of each of his friends’ life stories before announcing who they were and what they played. And, if every song in the world had a hook as harmonious and catchy as “Way of the Triune God,” there would be no more war.

You can’t forget the other hallmark moment of the 21st century Rolling Stones experience, which is Jagger sharing vocals with a female backup singer on “Gimme Shelter.” Last time, it was “The Voice” semi-finalist Sasha Allen belting out that chorus where a song's bridge would usually be. But this tour, it’s gospel singer (and ex-Tina Turner in a West End production of “Tina”) Chanel Haynes eating up those high parts with an unstoppable, powerful-as-hell aura about her, while rocking an ultra-sparkly silver dress.

And perhaps that aura seen in countless younger performers could be what keeps the Stones going after over 60 years. It could be that Jagger wants to expand his horizons by working with as many of them as humanly possible, or maybe it's the fact that said sensation still exists in the boys after over 60 years, and hasn't shriveled up with time.

Are they checking out for sure? Are they gonna close the door on us? Considering the shape Jagger's in, my money's on not a chance.