Following the June 2019 release of Bridges to Bremen, the November arrival of Bridges to Buenos Aires documents another show on the Rolling Stones’ mammoth 1997/1998 tour in support of the Bridges to Babylon album. This show as recorded on the last of five sold-out dates at River Plate Stadium. Cornerstones of the set list remain, from the opening number “(I Can’t Get No Satisfaction)” to the concluding blast of “Brown Sugar.” There were a few surprises for the audience in Argentina, though. Perhaps the biggest treat is a guest spot by Bob Dylan during the Stones’ cover of Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone.” Dylan’s improvisational phrasing keeps Mick Jagger hustling, but the Stones singer clearly relishes his duet with the folk-rock icon and gets his licks in. Other highlights include Jagger’s brooding performance accompanied by Ronnie Wood’s slide guitar during the grim tale of “Sister Morphine.” The Argentinian audience greets fresh Bridges to Babylon fare including underrated Stones gem “Saint of Me” and Temptations homage “Out of Control” (featuring Daryl Jones’ downtempo bass groove and Kent Smith’s muted jazz trumpet) like major hits, echoing Jagger’s vocal with resounding singalong chants. Drummer Charlie Watts keeps a whip-crack beat as the band boogies through Chuck Berry’s “Little Queenie.” Jagger makes a false start singing the opening lyrics to “Respectable” as the band launches “When the Whip Comes Down,” but the singer rolls with the change and the band never slows down. Keith Richards claims the crowd during his run through the rootsy “Thief in the Night” and Undercover’s “Wanna Hold You.” “Too much fun!,” he says afterward. The guitarist unleashes his famed riffs during crowd-pleasers like “Start Me Up” and “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.” Richards and Wood’s guitars spar during “Sympathy for the Devil,” joined by Chuck Leavell’s sparkling piano. Background vocalist Lisa Fischer shines alongside Jagger during “Gimme Shelter” and the bawdy “Honky Tonk Women,” joined by saxophonist Bobby Keys and a choir of thousands. Keys’ sax is showcased again during the extended outro to “Brown Sugar,” as Jagger sprints the stage to stoke the crowd to fever pitch one last time. Rack Bridges to Buenos Aires alongside Bridges to Bremen, No Security and concert film Bridges to Babylon Tour ’97–98 for a broad overview of a year when the Rolling Stones circled the globe and played to well over four million fans. Bridges to Buenos Aires is available in multiple audio and video formats. This review is based upon the limited edition translucent blue vinyl 3xLP package. Audio quality is pristine, clear and full.
Set List:
01. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
02. Let’s Spend the Night Together
03. Flip the Switch
04. Gimme Shelter
05. Sister Morphine
06. It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)
07. Saint of Me
08. Out of Control
09. Miss You
10. Like a Rolling Stone
11. Thief in the Night
12. Wanna Hold You
13. Little Queenie
14. When the Whip Comes Down
15. You Got Me Rocking
16. Sympathy for the Devil
17. Tumbling Dice
18. Honky Tonk Women
19. Start Me Up
20. Jumpin’ Jack Flash
21. You Can’t Always Get What You Want
22. Brown Sugar
