Rolling Stones '“ mesmerising and utterly brilliant

REVIEW: Havana Moon, Port Solent Odeon '“ and cinemas around the world.
Havana MoonHavana Moon
Havana Moon

Towards the end, Keith Richards says he reckons the Stones are getting better and better. All you can do is nod and agree.

Havana Moon – a film version of the Rolling Stones historic Good Friday 2016 concert in Cuba – brings to the big screen a breath-taking live performance, the Stones at their scintillating best.

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As Jagger says, the thrill for the band is to be still discovering new territories more than half a century after they first launched in a very, very different world. The thrill for us is that the old rockers are still – without a shadow of a doubt – on an upwards trajectory.

Maybe this wasn’t a concert film with the sophistication of Scorsese’s Shine A Light Stones epic of a few years back, but it beautifully captured the raw power of the band as highlight followed highlight in a blistering set.

Midnight Rambler was an absolute stand-out, hypnotic and brilliant, Jagger orchestrating it all to mesmerising effect. With this concert, the Stones became the first rock band to play a massive free outdoor concert to hundreds of thousands in Havana; Jagger had each and every one of them eating out of his hand. There has simply never been a frontman quite like him.

Gabbling away in Spanish, strutting, pouting, sprinting and storming, this was a performer at the height of his powers and at the very top of his game.

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Honky Tonk Women was particularly strong; Gimme Shelter was scintillating; and Sympathy for the Devil never loses its devilish hold.

Tumbling Dice and Start Me Up were surprise omissions, but with half a century of songs to draw on, you can hardly complain. Out of Focus was the surprise inclusion in a set which rocked from first to last.

The old devils have still got it, and they’ve got it in abundance. Magic, charisma and awesome power on – quite clearly – the most wonderful of nights.

Phil Hewitt

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