Perennial rockers the Stones continue to teach all the young pop pups a trick or two. Here they provide 'Satisfaction' for their loyal fans as they jump around the stage like Jack Flash himself performing a mix of old hits and numbers from their 'Bridges to Babylon' album.

So if there has ever been a band totally deserving of the title of "bad boys of rock & roll" it is the Rolling Stones. Their then latest release ‘Bridges To Babylon’ contained a number of interesting compositions and arrangements that prove that the Stones are far from being senile or outdated. The DVD is a packed 120-minute live concert recording of the band, featuring 20 fiery songs in what was one of the most spectacular rock shows of the year.

Released in December 1998, this DVD was filmed in the TWZ Dome in St Louis, Missouri on 12^th December 1997 during the Bridges to Babylon Tour 1997 – 1998. ‘Bridges to Babylon’, their 23rd American studio album, resonates with the band's legendary sound mixed with the tepidness of the ‘90s.

The concert video opens with Keith Richards on center stage, playing the opening riff of Satisfaction, accompanied by a dazzling visual effect. It has been a long time since the band first played this song, and the boys have come a long way since their time as a wild, angry, and rebellious group of youngsters ready to conquer the world. Despite their age, the band and their now-classic songs still have a furious energy that can hardly be held in check.

This disc has the Stones at their best. Flip The Switch, Saint Of Me rub shoulders with a brooding Gimme Shelter to a sweeping Like A Rolling Stone. What is even more impressive is how some of the Stones classics come alive in this concert. Songs like Honky Tonk Woman, Brown Sugar, and especially Jumping Jack Flash have never seen such strong renditions, defying their age with an energy that belies the truth that the band has played these songs countless times.

Not only is the song selection perfectly balanced, their sequence is also nicely arranged to build up to a spectacular finale in the show’s third quarter.

They burst with energy and clarity that I have never heard before. At times, I used to wonder what keeps the Stones going, but watching this concert pretty much tells it all. It is clearly the fun and the enjoyment Ron Wood and Charlie Watts have playing with each other, as well as the undeniable chemistry between Jagger and Richards. Then, when Woods and Richards start bombarding each other with the riffs and solos of their songs, the smiles on their faces say more than a thousand words and make you wish the Rolling Stones could be around for yet another 30 years.

The ‘Bridges To Babylon’ concert was taped with a number of well-placed cameras, allowing for excellent editing on the material while still keeping the focus of the concert as the center of attention. The image quality is generally good, although the limitations of the original video recording are visible in a few details.

You can say what you want about the Rolling Stones, but there can be no mistake that the Rolling Stones rock and although the band lost their drummer Charlie Watts in 2021, here the band look fitter than ever, better than ever, and bigger than ever, they present themselves on this great concert DVD with the best they ever had. This disc has to go into every Stones fans’ collection

Director: ‎ Bruce Gowers

Run time: ‎ 2 hours

Reviewed by Verus Ferreira