Rolling Stones: Chag Shavuot Sameach, Israel!
With Hebrew phrases that won roars of approval from audience, Stones put on an energetic show, despite extreme heat.
It was very hot at Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park, but The Rolling Stones' frontman Mick Jagger didn't stop moving like Jagger and showing off his Hebrew, as tens of thousands of fans danced and sang along.
Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and Ronnie Wood took the stage at 21:15, for a two-hour concert, as part of their ON FIRE 14 European tour.
"Good evening Tel Aviv, Chag Shavuot Sameach Israel," Jagger shouted in Hebrew at the beginning of the show, after singing the show opener "Start Me Up."
"We're the Rolling Stones," Jagger said in broken Hebrew.
The audience particularly enjoyed "Angie," even though the tempo was faster than that of the recorded version. "Toda, Shukrun," said Jagger, expressing his thanks in Hebrew and Arabic, moving onto "Doom and Gloom."
"HaKol Sababa?" Jagger asked in Hebrew, asking if everything was cool, after finishing "Paint It Black" and moving onto "Honky Tonk Woman."
Later on, the Stones played a song requested by the audience, "Get Off of My Cloud."
"We'll try to remember this song, from 1960-something," Jagger said.
After impressing the audience with even more Hebrew, including introducing the backup band, it was Keith Richards' turn to sing "You Got The Gold," followed by "I Can't Be Seen With You."
Richards returned the microphone to Jagger, but not before bidding the audience "Shalom, Salam" (goodbye in Hebrew and Arabic).
Englishman Mick Taylor then joined the band to play an amazing guitar solo that quickly turned into a musical battle with Jagger's harmonica and Ronnie Wood's guitar. The former Rolling Stones guitarist has joined the band in other concerts and the Israeli audience was happy to have him.
"Atem Nehenim?" Jagger asked in Hebrew, ensuring the audience was enjoying itself, before adding in English. "Want more?" When he was answered with a roar of approval, he started jumping around to "Jumpin' Jack Flash."
Next, the band went into "Sympathy For the Devil," adding in Hebrew at the end of the song: "Atem Kahal Metoraf" (You're a crazy audience). He then sang "Brown Sugar."
The Stones then went off stage, not before wishing the audience "Layla Tov, Tel Aviv" (Good night, Tel Aviv).
When the crowd called for an encore, the backing band went on stage and started playing "You Can't Always Get What You Want," with Jagger coming back on stage with a green striped shirt, giving the audience exactly what it wanted, and needed.
After the relatively calm song, the guitar intro for "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" introduced the last song, that ended with fireworks.
As they spilled out of the park at the end of the show, concert goers knew this was a show they'll tell their grandkids about.
While the weather doesn't seem to faze the legendary band's members who provided an energetic performance, some in the audience needed medical attention. More than 50 people were treated by Magen David Adom for dehydration, fainting and asthma. Five were taken to the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.
