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The Rolling Stones live at Earl’s Court, London, May 22 1976
It was 1976 and The Rolling Stones were already treating London like their personal testing ground for how far a rock band could push stamina, volume, and collective attitude before someone called it excessive. At Earls Court during the Black and Blue era, the group leaned into a sharper, more flexible sound, with new guitarist Ronnie Wood locking into Keith Richards in a way that made riffs feel almost conversational. The Stones, unsurprisingly, made excess feel like a professional obligation.
Honky Tonk Women/If You Can’t Rock Me-Get Off Of My Cloud/Hand Of Fate/Hey Negrita/Ain’t Too Proud To Beg/Fool To Cry/ Hot Stuff/Star Star/You Gotta Move/You Can’t Always Get What You Want/Band introduction/ Happy/Tumbling Dice/Nothing From Nothing/Outa Space/ Midnight Rambler/It’s Only Rock’n Roll/Brown Sugar/Jumpin’ Jack Flash/ Street Fighting Man/ Sympathy For The Devil
A Hot Night in London
In May 1976 The Rolling Stones stormed into London’s Earls Court for a run of shows on their Black and Blue tour, casually reminding everyone that “retirement” is a concept meant for other bands. With Ronnie Wood newly installed as a full-time member, the group suddenly felt both refreshed and slightly more dangerous, as if they’d swapped exhaustion for pure mischief. Across six sold-out nights from May 21 to May 27 they delivered the kind of marathon performances that made fans lose track of time, dignity, and possibly hearing. The setlist bounced between warhorses like Jumpin’ Jack Flash and Brown Sugar and newer cuts such as Hot Stuff and Fool to Cry, proving they could still experiment without losing the plot. Mick Jagger worked the stage like it owed him money, Keith Richards kept the riffs coming with effortless grit, and Earls Court turned into a sweaty cathedral of rock excess where subtlety clearly wasn’t on the guest list.
The Rolling Stones in London:Ronnie Wood Joins the Ride
For Ronnie Wood, the Earls Court run in 1976 wasn’t just a debut—it was basically the moment he stopped being “the new guy” and started being the guy who somehow survived joining The Rolling Stones. Having already toured with them in ’75, this was his first official lap as a full member, and the chemistry with Keith Richards clicked almost suspiciously fast, like two guitarists who’d been finishing each other’s sentences in riffs for years without bothering to introduce themselves. Meanwhile, London’s musical landscape might’ve been shifting, but the Stones responded in the most Stones way possible: by turning Earls Court into a loud, sweaty reminder that trends come and go, but swagger with volume knobs stays permanent. For those inside, it wasn’t just a concert series—it was a front-row seat to a band refusing to age gracefully, or quietly, or at all.
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