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If you think watching a band celebrate forty years in the game involves polite applause and comfortable chairs, you haven’t been paying attention to The Rolling Stones. When they tore into Brown Sugar at the Stade de France in 2003, they weren’t just running through a greatest-hits victory lap; they were actively trying to prove that the Licks tour was the most dangerous, high-octane operation on the planet. It’s an exercise in sheer, cussed stubbornness, proving that while everyone else was busy aging gracefully, the Stones were much happier setting fire to the furniture.
July 9, 2003: Stade de France, Paris, France (Licks Tour, European leg) Brown Sugar/Start Me Up/You Got Me Rocking/Don’t Stop/Angie/You Can’t Always Get What You Want/ Bitch/Tumbling Dice/ Band introduction/Slipping Away/Before They Make Me Run/Sympathy For The Devil/Miss You/Little Red Rooster/Street Fighting Man/Gimme Shelter/It’s Only Rock’n Roll/Honky Tonk Women/Satisfaction/Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Paris Turns Electric: The Stones Hit Stade de France
On July 9, 2003 The Rolling Stones stormed into Paris and lit up the Stade de France as part of their globe-trotting Licks Tour. The energy in the massive stadium was off the charts as over 80,000 fans packed in to witness the rock legends in full force. As the lights dimmed and the unmistakable riff of Brown Sugar rang out, the crowd roared with a kind of excitement only the Stones can summon. Mick Jagger had the entire stadium in the palm of his hand—singing, dancing, and running laps around the stage like it was 1973 all over again.
What made the night even more special was how effortlessly the setlist mixed deep cuts with all-time classics. From their (at the time) new hit Don’t StoptoSympathy for the Devil, the band reminded everyone that they weren’t just rock stars—they were rock survivors, still at the top of their game. And with the Parisian summer night as the backdrop, everything felt larger than life.
The Licks Tour in Europe
The 2003 Licks Tour was a celebration of the Stones’ 40th anniversary, but in Paris, it felt more like a victory lap. The band brought a stadium show packed with swagger, style, and a massive stage setup—complete with video screens, pyrotechnics, and an attitude that screamed “Hey, we’re not done yet!”
Paris was just one stop on a tour that proved The Rolling Stones could still outplay and outshine acts half their age. On that July night, the city of lights belonged to rock’s ultimate survivors—and they delivered a show that left fans buzzing long after the final chord rang out.
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