Ronnie Wood dishes on epic pre-tour party thrown by Paul McCartney with surprise appearance by Neil Young! Join the fun now!
The Rolling Stones kicked off their highly anticipated 2024 tour in Houston on Sunday, April 28, in support of their latest album, “Hackney Diamonds.” Backstage at the show, guitarist Ronnie Wood shared some exciting insights about their rehearsals in Los Angeles where they had the pleasure of spending time with none other than Paul McCartney.
“Paul is so great and really supportive,” Wood told The U.S. Sun in an interview. “He came to a few rehearsals and gave us some really nice input.”
Not only that, Wood revealed that McCartney organized a special gathering for him and his wife before The Stones embarked on their tour.
“Paul threw me and Sally a going away party from LA,” he said. “He invited Neil Young as my surprise guest at the dinner. It was so lovely.”
McCartney had actually contributed bass to one of the tracks on “Hackney Diamonds,” the punk-inspired “Bite My Head Off.”
As for Young, Wood mentioned, “He is an old buddy of mine and I haven’t seen him in years. We’re going to get together again in Louisiana and go to the New Orleans blues festival.”
Both The Rolling Stones and Neil Young & Crazy Horse are headlining the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival this week, with The Stones performing on May 2 and Young and his group taking the stage on May 4.
Reflecting on the band’s preparation for the tour, Wood shared, “We really had our noses to the grindstone in LA and we rehearsed for five weeks. We have been getting back into the mode of playing stadiums.”
The Rolling Stones delighted the audience in Houston with an 18-song setlist mainly comprised of their classic hits, alongside three tracks from “Hackney Diamonds.”
“We owe it to our fans to include as many big songs as we can,” Wood explained. “But we like to mix up the old and the new, that is what we love to do.”
For fans who missed the concert, a highlight video of the Houston show is available on The Rolling Stones’ YouTube channel, showcasing snippets of “Start Me Up” and the new song “Angry,” as well as Mick Jagger reminiscing about their history in Texas.
As part of his creative endeavors, Wood is once again selling prints of his hand-drawn set lists for each concert on the tour. Fans can purchase limited-edition art prints of the Houston set list and pre-order upcoming set lists, each complete with a uniquely designed guitar pick for the first 750 buyers.
The Rolling Stones’ 2024 tour in support of “Hackney Diamonds” will continue with multiple shows across the United States, including a performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 2 and concludes on July 17 in Santa Clara, California.
Tickets for The Rolling Stones’ concerts are available now through various outlets, including StubHub, offering fans the chance to witness legendary rock music at its finest.
Don’t miss out on this epic tour and secure your tickets to witness The Rolling Stones in all their rock ‘n’ roll glory!
Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rolling Stones; Photo by Mary McCartney
