The rolling Stones rock Abu Dhabi in first ME show

ABU DHABI: The Rolling Stones played their first ever concert in the Middle East on Friday — a gig to 30,000, mostly Western fans in Abu Dhabi.
A swaggering Mick Jagger, dressed in black sequins and red satin — later donning a red feather boa — strutted across the stage, showing little sign of his advancing years as he sang hits including “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll,” “Honky Tonk Women,” “Brown Sugar” and “Sympathy for the Devil.”
But unlike an appearance by Madonna in the Gulf Arab state in 2012 — which featured erotic dancing, provocative outfits and bare-chested monks — the concert passed off without controversy.
The band — all in their late 60s and early 70s — delighted fans who had traveled from around the United Arab Emirates for the only Middle East show at the start of a tour that moves on to Japan, Macau, Australia and New Zealand.
Arriving on stage to the sound of tribal drumming, the Stones launched into Start Me Up for their opening number.
Frontman Mick Jagger was up for it. Dressed in a sparkly red jacket — the first of nearly half a dozen costume changes — the 70-year-old’s voice was in fine form as he delivered the lines with utter conviction.
The energy was maintained with the follow up, the stomping It’s Only Rock’n’roll.
Jagger remained a consummate frontman throughout the show. Ever so gracious, he kept peppering his banter with Arabic phrases such as “shukran jazeelan” (thank you very much) and “kaifa halek?” (how are you?).
The best moment was when he exercised his UAE knowledge by attempting to mention the seven emirates. Astonishingly the tongue twister Umm Al Qaiwain got a mention but Ajman was forgotten.
Fans in the UAE were asked to vote for their favorite song for the band to play, which turned out to be “Gimme Shelter,” but easily the biggest crowd pleasers of the night were the final song Satisfaction, mid-set classic “Paint It Black” and “Brown Sugar.”
“For their first gig in the Middle East, it was magic. It’s history,” said British expat Lisa Ball-Lechgar after the two-hour concert during which Jagger, guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood and drummer Charlie Watts performed 19 songs.
The concert also cemented du Arena as the region’s leading concert venue.