Rolling Stones Open 2017 Tour in Hamburg with Beatles Tribute and Blues Cover

The Rolling Stones kicked off their “No Filter” tour on September 9, 2017, at Hamburg’s Stadtpark. In a city that practically invented the Beatles, the Stones paid their respects by playing “Come Together” — a cover they rarely touch live. It was a deliberate nod to Hamburg’s role in rock history, where the Beatles cut their teeth in the early 1960s.

The set also included “Ride ‘Em on Down,” a cover by Eddie Taylor that the Stones had just recorded for their 2016 blues album Blue & Lonesome. Playing it live for the first time on a major tour reinforced their return to raw, Chicago-style blues. Between the homage to the Beatles and the deep blues cut, the Hamburg opener felt like a handshake between two eras of rock and roll.