The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park, show number 2, and last show of the 50 and Counting Tour – wow. We sent our reviewer Tom Court over to one of the most highly anticipated shows of the year, and here’s how he saw it.

Having booked these tickets months in advance, whilst also having been glued to the weather channel for the last week, it was hard to say what I was more excited for: the catastrophically un-British weather or the Rolling Stones? Needless to say, neither disappointed.

The opening licks of ‘Start Me Up’ sent the crowd into rapture: the rock stalwarts were ready to say goodbye to the ’50 and Counting’ tour in a spectacular fashion.Jagger took to his wardrobe regularly to peel off his ‘sticky finger’ tight trousers and replace them with spandex, whilst Keefy took twenty fag breaks – what is it, 1969?

Despite not featuring any truly spectacular guest as we have seen in previous dates, fans were still treated to the re-occurring appearances of former guitarist, Mick Taylor. His most noteworthy cameo being the sensational ‘Midnight Rambler’ – creating a soothing combination of guitar and harmonica that prompted you to shut your eyes and gasp. When the stage came alight for ‘Sympathy For The Devil’, I couldn’t stop peeking at the newly-crafted foliage of Hyde Park and thinking ‘Forest fire’.

Whilst the cheers seemed to die down when Keith Richards took to centre stage to perform a few of his “classics”, I was reluctant to dash off to the beer tent (or even the toilets), and instead watched him perform to keep my superb position. Honestly, I didn’t think were as bad as many made out, or I expected – after all, it is Keith Richards, and Jagger must’ve needed a breather, the lad is seventy, y’know?

After following their 50^th Anniversary Tour for quite some time now, I have to say that they definitely saved the best set-list for last, as they played classics such as ‘Ruby Tuesday’, ‘Tumbling Dice’, and continued this tour’s tradition of having a choir for ‘Can’t Always Get What You Want’.

Will they tour again? Stranger things have happened. Even if they don’t, I’m confident in saying that they truly gave the fans what they wanted on this last tour (ahem, ticket prices?), and can feel happy in knowing that they definitely went out with an impressionable bang. I mean, who else can say they’ve been together for fifty years? Certainly not One Direction – doubt they’ll last five years…