Ron Wood & Slash

Although Julia Roberts doesn’t put in an appearance till the after-show, there are enough celebs wandering round Vicar St. to keep VIP in photos for a year. Mars Bar addict that I am, I’m particularly excited when Marianne Faithful walks past looking a good deal younger than her 56 years.

The sense of expectation is tangible as Woody, fag and glass of red wine in hand, saunters on and launches into a deliciously loose version of ‘So You Want To Be A Rock ‘N’ Roll Star’.

Three more songs from his Not For Beginners album follow, and then it’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Moment #1 – a 1,000 voice rendition of The Faces’ ‘Ooh La La’ which puts goosepimples on your goosepimples.

Crowd well and truly warmed up, it’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Moment #2 as Slash and his ‘87 Cherry Sunburst Les Paul make their grand entrance. Resplendent in a cut-off lumberjack shirt and well-worn leather trousers – the top-hat doesn’t make an appearance till later – he’s porkier than he was back in his Guns ‘N’ Roses days, but still capable of throwing the most outrageous shapes. Ditto Mr. Wood who, refusing to be upstaged, struts some seriously funky stuff during ‘Little Red Rooster’.

Rock ‘N’ Roll Moments #3, #4 and #5 come in quick succession – a wigg-out instrumental version of ‘Paradise City’, ‘Jealous Guy’ (dedicated to George Harrison) and ‘It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll’ ensuring that it’s shit-eating grins all round.

You’re just thinking to yourself, “It can’t get better than this”, when an extremely tired and emotional Ronnie cranks out that riff. 30 odd years after the fact and ‘Stay With Me’ – aka Rock ‘N’ Roll Moment #6 – has lost none of its ballsy charm. Julia, you really should have been there!