The air is warm, smoky, still, yet full of anticipation. Suddenly, a loud WHOOSH is heard, followed by a fiery explosion viewed on the large video screen. A spotlight engulfs the stage, encompassing Keith Richards, donning a long leopard print coat, black wrap-around sunglasses, and the famous smile, as he strikes the opening notes to Satisfaction. An immediate roar emerges from the crowd and the female Keith fanatics let out a collective sigh; we have now entered "Babylon."

Anyone who questioned the Stones' ability to pull off yet another extravagant performance was forced into submission the moment the group appeared on stage. It is often difficult to describe the feeling one gets when the Stones play live, but imagine an adrenalin rush pulsing through your body, followed by an absolute sense of joy, each moment building on the other, reaching an almost orgasmic climax until another song takes you through the process yet again. Melodramatic? Perhaps. Realistic? Definitely! Having seen the Stones perform live on both the Steel Wheels and Voodoo Lounge tours, it is apparent that with age, the Stones only continue to improve. If the OSU concert was any indication of things to come, Stones fans at future shows will not be disappointed.

The obvious "hits" were performed, including Miss You, IORR, and Start Me Up, but with renewed enthusiasm. Jumping Jack Flash and Gimme Shelter (the Internet choice of the evening and one of my favorites) were particularly rocking. A new song, Out of Control, came off quite well and helped prove that the Stones are still a relevant group in the 90's. The Stones also catered to those hoping for more obscure songs, playing Sister Morphine and during Keith's set, All About You and Wanna Hold You. The latter was arguably one of the highlights of the show. In fact, it was a particularly strange, yet exciting moment for my friends and myself (the self-proclaimed "Keith Richards Mafia"), for when Keith began to sing, at least fifteen rows in front of us sat down! Therefore, instead of having a somewhat obstructed view twenty rows from the stage, we could see Keith perfectly and sang along with him while others looked at us with odd expressions.

However, the best part of the evening occurred when the Stones prepared to play on the second smaller stage located in the middle of the floor. Thanks to a friend and by luck of stage design, our seats were directly next to the walkway to the second stage. (Keep in mind that this was a temporary 3-4 foot high walkway that the Stones used early in the tour until the expanding bridge was ready.) As the Stones proceeded across the ramp, we screamed their names and reached toward them. My moment of pure ecstacy then took place. As my idol Keith strolled before me, I screamed his name and lunged forward, grabbing his outstretched hand. He probably expected a brief handshake or slap, but I had such a firm grip on his hand that he reciprocated the squeeze, stopped briefly (until I had to release my grip!), looked at me and smiled. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed and stood in awe as Keith then greeted my friends. I was able to touch and/or slap the hands of all of the Stones, but shaking Keith's hand was the most exhilarating. Nothing I have ever experienced can compare to this moment and I will cherish it for ages.

As a whole, the show was truly spectacular. Of course, no concert runs perfectly, and there were some problems, such as Mick singing a verse ahead in Brown Sugar or Ron accidentally unplugging himself mid-song, but the Stones (as well as the crowd) took it all in stride. Mick, Keith, Ronnie, and Charlie looked happy, healthy, and in touch with their audience. It is fair to suggest that they performed with a passion equaling any tour from their lengthy past, taking us all into THEIR world. And for nearly 2 1/2 hours, it felt like nothing else mattered.