For decades, those six simple words have heralded the arrival on stage of the world’s greatest rock and roll band.
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From December 10, the fabled film, Rolling Stones — At The Max, returns to select IMAX and Cineworld venues across the UKCredit: SuppliedUsing eight IMAX cameras, it was the first full concert movie to be shown on the giant screens and featured a typically storming setCredit: Supplied
The announcement most likely paves the way for the raw, staccato thrill of Start Me Up, followed by at least two more hours of music mayhem.
It is the moment when all the work put in by the band’s creative director and lighting designer, Patrick Woodroffe, comes to fruition.
Since the 1982 tour supporting the Tattoo You album, Woodroffe and his team have been tasked with shining the spotlight on the Stones — literally.
It has been their job to showcase the swagger of Mick Jagger, the laid-back riffing of Keith Richards, the playful interaction of Ronnie Wood and the effortlessly cool drumming of the late Charlie Watts.
We know ever-energetic Jagger struts across cavernous stages in front of vast crowds, but Woodroffe says: “Keith once told me that Mick could perform on a coffee table, and it would still be great. Our job is simply to provide a setting in which he can work.”
Although the Stones’ age-defying shows continue to this day, fans and casual observers alike are being invited to step back in time to 1990 for what the band calls “a bigger, louder and more immersive” experience.
From December 10, the fabled film, Rolling Stones — At The Max, returns to select IMAX and Cineworld venues across the UK.
‘Visual narrative’
First released in 1991 and now remastered, it captures the previous year’s Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle tour in all its raging glory and is also notable for the final performances with the band of bassist Bill Wyman.
The film was shot in three European cities, London (Wembley Stadium), Turin and, less than two months before the reunification of Germany, East Berlin.
Using eight IMAX cameras, it was the first full concert movie to be shown on the giant screens and featured a typically storming set.
Rocking live staples were present and correct — Honky Tonk Women, Sympathy For The Devil, Street Fighting Man, Brown Sugar and the Stones’ favourite finale (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.
Jagger gives a vocal masterclass on mid-Sixties classics, Ruby Tuesday and Paint It Black, while Richards takes his customary turn at the mic for a rousing Happy.
There’s room for live rarity 2000 Light Years From Home, which first appeared on the Stones’ psychedelic 1967 outing, Their Satanic Majesties Request.
And for several tracks on newly minted Steel Wheels — Sad Sad Sad, Rock
And A Hard Place, and a wild, experimental sonic adventure called Continental Drift.
So, which songs in the live repertoire make for particularly dramatic visuals?
“Certain numbers are considered production numbers,” says Woodroffe.
“Sympathy For The Devil is a good example as is Gimme Shelter.
I met Mick for the first time that night in a tiny dressing room under the stage just before the show
Woodroffe
“These are powerful songs, typically longer than most, which allow time to build a visual narrative. For Sympathy, we set the stage on fire! Not literally of course, but smoke machines, flame effects and pulsing red lights give a pretty good impression of it.”
To celebrate the 2025 At The Max refresh, I’m speaking to Woodroffe about his association with the Stones, which stretches back to the early Eighties.
He recalls his initial dealings with Jagger and Co: “The first show I ever made for the Rolling Stones was at the Capitol Theatre in Aberdeen in the summer of 1982.
“It was also the first show for our musical director, Chuck Leavell. So he and I share the distinction of being the longest- serving Stones employees, something we are both very proud of.”
Woodroffe remembers a fateful encounter in that north-eastern corner of Scotland: “I met Mick for the first time that night in a tiny dressing room under the stage just before the show.
“His only direction to me then was, ‘Bright for the first numbers and darker for the ballads’. Not bad advice and something I have followed for the last 45 years.”
So, I venture, how involved have the band members been in the process of designing, lighting and staging a show?
He replies: “Mick and Charlie have been the most involved with helping our set designer Mark Fisher to develop designs for tours. But Ronnie and Keith have also been very aware of the stages on which they perform.
“Keith always refers to the stage as ‘The Office’.”
I always watch a Stones show in two very distinct ways
Woodroffe
Next, Woodroffe talks of the strong rapport he has built up over the years: “Much of the success of the relationship I have with the band is simply based on longevity.
“There is a real shorthand and understanding of what we’re all doing to create these shows, so communication is easy.
“But I’m also genuinely enthusiastic about my work and I think that probably has some resonance with the band.
“I’ve always loved their music — and having a job that allows me to be a part of their world is hugely gratifying.”
Over the years, Woodroffe has learned how to highlight the band in different settings.
“I always watch a Stones show in two very distinct ways,” he says.
“The first is to make sure that our part of it is right in terms of the lighting, the staging and the video content.
“The second is to understand the audience who come to watch the band — and that changes every night.
“An audience of 60,000 in a giant stadium in Tokyo is a very different beast from a club show in Paris or a run of shows at Madison Square Garden.
“It is how an audience acts, how they respond to the band emotionally and, more to the point, how the band responds to them.
“That is something that’s unique from show to show.”
This brings us to the challenges of staging the 1990 Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle tours with At The Max in mind.
Woodroffe says: “Stones shows are often filmed for either live broadcast or simply as a record of a tour.
“Each time, lighting and the staging is adjusted to capture the show on film but, for the IMAX project, we were in unknown territory.
“No one had done anything like this before and everything was different, particularly the cameras themselves, which were enormous and took three people to run them.
“The film cartridges also only lasted 12 minutes, at which point another three people had to reload the film canisters.
‘Huge spectacle’
“Unlike a normal video shoot where a TV monitor can show us instant results and can therefore be adjusted on the fly, the IMAX system had no facility for this.
“Instead, we would shoot something one night, the film would then be flown to the States to be processed, then flown back again to Europe where we would have to find an IMAX cinema near wherever we were touring.
A Stones performance is an interesting mix of huge spectacle — sound, light, video and pyrotechnics — with intimate performance where the heart and soul of this extraordinary band is there for all to see
Woodroffe
“Then we’d go to watch the rushes at one o’clock in the morning when the theatre was empty!”
Next, I ask Woodroffe how he and his team went about achieving the right atmosphere for such big screens?
He answers: “A Stones performance is an interesting mix of huge spectacle — sound, light, video and pyrotechnics — with intimate performance where the heart and soul of this extraordinary band is there for all to see.
“Getting that balance right is key to a successful concert and, on the IMAX film, we achieved that with real success.
“With all the talk of immersive experiences, At The Max is as immersive as it gets.
“You really do feel as if you were there and the Rolling Stones are performing just for you!”
The band with creative director and lighting designer Patrick Woodroffe, centreCredit: Supplied
Like the rest of us, the Stones and their production team are only human, so I’m keen to find out if things ever go wrong.
“Things always go wrong on some level!” says Woodroffe. “But it’s usually quite easy to hide them. Even something as obvious as a microphone going down can easily just be considered part of the energy of a live performance.
“But, in the 45 years I’ve worked with the band, we’ve never lost a show because of a technical issue.
“After all, that famous mantra ‘the show must go on’ applies to us as much as anyone.”
Woodroffe’s career goes back to 1973 and he has lit and directed shows for many artists who sit at rock and pop’s top table.
Among them are AC/DC, The Police, Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, Rod Stewart, Elton John, and Lady Gaga — but who are his favourite artists to work with, aside from the Stones, of course?
‘My soundtrack’
Woodroffe tells me: “All an audience ever wants to see from an artist or a performer is authenticity.
“However staged or considered or planned a concert might be, it is that connection between the artist and audience that matters — more than any special effect or fancy costume. And the Stones are nothing but authentic.
“I think Stevie Wonder is probably the one other artist that I felt the most connected to other than the Stones, which is of course ironic as Stevie has never seen my work.
“But his music was the soundtrack of my life and growing up. So, to be a part of interpreting that with light and colour, helping him to share it with an audience, was a privilege.”
Woodroffe reserves his final comment for the Rolling Stones, giving a clue to his strong and enduring relationship with them.
“I consider myself a fan and a friend.”
Like the rest of us, the Stones and their production team are only human, so I’m keen to find out if things ever go wrong.
I consider myself a fan and a friend
Woodroffe
“Things always go wrong on some level!” says Woodroffe. “But it’s usually quite easy to hide them. Even something as obvious as a microphone going down can easily just be considered part of the energy of a live performance.
“But, in the 45 years I’ve worked with the band, we’ve never lost a show because of a technical issue.
“After all, that famous mantra ‘the show must go on’ applies to us as much as anyone.”
Woodroffe’s career goes back to 1973 and he has lit and directed shows for many artists who sit at rock and pop’s top table.
Among them are AC/DC, The Police, Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, Rod Stewart, Elton John, and Lady Gaga — but who are his favourite artists to work with, aside from the Stones, of course?
‘My soundtrack’
Woodroffe tells me: “All an audience ever wants to see from an artist or a performer is authenticity.
“However staged or considered or planned a concert might be, it is that connection between the artist and audience that matters — more than any special effect or fancy costume. And the Stones are nothing but authentic.
“I think Stevie Wonder is probably the one other artist that I felt the most connected to other than the Stones, which is of course ironic as Stevie has never seen my work.
“But his music was the soundtrack of my life and growing up. So, to be a part of interpreting that with light and colour, helping him to share it with an audience, was a privilege.”
Woodroffe reserves his final comment for the Rolling Stones, giving a clue to his strong and enduring relationship with them.
FROM Three Lions to Vindaloo, England have their fair share of rousing football anthems.
But now that Scotland have qualified for their first World Cup since 1998, proud Tartan Army faithfuls Biffy Clyro are planning their own tune to cheer on their lads next summer.
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From left: Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro, Ben Johnston and James Johnston at the Rolling Stone UK AwardsCredit: GettyLewis Capaldi poses in the winners room with The Artist AwardCredit: GettyAshley Roberts on the red carpet at the eventCredit: GettyJessie J has a new album on the wayCredit: Splash
The trio scooped the Live Act gong at the Rolling Stone UK Awards at London’s Roundhouse on Thursday night and told me they are already putting plans in motion.
Asked whether anyone from the Scottish team had been in touch, frontman Simon Neil said: “Well, we’ve been in touch with them.
“We want to do Scottish Band Aid or Live Aid. This is a historic moment for Scotland.”
But on the team’s chances in the tournament, he said with a laugh: “Ninety minutes after the first game, with all of our heads in our hands, it won’t matter. But see, this next six months is truly magical.
“In this day and age, we all find so many reasons to fall out and disagree that it’s surprising it’s football that’s bringing people together. Lionesses last year, all of England would celebrate.
“I’ve got the lyric for the chorus: ‘The party’s starting because the tartan’s marching’. There you go. That’ll be in your head for now. I want that to stimulate the song.”
Sounds like a belter to me.
Meanwhile, the third annual ceremony was packed with celebs and saw FKA Twigs win the Album award for Eusexua, and Lewis Capaldi the Artist award.
Comedian Mo Gilligan was brought in to present Lewis with the prize, this time pronouncing his name correctly — after accidentally calling him Sam Capaldi on stage at the Brit Awards in 2023.
Jessie J was on top form as she gears up to drop her first album in seven years, Don’t Tease Me With A Good Time, this Friday.
She said: “It has been a long time. I finished writing it in 2022.
“I have a lot of music in my phone. So if someone wants to steal my phone, and put it out for me, it would save me a lot of agg. No, but I’m excited for people to hear it, you know?
“I just want to make people feel something.”
And now that Jessie’s back in the spotlight, she has found that her two-year-old son Sky has a taste for fame.
She added: “Oh, my God, he’s so funny. He’s like, ‘Can I come to work? I love when the people say, yay’.
“It’s so cute. I can’t tell him I’m going to work because he wants to come with me.”
It was typically chaotic, with Danny at one point vaping on stage and later dropping his cigarettes on the floor as he made his way home, despite the fact the whole thing was sponsored by nicotine pouch company Zyn.
He is in the middle of shooting series two of Eighties TV comedy drama Rivals, but promised to get “off his nut” and later celebrated at the after-party until 1am.
IN his opening monologue on the night, Danny said: “It’s been an amazing 12 months because I won a f***ing Bafta.
“There was only one thing that could top that, and that’s the fact that my first-born child married the captain of West Ham United.”
Danny Dyer did a cracking job on hosting duties at the awardsCredit: Splash
Welcoming Mo Gilligan on stage: “It’s the 11th funniest comedian in the country. He’s funnier than Joel Dommett, I can tell you that.”
Before handing out the Film award: “Here’s a fact for you, I’ve been in 50 films, 47 of them are s**t.”
Introducing the Television award: “They didn’t nominate me for this one, can you f***ing believe it? I’ll come down there and put a nut on ya.”
And while presenting the Festival award: “Deep down, we are all dreaming of being in a field somewhere, warm lager in our hand and off our t**s on mushrooms.”
Musicals Greatest Hits was released yesterday and it features a cover of Wicked’s For Good, just as the second film’s soundtrack, also featuring that song, came out.
Ben Forster is going head to head with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo with his new albumCredit: Supplied
Ben whose roles include playing the Phantom in The Phantom Of The Opera, told Bizarre: “I’m so excited that everyone can finally hear my album. Creating it has truly been a dream come true.”
Ben embarks on a huge tour next year.
He will play theatres up and down the UK from September.
NEIL YOUNG AND THE CHROME HEARTS are performing in the star-studded line-up for the new Blenheim Palace Festival on July 3.
They are joining acts including Katy Perry and Teddy Swims at the series of gigs in Oxfordshire.
ALBUM PERFECT FOR DOJA TAT
DOJA CAT was so impressed with tattoo artist Claudio Traina’s work that she decided to use his design on her latest album Vie.
Claudio, of Sixty Ink in London, told me: “I met her in a house in LA.
Doja Cat was so impressed with tattoo artist Claudio Traina’s work that she decided to use his design on her latest album VieCredit: Supplied
“We were doing tattoos for everyone there, and she got so excited, she decided to get her first tattoo. Two days later she called me for more.”
Claudio, whose clients also include Yungblud and Demi Lovato, added: “Now, every time she’s in London, she comes to the studio for fresh ink.
“She liked the word Vie, meaning ‘life’ in French, and decided to get it tattooed. A few months after, I got a message saying they had used that tattoo I designed for the album cover.”
CHRISTMAS will be arriving early for fans of Jade.
I can reveal that the former Little Mix singer is to announce a bumper deluxe edition of her debut album, That’s Showbiz Baby, which came out in September.
The new album, with fresh songs added, is expected to be available on December 5.
FOREIGN LINGO KEY FOR ALICIA
ALICIA KEYS has teamed up with Italian music great Eros Ramazzotti for his latest album.
But rather than sing in English, the 17-time Grammy-winning Empire State Of Mind singer learned the track in both Italian and Spanish.
Alicia Keys has teamed up with Italian music great Eros Ramazzotti for his latest albumCredit: Getty
Alicia told Bizarre: “We had such a fun time. We’re doing this beautiful song, L’aurora, and I was learning it in Spanish as well as Italian.
“And so, it’s really exciting to be able to sing in a whole different language and poetry and the beauty of how it goes and how it feels coming out is incredible.”
She added: “It felt very easy. It felt natural, it felt fun.”
Proving you may grow older but don’t have to grow up, she added of the 62-year-old Italian singer : “He’s a prankster, a jokester.
“He’s trying to scare me the whole time, but I’m tough. So, you can’t scare me. But it was beautiful. I love it and I’m so excited about this project.”
The record, Una Storia Importante, also features opera singer Andrea Bocelli, and Eros will kick off a tour in Paris on Valentine’s Day.
When it comes to packing for a winter getaway, it can be tough to fit all of your bulky clothes into a small suitcase – but there’s a simple hack that will help you maximise space.
Nicola Roy Spare Time writer
09:46, 14 Nov 2025
(Image: Panuwat Dangsungnoen via Getty Images)
There’s nothing quite like the excitement of a winter city break. Cities such as Berlin, Copenhagen and Vienna truly come to life during the festive season, and many of these destinations offer affordable flights too.
If you’re only jetting off for a long weekend, you likely won’t need a large suitcase. However, packing bulky winter clothes into a small bag can be a challenge.
To help travellers, experts have shared a simple technique that allows you to fit much more into your luggage – and it’s not the rolling packing method.
Essentials like coats, knitted jumpers and chunky boots are all must-haves for a winter getaway, but with limited packing space, it’s not always feasible to bring everything you desire.
However, travel PR gurus at Pure Digital PR have shared some of their top packing hacks that they swear by to maximise space and minimise stress – and topping the list is vacuum packing, reports the Express.
This straightforward trick removes the air from clothes, significantly reducing their size and creating extra room for those essential winter items.
The method can shrink the volume of bulky items like fleeces and padded jackets by up to 50 per cent, meaning you can pack twice the amount without forking out for additional charges for checked baggage.
Another game-changer is investing in packing cubes, which help organise your luggage into tidy, compressed sections.
The travel expert said: “We recommend colour-coding your cubes, one for tops, another for bottoms, and a separate one for accessories, making it easy to find what you need without unpacking your entire suitcase.”
This approach works particularly well for families travelling together, as each member can have their own colour-coded system.
The experts also highlighted the importance of selecting versatile items you pack, choosing clothes with multiple functions that can be mixed and matched.
The expert added: “A versatile black jumper can be dressed up for dinner or worn casually during the day, while a quality jacket that’s both waterproof and warm eliminates the need for multiple coats.
“Choosing a neutral colour palette also means fewer items overall, as everything coordinates seamlessly.”
Finally, wearing your bulkiest clothing during travel rather than packing them can free up considerable suitcase space. Make sure to wear your heaviest boots and thickest coat for the flight or journey, even if you feel slightly warm at the airport.
