Features The Stone Roses, Heaton Park: What Will They Play?

With tickets for the first two of next year’s Heaton Park shows selling out in just 14 minutes, the scale of The Stone Roses reunion suddenly becomes a whole lot clearer. An extra date was even promptly scheduled on the Sunday to cope with the demand, and tickets for that didn’t hang around for long either. And so attention turns to next summer when Brown, Squire, Mani and Reni finally take to the stage together for what will be the first time in 17 years.

They have also announced that new material is on the way, which will no doubt be showcased at the homecoming gigs. However, without the ability to dip into their creative minds, we are left with the mouthwatering task of speculating over a greatest hits setlist, and how beautiful it looks. Here is DIY’s Stone Roses Heaton Park 2012 set list…

I Wanna Be Adored It kicked off the Blackpool Empress Ballroom gig, it kicked off the Spike Island gig. It even kicked off the disastrous Reading 96 gig. If that famous bassline isn’t the first thing you hear, there’s a possibility you’re at the wrong gig. Expect the intro to go on for a very long time.

Elephant Stone What better way to follow it up than with one of their most dance-influenced songs. Squire’s wah-wah pedal will be weeping like the grown men that stand before him. Beer will fly when this one kicks in.

She Bangs The Drums Could be thrown in at any point and you’ll know when it is. The bassline is guaranteed to get the stiffest of shoulders moving, so it’s a good one to stick in early.

One Love Another funky one and also a great sing-along. It didn’t get much of a chance live first time round with it being the last single before their four year gap. They may take it up a notch from the original recording to really hammer it home.

Waterfall That riff, when it comes in, will be a magical moment.

Going Down This B-side to ‘Made of Stone’ was played frequently in their earlier shows and will go down well with the faithfuls. Those who are unfamiliar will grasp the chorus before the song finishes.

Sugar Spun Sister One of their earliest surviving songs at the heart of their debut album. Its lyrics reference members of parliament tripping on glue, so it’s still relevant.

Mersey Paradise As one of their strongest B-sides it earns its place amongst all the singles. Another great sing-along too, in case they were lacking.

Standing Here The other B-side to ‘She Bangs the Drums’ is another corker. Its lazy, bouncy rhythm will get the monkey arms limbered up for some bigger hits. A set closer at their early gigs, now it would be played a lot sooner.

Fools Gold Heaton Park will be briefly transformed into the Hacienda circa 1990. It’s time to get serious.

Begging You The first song we’ve included from Second Coming and what better way to follow ‘Fools Gold’ than with this pile-driver. Fast drumming and house groves that will get the blood pumping as the night sky draws in. One for Reni to let rip on.

Breaking Into Heaven After only a below-par UK tour of Second Coming, they will be keen to breathe new life into it this time round. The album was poorly received, but this was at a time when the band were slowly collapsing. Perceptions have now changed and this is the first track from it, an eleven minute funk explosion, though it’ll be down to seven minutes on the night.

Ten Storey Love Song Concluding a little pocket of Second Coming tracks is this huge single. A colossal chorus, the closest you’ll get to a lighters-in-the-air moment.

Where Angels Play Another staple from their early sets, a little nostalgic touch and a tender one at that. Usually played towards the end of their gigs, it’s a good one to kick off the final section here.

Shoot You Down It’s back to the first album now. A delicate track that drifts in and out with squire’s intricate guitar noodling and a beautiful vocal from Brown. The calm before the storm.

Love Spreads The opening guitar riff will signal the final push from the boys and a great chant-along. Time to get the dancing shoes back on and stomp about like monkeys.

Good Times Used religiously near the end of their late Second Coming gigs, it’ll be in better company this time round with some of the weaker songs dropped. The instrumental ending will go down a treat…well, the title says it all really.

Sally Cinnamon The moment when you think all the biggest hits have been played and this is sprung upon you. The song that shaped the Stone Roses into what they became.

This Is The One As Brown puts it himself, ‘the quiet bits are quiet and the loud bits are loud’. A song that builds and builds into a euphoric climax, which makes it the perfect choice to end the main part of the set.

Encore

Elizabeth My Dear In 23 years it’s doubtful that anything has been done to change The Stone Roses views on the monarchy, so a morbid 50 second request for the Queens abdication would be a nice little touch before they bid farewell.

Made Of Stone An inspirational song about following your dreams and never giving in, it’s enough to make your fists rise just thinking about it. Incredible chorus, incredible guitar solo and a great way to lead into the inevitable.

I Am The Resurrection Is there a more fitting way to end their first gig together in 17 years? There’s a teasing build up to the first chorus that takes an age to arrive and when it arrives, boy does it arrive. Then it’s over to over to the boys for the instrumental climax, the climax that you never want to end. And you never know, Brown may even have his bongos with him. Whatever they manage to conjure up here, this will be a set to remember. They are the resurrection and they are the light.