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The new Martin Scorsese Rolling Stones concert film, “Shine a Light,” has many high points, but the big surprise for me was the way that guitarist Keith Richards emerges as a showman who is most certainly the equal of the group’s lead singer, Mick Jagger.
Keith has always been a major power in the group, of course, co-writing most of the songs with Mick and providing superb musicianship as lead guitarist for more than 40 years.
But, near the end of “Shine a Light,” Richards gets a solo spot — without his guitar — and does a vocal rendition of “You Got the Silver” that is every bit as galvanizing as any of Mick’s adrenaline-fueled, crowd-stirring song-and-dance antics.
Scorsese drops a black curtain over the huge golden stage setpiece behind the band, gives Richards a simple solo spotlight, and the man is absolutely mesmerizing, both vocally and visually. Without any staging tricks, simply planted at the microphone, Richards makes us hang on every word, every gesture.
Has there ever been a better argument against plastic surgery than Keith’s fantastic, lived-in face?
The musician has earned every line and crevice. Keith’s face is now one of those beautiful ruins in the tradition of W.H. Auden or Lillian Hellman. The artist’s total comfort with the way he looks and moves is one of the best parts of a Rolling Stones show in the 21st century.
(“Shine a Light” opens nationally tomorrow.)

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