AceShowbiz -

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee The Rolling Stones are soon embarking on the North America leg of their "50 and Counting" tour this coming May. Before the Mick Jagger-fronted band kicks off their short, 9-city stop tour at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on May 3, they first did a surprise warm-up gig at the neighboring Echoplex club over the weekend.

As early as after getting word on the gig around 1 A.M. on Saturday, April 27, people started waiting in line at the El Rey theatre where the tickets to the show were going to be sold for the jaw-dropping price of $20. Due to the limited seating capacity in the club, a random lottery decided who among those who patiently waited in line would get access to the surprise event.

The several hundred very lucky fans who managed to get in got themselves an experience of a lifetime, as they enjoyed a 90-minute set from the quartet of Jagger, guitarist Keith Richards, drummer Charlie Watts and guitarist Ronnie Wood composed of their biggest hits. Jagger even amused the crowd with his greeting, "I'm glad you're here to welcome an up-and-coming band."

They kicked off their set with "You Got Me Rocking" followed by "Respectable" before breaking out into a string of covers such as Otis Redding's "That's How Strong My Love Is", Chuck Berry's "Little Queenie" and The Temptations' "Just My Imagination". Jagger got the crowd to sing along to "Miss You" prior to delivering the songs "Love in Vain" and "Midnight Rambler" leading up to their encore of "Brown Sugar" and "Jumpin' Jack Flash".