Jagger's entrance was not a simple leap onto the stage but a slow walk down the red carpet from the back of the scene, allowing viewers to soak in the wonder in all its glory. That still thick hair, styled in a youthful retro ’60s fashion, with not a single gray strand. That discreet high-tailored suit, worn appropriately for the occasion but also highlighting the agility of his slender body and his light, athletic stride. Only his face revealed his 65 years—Jagger, born at the height of World War II—famous lips, once said to be able to "suck an egg out of a chicken's ass," now pale and drawn; cheeks carved with deep lines resembling frightening scars.

The audience's cheers suited not so much the Royal Opera House or the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, but rather a vast open space like Wembley or Dodger Stadium. Despite the ever-increasing genres of "new rock and roll," everyone knows there is only one authentic kind, and Mick Jagger remains its undisputed embodiment. He responded with his disarming smile, a hoarse "Allaw!" and an impromptu display of Rolling Stones rebelliousness: "See? You thought Jonathan would say all the swear words, but in the end, it was Mickey..."

Then his voice changed, as it always does to suit the occasion. For decades, Jagger spoke with a pseudo-Cockney accent, known as "Mockney" or "English Estuary," characterized by distorted, drawn vowels and the silent "t," which is a hallmark of youthful coolness in modern Britain. But here, amidst the crème de la crème of English pronunciation, each of his "t"s was crystal clear, every "h" pronounced with meticulous breath as he said "what an honour it was to be here tonight," and he continued revealing "how it all came about."