Mick Jagger has surprised fans in Oxford by playing an impromptu gig with students at a local pub.
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The Rolling Stones frontman took to the stage at the Half Moon in St Clements over the weekend – performing as part of the pub’s weekly folk session on Sunday (June 7).
He was in attendance with his partner, former American ballerina Melanie Hamrick, and they were there as guests of Oriel College.
The college confirmed that they had drinks and dinner at the college, before heading off to the pub with Rolling Stones keyboard player Matt Clifford and Oriel Politics academic Robert Cheah. There, they delivered an impromptu performance of traditional song ‘Handsome Molly’, which Jagger covered on his 1993 solo album ‘Wandering Spirit’.
Speaking to BBC News about the surprise appearance, an employee at the Half Moon said that they were “delighted” by Jagger taking to the stage, and added that the venue “prides itself on its authentic atmosphere and welcoming community”.
“Our Sunday folk session has been going for many years and is open to everyone – whether you’re a beginner player or an international rock star,” they added. “You never know what to expect at the Half Moon.”
The Rolling Stones are preparing to release their 25th studio album ‘Foreign Tongues’ on July 10 via Polydor/Universal Music.
It’s set to feature guest appearances from Paul McCartney, Robert Smith, Steve Winwood, and the band’s late drummer Charlie Watts – you can pre-order your copy here.
Although the new album is on the horizon, the rock icons don’t have any tour dates lined up to promote it. In late 2025, they confirmed that they’d scrapped plans for a UK and European stadium tour in 2026 because Keith Richards was unable to “commit” to it, but he recently hinted that they might hit the road in 2027.
Since then, however, Jagger has expressed that he “can’t wait” to get back out on the road with his bandmates.
Their upcoming album will include the previously released singles ‘Rough And Twisted’ and ‘‘In The Stars’, as well as a cover of the Amy Winehouse classic ‘You Know I’m No Good’.
The full tracklist was revealed last month – with the song titles appearing on streaming devices, but in actual foreign tongues – and since then the band have revealed how they ended up working with The Cure’s Robert Smith.
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