Jon Batiste Featuring Brandon ‘Taz’ Niederauer Opens For The Rolling Stones In New Jersey

The Rolling Stones tapped Jon Batiste as the opening act for their concert last night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Batiste’s band on Thursday included jam scene favorite guitarist Brandon “Taz” Niederauer.

Niederauer has a long history of collaborating with the Grammy-winning former The Late Show With Stephen Colbert bandleader that dates back over a decade to when an 11-year-old Taz sat-in at Batiste & Stay Human’s June 2014 concert at Central Park Summerstage. Jon Batiste recently called upon Niederauer to join his band at both Coachella and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Brandon Niederauer, 21, currently studies at Yale University. Taz has his own band and also is a member of The Allman Brothers Band tribute act .

Jon Batiste was backed by an eight-piece band at MetLife Stadium last night as well as three backing vocalists and a trio of dancers. Batiste showed off his multi-instrumentalist prowess in moving from piano to guitar to frontman mode, sometimes within the same song. The set was highlighted by performances of 2021 singles “Freedom” and “I Need You.” Covers played by Batiste and company included the traditional “When The Saints Go Marching In” and Ray Charles’ “Hallelujah I Love Her So.”

The Rolling Stones delivered a 19-song performance for their first of two shows at the home of the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets. “Shattered” saw action for the first time this tour and “Wild Horses” won out in a pre-show fan vote.

Watch fan-shot footage of Jon Batiste performing at MetLife Stadium last night below: