Rolling Stones Joined by Lady Gaga at Surprise New York Club Show

News arrived gradually of the Rolling Stones’ special celebration in New York of their new album, “Hackney Diamonds.”

First it was a “Rolling Stones event on the evening of Oct. 19,” then it was an album-release party, and then rumors spread that they were going to perform “a couple of songs, but with the boys, you never know” (yes, the person quoted actually called them “the boys”). Then word was they would play 25 minutes for 500 people at Racket, a Chelsea venue that used to be called the High Line (that sound you’re hearing is New York music fans over the age of 30 saying, “Oooooh, yeah, I remember that place”). And an hour before the announced 8 p.m. start time, the multiple sound trucks and barriers and security lining West 16th and 17th Streets confirmed that something major was happening at this “party.”

And major it was —after opening with their 1978 New York City anthem “Shattered,” the Stones played several songs from the new album interspersed with a chugging version of “Tumblin’ Dice” and concluding the main set with “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” before returning for the encore with guest Lady Gaga.

Clad in towering platform heels and a sparkling, half-maroon/ half-black bellbottomed jumpsuit, she joined the group for “Sweet Sound of Heaven,” the penultimate track on the new album, which finds her doing a soaring counterpart to Jagger’s lead vocal. On the album it verges on overblown, but it’s a different story seeing her and Jagger duetting, smiling and egging each other on. As the musicians walked offstage after taking a bow, Stones guitarist Keith Richards gave her an enthusiastic thumbs-up.