When the Rolling Stones arrived in Havana, Cuba to play, an estimated 500,000 Cuban rock and roll fans attended their concert. This event not only placed an indelible mark on music history but on Cuban history as well. Concert goers were swept into the raw energy that only this band at this time could provide. The band that has celebrated 50 years together punctuated their rock and roll timeline with an event unlike any other.
In temperatures hovering at a warm 80 degrees, on an island where politics once branded the Rolling Stones as off limits, the band brought in throngs of people to the largest concert Cuba has ever experienced. People everywhere had spent the day before the concert chatting about it. The news about the free concert at the Ciudad Deportiva de la Habana spread like wildfire. Rolling Stone apparel sporting the band’s bright red tongue logo was seen all across the city, with people dressed to welcome the group.
There were no tickets, no vendors, no beer, and no concession stands in the venue that night. Nobody seemed to mind. They were there for the music; waving Cuban flags, and the flags of Argentina, Mexico and the United States, too. For two hours, the Stones played the songs that have become part of the world’s musical language.
The Stones launched the concert with “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”. Mick Jagger welcomed them in Spanish, and told the crowd “This is a new time,” which was answered with roars of appreciation. Classic songs filled the night. Knockout standards like “Gimme Shelter”, “Start Me Up”, and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” thrilled the audience. As “Brown Sugar” closed the show, the crowds chanted “Ole” to beg for an encore. They were not disappointed. “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” burst into the air as the young crowd joined in.
Though Cuban communism prompted the presence of uniformed military security, it was redundant. Excited Cubans had talked up the Rolling Stones first Cuban visit, but the crowds welcomed their rock and roll royalty as treasured guests. They waved, sang and hugged until the last song was sung. It was a festive Cuban party for all there; perhaps pointing Cuban musical experiences toward a new future.
When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame added the Rolling Stones to their illustrious membership, it was 1989. They had already toured the world for over 25 years, playing their music for thousands. They were, and still are, regarded as the touring band with the reputation for being the greatest ever. Their early shows were modest; held in small clubs and venues. But as they toured, their productions evolved into mega events, with fireworks, extravagant costumes, and ticket sales that have broken records. Undeniable energy and musicianship has been a continued part of their performances. For these reasons, and many more, when the Stones celebrated their 2012, 50th anniversary, it was not surprising that their newest album, titled “GRRR!”, would be filled with some of their greatest hits.
For years the Stones have toured widely; often with several concerts at a single venue spread over several dates. Many concerts included other artists joining the band. Some of their guest artists have been Eric Clapton, the Who, Santana, Jefferson Airplane, and Paul McCartney. In fact, the Stones have toured so many times and played so many concerts that choosing their top 10 greatest ever is a matter of acknowledging not only what their fans adore, but what their own choices are as well. After all, the Stones have longevity and the status that comes with it. They have long chosen when and where they will play.
Every one of their fans has a favorite Stones concert. There are literally hundreds of choices, but taking a look at the albums they have released in conjunction with their tours tells us something about what concerts they think are their best. After 50 years of performances, the group has started to release albums of selected live concerts and these undoubtedly showcase best performances. These are their concert legacy; intended to reach current and future audiences and certainly to generate profit from their years of work.
Of course, there are also iconic concerts which every fan remembers for either the phenomenal music or unusual happenings surrounding the events. After 50 years, describing their performances as epic, historic, or legendary is simply impossible to avoid.
The Rolling Stones scheduled their first tour in Britain, accompanied by the Ronettes. Their cover of Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away” was released as a single and their first album, “England’s Newest Hitmakers/ The Rolling Stones was released in the United States. Many important concert events and recordings punctuated their decades long career which followed. Here are some of the highlights:
1. The December 29, 1964 T.A.M.I. Show
In 1964, the Rolling Stones played for their first major venue, closing the concert at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Southern California. Described as slick, hip and spectacular, this television show about the rock and roll stars of the 1960s was filmed live in front of an audience of 2, 600 teenagers. The band performed “Time is On My Side”, “I’m Alright”, “Around and Around” and “It’s All Over Now”, following a knock-out presentation by James Brown that was almost impossible to follow. The band captured the crowed with their loud, loud music. Many who remember their debut fondly describe it as the first time any band had played rock music that loud. The debut was viewed as impacting rock and roll, taking the music in a new direction. The band still had its original members, its traditional British band clothing, was focused on the rock and roll of its idols and still had the talent and style to keep the Teenage Awards Music International crowd screaming about all of it.
In 1965, the band did a preliminary recording of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” in England, and then traveled to Hollywood, California, to finish recording the track with engineer Dave Hassinger at RCA. The final cut was released in the US in May and the UK in August, and hit Number One on both countries charts in the summer. It became one of the band’s most popular song, and is recognized around the world 50 years later.
2. The July 5, 1969 Hyde Park Concert
There is an old question in musicians’ circles: What’s the definition of a professional? Answer: Even on your worst days you’re good enough. For The Stones in Hyde Park, the July 5, 1969 concert was one of those days. It took place only two days following the awful drowning death of Brian Jones, former band member; recently fired. The concert went on, as the Stones were headliners, though their performance was understandably not at its best. Major criticism is that the guitars were out of tune, and Mick Jagger was not singing in top form.
The concert, played in memoriam of Jones, began with Jagger reading Adonis by Shelley. The crowd was unruly, and he had to quiet them. A box of white butterflies was released to fly away in honor of the deceased Jones, but many died on stage after being enclosed too long. But, for many, this was a great concert because it showed the measure of the men in the band. They responded in grief to the tragic news, and yet, the show went on. Over 500,000 people were there to hear the Stones playing their bold rock and roll, and this event also launched their tour that year. As a band, they probably had no other choice but to perform. Playing their classics, regardless of circumstances, was what fans hear when watching the footage from this festival. Why is it one of the greatest? It is considered essential watching by many fans who view it as the first opportunity to hear Mick Taylor with the band. It was an extremely important concert for them, as they hadn’t played live in several years. The set list included songs that hadn’t been heard live before, as well.
3. The December 6, 1969 Altamont Speedway Concert
This free concert, with the Stones as headliner, included giants Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, the Flying Burrito Brothers and The Grateful Dead. The Dead chose to leave before playing as the violence increased that day. The performances were notable and the fans enjoyed them. But the day in its entirety is remembered distinctly for non-musical reasons.
Located Just outside of San Francisco, and only a few months following historic Woodstock, the huge audience of hippies were thrilled with the music. Unfortunately, the day turned from good to bad as drugs and violence took over. The Hell’s Angels had been invited to provide security, working for beer, and became increasingly drunk as the day progressed. Situated around the stage to keep people off of it, one of them stabbed an audience member to death. What isn’t often mentioned is that two others died in hit and run accidents, and another drowned in an irrigation ditch. The event is recorded in the film Gimme Shelter. It is viewed by many as the end of a dream era. Though the Stones stood with the concert promoters as objects of criticism, the concert itself is considered historic and mandatory viewing for anyone who seeks to understand this historic rock and roll passage through dark times.
4. SOME GIRLS Live in Texas ‘78
Fans consider this concert to be one of the best ever by the Stones. It was part of their 1978 US Tour which was designed to promote their already-released SOME GIRLS album. The show was held in the Fort Worth, Texas, Will Rogers Memorial Center on July 18. It holds iconic status in the city; with 2,500 concert goers part of a stellar music-making event that featured some of the best music the Stones ever wrote. There were no costume changes, no back-up singers or brass section; just reckless, excellent rock and roll. The band’s raw energy was part of a live performance showcasing the music. The album was already No. 1 in the US charts by the time they played the concert. It was basic, promoting the music using minimal staging. This particular concert, filmed on 16mm film and recorded on multitrack tapes, featured the band in top form. They performed many of the tracks from the Some Girls album and favorite classics from earlier albums. The original recordings of the live performance have been remastered and recorded in DVD format for modern use.
5. “Still Life” (American Concert 1981)
In 1981, two massive tours presented Rolling Stones concerts in Britain and North America. The European tour started in Scotland in late May and ended in England in July. This branch of their schedule gathered in nearly 1.7 million concert goers. Near the end of September, the North American branch tour began a series of 50 concerts, which gathered in nearly 2.2 million by the time it ended in the middle of December.The Still Life album was created using many of the live recordings from the tour’s two-hour show set. The album sleeve and concert set design was the artistic work of Kazushige Yamazaki. The popularity of this tour was such that the song “Going to a Go Go”, featured on the album, nearly reached the UK and US Top Twenty singles charts.
6. The March 22, 1988 Jagger Solo Concert at the Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo, Japan
For a time, Mick Jagger stepped outside the band to promote his own solo concerts. What is interesting is that he often performed classic Stone favorites during these concerts. In Japan, he put in a series of eight sold-out shows.
Japanese Stones fans adored their favorite band, and the Rolling Stones had failed to obtain visas to perform in Japan in 1973 due to drug issues. When Jagger arrived over a decade later, it was almost as if the band itself had come. The excitement of fans was undeniable. These concerts were the first ever in Japan by any member of the Rolling Stones. Tickets costing about $50 each sold, numbering about 170,000.
Jagger sang only 6 of his own songs, and filled the rest of the concert with Rolling Stones classics. It was an artistic and financial success, even though his solo performance was what some fans described as almost like having the Rolling Stones in concert,though not quite.
Sticky Fingers was the initial album released on Rolling Stones Records; the Stone’s own company launched in 1970. The raunchy song “Brown Sugar” brought style, but the iconic red tongue designed by Brit John Pasche for the band’s logo is famous. The cover was an Andy Warhol design; noted for its zipper that really worked. The songs for Sticky Fingers have been included often during the Stones concert tours, but one concert is particularly memorable.
7. Sticky Fingers LIVE
In 2015, on July 1, the Rolling Stones performed as they had never done before. They played the 10 songs from their Sticky Fingers album for an audience at the Los Angeles Ford Theatre. In the 1,200 seat theater, the capacity audience heard the complete album played live as the kick off for the band’s US Zip Code summer tour. The band, with Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, was joined by Lisa Fischer, Chuck Leavell, Bernard Fowler and Darryl Jones as back-up band. It was the first time the Stones had ever performed the entire album in concert. It was also a unique, single concert event.
8. July 9 and 13, 1975: Inglewood Forum, Los Angeles
Many music critics noted that the 1975 U.S. Tour embodied the spirit of the Rolling Stones song “It’s Rock ‘n Roll”. The Stones were in a period of festive celebration when in concert that year. The group had adopted a pattern of set designs which used audience accessible staging, spectacular lighting and audience participation singing the band’s, by now, famous and classic songs. Music critics noted that the seemingly satanic themes of past concerts had been replaced with focus on having fun with the music itself. The Stones had arrived at a place where they planned to entertain their fans, and these concerts provided an epic touch of Hollywood glamour, with lights, camera, action and music all focused on fun.
9. The 2002 40th Anniversary Tour
In 2002, the Rolling Stones launched their 40th anniversary with a stellar international tour and the two-disc album Forty Licks. It included four new tracks, and plenty of classics. The year was one of greatest hits. But the group changed venues by playing in different clubs, stadiums and arenas. They also changed their show sets. They mixed in tracks that had never been performed before, fan favorites, and gems of forgotten tunes. Lots of what they played could be sung by heart, and excellent covers never done before were also included. Critics believed that this tour presented the Stones sounding their best ever. Fans who did not attend the tour concerts could purchase the DVD set called Four Flicks, which was a chronicle of the live tour, and this was almost as good as being there in person. The band still entertained lavishly, with an ensemble of support musicians bringing the total performers to 13. This tour was the one where all came together to produce excellent music with the tight sound one would expect of seasoned performers comfortable with each other. The DVD and subsequently released LIVE LICKS albums, both British and American versions, allow Stones fans to relish the band’s musicianship.
10. Sweet Summer Sun HYDE PARK LIVE
In 2013, the Stones returned to Hyde Park to deliver a two outdoor performances which balanced old memories with opportunities for making new ones. It was the venue where Mick Taylor would make his live concert debut only two days after Brian Jones’ death in 1969. Giving a nod to the past in the new 2013 concert, the four regular members of the group were joined by former member Mick Taylor on guitar for two of the 15 songs of the new 2013 show set.
Both concerts were filmed and a digital album was released. Highlights from both dates, July 6th and 13th, were included to make up a full concert set. As an event, it presented the greatest hits of these consummate entertainers. With over 100, 000 in attendance, it was a fitting tribute to Mick Jagger’s 70th birthday, which came a few days after the show.
The band continued its fluid interchange of energy from musician to musician. After 50 years of tours and concerts, they still perform at the five-star level, giving their fans and their critics praiseworthy, stunning and driven musicianship. This concert was a celebration of achievement and homecoming.
Lucky fans attend the Stones concerts live, and cherish the recordings released from the hundreds of tour concerts which have taken place over the past half-century. The greatest rock and roll band continues to reach its fans where they live.
Follow Us
