Rolling Stones in Baltimore, part 2
With the help of archivist Paul McCardell, here is one more clip about the Rolling Stones' 1969 appearance at the Baltimore Civic Center. This article, published on November 28, 1969, focuses more on the music and less on the violence:
Crowd Devastated by Rolling Stones
Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones devastated a sellout crowd at the Civic Center Wednesday night with basic, unsophisticated, harder-than-steel rock.
The show started an hour late, and was not helped appreciably by the appearance of Terry Reid, a British singer who looked and sounded like the Artful Dodger of "Oliver Twist."
But the pace quickened with B.B. King and his band, who showed a together audience where Mick and the Stones got some of their roots ...
'Everybody Dance'
I've never been run over by a locomotive, but I know now what it sounds like -- "Midnight Rambler," which with its clean breaks made Terry Reid's blues piece sound like kindergarten singing.
Toward the end, Jagger said he was tired of dancing alone and asked the audience to shake theirs a little too.
"Everybody dance, everybody -- policemen too," Jagger said. He asked the police and audience to respect each other.
The audience rose and the Stones tore into "Queenie," another Berry tune, "Satisfaction" and "Honky Tonk Women."
Earlier, King, the blues king, had asked people to get together. By the end, they were.
Each of the Stones was superb. Mick Taylor, who replaced the late Brian Jones, drove good rhythm and lead guitar. Charlie Watts, on drums, Bill Wyman, on bass, and Keith Richards, on guitar, played their usual thing -- great.
(Photo from Baltimore Sun archives)
I've been The Baltimore Sun's nightlife and local entertainment reporter for a couple years, and it's surprising how much the scene has grown in that time. Most of Baltimore's bars and clubs are unpretentious places with fairly cheap drinks and plenty of character. I like dancing and think this city needs more clubs, but nothing beats having a cold, locally brewed beer with friends in a comfortably full corner bar.
Comments
Dang, the article put the (s) on Keith's last name. Rare for this time period. In my opinion, the Stones '69 tour was maybe the high water mark for Rock and Roll. Funny enough, their show at Altamont may have been the low water mark.
Posted by: Sean Tully | November 30, 2009 9:21 AM
Huge Stones fan here. Anybody want to relive that '69 tour should pick up the new box set for "Get your Ya-Ya's out". Includes more songs from their live set, and songs from openers B.B. King and Ike/Tina Turner.
Posted by: sturmy | November 30, 2009 9:42 AM
Unfortunately for you Rock and Roll in general and the Rolling Stones in particular just happen to be my favorite subjects, so, I just had to add this opinion: If I had to choose the greatest live performance of a song it would probably be Jumping Jack Flash as seen in the movie Gimmie Shelter. Absolutely fantastic.
Posted by: Sean Tully | December 1, 2009 7:36 AM
Sean,
For me it's gotta be "Sympathy for the Devil" on the Rock n Roll Circus special. Considering they were performing it for the first time live. The audience's reaction to such a trippy song (rock samba?). Plus Mick's performance, ripping his shirt off revealing a crazy devil tatoo on his chest. I only wish i was around to see those guys in their glory
Posted by: sturmy | December 1, 2009 11:26 AM
The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus is a great video, especially the Stones performance. For some reason it strikes me as rather disturbing. Brian Jones is all but completely gone as is Marianne Faithfull. Everyone looks so young but so weathered by the events of that time period. Two interesting notes on the film: It is Brian Jones's last performance witht he Stones and John Lennon's first performance without the Beatles.
Posted by: Sean Tully | December 2, 2009 7:57 AM
That is such a great video. The Who, Taj Mahal, a young Jethro Tull, etc. Listening to a "Supergroup" of Lennon, Clapton, Richards, and Mitch Mitchell blows me away. I still listen to the album on my Ipod just for the sheer energy that all of the bands performed at.
Posted by: sturmy | December 2, 2009 11:15 AM
I think the song yer blues on R&R Circus was awesome; Lenon, clapton, Richard (Bass). I don't remember the drummer. Awesome. I'll pull that out today and see who the drummer was.
Posted by: Mike Hughes | December 13, 2009 10:32 AM
I think the song yer blues on R&R Circus was awesome; Lenon, clapton, Richard (Bass). I don't remember the drummer. Awesome. I'll pull that out today and see who the drummer was.
Posted by: Mike Hughes | December 13, 2009 10:32 AM
I think the song yer blues on R&R Circus was awesome; Lenon, clapton, Richard (Bass). I don't remember the drummer. Awesome. I'll pull that out today and see who the drummer was.
Posted by: Mike Hughes | December 13, 2009 10:33 AM
It was Mitch Mitchell from The Hendrix Experience.
Sirius had a special about the Circus show on last Friday. It was the 41st anniversary of the concert. Amazing how well the performances hold up.
Posted by: sturmy | December 14, 2009 10:04 AM