A rolling stone gathers no moss. A proverb becomes a Muddy Waters song. Then the Muddy Waters song is picked as the name for a young band from London.
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So you can’t call a band The Rolling Stones and not hit the road. The Stones have logged tens of thousands of miles in six decades, but there are seven iconic moments from their tours that stand out in this legendary band’s long career. Let’s dedicate this one to the heartbeat of the festivities, late Stones drummer Charlie Watts.
[RELATED: Rolling Stones Announce Hackney Diamonds Tour 2024]
1. Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1964
In 1964, The Rolling Stones had just begun their second U.S. tour. On October 29, they performed at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Dubbed the T.A.M.I. Show, the concert for Teen Age Music International (or Teenage Awards Music International on some posters) featured some of the biggest names in rock ’n’ roll and R&B.
The Rolling Stones shared the bill with James Brown, Chuck Berry, The Beach Boys, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, and others. Free tickets were given away to more than 2,500 teenage fans. James Brown was scheduled to headline but was replaced by The Rolling Stones on the day of the show. Keith Richards lamented going on after James Brown. Richards said it was the worst mistake of the band’s career as Brown delivered an electric and truly legendary performance.
The British Invasion was well underway in the U.S. and The Rolling Stones were one of the bands leading the takeover of popular culture in America.
2. Hyde Park, 1969
The Stones played a free show in Hyde Park on July 5, 1969. They hadn’t performed in more than two years, and this concert was the first with their new guitarist Mick Taylor. Taylor had replaced the band’s founder, Brian Jones, who was let go from the band a month earlier.
Circumstances around the concert changed when Jones was found dead two days before the Hyde Park show. The Stones decided they must continue. Mick Jagger read Percy B. Shelley’s Adonais—an elegy for Romantic English poet John Keats—in tribute to Jones. White butterflies were released after Jagger’s recital.
It wasn’t to be one of the Stones’ finest moments on stage, however. Reeling from Jones’ death, they struggled through the set. Out-of-tune guitars were a problem, and Jagger’s usual energy was missing; his voice sounded weak according to critics at the time. Keith Richards said the band was out of practice after two years away from the stage.
A massive crowd estimated between 250,000 and 500,000 people saw the show, so regardless of the lackluster performance, the Hyde Park concert was pivotal for The Rolling Stones; it was the beginning of the band’s finding the strength to carry on.
3. Altamont Speedway Free Festival, 1969
Remembered as a violent and tragic event, The Rolling Stones headlined a free festival at the Altamont Speedway outside of Tracy, California, in 1969. An estimated 300,000 people arrived to watch the Stones along with Santana, Jefferson Airplane, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and the Grateful Dead.
Hell’s Angels were brought in for security, which proved to be a poor move since violence erupted. As each act took the stage, tension grew between the crowd and the Angels. The Grateful Dead chose not to play due to the increasing violence.
When The Rolling Stones concert began, a fan named Meredith Hunter approached the stage and was beaten back by the Hell’s Angels. Hunter returned with a gun, only to be stabbed and beaten to death. He was just 18 years old. Many other fans were injured, cars were either stolen or wrecked, a drug-induced drowning happened in a nearby canal, and two additional accidental deaths marked one of the most tragic concerts in history. The West Coast’s answer to the Woodstock Peace Festival had wildly backfired.
4. The Marquee Club, 1971
One month before the release of Sticky Fingers, The Rolling Stones played the Marquee Club in London. A rare club date for the band, the intimate setting was used to debut new songs. Rock royalty showed up to watch the gig, including Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton. A camera crew was brought in to film the show as well, and the footage documents Mick Taylor’s influence on the band well. The Stones ripped through a promising new tune called “Brown Sugar,” too…
5. Madison Square Garden, 1972
Returning to tour the U.S. for the first time since the Altamont tragedy, The Rolling Stones ended the run with three nights at Madison Square Garden in New York. At the venue, beloved TV personality Dick Cavett interviewed the band for his talk show on ABC. Cavett’s program aired performances of “Brown Sugar” and “Street Fighting Man.” Cavett, prior to airing the performances, told his audience not to be concerned about the frenzy in the crowd—it was just excitement and not a riot.
6. Some Girls: Live in Texas, 1978
The concert film recorded July 18, 1978, at Will Rogers Auditorium in Fort Worth, Texas, sees the Stones at the height of their live powers. Out promoting their album Some Girls, the band gives a performance for the ages in front of 25,000 fans.
Ronnie Wood had been made an official member of the band in 1975, and the chemistry between him and Keith Richards is beautifully captured on 16mm film. New songs “Beast of Burden” and “Shattered” hold up with classics like “Honky Tonk Women” and “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.”
7. The Checkerboard Lounge, 1981
A legendary rock band performed with their idol on the South Side of Chicago on November 22, 1981. The Rolling Stones joined Muddy Waters onstage at the Checkerboard Lounge, performing “Baby Please Don’t Go,” “Hoochie Coochie Man,” and “Mannish Boy.” It was the only time The Rolling Stones performed live with Muddy Waters. The performance was thankfully recorded and released as a concert video and live album, which was mixed by consummate recording engineer Bob Clearmountain.
Brian Jones named the band after the song “Rollin’ Stone,” recorded by Muddy Waters in 1950. 31 years later and The Rolling Stones had traveled full circle.
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Photo by RB/Redferns
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