Lost In Europe 1970 - Rolling Stones European Tour

The Rolling Stones 1970 Tour

* CD releases of the these shows exist.

A summary of the LP and CD releases from the Lost European Tour of 1970.

Europe 1970 comes in the aftermath of a 1969 US tour that ended with the infamous Altamont "Free Concert". The show set lists and running order are very similar to the US tour that took place nearly a full year earlier with changes basically in the Chuck Berry numbers. The Stones pull no punches, as the intensity of the performances will convey as we explore the recorded history of what is musically a breakthrough tour for the band.

The key difference in this tour is the first use of a brass section in live performances by the Stones. Bobby Keys on saxophone and Jim Price on trombone round out the stage line-up. It adds a new dimension and takes a bit of edge off the guitar centric arrangements of the prior year. The Stones continue to play live material on this tour that was not previously heard by audiences on their home record players. These tracks include: Dead Flowers, Brown Sugar, and You Gotta Move. It should also be noted that this tour is coincident and in support of the newly released "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!" LP issued in early September 1970.

The tour opens at Balstika Halen, Malmo, Sweden on August 30, 1970. The first show is found on:

"Made In Sweden"

(VGP-105-1/2/3)

Vinyl Gang Product

Sound Quality: Fair to Good Audience. The recording is distant, with little drum sound.

This is the first of three CD's included in this rare title released in 1997. It "documents" all three Sweden stops that will be covered in chronological order as we review the tour dates.

Jumpin' Jack Flash - Jagger is no longer saying "yeah it's all right" as he did in ALL 1969 shows. The song is closer to the version released on the 1968 single. Taylor fills-in the instrumental breaks.

Roll Over Beethoven - This song replaces Carol in the 1970 set-list. It rocks; it swings.

Sympathy for the Devil - Third in the set-list as in 1969. The Stones have heard the song many times live by the time they play these European shows as the detailed editing work of "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!" reveals. Keith plays the first solo as on "Ya-Ya's", Jagger comes in with the Get On Downs, now Taylor's turn as the structure is very similar to the "Ya-Ya's" arrangement. Taylor's solo is unfamiliar though, as he takes the music in direction that is different than the familiar.

Stray Cat Blues - You think this might be the "Ya-Ya's" audience recording until one hears the smooth buzz of the horns in the bridges.

Love In Vain - The crowd recognizes the song and applauds what is now familiar. No one had heard this music in 1969 until the day before Altamont. "Let It Bleed" was released at the very end of the tour on December 5, 1969!

Jagger: "Two numbers on acoustic guitars and stools"

Prodigal Son - The crowd claps along, and then they quiet down and listen closely to the music as audiences did in the States in 1969. The parable from Luke 15:11 first adapted in this song by Robert Wilkins in September 1929 as "That Is No Way To Get Along". Re-recorded in the early 60's by the now Rev. Wilkins as Prodigal Son.

You Gotta Move - Played cleanly as Mississippi Fred McDowell would have wanted it. It sounds as if Richards has given up on the metal National resonator by 1970 and gone to wood body acoustic.

Dead Flowers - Country Blues evolves into Country Music for the Swedish crowd. Played in a slow lazy tempo.

Midnight Rambler - Talkin' 'bout the midnight rambler... everybody got to go. Guitar tuning takes a bite out of the big build-up, but the freight train riff eventually gets in gear. The slow middle section is particularly dramatic on this one.

Gimme Shelter - There is a tape break at this point in the recording and it recovers with some major "wow" and "flutter" color added. This is one of most unusual versions of this song you will ever hear as the chord progression is modified in the chorus segments. Taylor solo's boldly picking up on the feel established in Altamont at the end of US Tour 1969. This is the only time the song is played live in 1970 based on the available recordings from this tour.

Live With Me - An easy run through and rocker for the Stones. Both guitarists are playing off one another on this one. A key difference in this live performance is the saxophone adding a closer feel to the studio release.

Let it Rock - First time played by the Stones. There is a real "train" feel in this particular live take. Keith of course takes the lead role as he did in all the Berry numbers played in this era. Taylor fills with rhythm chops.

Little Queenie - Two Berry's is a row! The crowd is clapping by this time. Richards does some major string bending in the middle solo break!

Brown Sugar - There is a mis-start on this unreleased live number. This take is a close facsimile to the song that would be released on "Sticky Fingers" in April 1971. Again, horns fill the void heard in the Altamont live version.

Honky Tonk Women - Keith plays a nice solo break on this with the audience clapping in perfect time to the music.

Street Fighting Man - Everywhere I hear the sound of marching, charging feet boy! Loud and brassy. The crowd claps for encore but nothing doing on this stop.

After Malmo, Sweden on August 30, 1970 the band moves on to a show at the Olympiastadium in Helsinki, Finland on September 2, 1970. There are no tapes, LP’s, or CD’s of this show so to this day the exact songs played remain a mystery.

The Stones head back to Sweden and this time they are in Stockholm to play at the Rasunda Stadium on September 4, 1970. A partial recording of the performance of this third stop on the tour is found on:

"Made In Sweden"

(VGP-105-2)

Vinyl Gang Product

Sound Quality: Fair to Good Audience. Again distant sounding with tape hiss.

Roll Over Beethoven – This song is heard in progress and missing the Jumpin’ Jack Flash opener that was undoubtedly played.
Sympathy For The Devil
Stray Cat Blues
Love In Vain – Taylor solos one bar too many and Jagger sings the verse over the solo.
Prodigal Son
You Gotta Move
Dead Flowers
Midnight Rambler
Live With Me - Partial recording, ends at 1:38.

Probably played but missing from the end of this recording:
Let It Rock
Little Queenie
Brown Sugar
Honky Tonk Women
Street Fighting Man

The Fourth stop two days after the release of “Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!” is at Liseberg in Gothenburg, Sweden, September 6, 1970.

A partial recording of the performance is found on:

"Made In Sweden"

(VGP-105-3)

Vinyl Gang Product

Sound Quality: Good Audience. The best sound of shows in Sweden.

Jumpin’ Jack Flash – Richard’s background vocals can be heard on this one.
Roll Over Beethoven
Sympathy For The Devil
Stray Cat Blues
Love In Vain– Jagger gets carried away with the “hard to tells…”
Prodigal Son
You Gotta Move
Dead Flowers
Midnight Rambler
Live With Me
Let It Rock
Little Queenie
Brown Sugar
Honky Tonk Women - Partial recording, ends at 1:17.

Missing:
Street Fighting Man

"Germany 1970"

(TTCD-6532 DAC-070-1/TTCD-6533 DAC-070-2)

Dog n Cat Records

Sporthalle, Cologne, Germany September 18, 1970

Sound Quality: Good Audience

CD 1: Jumping Jack Flash 3:35/Roll Over Beethoven 2:38/Sympathy For The Devil 6:52/Stray Cat Blues 4:27/Love In Vain 5:49/Dead Flowers 4:13/Midnight Rambler 10:20/Live With Me 3:43/Let It Rock 0:15/Little Queenie 4:53/Brown Sugar 4:02/Honky Tonk Women 3:27/Street Fighting Man 4:05

Killesberg, Stuttgart, Germany, September 20, 1970

Sound Quality: Fair to Good Audience

CD 2: Jumpin' Jack Flash 3:31/Roll Over Beethoven 2:54/Sympathy For The Devil 7:13/Stray Cat Blues 4:18/Love In Vain 5:28/Dead Flowers 4:06/Midnight Rambler 10:57/Live With Me 3:31/Let It Rock 3:00/Little Queenie 4:46/Brown Sugar 4:33/Honky Tonk Women 3:29/Street Fighting Man 3:50

Comment: Both titles previously released as "Cologne 1970" VGP-049 and "Stuttgart 1970" VGP-187 in the same sound quality.

"StoneskugelN"

(CD-R)

Risk Disc

Sound Quality: Poor to Fair Audience

Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria, September 27, 1970

Jumpin' Jack Flash 4:39/Roll Over Beethoven 2:49/Sympathy For The Devil 8:03/Stray Cat Blues 4:37/Love In Vain 7:07/Prodigal Son 3:34/Dead Flowers 4:28/Midnight Rambler 12:58/Live With Me 4:09/Let It Rock 3:43/Little Queenie 5:18/Brown Sugar 4:25/Honky Tonk Woman 4:25/Street Fighting Man 5:05

Comment: "Roll Over Europe" on Exile Records and "From Vienna To Amsterdam" (VGP-311) are copies of this recently discovered source.

Also comes with mini (CD single size) video CD-R (VCD). Audience footage of 1970 Stones live!

"Roll Over Europe 1970"

(EXCD-022)

Exile Records

Stadthalle, Wien (Vienna), Austria, September 27, 1970

Sound Quality: Poor to Fair Audience

Jumpin' Jack Flash/Roll Over Beethoven/Sympathy For The Devil/Stray Cat Blues/Love In Vain/Prodigal Son/Dead Flowers/Midnight Rambler/Live With Me/Let It Rock/Little Queenie/Brown Sugar/Honky Tonk Women/Street Fighting Man

Comments: Don't touch it, unless you are into collecting all the 1970 shows! Also see: "From Vienna To Amsterdam" (VGP-311).

Back To The Classics

Back To Home Page