It's all over now. After some time passes and perspective sets in, the No Security Tour will still stand as a triumph: The band takes the show indoors, strips down the staging, puts the music out front and rocks! I went to both Sacramento shows very early in the tour and was blown away, so with the San Jose shows postponed, I worked hard to find a decent seat without paying a bundle. And with one quick call to Ticketmaster, I found a third row seat on the side of the stage. Ninety bucks and I grabbed it!

The lights go down, the video comes on and for the 34th (and last) time in 3 months Keith bangs out the beginning of JJF and we're on our way. Someone made the comment in an earlier review that the show goes by fast when you know the set and it's very, very true. On the positive side, I was glad to get in some tunes I didn't get early in the tour, Bitch and Gimme Shelter. Bitch stomps with the horns blasting it along and Gimme Shelter has been a favorite of mine since it first came out. And Lisa does a great job.

Incidentally, this was my first time on Ronnie's side of the stage. And it's amazing how much fun Lisa and Bernard have. They're a show unto themselves!

Without a doubt the highlight for me was my dash for the B stage. At the Sacramento shows, I didn't go for it, but I decided to give it a shot. I left my seat in the middle of Out of Control - Most good things come at some cost. I tried a couple of aisles and was discouraged by security ushers and then I had a clear shot. Somehow I found myself within 15 feet of the stage and amazingly close to the action!

What a ball. Ronnie's daughter was right next to me enjoying the show she had seen at every stop and with good reason. The B stage show has the highest energy of the evening! As I said in my Sacramento reviews, Route 66 is a clinic in how to play a rock and roll song. Thank you Keith. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It doesn't get any better. Or does it?

Get Off of My Cloud is a treat, but then there's Midnight Rambler. What can I say? This song drives at high gear and then it goes into overdrive. And when then the get to the slow part, everyone is wrung out. The way this song moves from section to section really does match the drama and intensity of the lyrics. "Did you hear about the Boston... ! " Unreal. Sorry, I'm at a loss for words here.

Just fantastic. The song revs up again and then it's over and the band is on their way back to the main stage and I'm on my way back to my seat. By the time I get there, they've just started Tumbling Dice and we're into the last part of the show. Great high energy hits done great, but for me the peak was the B stage. Great Sympathy and it's over.

As you can imagine, I'm still buzzing, my ears are still ringing and I'm so glad I went. Can't wait to see how my pictures come out! Great shows, great tour. The band's in peak form. Those of you who will be seeing the shows in Europe are in for a treat!

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No Security on video: Both San Jose shows were recorded for video production purposes. A total of 5 mobile camera people were on stage, another 3 in front of the stage, a panning camera by the B-stage, plus more in the crowd. The production is supposed to be available in Europe this summer, as a tour video.

It's Only Rock'n Roll no. 36 - May 1999 - © The Rolling Stones Fan Club Of Europe