It's Only Rock'n Roll
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It's Only Rock'n Roll |
Mick made comments during the introductions: He referred to Lisa as shy which she seemed to find amusing; Charlie was seen on the big screen whistling with his pinky fingers for Darryl's introduction; Choo Choo Watts became Cha Cha Watts.
Keith continues to be kind to the Stones fans by playing two of the more obscure songs in the set.
Mick introduced Like a Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan as a song written for the Stones years ago. The crowd loves the version of the song and sings along. You Got Me Rocking continues to be a solid center stage song.
Keith was so eager to play Tumblin Dice that he cut Mick short at the end of Sympathy. Mick did not seem happy about it.
We love hearing You Can't Always Get What You Want, especially since we can't always get to hear it live.
Start time : 9:05 p.m. End time : 11:25 p.m.
The set list:
Don't get me wrong. The Silverdome show had its moments, but the reputation that Detroit is a rock 'n' roll town as Bob Seger proclaimed is a myth as a lifetime resident of the Motor City. The audience was rowdy, rude and violent. Several small people including women were almost crushed attempting to get through the hall.
The Silverdome is notorious for having a very bad setup. Little hall space, lazy crowd control. It definitely put a damper on my enjoyment of the show. Also, the sound at the Silverdome is always AWFUL and the Stones show was no exception. During "Miss You" the bass was bouncing around the venue so much that it sounded like the people who blast rap music from their cars with the bass cranked to the max.
Jagger didn't seem to be enjoying it save for "Out of Control," "Like A Rolling Stone,"Little Quennie" and "You Got Me Rocking." Keith for some reason, stayed to the back a lot and stumbled at one point ... He looked drunk and Bernard had to help him up.
This is my fourth time seeing them and like a fine wine each time has been better. We were right next to the center stage platform. I told my wife that, "this is heaven." So close you can see'em sweat. I realize that each time I see them why they are the best at what they do, and why I like them so much.
"Little Queenie" was magic, especially when Keith did the famous Chuck Berry riff. Before they launched into "Like a Rolling Stone," Mick said, "Here's one Bob Dylan wrote for us many years ago." (I knew he was joking, but did everyone else?) I wasn't too happy when the Stones covered this one, but it really did sound incredible on stage. Mick sings it so well, and the crowd went absolutely wild for it. The third and final song from the small stage was "You Got Me Rocking," not one of my favorites, but I was happy that they did something from the "Voodoo" album. The song was performed well and the crowd was really getting into it.
The Stones did four excellent new songs in this show--"Flip the Switch," "ASMB," "Out of Control," and "Saint of Me"--but none of them was received as well as I had hoped. "Out of Control" has some awesome lyrics: specifically, the line where Mick sings, "And the drunks and the homeless they all know me," but the echoes in the Silverdome sound system made it difficult to hear many of the words. (Later in the show the sound got much better.) As for the new songs, personally I wish they would throw in "Gunface," which I think is the best song on the new album. (You were right, Steve!) During "ASMB," Mick and the male backup singer included a line in the rap part about coming to rock "Detroit City," but you couldn't hear the male backup singer very well at all. (Every time Mick acknowledged the crowd by saying "Detroit City," the crowd went wild.)
The cybercast vote went to "Just My Imagination." Mick changed the line "She doesn't even know me" to "she doesn't f*cking know me." Except for the tight last few chords, that song didn't work at all, perhaps because they have not performed it much. Another misfire was "19th Nervous Breakdown." To make that song sound great live, the Stones should have done two things: first, the descending bass line from the original should have been included (preferably with Bill Wyman performing it), and Mick should have gotten the crowd riled up to join him in the "Here-it-comes"es.
They had a mishap after "Sympathy for the Devil," when Mick was leading the audience in an impromptu sing-along with the "woo-woos," and Keith interrupted that by starting into "Tumbling Dice." Oops. "Gimme Shelter," Miss You," and all of the big hits at the end of the show sounded terrific. Keith played a bit of piano during "Honky Tonk Women," and it was refreshing to see them doing that one without blowup dolls or hokey video clips. Just them performing it. They really sounded incredible. "Start Me Up" is one of my favorite Stones songs because it is so simple yet so much fun. "Jumping Jack Flash" and "Brown Sugar" are also a thrill. I was pleased that they included "You Can't Always Get" in the encore. I must admit, though, that during "Brown Sugar" I was looking more at the glitter shower that was engulfing our section than the stage. And as always I enjoyed watching Mick dance and gyrate and run from one end of the stage to the other. Too bad he didn't take off his shirt.
This was the fourth Stones show I had been to. (I also saw the first Giants Stadium show in September, plus shows on the '89 and '94 tour.) I am also going to see the Stones for at least two of the three Madison Square Garden shows in January.
A few other comments from this diehard Stones fan:
* I absolutely love it when the Stones extend their songs at the end of a show. During "Jumping Jack Flash" and Brown Sugar," they just kept repeating sections of the song to make it last longer and longer. It is evident that they really enjoy being on stage and performing in front of all these people.
* I think it is brilliant that they open the show with the spotlight and video camera on Keith strumming out the lick for "Satisfaction." Also, I like the close-ups throughout the show of "Keef" playing his guitar.
* Charlie Watts is the best drummer ever in the history of rock'n'roll.
* I think the backup singers and musicians have too great a presence on stage. I really wish that the contributions by the horn section and the backup singers were kept to a minimum, and certainly not included in every song.
* I strongly suspect that the cyber cast vote is fixed. How could a song like "Factory Girl" win once and then be last place two days later? I don't get it.
* Keith and Mick, if you are reading this, and if you are taking requests, a few songs that I would be thrilled to have you perform live are the following: "Black Limo," "When the Whip Comes Down," "Where the Boys Go," "Respectable," "Lady Jane," "Had It With You," "She's a Rainbow," "Undercover of the Night" "Memory Motel" and of course "Shattered." (Please play some of these songs at the Garden!)
That wouldn't be out of character for her son, Eric Zylema.
"He was kind of like a free spirit," said his mother, Rose Schenck. "He enjoyed life...I could see Eric doing this..."
Zylema, 31, of Dutton, who had attended the concert with a brother and friends, fell from the second level of the stadium to the concrete floor of the first level shortly after 11 p.m., Pontiac police Sgt. Conway Thompson said.
He was taken to POH Medical Center in Pontiac, where he was pronounced dead about 11:30 p.m.
Foul play was not suspected, Thompson said. Witnesses said Zylema had been dancing on the handrail several times before the fatal fall, but Thompson said police and security guards did not see him then because most of the Silverdome lights were off during the concert.
It was the first death of a concertgoer at the Silverdome from an accident since the domed stadium opened in 1975, Thompson said.
About 50,000 people attended the concert. Thompson said several people were arrested on misdemeanor charges such as disorderly conduct, but the exact number was not available.
Zylema could be counted on for the unexpected.
This morning, his mother recalled when one of her sons got married and Eric let out a loud whistle in an otherwise quiet church. "Everybody laughed," Schenck said. "Even the priest got a big old smile on his face. I guess this was characteristic of him."
Zylema was the youngest of five brothers who grew up with their parents in Wayland. He graduated from Wayland High School, said former Principal J.C. Clyma, who lives across the street from the family.
He was single and loved to fish and hunt. He worked with his brothers at Steelcase Inc. in Kentwood, following their father, John Zylema, who retired from the company.
"It kind of was that way years ago (at Steelcase)," his mother said. "If you were a good worker, then they liked to have your offspring, too.
"I would like to think of Eric as a very caring person. I don't think there wasn't anyone he wouldn't have done anything for if they needed him."
She said her son recently experienced heart problems, and she wonders if they caused his fall. "Did he die of a heart attack? These are all things I won't know until the medical examiner calls."
His mother said she bought the concert tickets at the request of her son, Paul, who joined Eric at the concert. "They kind of knew that mom wasn't a Rolling Stones person, that mom couldn't get as excited as they were."
She said she hadn't talked to her son, Paul, this morning.
"Paul was instrumental in getting the tickets," she said. "This is why we feel maybe Paul hasn't called home yet, because he's probably putting himself on a guilt trip."
She said he shouldn't feel guilty. "I'm a firm believer that the One above us knows all things, and He knows when it's our time."
Don't ever give up on getting a great seat at the last minute!! I had already got a pretty good seat, but not close enough. Just as an outside chance, I visited the ticketmaster web site a couple days before the show and one single ticket in section A4 row 28 was available.. it looked good on the seating chart. I took that and sold my other one. I thought it would be good but it was beyond my wildest dreams...it was at the end of the row right next to the catwalk back from the small stage and when I turned around, it was right next to the small stage...wow!
I was close to everything and had a totally unobstructed view of the whole show. They were fantastic I thought, sure a few blips here and there but who cares? Out of control was fantastic and Mick seems to really enjoy that one! Just my Imagination was a nice change ...we all heard Mick change the words! He was rolling his eyes at the "two boys for you, what about two girls for me?" line...is he wondering about the upcoming addition to his family ?? Will that make it 2 boys and 2 girls for Mick and Jerry ??
Like a rolling stone went over as a great crowd pleaser. The centre stage is so intimate you feel like they are just playing to you. The highlight for me was when they all walked back to the main stage..Keith shook my hand and Ronnie high fived me...and Mick slapped a few hands as he danced back to start Sympathy for the Devil. I've seem them lots of times but this was the best show so far for me.
So don't give up on a great seat!
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It's Only Rock'n Roll 1997 -
© The Rolling Stones Fan Club Of Europe |