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The Rolling Stones Fan Club of Europe
It's Only Rock'n Roll

H.H.H. Metrodome
Minneapolis, MN
Tuesday, Nov. 25, 1997

Review by Rich and Karen Kaczmarek

The sound was great at this inside dome show.

Mick greeted the crowd by saying that the Stones arrived at the Hubert H. Humphrey Airport, are staying at the Hubert H. Humphrey Hilton, and are now playing at the Hubert H. Humphrey Dome. Mick then dedicated the next song, Flip the Switch, to Hubert H. Humphrey.

The crowd really seemed to get into Saint of Me, and it sounded great.

For some reason, When the Whip Comes Down seemed to lack the punch that it's had on previous tours.

The bridge to the center stage stayed up during Little Quennie. Mick ran on the bridge and performed for the crowd for a short time on the bridge. After Little Quennie, the bridge retracted, the center stage lowered a bit, and they played a great version of Like a Rolling Stone. The crowd really got into You Got Me Rocking. Ron was grabbed excessively and pulled when returning from the center stage to the main stage.

The rest of the show remained unchanged.

Mick decided to run on the center field ramp during Brown Sugar.

The Stones collected an unusually large collection of lingerie at this show. Mick and Ron had their hands full.

The security at the HHH Metrodome was better than we experienced at the previous shows we attended on this tour. 

Start time:  9:05 p.m.
End time:   11:20 p.m.

The set list:

  1. Satisfaction
  2. Let's Spend The Night Together
  3. Flip The Switch
  4. Gimme Shelter
  5. Sister Morphine
  6. Anybody Seen My Baby
  7. Saint Of Me
  8. When The Whip Comes Down
  9. Out Of Control
  10. Dead Flowers (web choice)
  11. Miss You
    -- Introductions --
  12. All About You (Keith)
  13. I Wanna Hold You (Keith)
  14. Little Queenie (center stage)
  15. Like a Rolling Stone (center stage)
  16. You Got Me Rocking (center stage)
  17. Sympathy For The Devil
  18. Tumbling Dice
  19. Honky Tonk Women
  20. Start Me Up
  21. Jumping Jack Flash
  22. Brown Sugar (encore)

Review by Marc Coleman

The Stones rocknrolled me like the gypsy thieves in the night that they are. This was the first time I'd seen 'em since they played here in '94. This was a better show than that, comparable to the '89 show or the '81 (my first) in excitement and inspiration. The difference was that the Stones seem more cohesive and happier than in the past, and the set list more adventurous. Darryl, Woodie and Charlie were hot, Mick singing wonderfully, and of course Keith...

The sound was better than ever, for the Dome. Gimme Shelter was an obvious highlight, how could it not be with Lisa Fischer singing, one of the best and sexiest female vocalists around. She can hit those high notes like ringin' a bell! Saint of Me was wildly exciting to the crowd, a hit already. When The Whip Comes Down sounded great, tough, with the aggressive bite of the studio version. Reminded me of why I started playing guitar in the first place! I'd heard right that Out Of Control is a highlight; much better and longer than the studio version.

Dead Flowers was sweet, a good web choice, though I voted for Starfucker. When they did Little Queenie on their little club stage, it felt like 1965 had been transported to 1997. Like A Rolling Stone had the crowd on its feet singing/bellowing a Dylan number! In a Stones set! Only the second time in America, I hear. Bobby Keyes in Brown Sugar was amazing.

The rest of the songs were great, but the best song of the night was surprising: Jumpin' Jack Flash. It was the best live version of the song I've ever heard, and that includes countless years and bootlegs. I never thought they could equal the original. Keef Riffhard chopped out the chords, a man posessed by the demon/angel/goddess that is true rocknroll, what a sound!! That was the primal jungle rhythm of the heart. Thanks, Keef and Mick and Charlie (good tonight, inee) and Woodie for keeping rocknroll alive!

Review by Dan Vikstrom

The Rolling Stones rocked Minnesota tuesday night at the Metrodome with a truly remarkable performance that probably surprised more than a few in the crowd of 50,000 who thought they might find these legends had lost a step or two. A beautiful, tight, powerful performance was what they got instead. Keith looked happy, healthy and magnificent - his graying hair framing a craggily handsome face. He could do no wrong. Jagger snaked around the stage throughout helped by the pacing of the show which gives him about a 15 minute breather between the start of the introductions and the start of the small stage set.

Early on he charmed the locals by commenting " Last night we flew into the Hubert Humphrey terminal, were driven to the Hubert Humphrey Hilton Hotel and now we are playing at the Hubert Humphrey dome. So we'd like to dedicate this one to Hubert Humphrey!" It got a great laugh from the crowd. Highlights included a scathing version of 'Sister Morphine', a beautiful Woody solo on 'Anybody Seen My Baby' which elicited a big cheer when they began to play the song. 'Out of Control' was a center- piece of the show. All the new songs went over very well. The dome was LOUD.

They played 'Like A Rolling Stone' on the center stage which the crowd loved. I was on the Keith corner of the center stage with my 13 year old son (his first show - might as well start him off with the best) and best friend. It was amazing being so close, to see these larger than life icons of ours right there, 20 feet away and 12 feet up. Other highlights included 'Miss You', slagged alot of late, but the song itself was turned into a piece of smoldering theatre by Jagger and Lisa Fisher who flirted with the whole band, making Charlie blush and put as big a grin on his face as I have seen in years. Right then I realized that Charlie Watts still loves what he does. He got the biggest ovation again as usual (2 bows) with Keef a close second.

They went through the horses towards the finish line capped by one of the best JJ Flash's I have heard. It seemed different somehow because of Keith' rhythmn lead riff which got me to thinking about his interview where he said he was playing a lick from the song he hadn't done since the record was cut. Absolutely spellbinding. Go see 'em. They are still the best.

Read all about the Bridges To Babylon tour in the It's Only Rock'n Roll magazine issue IORR 31 out Jan, 1998.

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