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

Fleet Center
Boston, MA, USA
Tuesday March 23, 1999

Review by Bj�rnulf Vik

As good as it gets. That's all I can say. The Boston crowd was amazing tonight, and the band knew how to play with us!

Last night's Boston show was outstanding, really great. But tonigh's show was simply topping it. "Live With Me" gave me some sort of warning. This show was as tight and smooth as it gets, and at the same time the crowd was wild, which makes it even better.

"Honky Tonk Women" use to be cruising along, but tonight it was a 20,000 fans sing-a-long. "Moonlight Mile" slowed down a bit, but nobody in my section went for beers. And nobody was sitting down.

"Paint It Back" - simply raving mad. I was glad this was a relatively new building, so that I knew it would not fall down due to the dancing and jumping on this song.

Keith did "Thief" and "You Don't Have to Mean It", both with Ronnie's daughter Leah sharing the microphone with Lisa. Few beer buyers and few were sitting down...

Out Of Control: I'm starting to realize Mick is doing another one of his 2nd night stunts - jumping around like he is running to qualify for the Olympics. The song is as strong as it gets, and close to the power it had during the Bridges to Babylon tour.

The small stage. In my wish list I had penned down Get Off Of My Cloud. But first we got a raving wild version of "Route 66" of course. Keith played like the king on stage, hardly leaving his spot facing Charlie and Chuch during this small stage set. Mick was running all over, picking up the dozen or so bra's tossed at him, in all sorts of colors this time. Ronnie helped in with the bra collecting as well, but kept most of his time concentrated on his playing.

"Get Off Of My Cloud"! It's here. A strange start, but the rest is just perfect. The house is again brough to the earth quake test, like during "Paint It Black". Everybody is singing along. Hey Hey You You Get Off Of My Cloud! "Rambler" which follows is done with their usual oustanding performace, again Keith is staying with Chuck and Charlie. The sound on the small stage is excellent. In fact I have never experienced any Stones show with such a crystal clear sound.

The rest is just like the dessert of a meal, a perfect finish of a perfect night. It's Only Rock'n'Roll got a funny start, but it just gave us all a big laugh and another enjoyable moment. Thank you Boston, you made my day! 

Start time :  8:58
End time   : 10:58

The set list:

  1. Jumping Jack Flash
  2. Live With Me
  3. You Got Me Rocking
  4. Respectable
  5. Honky Tonk Women
  6. Moonlight Mile
  7. Saint of Me
  8. Some Girls
  9. Paint It Black
    -- Introductions --
  10. Thief In The Night (Keith)
  11. You Don't Have To Mean It (Keith)
  12. Out Of Control
  13. Route 66 (B-stage)
  14. Get Off Of My Cloud (B-stage)
  15. Midnight Rambler (B-stage)
  16. Tumbling Dice
  17. It's Only Rock'n Roll
  18. Start Me Up
  19. Brown Sugar
  20. Sympathy for the Devil (encore)

Review by Matt Neylon

Well this show had some more of my favorites, the performance was great, i preferred the night before, but i loved this setlist. Midnight rambler, saint of me, honky tonk women, get off my cloud and the whole end of the show blew the roof off the place. Once again the crowd erupted when the boston line in MR was heard. Sympathy was better than the night before, and I've never seen Mick do anything like what he did during brown sugar. What an amazing version. Midnight Rambler was tight as I've ever heard it, it was my highlight. The crowd was in full effect with the chorus of get off of my cloud, a definate favorite. Boston Loves the stones.

Review by Steve Skalish

That has to be the most intense concert experience I've had in years! That includes past Stones shows I have seen... this was my 4th (twice in Voodoo Lounge and once in Bridges To Babylon). It's true what they say... you can't beat the Stones in an arena setting!

My seats were incredible... directly behind the stage dead center with 12 rows between me and the stage. When Mick and Keith did their thing at the back of the stage, you could practically see the whites of their eyes. The closest I have ever been to the Stones! I was surprised they were 90 bucks. They could have been 150.

As far as the sound, I agree it was great! Even behind the stage. Except... when they went to the b-stage, the sound became far away to me. It almost sounded like I was outside of a stadium trying to listen in. For some reason, they didn't do as well during that part with the sound filtering to us behind the stage. It didn't stop me from loving the music, though. I, too, wanted Get Off My Cloud in the worst way.

Other highlights for me were Live With Me (I'm glad they did that over Bitch), Honky Tonk Woman (Mick did his first trip to the back of the stage with Lisa... GOD I LOVE THAT WOMAN!), Some Girls (perfect song for an arena setting), both of Keith's songs (Before They Make Me Run would have been good, but I liked both of the songs anyway), Out Of Control (fast becoming a favorite of mine to hear live, not to mention the incredible blonde who started dancing on the aisle next to me... I wasn't sure who to watch, her or Keith who visited the back of the stage for the first time), and especially Sympathy For The Devil (never fails to bring me chills when I hear it live).

I'm afraid that it may never get any better that this for me seeing the Stones. If I ever get to see them again, they'll be hard pressed to top this.

The press reports:

Thanks to Ted Saxlid and each and every one of you for supplying links to online newspapers, and reviews, of course!

Read all about the "No Security" and "Bridges To Babylon" tours of 1999 in the It's Only Rock'n Roll magazines. New issue IORR 35 out Jan 20, 1999, and the complete No Security guide in IORR 36 is out April 23, 1999.

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