NOVEMBER 27, 2009

Rolling Stones in Baltimore -- 40 years later
This week in 1969, the Rolling Stones performed a sold-out show at the Baltimore Civic Center (now called the 1st Mariner Arena).

Now, 40 years later, here is The Baltimore Sun's recount of the show. There were fistfights and at least one karate chop to the throat, but somehow, no one was arrested. Oh, and the Stones played.

Rolling Stones Rock Civic Center

The shrieks of thousands of young females filled the Civic Center last night as the Rolling Stones, the English rock group, brought their brand of the electric apocalypse to Baltimore.

Mick Jagger, the head Rolling Stone, pranced out on the stage dressed in a red scarf, silver collar and a black costume amid the hysterical roar of the 13,000 persons who filled the Center to capacity ...

Crowd Mostly Orderly

Thousands more had been turned away in what was the Stones' first appearance in Baltimore in two years.

The crowd of youngsters was, for the most part, orderly, although one teen-aged miss leaped into the orchestra pit and nearly climbed up onto the stage before two burly guards carried her bodily to the sidelines.

Meanwhile, Jagger gyrated and leapt across the stage as he sang in an electric atmosphere of light and sound.

His four companions with electric guitars and a set of drums stood expressionless -- or benumbed -- by the giant sound which issued from a series of 9-foot-high speakers.

Swayed With Music

And in the final moments of a thunderous encore, several hundred kids climbed on their seats and began to sway in time with the music.

The Stones' act was preceded by B.B. King, who led a well-received funky blues group, and Terry Reid, who performed with another English group which was also well received.

During the B.B. King recital, a wild fistfight broke out between Civic Center guards and four youths whom they attempted to question in the mezzanine.

At one point, a youth who attempted to interfere was held over a ramp railing by a guard who karate-chopped him in the throat.

Councilman Robert C. Marshall (D., 4th) whose detective service works at the Civic Center, said that there were no arrests, but could not explain the incident.

No Arrests Made

About 30 youths had gathered around the struggling guard, screaming "Pig, pig, oink oink." One of the four youths, who had been sprayed with mace and clubbed over the head, managed to escape briefly, but was brought back into custody bleeding profusely from the mouth.

Captain Anton Glover of the Eastern district police said he thought the youths had been disorderly. He said no arrests were made, however.

(AP photo of the Rolling Stones in 1969. Also, special thanks to Sun archivist Paul McCardell for digging up the clip.)

[weblogs.baltimoresun.com]

yes

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copsnrobbers
yes

Aw, damn, and I thought I found something new!

THe pic comes from rehearsals at Lyceum Theatre 21/12/69......Rockman posted it on IORR a few months ago

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Erik_Snow
THe pic comes from rehearsals at Lyceum Theatre 21/12/69......Rockman posted it on IORR a few months ago

Thanks for clearing that up.
Somehow, I didn't think that some newspaper photographer from Baltimore took that shot.

I thought they didn't have the Hi-Watts in the US You're sure it's not a promo pic taken before the US tour?

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DandelionPowderman
I thought they didn't have the Hi-Watts in the US You're sure it's not a promo pic taken before the US tour?

Lyceum Theatre is in London - they did 4 London shows in December that year

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Edith Grove
Thanks for clearing that up.
Somehow, I didn't think that some newspaper photographer from Baltimore took that shot.

I must say the article you posted was very.....strickt; is that the proper word...? Very formal and objective. Like a description of what's happening in a battle in world war I.....in a desert on the other side of the world. Don't think the journalist *let himself go* during the concert

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Erik_Snow

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Edith Grove
Thanks for clearing that up.
Somehow, I didn't think that some newspaper photographer from Baltimore took that shot.

I must say the article you posted was very.....strickt; is that the proper word...? Very formal and objective. Like a description of what's happening in a battle in world war I.....in a desert on the other side of the world. Don't think the journalist *let himself go* during the concert

Yeah, it seems the reporter was "strictly" there for observing the surroundings about the show, not the show itself. Objective for sure.

Something I find interesting about the article (not Stones-related) is that a Baltimore city councilman provided the "detective service" at the venue.
No ethics violation there?

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Erik_Snow

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DandelionPowderman
I thought they didn't have the Hi-Watts in the US You're sure it's not a promo pic taken before the US tour?

Lyceum Theatre is in London - they did 4 London shows in December that year

Ah, of course. My bad. I completely forgot that

Mick must have been expecting high water at the Lyceum!

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Sacke
Mick must have been expecting high water at the Lyceum!

Yeah, but he did not warned the other Stones.............. ;-)

Mr.Fancyman

...or this:

hey Edith.....congrats on hitting the 7000 posts mark.

i had not seen this pic..thanks.


IORR............but I like it!

[www.iorr.org]

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misterfrias
It sure does, SwayStones, but someone posted an identical thread a few days ago:

[www.iorr.org]

I am a Frenchie ,as Mick affectionately called them in the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977 .

Yep

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SwayStones
[www.iorr.org]

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misterfrias
It sure does, SwayStones, but someone posted an identical thread a few days ago:

[www.iorr.org]

Uh, sorry Ms. Stones!

I wish we could get the audio for that!

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SwayStones
[www.iorr.org]

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misterfrias
It sure does, SwayStones, but someone posted an identical thread a few days ago:

[www.iorr.org]

You still holding that against me, Sway?

Greetings from the Jersey Shore.

i never seen that one thank you. it's great. if just for a sec u forget those beautiful iconic faces it looks like any other north jersey rockin' bar band at the time. i love this. it's a REAL band man. this is such an exciting beautiful pic. !

Have had an 8 x 10 of this one for about the last 22 years.
On really good photographic stock at that...

Thanks for posting! I saw it once on the cover of a dvd and I was looking for it.
Really great pic!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-06-17 07:31 by crackedglauzer.

You can get the photo of the band in the first post from Pictopia.com. That's where I got mine along with one from The Marquee Club in '71.

As Pete Townshend wrote, "The place is really jumping to the Hiwatt amps..."

ROCKMAN

I was at this Baltimore show....and it SMOKED !!! peter