Or has one come close? I know they usually book "non threatening" acts but does anyone remember an opening act that put on a better show or sounded better than the Stones on any given night?

Not in my experience. I doubt they would take that chance.

Keith got mad at Prince for doing just that.

If anyone came close imo it was Ike and Tina Turner at MSG 1969,l was there and she had the crowd in her hands check her out doing "l been loving you too long" after that song, even Mick must have been impressed...

"No dope smoking no beer sold after 12 o'clock"

A lot of people think that Lynyrd Skynyrd did just that at Knebworth.

Keef has said that the Stones following James Brown in the TAMI Show was the dumbest thing they ever did.

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Keefan
Keef has said that the Stones following James Brown in the TAMI Show was the dumbest thing they ever did.

Did he?

To be fair to them, they did themselves no harm at all. They maybe didnt upstage Brown's amazing performance, but they rose to the challenge and were absolutely brilliant in their own right. One of their greatest and most iconic performances.

prince was to busy ducking tomatoes and bottles to notice

I recall the J-Geils Band during the 1982 Tour which were pretty good, btw they didn't upstaged The STONES, but the crowd was hot after the JGB set.

HMN

buddy mofo guy - more than once

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Gazza

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Keefan
Keef has said that the Stones following James Brown in the TAMI Show was the dumbest thing they ever did.

Did he?

To be fair to them, they did themselves no harm at all. They maybe didnt upstage Brown's amazing performance, but they rose to the challenge and were absolutely brilliant in their own right. One of their greatest and most iconic performances.

I still haven't seen the TAMI show...sounds like I should order it soon!

I read that bit about Keef saying that in an article this spring when the TAMI show was rereleased...this quote is from the Smithsonian magazine:

"Following James Brown forced The Rolling Stones to ramp up their energy level. Guitarist Keith Richards half-jokingly called following Brown the worst decision of the group’s career.


I just now found a little more accurate info about it, from the NYT:

"Members of the Rolling Stones have often been quoted as saying that going onstage after Brown was the worst decision of their career. In later years they became a bit more circumspect. In “According to the Rolling Stones” Mr. Richards allows that following Brown “did make me a little tight,” but Mick Jagger insisted “we weren’t actually following him, because there were hours in between.”

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duke richardson
Keith got mad at Prince for doing just that.

Bit hard to upstage anyone when you do a runner after 20 minutes because you're getting bottled!

The Who upstaged the Stones at the Rock and Roll Circus, which is why it was never released .

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mitchflorida
The Who upstaged the Stones at the Rock and Roll Circus, which is why it was never released .

except when it was released

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mitchflorida
The Who upstaged the Stones at the Rock and Roll Circus, which is why it was never released .

l think this is one of those Urban legends,l have seen the show and yes the Who does a good set,but that they upstaged the Stones? No Way...

"No dope smoking no beer sold after 12 o'clock"

Nearly everyone I spoke with that attended the Detroit shows in 1981 will state that Santana did on those nights. Wasn't there but I've heard it from many who were there.

then how come santana has never headlined a 70k stadium if they are that popular?

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melillo
then how come santana has never headlined a 70k stadium if they are that popular?

The fact that you sell lots of tickets doesn't equate with being a good band,look at Bon Jovi they sell lots of tickets and to me they Suck...

"No dope smoking no beer sold after 12 o'clock"

AC/DC blew them off the stage at Toronto Sarsfest, I had been bummed that AC/DC was even on the bill, as I was not a fan, at all of anything post-Bon Scott. But they absolutely blew the Stones off teh stage in front of 400,000+ people. They were louder, tighter, more entertaining and rocked way harder. The Stones set was a downer for most people until a chunk of the way through (and when Angus and his bro joined them on-stage).

Two bands before AC/DC on the bill was the original line-up of The Guess Who. If they had immediately preceded the Stones that night they would have blown them away. Unfortunately, Rush appeared between the Guess Who and AC/DC to kind of take an edge of The Guess Who's set.

It was the first time I felt the Stones were past it - no longer the world's greatest rock n roll band.

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ROPENI

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melillo
then how come santana has never headlined a 70k stadium if they are that popular?

The fact that you sell lots of tickets doesn't equate with being a good band,look at Bon Jovi they sell lots of tickets and to me they Suck...

so are you saying the stones are not a good band?

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buffalo7478
AC/DC blew them off the stage at Toronto Sarsfest, I had been bummed that AC/DC was even on the bill, as I was not a fan, at all of anything post-Bon Scott. But they absolutely blew the Stones off teh stage in front of 400,000+ people. They were louder, tighter, more entertaining and rocked way harder. The Stones set was a downer for most people until a chunk of the way through (and when Angus and his bro joined them on-stage).

Two bands before AC/DC on the bill was the original line-up of The Guess Who. If they had immediately preceded the Stones that night they would have blown them away. Unfortunately, Rush appeared between the Guess Who and AC/DC to kind of take an edge of The Guess Who's set.

It was the first time I felt the Stones were past it - no longer the world's greatest rock n roll band.

Wasn't at this show that they brought Justin Timbarlake to sing "Miss You" with the Band??? Horrible..

"No dope smoking no beer sold after 12 o'clock"

Melillo: I believe Ropeni has a point. Being a great band or great live band is not dependent on how many seats you sell.

Lots of bad acts sell lots of tickets.

If quality of music or performance alone sold tickets teh charts would look a lot different today (and yesterday).

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melillo

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ROPENI

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melillo
then how come santana has never headlined a 70k stadium if they are that popular?

The fact that you sell lots of tickets doesn't equate with being a good band,look at Bon Jovi they sell lots of tickets and to me they Suck...

so are you saying the stones are not a good band?

Noooo,l meant that even if Santana coulnd't sell a 70k stadium,they could still be a great band..Ticket sales doesn't equal greatness...

"No dope smoking no beer sold after 12 o'clock"

I am not taking anything away from santana they are a great band, of course i understand that the more tix you sell doesnt equal how good a band is, i just feel that if you have the body of work you can play any stadium / arena that you want to thats all

Didn't The Patti Smith Group open for the band at some point in '78? I ask because I have heard it mentioned, but never much about it. That would be an authentically gritty opener during the band's perceived "punk influenced" time.

Not all music translates well to a stadium. I know musicians who have done stadium shows and hated it. They'd rather play a smaller place and have a more intimate feel.

I wish the Stones next tour would do the same. Back off the huge stage and effects, do a normal tour with less overhead that works in 15,000 seat and less venues.

agree that would be nice but the stones mainly mick like to get paid

maybe acdc in 03?

i'd say ac/dc upstaged them at "sarstock".

I find myself watching that acdc set alot, great performance, rush kicked some ass also