On the last night of the 6 show series of gigs at Earls Court in Spring 76 the Stones brought elephants on stage as they began playing Sympathy For The Devil.

Does anyone have any photos of this? I was there but have never, ever seen a photo from this amazing one off stage-sharing spectacle.

I vaguely remember hearing about it many years ago, but I do not recall ever seeing any pictures. It kind of reminds me of opening day of the Voodoo lounge tour in 94 with the "Stilt walkers". I was there but have not seen a video, and IIRC pictures as well.

Please tell us more, were the elephants led onstage by a trainer? Did the elephants have a Stones related (tongue) costume. How long were they onstage?

Give us a glimmer......

They started the preparations early...

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DandelionPowderman
They started the preparations early...

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There were stilt walkers for all those Earls Court shows. As soon as you walked into the venue you were met with steel band drummers, clowns, jugglers and generally circus workers who were constantly moving around the ring outside the auditorium.

I think they only did one encore for all of the 6 nights and that was the last night, May 27. Nobody could believe it when after about 5 minutes of clapping elephants took to the stage. I think there may have been 2 or 3. But they left the stage before the Stones started playing Sympathy For The Devil. I don't think Mick fancied being upstaged by a pachyderm unexpectedly crapping on stage.

No elephants the night I went

Memphis in '78, I believe or '75???, there was a plan to bring an elephant(s) onstage but was scrapped. Mississippi Fred McDowel opened that show I think.

...75 ... But it was Furry Lewis who opened for da Stones



ROCKMAN

ROCKMAN

«I worked with Elton, that's enough»

LOL!

Mick got his way on the very last show, though

I have seen pics of it, but can't find them anymore...

I know my parents were at one or two of these Earl's Court shows I will ask them if they remember the elephants and if they have any photos.

Nate

Classic Keith quote!

EARLS COURT 1976 - Nobby Clark



ROCKMAN

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StonedAsia
Memphis in '78, I believe or '75???, there was a plan to bring an elephant(s) onstage but was scrapped. Mississippi Fred McDowel opened that show I think.

It was 1975. They paid $2,200 for the elephant rental, but they were "subsequently not used," according the 1975 tour accounts that I was just looking at.

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Silver Dagger
I don't think Mick fancied being upstaged by a pachyderm unexpectedly crapping on stage.

I think that was Mick's idea going back to the MSG'72 shows but it's Keef who didn't fancy being upstaged by a pachyderm. Or Elton John...

Those animals are abused to get them to perform, including being beaten with hooks. Keith is smart.

I was at the show on 26th May so obviously didn't see any elephants.

I do recall that there had been lots of tales about the echo inside Earls Court (no apostrophe as there isn't one on the ticket).

That didn't bother us because we were seated one row from the back - ie the wall from which the echo was bouncing.

For completeness, Paul McCartney opened a tour in the 1990s with pretty graphic film of elephants being electrocuted.

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Captain Corella
60 Years a Fan

I can't see how the lotus stage would have supported their weight, especially on the fold down petals, they bounced a bit until they locked in place and even then were unsupported at the edges

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SKILLS
I can't see how the lotus stage would have supported their weight, especially on the fold down petals, they bounced a bit until they locked in place and even then were unsupported at the edges

Do I correctly recall that the stage was eventually bought by Keith Moon?

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Captain Corella
60 Years a Fan

I can't recall seeing elephants.

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ChrisL

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StonedAsia
Memphis in '78, I believe or '75???, there was a plan to bring an elephant(s) onstage but was scrapped. Mississippi Fred McDowel opened that show I think.

It was 1975. They paid $2,200 for the elephant rental, but they were "subsequently not used," according the 1975 tour accounts that I was just looking at.

Let's see those accounts...

No it was Memphis blues musician
Furry Lewis who opened the show .....



ROCKMAN

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marianna
Those animals are abused to get them to perform, including being beaten with hooks. Keith is smart.

Well said.