Hi folks

Watching various footage of all tours (official & non-official) with never ceasing excitement (I mean, no Stones gig is exactly the same as one another - and now the news!)
I always wonder how they managed to hide STU all the time on almost every stage size.
I mean you can watch him in 1981/82 , along mit Mac, but:
1970? 1972/73? 1975/76? 1978?

This makes me extremely curious, because at these times the stages were huge but not THAT huge! Where did they hide him, or did he miss some of those tours??

Nicky Hopkins was on the '72 tour. Billy Preston was on '73-'76. Ian and Stu were in the dark, stage right on the '78 tour and in the same position but better lit in '81 and '82.

I've long thought that both were employed so that Keith and Ronnie could follow their individual cohorts (Stu and Ian respectively) in the monitor mix.

They way concerts were filmed back then can look pretty ridiculous nowadays with long closeups of guitarists faces when they were soloing for example. Also the lighting was significantly less advanced back then. Much of the 1981/82 footage has daylight. It doesn't look to me as if Stu was hidden, but he never sought the spotlight either.

They were never the same band once Stu left.

he played in 1975 tour

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georgemcdonnell314
They were never the same band once Stu left.

I agree. In fairness I think he died rather than left, or left because of ill health or something. Piano is the foundation of Stones music, you hear it in all their songs up to more modern times, and Stu was always there. Loved his playing, great barrelhouse style. Way more boogie woogie than Nicky Hopkins who I adored as well of course, but he was short time with the band. Ian Mclaglan too, he has a great versatile sound and can play anything. Or could anyway.

jb

He is well visible at the Roundhay gig

A nice memory from Greensboro, NC in 1978: Ian was fiddling with his piano and I was right up front on the barricade. In those days that basically meant you could reach out and put your beer cup on the stage lol...Anyway, I inched over and called out his name. He looked up, smiled, and started to tickle the keys some more then he got up and leaned over and shook my hand with a 'Thanks, mate' or something like that. I still remember his hand, beefy though a bit small with the typical British handshake, barely there.

I would have loved to have had a pint with him.

Ya could see his jaw from the back of the stadium! By all accounts, a great guy...

I attended a show in each of the US/American tours: 1969, 1972, 1975, and 1981.

I remember Ian Stewart in the 1975 and 1981 tour shows, however my online research
says he played the 1969 tour, and 1972 tour on a few songs in some shows.

As for 1969, too many years have passed, and I do not remember whether or not
I saw him.

In 1972, I definitely remember Nicky Hopkins, but do not remember seeing Ian Stewart.
(unless he was hidden, as some have mentioned, above)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-02-16 16:09 by Chacho.

I've always been fascinated by this exchange between RW and Stu at the Hampton show just before She's So Cold. I wonder what they're talking about? (see below) I also like the part of this show during YCAGWYW where he's watching Mick, who's dancing out on the Wings, like he's just keeping an eye on things and making sure everything's OK.

[www.youtube.com]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2021-02-16 22:48 by ryanpow.

I would see Stu on stage before the show on various tours, helping set up, carrying amp heads, etc., keeping an eye on the roadies.

I can distinctly remember that Ian Stewart was clearly visible performing at the Rolling Stones' first ever stadium concert at Stuttgart Neckarstadion, June 19, 1976.

Ian joined the stage with George Thorogood & The Destroyers and played for their last four songs before Stones hit the stage.
His piano playing was like a fireball.
I remember what I watched in snowy Kansas City in 1981 like it was yesterday.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-02-17 13:55 by Toru A.

I miss Stu's stage presence and Influence on stage to this day and we are that much poorer for it since he passed away .

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saltoftheearth
I can distinctly remember that Ian Stewart was clearly visible performing at the Rolling Stones' first ever stadium concert at Stuttgart Neckarstadion, June 19, 1976.

Not their first stadium concert. Here they are one year earlier, and I think they did stadiums before that, too.





[www.youtube.com]

The Rolling Stones performed stadium shows several years before 1976. During the 1970 European tour they performed stadium shows at Helsinki Olympic Stadium Finland and Råsunda Stadium Stockholm Sweden.

The Rolling Stones European Tour 1970

Bjornulf

.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-02-17 17:13 by DandelionPowderman.

I believe The 73 winter tour had some stadiums too.

Elton actually looks real in that photo, a far cry from what he evolved into.

And yeah, its not the same without Stu, thats for sure. I think he did the same thing with G Thorogoods set in San Francisco that year, sat in on a couple of songs. I think I recall GT commenting on it on stage.

Some OT about that, GT & Delaware Destroyers newish complete Boston 82 show on vinyl f'in gets it. I think it was a Record Store Day release some time ago, I just heard about it, always a few behind...

jb

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bv
The Rolling Stones performed stadium shows several years before 1976. During the 1970 European tour they performed stadium shows at Helsinki Olympic Stadium Finland and Råsunda Stadium Stockholm Sweden.

The Rolling Stones European Tour 1970

But weren't both shows with only floor attendance, with a max capacity at 15,000 or so.

I thought Washington 1972 was their first proper, full attendance stadium show.

Mathijs

I havent watched Gimme Shelter in a while. Cant remember, but do we see Stu in any of the live footage filmed from the '69 Madison Square Garden shows? As far as I can tell, (on Ya Yas), I hear him playing piano on three tunes: Carol, Little Queenie, and Honky Tonk Women.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2021-02-18 19:29 by Sighunt.

You can hear Jagger say ''spotlight on Stu's ass ' at the beginning of the greatRoundhouse, 1971 , Midnight Rambler

I would have to agree with you. Something is missing from the Stones and not just the piano playing. Stu was a Stone in every facet except in name and equal with all founding members. Stu was the only guy in the room that could Keith, Mick, Charlie, Ronnie (and Bill and Brian) to kiss off and get away with it. Stu's influence on the Stones and their music was greater than most thought. PS: the Stones have yet to make a post Stu CD that's worthy of their former piano player pedigree.

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Taylor1
You can hear Jagger say ''spotlight on Stu's ass ' at the beginning of the greatRoundhouse, 1971 , Midnight Rambler

I swear it’s Hopkins on Rambler. I’ll have to listen again.

In ‘72 I’m wondering if Stu played on Sweet Virginia and maybe the Berry tunes.

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TravelinMan

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Taylor1
You can hear Jagger say ''spotlight on Stu's ass ' at the beginning of the greatRoundhouse, 1971 , Midnight Rambler

I swear it’s Hopkins on Rambler. I’ll have to listen again.

In ‘72 I’m wondering if Stu played on Sweet Virginia and maybe the Berry tunes.

Could still be Hopkins, but Stu was indeed introduced that way