The Rolling Stones
Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna, Austria
Friday July 14, 2006

Tonight was different. A Hometown show, my 30th Stones show by the way and probably the best one i have EVER seen. The sound was clear as a bell from the beginning on, the band appeared to be in a better mood than normal, everything seemed to be top notch. I expected a regular, boring setlist but what we got was a BRILLIANT spectacular setlist. Gems like She's So Cold, As Tears Go By, This Place Is Empty and Paint It Black - just to name a few. (They changed 6 or 7 songs from the Milan setlist - I can't remember the last time they did that). Tonight even the warhorses got me excited. I wasn't bored for a single second and once again I've been reminded WHY I love this band so much. The whole band was playing perfectly and Jagger sang like I haven't heard him sing in ages. It was like them saying "sorry for being late, but now we're gonna put on a top show". Jagger said TONS of things in German, some even in local Austrian or Viennese slang. The man knows how to get the crowd excited. Also, I have to add: Lisa Fischer was on top of her game tonight, her voice in Night Time Is The Right Time sounded ever so fresh and exciting.

All in all, there isn't much more to say, except that this was probably the best show or one of the best I've ever seen and that includes the 4 club shows I saw on the last tour. A lot of interaction between Mick, Keith and Ronnie - they behaved like young guys in a school band - it was awesome to watch them doing it for the music, not for the money. They had at least as much fun as we had in the audience - and I think that's rare.

Munich, here I come and finally I can say it again: I AM EXCITED ! See you all there...

Was standing right over Lisa, Bernard and Blondie (Lisa was tremendous, excellent, what a voice), had a good view over the stage (except Charlie of course), also the sound was clear. Funny thing to watch the huge lips getting blown up, and it is really hard work to fold it down again - many men working and struggling around with it. And Mick is wearing tight, white underwear :-))).

The boys seemed to have a lot of fun, joking around, big smiles on their faces. "Rain fall down" on the setlist - yes, there was some rain just before the show, but when the Stones hit the stage, the clouds disappeared (just like in Imst 1999)

It is incredible they are in such great shape after all those years. "Sympathy", my All-Time Stones favourite, rocked as ever, Mick wearing a red hat and a red coat, passing by two metres from my place. Followed by a fantastic "Paint it black", exaequo No 2 (with Gimme Shelter) on my personal List.

Had a lot of space to dance around in the box. Great to watch the audience screaming and dancing, waving hands in the air. Many VERY YOUNG people in the show, so really the Stones make music for three generations.

If they keep going on changing the setlist that way after each show, maybe we'll get to hear as many songs as never before. Vienna rocked, thanks to the Stones.

"Servas die Buam" - see you next in Dubendorf!!!

As Chris Tresper already mentioned, Mick was in both particularly fine form and exceptionally good mood � I�m not sure if everybody in the crowd got it, but he used a line in "Viennese" that was created by a famous local TV show host named Heinz Conrads ("Guten Abend die Madln, servas die Buam!") to greet the audience, which absolutely floored me.

Personal musical highlights included a TREMENDOUS rendition of "As Tears Go By" (Mick�s vocal effort being incredible to say the least), "Night Time Is The Right Time" (kudos to the great Lisa Fischer!) and a fresh-sounding version of "Start Me Up" on the hydraulically extended "B-stage".

"She�s So Cold" and "Paint It Black" certainly were nice setlist additions, and the presentation of "Sympathy For The Devil" � both musically and visually � sends chills up and down my spine each time I get to witness that song in concert. I�m also glad we got "Rain Fall Down" (my wife�s favourite from the excellent "A Bigger Bang" album), which wasn�t played at the Milano opener.

As for The Keef, his performance sure was far from flawless at times (as usual), but hey, this man still is the coolest guy that ever walked the planet even he tends to mess up occasionally while playing the guitar (or climbing on a tree) � which reminds me of how much I enjoyed him performing "This Place Is Empty" after chipping away his cigarette butt. Again, a wonderful evening of pure rock�n�roll spectacle and entertainment...the "boys" will always be welcome in Vienna!