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The following is what I posted on the IORR Tell Me forum thread Rolling stones secret gig In Paris just half an hour after I got my ticket, at around 11am in the morning.
This was by far the hardest tickt ever. All people think I get to know everything, and that I get what I want from the Stones. Fact is I get very little information, and people tell me less because they think I will tell others and publish, which is a problem for me of course. But then you see who you can trust and who is a real friend and who is what and so on.
It took me all my 41 years of being a hard core Stones fan and all my experience to get this ticket. In the end, when it was official by 8am or so this morning, there were 100+ in the queue, but that was the only ones who got tickets I think. I was in the smallest queue I have been in ever. I arrived into Virgin Megastore as number 15 in the queue. By then I had been scanning the city of Paris for queues and locations all day. The taxi drivers had been driving me large loops when I knew it was much shorter. But I stayed focused, left the cabs and started walking. My years of training paid off, I passed by l'Olympia, Goeorge V, the Megastore, the Mogador and a bunch of other places in search for information and knowledge. I stayed at a place you must have when you do such work. Nearby the estimated location. And I used all other things that need to be a business secret when it comes to being in a queue of just 100 or so lucky people. I must have walked for 12 hours yesterday and tonight. Luckily I managed to get 4 hours sleep from 00:30 to 04:30. I took the risk and I made it, but it was a dangerous risk I know.
So I saw the queue got closed down behind me on Champs Elysee at 9:05 this morning. That was when the Megastore security people came and made it clear this was the place. We were then told we could take one or tow tickets. Big surprise for me, as I travel alone always, I have hundreds of friends on tours but they change from time to time and place to place. Now I have an extra ticket I need to find a person for, a friend that deserve it and who is nearby for this show tonight. But that have to wait until I have found a new place to work from now.
It was surrealistic to get the ticket, so many things happened, so many people with diferent emotions, so many camera people, press, and to walk up to the 2nd floor of the Megastore in the first selected group of people... I am happy.
The ticket was 15 Euro. The camera people asked me if that was ok. I said I would pay a million for it, which is not so far from the truth.
My wife and my family would have to forgive me for the past days and weeks. In order to get such a ticket you must stay focused like a top athlet and I have not been much available as seen from my mind. My brain hs been hooked on Paris, rehearsals, club show and stuff like that. But when you work hard anything is possible. So now I am just as hapy as I am when I am on the top of Kilimanjaro. The same feeling. Plus tonight will top it, the first time we will hear the new song live, the first time I will hear Brown Sugar live without saxophone, the first time I will see the Stones as they werre 50 years ago, with a minimum of backing musicians. Friends I met who saw them and hearded them at the rehearsals say they sound just great stripped down.
So the ticket says:
THE ROLLING STONES A SHORT WARMUP SET Jeudi 25 Octobre 2012 LA TRABENDO 20:00 15.00 Euro
And lots other in French which I do not understand, but as there were no wristbands, and we had to show ID, I assume an ID is needed also at the entrance.
More later... Moving on to the next location near the Trabendo.
Before the show we had been through like 6-7 lines of security, ID checking and body search. The security was superior. I do not mind security. I never record shows or take pictures at club shows. I don't use my mobile phone at shows. They took all mobile phones for storage, only a handful sneaked in their mobile phones. It was so great to be at a show where nobody was snapping pictures or calling a friend to share the show.
Route 66 was right on. Keith was strong on the solo. Just great.
It's Only Rock'n Roll with lots of smoke on stage. Too much. I wanted to see the band, and all I saw was smoke. But they sounded great. And again Keith did a great, great solo. I was wondering if Keith would do this through the show. Normally he is saving the best for the last.
Shattered : Mick is throwing his black jacket. He has got three layers of clothes and he is now down to two. He is moving around like a madman on Manhattan, and it seems like he's on some sort of youth pill. I do know Mick would be on a pension plan by now, if he was a regular worker on a payroll, but this is not the average Mick. Ronnie is doing a great solo by the way.
When The Whip Comes Down: Mick with guitar. Ronnie pushed forward to the front of the stage by Mick. Mick and Keith at the back with Charlie, sharing the moment in an unforgettable silent "eye by eye contact" saying how great this is.
Champaign And Reefer: Keith is using the same black Gibson for the first five songs. Darryl has got a microphone, he is singing at times, Chuck is doing more singing. There are only 6 guys on stage, like in the 60's. No backup musicians. No horns or saxophone. Just the Stones. And it is sounding great. This is a blues classic and it is again great.
Doom And Gloom: May be I had too high expectations for this one. I loved it in the studio version, and was sure it would be a classic live song. But it was more of a standard. I was missing the little extra we get on the monster songs like "Gimme Shelter" and "Street Fighting Man". It was more like "Oh No ...". A good new song but nothing outstanding.
Miss You: Mick on guitar with open tuning. Darryl doing an amazing solo playing. Mick harmonica. Ronnie solo. Perfect!
Tumbling Dice: Yes! It can be done without brass, and it is great! Keith is sharp and great, Ronnie is taking care of the solo playing.
Start Me Up: You can feel Mick is working the crowd like he is on a short contract. Only 12 songs tonight. Lots of energy left. Working hard on the crowd, and it is easy tonight. Everybody is hands up and smiling faces as they do Start Me Up. This was just like the old days, like when Mick was just a young singer, except this is now 50 years later. I am amazed.
Midnight Rambler: If Mick was great on Start Me Up then he was outdoing himself on Rambler. Dancing, entertaining, waking up those few in the crowd who might still be a bit resistant. By now he had the crowd in his hands. And Rambler was just mmmmmmmm great!
They leave the stage. So I think this was a set of just eleven songs. Not really...
Charlie is back from behind the stage first. He is running a long drum roll while waiting for his band mates.
Jumping Jack Flash: Strong, fast, short, tight, feeling the show is coming to a sad end all too soon.
Brown Sugar: For the second time tonight Mick is pushing Ronnie forward to the front of the stage. What used to be a saxophone solo is now a great guitar solo done by Ronnie. This is a club show and again it is tight and short, so it feels like it is ending all too soon.
Final bow. Charlie is spotting a fan at the front row and he is actually picking up a pen and signing the cover. I can't believe what I am seeing. The security guy is trying to signal the fact that the rest of the band is now half way to the hotel, well almost, so Charlie does this one which is great.
I have slept 6 hours in two days, but during the show I was as awake as it is possible. I had front row on the Keith side and enjoyed having the complete and unobstructed view from the side to the band. The stage was like two feet high so they were very low. Please do not shoot me if I spelled wrong or mixed up something. Time to sleep...
...Ok Im not dead it seems so I'll make a couple of comments... obviously it's hard to be very objective after spending an hour with Mick about 5 feet away ! The best part was the wait... well not really but we knew the best moment of the day, hum the year... ok let's make it the decade was ahead of us!
They played for 1 hour and 10 minutes and were clearly happy to be here, smiles, eye contact... Mick looks above the crowd mostly but Keith looks you in the white of the eye, fascinating! Keith played what he had to play perfectly (not the rhythm guitar monster he was in 1972/73 obviously), no bum notes I could hear and a monstrous slashing guitar on JJF, too bad he didn't get a vocal spot. Not enough interplay I found with Mick on MR like during the NS tour on the B-Stage, instead Ronnie was noodling around rather unconvincingly. Ronnie was a bit messy but the overall sound didn't help, it was very loud and not very distinct, in fact Mick sang a few times to a closed mike... Of course Chuck is the "musical leader" these days... counts in and Mick looks to him (signals one could say I guess) for the transitions and song endings, that's ok. Mick doesn't take things too seriously, how could he, with quite a lot if eye rolling, but does the job and enjoys it!
Best quip of the day, Mick after three songs in a very hot atmosphere: "You'd think some of us would be sitting by now but we're not !"
Too bad they didn't open with Doom & Gloom because as I thought it would it cooks big time on stage ! Route 66 of course was a great way to start too.
I was 5 years ago at the Last O2 Show in London and the Last time that i saw the Stones, was in february 2008 in Berlin at the Press Conference with Martin Scorsese to the Premiere of shine a light. But that is another story!
The Last two years was a chaos of roumers about Stones-Tour or not Stones-Tour... Or maybe they never will tour again... But i can Tell you for sure: ! The Stones are back...!!! In a incredible powerful and fit constitution !
Since week's I spend my Time "Online" and also my friends Sebi Baaske and Gerhard Wagner, to find eny indices for a secret Club-Gig! So i can say "by the Way", www.iorr.org is the best way to get what you want...or what you need..... If you spend your Time with the History of Rolling Stones touring, you have to know, that the Stones always starting a Tour with a "Surprise warm up Club Gig" ! But so far i can remember mostly in USA or Canada!
So the Stones startet rehearsing in Paris and the first Date of the Tour will take place in London. So...that was the first chance for Fans from europe, since many years, to get this kind of "Secret club-gig". In the end,... Sebi, Gerhard and me, had a very good networking! It was teamwork in high class! I heard, that two friends of mine from London booked theirs flight to Paris on the 24 th of Oktober. And them had always right in the past! But don't know realy why!
So... i called Sebi from Hannover and ordered him to Paris and Gerhard who was in Genua for Holidays with his wife and I also ordered him to Paris. Both reached Paris by Car before midnight the 24 th. I was still in Munich ( Germany ) , sitting on the Computer, in contakt to my friends in Paris. The rumor, that the Stones will Play the "Trabendo" was in the net! I was the Direktor to my friends and ordered them to the "Trabendo" to check the situation. But now results. Also the "Olympia" was a short rumor... I was spending the whole night on the Computer and on 7.16 am "Show Day", a Radiostation in Paris confirmed the Show. A few minutes later, there was the News on the "iorr Tell me", that the Tickets for the show will go on sale at the Virgin Mega Store at "champs elysees" at 10 am for 20,- EUR per Ticket. But in the End it was just 15,- EUR per Ticket... What a price....:-)
I called directly Sebi and Gerhard for that redemptive News. And on 7:30 am i startet my Car and i was also on the Way to Paris. From Munich 890 KM. Sebi and Gerhard reached the Mega Store good in time. And my big big Luck was, that they sold 2 Tickets for each person. I reached the " Trabendo " at 5 pm. That day ..." travelling to Paris was very nebulas", from the beginning to the End, also a kind of "Gloom" if you want... Everything was like in a "myth" to me.... With a big, big happy End!
So i parked my Car and went directly to the Trabendo. It was not easy to find, because there was a big Park between and a big construction area.... But not realy a club or a theatre to see... But in front of the construction area was a hand full people! And "Bingo" there was Gerhard, Peter, Hans, some friends which I saw like the Stones 5 years ago the Last time and my special friend "Sebi" with my Ticket for the Show in his hands! It was a very good feeling, coming together with all my Stones-friends, after that long time, to get the Stones for another Life show!
...Ok... ON WITH THE SHOW !
Whene i get in to the club--- it was very difficult for my to believe, that the greatest Rock'n Roll Band ever, will play in this kind of "Lounge room", in front of that little crowd! The Stage was rather primitive, just "Grrregory" in the middle and left and right the " 50 tongue logo" as Stage-deko.... My place was the second row, directly in front of Mick :-) I was very exited and unbelievable happy to be there!!! I was incredible close to the Stage! Like never before... And i was at Cirkus Krone, Vredenburg Uttrecht, Olympia Paris and Cirkus Stockkholm at Licks Tour...., but "Trabendo" was very very much smaller...
....THE SHOW....!
"Le Rolling Stones"..................
They startet very cool with a hammering "Route 66" and Jagger was unbelievable close to us and his performance was 100 % Rock'n Roll and very very cool.... Not like his kind of Big-Stage Performance! The Sound was very loud and my second view was to Keith! He was in Top form and his Guitar-playing was very strong and fantastic fluent!!! Every negativ rumors about Keith he had killed in this wonderful Night!
Ronnie was playing fantastic concentrated like I never saw him before! He was very clear like Keith and Ronnie looked so young and so good! Charlie was the engine and played very aggressive in a amazing way! But Mick was my man for that evening!!! He said: "It's great that we still standing" and later he said to us: "you look so young and so beautiful....
Mick was absolutly the director of the Band and it was like the most beautiful Dream come true in my live, to get his Performance and his wonderful and strong Rock'n Roll voice so special! For me, all 12 Songs were fantastic, but route 66, whip, Doom and Gloom "as New One" and champaign and reefer are the best ones to me at this evening! Charlie's Drums were going Boom Boom and we wanted to dance...:-))
Finally i can tell you...the sound was very loud in the Club, sometimes a bit to loud... But it doesn't matter... The Rolling Stones are back... And they are playing better then ever! It was also amazing to hear the Stones without background! Just strong Stones-Guitar's!!! That's what i like so much!!! And myself... I'm the happiest Boy for the next 12 months... That was the miracle of Paris in 2012!!!
PS. Sorry for my kind of english writing... that is not so easy for us germans.
Rolling stones secret gig In Paris
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