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The Rolling Stones live club gig at
The Double Door
Chicago, IL Thursday Sept. 18, 1997

Exactly two weeks after they did their first 1997 club concert in Toronto, and just hours after they arrived to Chicago, the Rolling Stones did their 2nd pre-tour club concert on Thursday Sept. 18 at the Double Door, a small club in Chicago who normally house alternative music rock bands.

The decition to do the Double Door club gig wasn't done until midnight the day before, on Wednesday. Hard core fans with contacts jumped their cars to rush into Chicago. At 9 AM in the morning they put up a sign outside the Double Door simply telling The Rolling Stones. They charged a standard fee of $7 per ticket, you had to show an ID card, and they wrote your name on the armwrist band that was put on each ticketholders hand to prevent ticket scalping (i.e. no blackmarket sales). A total of 230 tickets were sold to people calling in early on the Double Door. Another 170 tickets went to VIP people, and some lucky guys mamaged to talk their way into the Double Door last minute. The crowd of 400 was actually 100 less than the club can hold, but the Stones management wanted space for TV and radio equipment as well.

The show was on shortly before 10, and they played the following set of songs:

Review by Linda Raeburn

I flew into Chicago from Heathrow late afternoon on 18 September, having tickets for the first two shows at Soldier Field. Later in the evening, the Gods looking so kindly upon me, I took a taxi to the Double Door. Some stringent security search measures outside meant I got into the club about 10 minutes before the Stones came on. As the club was so small, it didn't matter that I was not in the front row. Instead I got a perfect view - of Mick and Keith at least - from the bar.

The Stones launched unannounced into Little Queenie, Keith in pink jacket and shades, Mick looking pleased but cool. Rocking on with 19th Nervous Breakdown, You Got Me Rocking, Crazy Mama, The Last Time, they were obviously pleased with the sound and response from the audience - lots of smiles and the occasional hug between the Glimmers! Anybody Seen My Baby harmonies were a little uncertain but this got better by the second show in Chicago. The highlight was definitely Out of Control with Mick a tightly coiled spring twitching to bounce off the tiny stage; it sounded superb live. On a roll now, with Let it Bleed, and, a real delight, Shame, Shame, Shame. Heaven on Earth continued with Honky Tonk Women, Start Me Up and Jumpin' Jack Flash; then they were gone.

Just over a week later I returned to London, wondering when I might see them again. Meanwhile I wait and wonder what they will play the next time. I can play the album and I've seen Brian Knight and The Counterfeit Stones but wish the Gods to look kindly upon us again - hopefully at Madison Square Garden.

General comments

Crazy Mama is in, which is great! Let it Bleed was played a few times acoustic during the 1995 European tour. The new single Anybody Seen My Baby got it's live debut at the club gig, and Shame Shame Shame is an old Jimmy Reed song, played by Willie And The Poor Boys, anong others.

Due to the crazy mood and lights from the camera setup, the club temperature got to the boiling point. It was too hot for Lisa, so she moved outside the club during some songs she wasn't on, to talk to some of the 1,000 or so fans out there, not having tickets to get in. The club door was open, and people outside could actually see parts of the stage, and hear the music very good. A warm nigh in Chicago, indeed!

Read all about the club concerts, photos, the new album and the 1997 tour in the It's Only Rock'n Roll magazine issues. IORR 30 is mailed out Oct. 15, with the absolute latest and greatest news and photos.

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