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The Rolling Stones Fan Club of Europe
It's Only Rock'n Roll

Amsterdam ArenA
Amsterdam, Holland
Monday July 6, 1998

Review by Ed Beaver, Stonesland

This was the fifth and final show in Amsterdam. Many fans had been in the city all week, and the Stones said it was great to be in the city as well. They opened the gates late, at 6:10pm, and 3 minutes later I was in. I walked around just before showtime, and as I took a look outside, they had now removed all the barriers for the queues. Really strange, even before the show has started, they are more or less taking away all this stuff we have come to live with in the past eight days - the queue, the barriers, and now it's time for the last show as well.

I was back in front just in time for the intro by 9:35. They started 5 minutes early tonight, because they wanted to do an extra song in the setlist. Keith made Satisfaction explode on stage as usual, and Let's Spend The Night Together made everyone enjoy themselves. As I looked around, all I could see was smiling faces, enjoying the show. Then Mick said in pure Dutch, without checking any boards or autocue: "It's Good To Be in Holland!". By the 5th show, his Flamish was improving, and he had learned his words.

We got Sister Morphine. I must admit they have done better versions, but most people loved it. Bitch filled the other slot of songs to change every now and then. Saint Of Me made lost of singing, but Mick picked up his golden Out Of Control jacket rather than doing like he did last night, by extending the sing-along. After Out Of Control they did You Got Me Rocking, sort of bonus track for tonight. Thanks!

Then the "Stones choice", i.e. web choice spot without any votes shown: Fool To Cry. Mick up front center with his electric piano. Lots of falsetto on that song, and Mick surely have no more problems with his voice!

Keith did Thief In The Night, and introduced Leah with kisses and hugs like last night. Keith did Thief In The Night last night too, so this song must be his favorite at this stage on the tour. On the small stage they did Crazy Mama. They had lots of fun on stage during the song, even if it did not sound perfect. But Keith enjoyed it, so did Mick, as they both smiled and chatted about it as the song finished.

The rest of the show was great as usual. The volume was peaking. People danced all over the arena. Mick were running all across the wings. Keith alternated being with Charlie and with us up front. Ronnie had some good slide playing, and Charlie, well Charlie was the glue that simply I never can stop listening to.

After the show they took down barriers, small stage, and they wanted us out of the place in a hurry. Sad day as the ArenA days were over, but the show must go on. So we say goodbye Amsterdam, and hello Frauenfeld, Switzerland!

Start time: 21:35
End time  : 00:05

The set list:

  1. Satisfaction
  2. Let's Spend The Night Together
  3. Flip The Switch
  4. Gimme Shelter
  5. Sister Morphine
  6. Bitch
  7. Saint Of Me
  8. Out Of Control
  9. You Got Me Rocking
  10. Fool To Cry
  11. Miss You
    -- Introductions --
  12. Thief In The Night (Keith)
  13. Wanna Hold You (Keith)
  14. Little Queenie (center stage)
  15. Crazy Mama (center stage)
  16. Like A Rolling Stone (center stage)
  17. Sympathy For The Devil
  18. Tumbling Dice
  19. Honky Tonk Women
  20. Start Me Up
  21. Jumping Jack Flash
  22. Brown Sugar (encore)


Review by Angelique van der Heide, Holland

My God, what a night. For me it started off very bad, arguing with an asshole of a securityguy about the white wristbands (Ronnie's side) 'cause I already had one from the other night (Keefs side). I explained to him thet it was another one and that five shows must give five bands. But he wouldn't give me one. So I went to another guy and he gave me one.

The gates opened a bit later, 6.10 pm. That's 'cause the Stones weren't ready soundchecking yet. We heard it. Then the same guy from earlier on went moaning about the camera of my friend, saying it wasn't allowed. But we asked a supervisor before and it was ok. They don't even know what the rules are, they are very unclear in the ArenA.

Anyway, we were first row on Ronnie's side. I carried a sign saying 'Raving Ronnie' and my friend 'Saint Mick'. When Ronnie saw my sign during Satisfaction, he put away his sunglasses and asked 'For Me?' and then he laughed to me. He gave me a wink. We were on the screen several times. I thought the sound was ok, but less than yesterday. The volume was less. Mick announced some special songs to say goodbye to Amsterdam. They really had a great time.

So they did You got me Rocking and then, yes, Sister Morphine, a great version, 'cause the only good thing about the sound is Mick's voice/volume and this song got ev'rything baby! He truely sang great. I went out of my mind, never heard it live before (I didn't attend the Werchter show). Bitch was next, not so good. The first A'dam show it was more powerful. Saint was great as usual, I really love it, yeah oh yeah. The crowdsinging was not too much tonight. Out of Control was great, I took some great pics of Keef with Ronnie and Keef with Mick.

The webvote was Fool to Cry, finally!!!! I already heard them play that one during the soundcheck but I wasn't sure. I almost fainted, Mick on organ doing his great vocals. We all howled along. I only saw it in Nijmegen last tour, but this version was so much better! Thank God!

Keef did Thief and Wanna. I think he should change the choice of his songs, Thief isn't really great live most of the times. You can barely hear his voice and I almost fell asleep. Luckily Lisa, Leah, Bernard and Blondie saved the song with their great vocals. Keef hugged Leah afterwards, introducing her as Leah Wood.

Center stage. Bit messy, some mistakes. Ronnie was cool. They did Crazy Mama again, terrific version, great guitarwork. Like a RS was messy, Mick made a lot of mistakes in his timing. But of course the audience loved it, especially when all the lights went on.

Ronnie took a orange Holland cap from the audience and put it on. During Sympathy he wore it. The second time Mick grabbed it off his head and threw it away, giving Ronnie a look like 'that's not professional, enough'. He got it back during the final bow.

Last part the usual. Mick loved the sign of 'Saint Mick', like yesterday when he posed with us for the camera. Keef said "luv you' to me when he saw my Ronnie sign. I got wet from the water Mick threw at us. Even Ronnie was spraying water with his mouth several times, fooling around with the cameraguys.

Mick came down to the audience very early, during Honky TW. I shaked his hand again and he touched our Mick sign again.

When Brown Sugar was over, I couln't believe this was the Last Time in A'dam. Back to normal life after 8 days in heaven. Next is Paris and I'm still a bit in heaven from Fool to Cry and Sister Morphine...


Review by Dirk Snapper, Holland

July 6. There it was the 5th and final Amsterdam show. The Stones concluded this week dignified. They played very good tonight and... We got an extra song!

For the first time we had seating tickets and really Blue Lena, also in Europe there exist people... ;-) Now we had a nice overview of the stadium and it really was sold out! We arrived the "American way"; first we had a few drinks and we went to our seats when Dave Matthews was doing his second last song :-)

The Stones started at 21.35 with an energy as if they played it for the first time. Let's Spend The Night Together, Flip The Switch and Gimme Shelter (Mick played tambourine while Lisa did her solo) followed. Then we got a very nice version of Sister Morphine. Alright Mick! Bitch was next. It sounded a lot better than it did during the first show here.

Saint Of Me got no encore this time. Out Of Control almost shook the stadium. Then the Stones rocked the place with You Got Me Rocking. That was a good one! In fact this was an extra song in the set! The web-site song was Fool To Cry with Mick on keyboard. This was only the second time they did this since the Tour started in Chicago last year.

The well known Miss You where everyone sang along "ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh". And as always was Charlie our favourite when the band was introduced.

Keith did Thief In The Night again (two nights at a row) which was great. At the end of the song he beckoned to Leah Wood and introduced her by saying: "miss Leah Wood" (and to Leah:) "Say hello". Leah said a quick and shy "Hello" and off she went (after Keith gave her a kiss).

At the center stage: Little Queenie (it rocked as it did 30 years ago), Crazy Mama (Mick mixed up the lirics here and he did the first couplet two times) and Like A Rolling Stone. Someone threw an orange (our national colour) cap on the stage and Mick kicked it aside. At the end of the set Woody put it on his head and during Tumbling Dice Mick grabbed it and threw it away. While walking back to the main stage Ronnie even took the time to give someone an autograph!

The grand final (even the people behind us were standing now!):
Sympathy For The Devil
Tumbling Dice
Honky Tonk Women
Start Me Up ( The stadium shook again!)
Jumpin' Jack Flash,
and the encore Brown Sugar.

At the last bow Woody was wearing the orange cap again :-)

We can look upon another great show and upon a great week! The Stones are moving to Switserland now and I have to go to work again. I'll be back to you after the Paris show (if I can).


Review by Hendrik Mulder, Holland

The fifth and last Amsterdam show and I was again front row. I always take the left side, near the cat walk, exactly in the middle of the stage. They rehearsed around 17.45 Just my imagination and Fool to cry! Keith entered the stage at 21.35 and Satisfaction was on!

Song number 5 was a surprise: Sister morphine. Although I heard this several times in the US, this was the second show in Europe where they played this. Next song was Bitch; the horns sounded better than the first show. The singing after Saint of me didn't work very well this time although I screamed my lungs out.

Next was Out of control which sounded great as always. Then song nine is usually the web choice but it wasn't this time; we got an extra song: You got me rocking! After this song the piano was brought in front of the stage and they did what they rehearsed this afternoon: Fool to cry. It was the second time this tour that they did this one! Mick was singing absolutely great with his falsetto voice.

Keith did Thief in the night and after this song he introduced Leah Wood who was on backing vocals. Keith grabbed in his pockets and he gave her a coin and a kiss, as he said "we don't have to pay them". Great!

On the center stage they did Little Queenie, Crazy mama and Like a rolling stone. When Ronnie was walking back from the center stage he was wearing an orange cap. The last six songs are the usual ones; unfortunately no You can't always get what you want but as we all know: 'you can't always get what you want' The encore was Brown sugar followed by the traditional fireworks.

I had no complaints about the sound: it was just great when you are front row or in the first section but I guess it all depends from the place where you are standing (or seating). The Stones left the stage a few minutes after midnight and I was home at 02.00 When I was lying in my bed I realized that it was a very tough week but I saw five great shows, with a great audience and great setlists (totally 31 different songs). My ears still buzzing, but again, what a beautiful buzz!


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