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

MGM Grand Garden
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Friday April 16, 1999

Review by Robert Bagel

What an absolute treat tonight at the MGM Grand Garden, as the Rolling Stones and their audience energized each other to make for one of the best shows of the No Security tour. Maybe because it was Friday night, maybe because it was Las Vegas, the performance was HOT from beginning to end. When the Stones are at their best Keith is very animated, jumping, sliding, twitching, and running around to all members of the band with the primary expression of energy being his guitar. Jumping Jack Flash suggested it may be such a night, and Bitch built upon it with Keith doing very interesting and different guitar fills throughout. Mick and Keith even bumped each other and clowned during the song in behavior one would associate more with Mick and Ron.

The MGM crowd was exceptionally energetic, as the small venue seemed almost like a high school gymnasium packed with crazy fans. Mick deadpanned, "This is the best dressed crowd we�ve see on the tour and I�m just talking about the men." The only sitting that I noticed was during a beautiful Moonlight Mile. The best part of this song, and one that is frequently overlooked is the graceful rhythm guitar that Mick plays throughout. It really was amazingly smooth and pretty with help from the excellent acoustics of the Grand Garden.

I was lucky to be in the B stage mayhem, which was whipped up by Get Off of My Cloud as the groove laid down by Charlie and Darryl for this song was as strong as any rhythm could be. During the slow part of Midnight Rambler, Ron did a free standing little blues lick which made Mick turn to him and mouth "That�s nasty!" Someone near the B stage gave Keith a small leopard print stuffed animal, which he laughed at and then graciously accepted.

Before we knew what hit us, the band was back to the big stage pumping through a joyful Tumbling Dice. Ron excelled on this version; in fact his playing throughout the night was loud, authoritative and simply was FUN to listen to. The leads on Before They Make Me Run and Start Me Up were gems. Brown Sugar was noticeably different with Bernard and Lisa doing a "Sweet. . . . Brown Sugar!" refrain that at one point had Bernard effectively doing lead vocal as Mick ran out on one of the stage wings without a microphone.

After Sympathy for the Devil it seemed a shame it was over, but the giant MGM was buzzing for hours after as you could hear people singing bits of Stones songs in the casino area. Well after the show, weary yet happy, I saw Chuck Leavell holding court in one of the bars just off the casino floor. On a night when it gets this good, it is even more difficult to believe there are just two shows left for America. 

Start time:   9:40 p.m.
End time  :  11:35 p.m.

The set list:

  1. Jumping Jack Flash
  2. Bitch
  3. You Got Me Rocking
  4. Respectable
  5. Honky Tonk Women
  6. Moonlight Mile
  7. Saint of Me
  8. Some Girls
  9. Paint It Black
    -- Introductions --
  10. You Got The Silver (Keith)
  11. Before They Make Me Run (Keith)
  12. Out Of Control
  13. Route 66 (B-stage)
  14. Get Off Of My Cloud (B-stage)
  15. Midnight Rambler (B-stage)
  16. Tumbling Dice
  17. It's Only Rock'n Roll
  18. Start Me Up
  19. Brown Sugar
  20. Sympathy for the Devil (encore)

Review by Gina Marie Di Prima

What a concert. I flew in from Scottsdale and had no expectations on what was going to happen this evening. My Godfather, RedDog, asked me to pick up the passes from Baud Bender and I got the privilege to go backstage and listen to the sound check, which was TD. I ran into Bernard and saw Charlie with Jo. Someone told me Pattie was flying into town, which explains why Keith was on for the show. The energy was high from the beginning and the crowd picked up from it. The sound wasn't as good as Sacrament though. We got Moonlight Mile and Get Off My Cloud, which in my opinion rocked. What a crowd pleaser. When you know the set-list you know how fast the show goes. Route 66 was cooking and IORR sounded awesome. Before I knew it, the show was over. After the show everyone sang their favorite song, to no suprise-SFTD. Darryl walked to the concert in the casino without anyone spotting him, except for Dicky. What memories with my father for the 3 shows we attended. San Jose should be special. What a treat this has been for me and my father. Let's look forward to 2001?

Review by Flynn Welles, Illinois

"You Got The Siver,... You got The Gold,... You Got the Diamonds from the mines...."

Well someone has all of those things, but what the hell, we "Stones Fans" have much more than anything money can buy. We have experienced The Rolling Stones, and at the turn of a new century too, stronger than ever and gettin' better! ONWARD, please!

What an experience it was in Vegas. A really excellent Show and a very good crowd! I personally like some other shows better, like Charlotte and Fargo, but the LV show was well worth the time and money. "I'll live on it forever." Funnin' wit ya!

Many people around me were sitting down throughout the show, but I made up for the the ol' coots! I jumped and danced for two hours!

Changeout songs were MOONLIGHT MILE, YOU GOT THE SILVER, BEFORE THEY MAKE ME RUN and GET OFF OF MY CLOUD!

MM was especially blusey tonight, Mick out did himself. Likewise, so was Keith. Leah was on stage for both songs, mmmmmmmmm! Tricky, tricky! I'll get Keith's song pattern down again Not much time tho!

There seemed to be few sound problems and the Stones rolled on through each song! START ME UP took a few seconds, but I wonder if the guys do this purposely, because Mick was on stage, he hadn't left, (Mick was talkin' to Charlie about something, so Keith extended the into to the song. Ronnie was super, as well as all the backup band!

During Keith's introduction for his set, Charlie kept hittin' those drums as an added bit for Keith, well, Keith deserves all he gets. His songs are always excellent! You can sure tell that the Stones love one another, there is so much huggin' and kissin' going on!

I have to say the crowd was really good. The only way to describe the crowd is that they absolutely, "roared" during the show!

OUT OF CONTROL was well received and so was SOME GIRLS. So many good things to say and so little time. Y'all get the picture!

The press reports:

Thanks to Paul Rush and each and every one of you for supplying links to online newspapers, and reviews, of course!

Read all about the "No Security" and "Bridges To Babylon" tours of 1999 in the It's Only Rock'n Roll magazines. New issue IORR 35 out Jan 20, 1999, and the complete No Security guide in IORR 36 is out April 23, 1999.

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