rolling stones mariner baltimore feb 1

There ain’t much I remember about the Rolling Stones show in Baltimore on February 1, 2006. So I won’t be able to write much about the music at the show itself!… or even how they looked really!… fortunately you or more importantly I can check the its only rock’n’roll site for some pictures, a setlist, and impressions from fans who obviously minded their p’s and q’s a bit better in the run up to the show at: http://www.iorr.org/tour05/baltimore.htm

It was only recently that I decided I really wanted to see the Rolling Stones live again… as I’ve explained before my boondock seats at Jack Kent Cooke renamed FedEx for the Bridges to Babylon had really disconcerted me about big shows… basically I was as far away as possible from stage and it was freezin’ ya da ya da.. but for some reason after not reacting before when the Stones played MCI center here in DC I experiences non buyer’s remorse… I guess I just like some of the music the Stones make so much I can’t help myself.. they are one of if not the only acts I guess I just don’t care about having to go out of my way to see.. having to spend gobs of money..etc…. the way I guess I look at it they are one of the few acts that still plays what I call rock’n’roll… there’s a lot of rock bands and there’s a lot of alternative bands but there are few that play that chuck berry music…

The run up to the show was as good as it gets.. and I take some solace there…a week before the show I went to Mr. Smith’s office were I was treated to hundreds of great pictures –close up unbelievable shots- of Stones shows from the current tour mainly Charlottesville. He even has a sound recording of the show and when you synchronize the sound and vision and add a bit of panama red and YOU WERE THERE!.... just incredible shots of for example Mick strumming Sweet Virginia yes in Virginia… Charlie Watts playing the kit with an edited set list to reflect the bomb scare etc….I was dazzled and woke up February 1 about as excited as you can get.. no doubt too excited… Off to Mr. Park’s… more industrial strength flava enhancer….get in a jaguar crank up december’s children and we’re off.. if that ain’t right I ain’t never been wrong…the excitement heightened in the car.. would they play this tune or that… was my ticket on the keith Richards side (yes!!!!!!!)…. A few words ticketwise… we landed to the right slightly behind stage… not bad view .. in the smallest location of US tour..13000 Mariner..first show in Baltimore since a show at same venue in 69.. part of which showed up on get yer ya yas out my favorite live album of all time (love in vain, maybe instrumental track for street fightin man)…. In any case, there’s some history going on here mr. jones…and though 13,000 ain’t exactly a club show it was a vast improvement from fedexdisgrace field

We land in Baltimore early enough to find a local bar where we grab some local brews…. Conversation is flowing.. good times..good vibes… I put down three in the space of an hour and fraction…off to the show… in like flint… unfortunately way too early! I don’t think even the opening band had gone on… whats a man to do…a beer here and there.. run into mike kozemchak boy the world is small…the electricity was palpable…. The opening act.. some country rock act closed out with a nice version of stay with me which supposedly ex faces axeman ron wood had requested…more like signed off on no doubt…. I don’t know.. big shows…big masses of people can suck..they normally ain’t my cup of tea.. but in this case I was in the best mood and the excitement at mariner was special.. there was no doubt among the crowd that we were lucky.. we knew we were 13,000 that had 13,000 crazy stories about how we happened to end up there.. and for all the talk of corporate control over the stones shows I didn’t feel that… sure some people were no doubt connected but there was a positive energy about getting to see the boys from the rolling stones multiplied by 13,000 and you could feel it.. its these times when big shows (not stadium but arena) can give you something you can never get from the subdued I got my hands in my pocket club crowds…. I did a far better job of explaining this last week to rich bindle..but this will have to do for here..…I remember talking to someone before the show..someone who’d seen a few shows on the tour..whom I can’t remember why I was talking to… beer lines too long..oh there’s some red WINE… mistake?… and we’re back to our seats.. the stones go on and its just unbelieavable..

And that’s the thing.. I think I was just blown away by the moment… for someone like me who loves music and the stones this much the intensity of seeing them.. the weight of the moment is so great…. I suppose if I’d seen them a few times this weight my dissipate but as things stand and combined with some brews... but I’ll tell you what I do remember about the show…keith looked like the midnight slasher prowling stage left…. Charlie Watts, the other guy I had a great view off (probably the best) looked like the master timekeeper he is… light blue shirt (he was situated a bit far behind the band)… keith mugged with ron wood repeatedly…. The true glimmer twins I say…. Movements were exaggerated as is wont to happen at these shows… all down the line from exile was played early to my joy and I felt someone tap my shoulder and behind me was the guy I’d been talking to about wanting to hear it….high five!...the rest of the set list was incredibly tight with classic after classic.......mick was mick prancing and preening per excellence….“oh you didn’t have to get me a beer”… The set list was incredible.. really for someone who has not seen that many shows you could not have asked for better.. they underplayed from the new album (which I like) and added a song or two they hardly play… wild horses which fits perfectly in baltimore…”what happened to the couple sitting next to me?”....i was heard repeating long into the night “man, they put on a great show!” and the mandatory self delusional “man they knew they had not played there since 69.. you can tell it was extra special!”.. the truth is the rolling stones are playing as good as ever every night (in particular mick who sounds as good as ever.. don’t believe me? Go check it out.. and charlie watts.. the guitars are a bit rougher than usual but it works... the new bassist darryl jones acquits himself admirably but i don't think he gets in the mix too much) and if you’re telling yourself it costs too much or you don’t like arena shows or worse that they’re too old to rock you… masochism ain’t all its cracked up to be, jackie!…