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Today in Rolling Stones history: May 31

*Click for DAILY ROLLING STONES CHRONOLOGY 1962-present

If you think May 31 through the years was just another day in Rolling Stones history, think again. From secret club appearances and marathon concert schedules to surprise awards and career-spanning compilations, the date has a habit of attracting memorable moments. One year the band was sneaking into London venues under fake names, another they were filling stadiums and reminding everyone why retirement was never really on the agenda. Along the way, Keith Richards collected a Living Legend award—because apparently surviving rock and roll for decades wasn’t impressive enough. Here’s a look at what happened on May 31 across the Rolling Stones timeline.

May 31, 1963: Star And Garter Pub, Ricky Tick Club, Windsor, England

May 31, 1964: The Rolling Stones took over London’s legendary Empire Pool in Wembley taking part on the All Star Pop Hit Parade show for two packed shows in a single day. With Beatlemania dominating Britain, the Stones were rapidly building a reputation as rock’s tougher, blues-driven alternative.

May 31, 1975: Release of Made in the Shade, the Stones’ first US compilation on the band’s own label (Rolling Stones Records COC 79102)
SIDE A: 1. Brown Sugar/ 2. Tumbling Dice/ 3. Happy/ 4. Dance Little Sister/ 5. Wild Horses
SIDE B: 1. Angie/ 2. Bitch/ 3. It’s Only Rock’n’Roll (But I Like It)/ 4. Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)/ 5. Rip This Joint

Released following Mick Taylor’s departure and just a day before the band kicked off their Tour of the Americas, the Made in the Shade compilation offered a snapshot of the Rolling Stones’ early-1970s peak, collecting collected major hits alongside fan favorites like Bitch’ and Rip This Joint. While later collections covered this era more thoroughly, Made in the Shade remains an enjoyable introduction to a remarkable period in the band’s history.

May 31, 1982: 100 Club, London, England
One of the most memorable concerts in Stones’ history, this intimate performance saw the band secretly billed as ‘Diz And The Doormen’, adding to its secretive appeal. A handful of flyers circulated around Covent Garden beforehand, generating excitement among fans. Rumors of a follow-up appearance at the Marquee Club proved unfounded. Unfortunately, no recordings of this legendary show are known to exist, leaving only photographs and eyewitness accounts to preserve its legacy.
Read: The Rolling Stones at the 100 Club: The Secret London Show of 1982

May 31, 1989: At The Armory in New York City Keith Richards and the X-Pensive Winos take the stage as part of the International Rock Awards ceremony. The night was made even more special when Keith was honored with the Living Legend Award, recognizing his immense influence on rock music and his decades-long career with The Rolling Stones. A fitting tribute to one of rock’s most enduring and iconic guitarists. And it went like this:
Keith gets the Living Legend Award (by Eric Clapton)/ Whip It Up/ Keep A Knockin’, with guests Tina Turner (vocals), Jeff Healey, Dave Edmunds, Vernon Reid and Eric Clapton (guitars and vocals), Clarence Clemons (sax) and Sheila E. (drums)

May 31, 1990: Müngersdorfer Stadion, Cologne, West Germany (Urban Jungle Tour)
Start Me Up/Sad Sad Sad/Harlem Shuffle/Tumbling Dice/Miss You/Almost Hear You Sigh/Angie/Rock And A Hard Place/Mixed Emotions/Honky Tonk Women/Midnight Rambler/You Can’t Always Get What You Want/Before They Make Me Run/Happy/Paint It Black/2000 Light Years From Home/Sympathy For The Devil/Street Fighting Man/Gimme Shelter/Band introduction/It’s Only Rock’n Roll/Brown Sugar/Satisfaction/Jumpin’ Jack Flash

May 31, 1999: Festivalgelaende Brennbichl, Imst, Austria (Bridges To Babylon Tour, continued)
Jumpin’ Jack Flash/You Got Me Rocking/Bitch/Respectable/Gimme Shelter/Honky Tonk Women/Ruby Tuesday/Saint Of Me/ Some Girls/Out Of Control/Paint It Black/Band introduction/All About You/Before They Make Me Run/Route 66/Get Off Of My Cloud/Midnight Rambler/Tumbling Dice/It’s Only Rock’n Roll/Start Me Up/Brown Sugar/Sympathy For The Devil

May 31, 2013: United Center, Chicago, IL, USA (50 & Counting… tour, North American leg)
Get Off Of My Cloud/It’s Only Rock’n Roll/Paint It Black/Gimme Shelter/Shine A Light/Emotional Rescue/All Down The Line/ Doom And Gloom/One More Shot/Can’t You Hear Me Knocking/Honky Tonk Women/Band introduction/You Got The Silver/ Happy/Midnight Rambler/Miss You/Start Me Up/Tumbling Dice/Brown Sugar/Sympathy For The Devil/You Can’t Always Get What You Want/Jumpin’ Jack Flash/Satisfaction
*With guests Sheryl Crow (vocals) on All Down The Line and the Roosevelt University Conservatory Chorus (vocals) on You Can’t Always Get What You Want

May 31, 2024: Download-only version of Ronnie Wood’s album Live At Electric Ladyland. Finally released on vinyl on April 12 2025 .
1. Show Me/ 2. Flying/ 3. Testify/ 4. Pretty Beat Up/ 5. Always Wanted More/6. Breathe On Me/ 7. Silicone Grown/8. Black Limousine/ 9. Little Red Rooster/Stay With Me 

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