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Rolling Stones on video: Saville Theatre, London, 1969, first two shows after Altamont
December 14, 1969: Saville Theatre, London, England (2 shows)
From the The Rolling Stones Works page The first show ran for only 55 minutes, including Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Carol, Midnight Rambler, Little Queenie, Under My Thumb, Satisfaction and Honky Tonk Women As for the second show Satisfaction was televised on US TV ‘Supernight Of Rock’n Roll’ on Feb. 20 1984 There was also circulating is a film that included Satisfaction, Jumpin’ Jack Flash andCarol
Mick, on playing the Saville (December 1969): “The first show was a bore; the second show was much better. The first house was full of fucking journalists… Don’t feel sorry for me. It was just another gig for me. I felt sorry for them. The most blasé audiences in the world are in our own country, which is why we don’t play here.”
More about The Rolling Stones at the Saville Theatre, 1969
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni The Rolling Stones’ 1969 performances at the Saville Theatre in London, their return to their homeland after the 1969 U.S. tour, marked the band’s first shows after the chaotic and tragic Altamont free concert, which had taken place just eight days earlier. The band had just experienced the violence and turmoil that unfolded at Altamont, an event that shocked them and their fans. So, when they returned to the stage at the Saville Theatre, it was clear the vibe was different—though not in a bad way.
The Saville Theatre, a relatively small venue by Stones standards, gave them the chance to regroup and get back to their roots. The atmosphere was more intimate, offering the band a chance to regain some of that connection with their fans, something that had been fractured after the Altamont disaster. Even with the emotional weight of the Altamont experience, the Stones were still the masters of rock’n’roll, delivering a performance full of energy, rawness, and swagger.
This show was important for another reason—it was one of the first in England to feature Mick Taylor as the new guitarist. Mick had joined the band just a few months earlier, replacing the late Brian Jones. At the Saville Theatre, his guitar work was already becoming a defining feature of the band’s sound in their post-Jones era, and the crowd could feel the shift in the air.
While the show wasn’t as infamous as some of their larger concerts, it was a defining moment in the Stones’ journey. It marked their ability to bounce back after a traumatic event, showing that they could still put on a killer show, no matter what was happening in their personal lives. The Saville Theatre gig helped the Stones regain their confidence and momentum as they moved forward into a new chapter.
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