He Thursday February 9, 1995 It was a key day in the history of the long and passionate relationship of Rolling Stones with the Argentinian public. It was the date of their first recital at River Stadium, where they later gave four more performances, adding 300 thousand spectators.
It wasn’t just another show in the marathon of international visits that has been coming to the country since the late 1980s. It was a spectacular blockbuster, with a monstrous sound stage, 28 meters high and 70 long. with a gigantic structure that simulated being a gigantic cobra and supported a thousand lights. It all weighed over 200 tons and arrived on a huge Boeing 747 plane.
The Rolling Stones toured with theirs Voodoo room tour since August 1, 1994, when they started at JFK Stadium in Washington DC. It was her first tour in four years and included her Latin American debut, with shows in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Chile.
A fury they didn’t expect
According to the businessman daniel grinbank in his recent autobiography I love you, I hate you, give me more (Planeta editorial), “The British musicians stayed at the Hyatt (the only one of the four times they came to the country where all the Stones shared a hotel), and they couldn’t make many trips”.
“In fact -adds Grinbank- they were surprised by the madness that had arisen, by the impossibility of going out when they were surrounded by fans who followed them, and by the constant screams that didn’t let them rest completely. We hadn’t seen other fans like those in Buenos Aires for many decades. Every move by the Stones was complicated to manage, because the hotel was locked, surrounded by people at all times. It was impossible to move. So we had to implement also a major police operation.”
The concert
The first show began with the stadium in darkness until beams of green light and two columns of fire were seen on either side of the stage, which remained lit as the band played Not Fade, the first theme, with Mick Jagger AND Keith Richards occupy the front of the stage.
they were behind Ron Wood, Charlie WattsDarryl Jones on bass, Chuck Leavell on piano, Bobby Keys on sax, and Lisa Fischer-Bernard Fowler duo on backing vocals, plus a horn section.
Immediately after the second theme, tumble saysJagger said in Spanish, “Good evening! Welcome to the Voodoo Lounge!”
The track list included hits (Can’t get a no) Satisfaction, Angie, sympathy for the devil (with a huge inflatable demon), start me AND It’s just rock ‘n’ roll (but I like it)as well as new topics such as love is strong and Keith’s moment: Happy AND The worst.
The show had 23 songs and lasted two and a half hours, with the classic finale filled with fireworks.
“The repertoire caught my attention,” he said later Charlie Garcia in Clarin. “It gives me the impression that for Argentina they have chosen songs with a certain political edge like Under cover of the nightthat talks about the disappeared, e Gimme Shelter AND street fighting man. The visual spectacle of him is absolutely shocking.”
Stones in Buenos Aires
In those days in Buenos Aires, Jagger was staying in room 1209 of the Hyatt. It was a huge suite, with a magnificent view of the city, in which Axl Rose and Luis Miguel had already slept.
Nearby, in the Alzaga Unzué Mansion, Keith Richards, Ron Wood and Charlie Watts stayed. In total, including wives, children, friends, a father (of Richards), technicians, assistants, sound engineers, bodyguards and cooks, there were 180 people. The Stones had booked 80 rooms for 12 days
Also there was Juanse, the lead singer of the Ratones Paranoicos (opening group, like Pappo and Las Pelotas), in room 918 of the Hyatt with his wife, Julia, and Daland, their son.
As the days passed, Jagger became annoyed that he couldn’t go out due to the crowds of fans, but Charlie visited a stable looking for polo and tango horses in San Telmo, Ron started painting and drawing and Keith took to the sun, drank champagne and played with a razor on the balcony of his room.
On Tuesday the 7th the singer escaped from the hotel covered like a bundle in a Peugeot 505 and in Recoleta he had tea at La Biela and visited the Iglesia del Pilar. In the evening there was a reception at the British Embassy. with Ambassador Sir Peter Hall.
On Friday the 10th they were received by the president Carlos Menem in the Quinta de Olivos.
When the tour ended after a year, it had grossed $320 million. In Argentina, where they held five legendary shows and cut 300,000 tickets, the tour had a turnover of 20 million.
Source: Clarin
