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Cologne, Germany June 20th 1999.
There it was, the last show (ever...?)
The weather was OK and we arrived shortly after 10 a.m. As usual there were
already people in line at the 4 entrances. There were no sluices to wait for,
just the red and white tape.
After we sat there for about 2 hours, security people started building (not
enough!) sluices. Panic!! It took an hour before most of us could sit down again.
At 4.15 p.m. it seemed that the gates went open and after letting through a
couple of people (maybe 10??), the gates were closed again!
Panic!!
At 5 p.m. the gates finally were opened and the great race began!
Going to the pitch all the people of at least two entrances were forced
through sluices again and then driven over some far to small steps onto the
field!
It was so crazy and so dangerous that I can’t describe what exactly
happened, but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone told me that there were
several people seriously injured or even worse!!
This was my 80th Stones concert, but I haven’t seen such a chaos
in a long time!!
I’m glad this was the last one.
In the end we had a great spot again, against the catwalk, half way to the
B-stage (Ronnie’s side). Soon enough it started to rain and apart from some
time during the opening act, it poured until "Midnight Rambler".
The opening act, BAP, a local band with a great sax player, did their act
from 7.30 till 8.20.
BTW this band opened for the Stones here in 1982, too.
As always The Stones played at their best in this kind of weather. Great
show, from the beginning till the very end. But, I’m sorry (yes I AM spoiled),
but I have to say that I was very very disappointed about the setlist. Only ONE
song was changed in the setlist if you compare it to the setlist of Landgraaf,
two days ago. This was the last show, so we were expecting some surprises.
If only ONE rare song was done, that would have given US satisfaction!!
That song was "Thief In The Night". And it was funny because Keith
changed the words in: "I’m out here baby, just getting wet..:"
During "Sympathy For The Devil", there were four girls helping Lisa
with the wooh-wooh’s:
Leah Wood, Elisabeth Jagger (we already saw them in Wembley) and (I think)
Theodora and Alexandra Richards.
Thanks Rolling Stones, thanks crew, thanks friends!
I hope to see you all again some day.
Dirk Snapper
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