 Vredenburg, Utrecht
on Saturday, August 16th. 2003.
The exclusive club show in Holland took place at Vredenburg in Utrecht. 2000
tickets were sold for the show. The warm-up band The Vue. Around 100 tickets
were released just before the show to some lucky fans who waited outside the
venue. Blue Lena attended this fabulous show.
Set list:
Jumping Jack Flash - Live With Me - Hand of Fate - No Expectations - Worried
About You -
Saint Of Me
- It's Only Rock'n'Roll - Dance (Pt 1) - Everybody Needs Somebody To Love -
That's How Strong My Love Is - Going' To A Go Go - Thief In The Night -
Happy - Can't Turn You Loose - Can't You Hear Me Knockin' - Start Me Up -
Tumbling Dice - Brown Sugar -Satisfaction.
 Review
Hot Night in Utrecht:
by Blue Lena
Picked up our tickets and wristbands and took the train
from Amsterdam to Utrecht. We didn’t want to stand in the long queue outside
the venue waiting to get in before the doors opened, so we planned on arriving
around 8pm. We were right on schedule, but were surprised to see there were
still hundreds of people waiting in line to get inside! We got in line and the
line didn’t move for nearly 20 minutes. This was really odd. Finally after
around 45 minutes we made it inside…realizing that because of the filming they
of course didn’t want this show bootlegged, so searching for cameras and
recorders was extra strict, even metal detectors were used. Once inside the
opening band was already almost finished with their set and almost all the seats
were taken as well. It seemed rather stupid to not have had assigned seats in a
venue where there were mostly seats, as the floor section was quite small. And
since it had taken eons to get inside and the lights were already down it was
tough to find anywhere to go. I finally decided to just stand in an area to the
back right of the stage above where the horn section stood. No one else was
there, so it was kinda cool. I could see the floor crowd and the reactions on
their faces, it was kinda like seeing things from the Stones’ perspective. The
Stones didn’t hit the stage until close to 10pm, and like Keith says, from
then on it was “open the cage and let the tigers out”. They bounded onto the
stage with JJF and never stopped for the next 2 hours. All 4 of them were
amazing, not to mention the back-up band. It was great to hear Hand of Fate
again, as I hadn’t heard it since the Aragon Ballroom. Ronnie Wood was just
superb tonight, absolutely stellar…or as his shirt read “multi-talented”.
I could see all the wardrobe changes and behind the amps goings on from my
vantage point, which was kinda cool. Plus I could really watch Charlie play for
the first time ever, and it was a perfect view of Keith since he always spends
time playing to Charlie or to Darryl or Bobby who were all on my side, which
meant Keith was facing me. I also could hang the skull scarf from the balcony
and at one point Keith came over to the horn section, looked up and saw it, and
got this big smile on his face, that was cool. No Expectations, well, what can I
say…”I got no expectations to pass through here again”…and I probably
won’t…awesome slide by Ronnie, beautiful number. Worried About You,
brilliant again, as at the Aragon. And a big treat with the premiere of Saint of
Me this tour, the crowd did a fabulous job carrying the song and restarting it
after it ended, much like they did at Shepherd’s Bush in ’99. Dance, a song
that I never listened to on the album, has really become a live favorite of mine
now. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love…and the crowd helping with “I need
YOU, YOU, YOU”. Then came my most memorable part of the show “That’s How
Strong My Love Is”…Mick was just too much for words, he put his whole heart
and soul into that tune, and in the middle of the song I felt my chest just
tighten and the tears well up, it was SOOOOO GOOOOOOD. That was the best I ever
saw Mick perform, he gave his all. Going to a Go-Go is always fun in a small
crowd like that and everyone sang along. I like Can’t Turn You Loose (better
than Love Train any day), the horn section part is fun, but again I don’t
think the European crowd is as fond of it. During the intros Mick put the mic in
Charlie’s face, but Charlie just started to play madly with the chants of
“Charlie, Charlie, Charlie” from the crowd and he went on for close to a
minute, it was cool. Keith surprised me with Thief in The Night, another tour
first, and as dearly as I love that tune, I was hoping for Nearness of You in
the club. Thief was a bit rough, but they pulled through. Keith had the best
line of the evening saying “Great room, think I’ll fold it up and take it
with me”. Later Keith says “Now I will start Happy, as soon as Ronnie
finishes his coffee” and Ronnie came bouncing out onto his stool for the slide
guitar. Tonight’s CYHMK went off without a hitch, and I got to watch a close
up of Bobby during the sax solo. Mick kept talking to some chick stage right all
through the show, and finally she threw him a paper that he picked up right away,
the people in the front rows said it was her phone number. At one point, Mick,
Keith and Ronnie were all in front of Charlie’s drums with their arms around
each other and the audience collectively sighed at the sight…how I wished I
had that photograph! Everyone that left Vredenberg, left happy, many saying it
was the best Stones show they ever saw in their lives.
 Review
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