Oh god, for me it was THE show. The feeling was right, the Stones were in good form and the songs were great.

The Maimarkt field is directly near a motorway crossing on a field outside Mannheim. Staying with friends from Heidelberg, we made our way through fields, having nothing to do with the heavy traffic on the motorways or parking problems. Just a 20 minute walk and that was it. The weather was hot, the air was very humid, so everybody sweated a lot. The field (no seating area, except for Volkswagen VIPs, was divided into two parts, with toilet houses in the middle between them. As the front part, holding about 40.000 people, was very crwoded, when we arrived, we did not make our way to the front this time, but were stuck in the middle, about 50 meters from the stage. We had a good view from there, watching all the lights and the things happening on stage, the sound was excellent, except for some minor problems with the bass.

During the concert, lightning could be seen in the sky, which helped to create a ghastly atmosphere during the acoustic set. Just a bit of rain came down during Sympathy, nothing to really talk about or care about. It lasted for about 2 minutes, thank god.

Ronnie played the strangest solos I have ever witnessed on this tour, sometimes just strumming a cord, sometimes hitting a note for a hundred times, sometimes going wild over the fretboard of his guitar. His guitar sounded a bit out of tune from time to time, maybe it was just that his finders did not hit the right notes, but this only added to the stange atmosphere of it all.

When Keith came out to the right side during SFM, Mick followed him, Ronnie stayed on the stage and did not walk out to the left.

Mick treated the first verse of Sympathy with a very delicate voice, no shouting and squeaking, a real good start for the song. I think, that was the best interpretation, I have ever witnessed. During Miss You, he did two verses ( before "What's the matter with you boy?") in a nearly talking voice, another new thing I have not seen before.

The show start at 8.45 pm, Big Country had cut their set down to 45 minutes, fireworks were on at 23.05 pm. We were back in the flat at around midnight, so no hassle this time with getting to parking lots or driving through completely filled towns, a real pleasure.

The set they did was pretty good in its arrangement, a lot different to Hockenheim on Saturday, which only is about 25 km away from the Maimarkt-field. I hope Wilco was there, because they did his favourite song....

JDelmere

Hi all,

A parking lot? I have never seen the Stones play a parking lot before! Maybe they never ever will be playing a parking lot again.

Wolfsburg is a town near the former east/west-german border, completely in the hands of Volkswagen, who more or less rule the town. The whole town is built to suit the Volkswagen company with its construction sites and offices. Large buildings, really large.

As there are a lot of people working for Volkswagen in the area, the town has really huge parking lots. On one of those the Cobra was erected for the last german concert on the 1995 tour. Wolfsburg can be reached more or less only by travelling the A2, so this meant 4 hours drive for 300 km from the Ruhrgebiet or 4 hours drive for 200 km from Berlin. The A2 is the main motorway between east and west, so it is being repaired/rebuild everywhere, giving us a lot of fun in traffic jams.

The place was all concrete under your feet, resulting in a huge bass vibration. You could really feel the music this time. The place was surrounded by a lot of Volkswagen buildings, showing Voodoo Lounge posters in their windows (millions of them). Access was pretty easy, parking was easy as well, just 20 minutes drive to the site. All day it looked a bit like rain, but the rain actually started 20 minutes before the Stones hit the stage and went on uo to the middle bit of Miss You. Jagger referred to it twice. After Tumbling Dice he welcomed us to another "rainy show", later on he asked us how we felt and told us, it felt f***ing awful on the stage.

Support acts were Andrew Strong and Big Country, doing their usual shows of 50 min/1 hour.

The Stones came on around 9.45 pm and played til midnight or a couple of minutes more. Mick and Keith had hats on, when they came out, Mick sporting a blue coat and a scarf, Keith in a black jacket. Ronnie went for a hat after a couple of chords, because the rain was really bad. Daryll Jones just wore a brown raincoat.

We were in the front bit, which this time was reserved for about 3000 people. We had a lot of room to move and dance, although being only 8 meters away from the middle of the stage.

Due to the rain, the fireworks on Not fade away made the whole place pretty foggy. You could not see a thing, just schemes of people on stage. The fog quickly settled thorugh Tumbling Dice, although the rain blinded my glasses, which made it a bit difficult to see for about 15 minutes.

Jagger talked quite a bit through this show, telling us after Spakrs will fly, that the last time the Stones played at a factory was 1964. When Keith hit the first note of Satisfaction, Jagger asked him to stop, as he wanted to put on another coat. As he had some trouble findig the arms of the coat, Keith went up to him and helped him into it, applauded by everyone.

Lisa Fisher did Monkey Man barefooted, as it was too slippery for the high heels on stage. After Angie the Sweeping Crew came on and tried to dry the stage. Jagger did some nice comments on them and wanted to introduce them all, but was kept from it due to lack of time (as he said).

Ronnie lost his plectrum while soloing on Start me Up, Jagger noticed it, picked one up and gave it to him. Mick seemed to be very friendly with Ronnie, he pushed him out to the left side of the stage, when Keith was on his march to the right side through Street Fighting Man. Ronnie was also a bit late for his solo on Miss You. He first went out to the left side, then came back and went to the right side (first floor), but had to start his solo on the stairs, moving down. As at one stage or another through Miss You, the guitarists, B. Fowler and even Chuck Leavell, don't have to do too much, they all went backstage to get dry clothes or dry their faces or hands.

I go Wild was started with the opening chords of I Ain't Superstitious by Mick; through the bit, when all 4 guitars are at the front of the stage you could see a lot of water in the air and from their feet.

During the closing chords of Brown Sugar, Ronnie banged his guitar with his jacket, collecting a strange look from Jagger for the action. People threw a banner on stage during JJF that said "Let's go Wild". Ronnie picked it up and Mick and Ronnie held it between them after the song had finished before leaving for good.

The whole show was a bit spoiled by the rain, the Stones were good but not as excellent as in Mannheim. Maybe that's just a problem with me, as it was my 13th show of this tour, although it looks like the last one for me this time (not sure about going to Rotterdam next week). The performances were above average, but you could feel, that the Stones did not like the rain too much (neither did we). A lot of people seemed to really enjoy the show, on the way out we could see a lot of smiling wet faces. If that was my last show: Thanks, Stones for a lovely tour, see you next year, whereever you will play.

Set list:

See you on the tour!!!

Just came back from the Luxembourg Rolling Stones concert. There have been about 60,000 people around on Kirchberg, a part of Luxembourg-City. 60,000 people, mostly from Luxembourg!!!! You have to know Luxembourg only has about 400,000 inhabitants.

The concert was hot, the crowd did well, but the weather was not very good. It was cold and there had been rain in the afternoon. Here's the setlist of the concert:

A great show; nearly no rain contrary to expectations.

The previous concerts I saw in Luxembourg and Rotterdam Aug 29 was so good, that I had really crazy expectations for the final show on Aug 30. Also, I knew that most 2nd shows are better than the 1st one in a city, like London, Werchter, Paris,...

Knowing from last night that the doors might open at 4, and there is a closed front section taking some 3000 people only, made us plan most of the day for going there real early. I met my friend Vreny from Switzerland on the bus by 11 before noon. She probably was 1st row as always. We were by the gates at 3 pm, waited until 4:18, gates opened, I was through at 4:23 and inside the front section at 4:25. Just 5 minutes later they closed it. Running half- way on the field, seing the section growing rapidly gives you a bad feeling, still I made it, and so did my friends, luckily.

Once you are inside and have got the pink armwrist showing you belong to the *real* VIP section for fans (the official VIP is seated way up on the left...), you are free to move around, sit down, take a beer, meet all the friends you have made during the summer. Rotterdam was like a final meeting point, like a pilgrim place.

Big Country was on from 7:25 till 8:15, playing the same tracks they have used to give us, saying their Dutch is better than their English, and playing their special electric Scottish folk music you soon get too much from when you wait for the Stones.

Then it is time for The Stones, and I move into the front section, positioned right in the front of the stage, some 10 or so rows back, so that I see not just waist up Mick/Keith, but all of the boys, including Charlie, Darryl, Ronnie, Chuck, Lisa and Bernard. We hear the same songs they play just before going on stage. The mood is building up. This is the last show.

The temperature is better than yesterday, now at about 15 degrees C, no wind, nice sunshine, and some rain coming, not really bothering, because it's so light, it doesn't really make you wet. Still, the feeling of autumn is another signal of the tour coming to an end, as I have had temperatures of 25 - 30 degrees all summer, wearing T-shirts ever since Stockholm June 3.

The Stones are on 3 minutes past 9, five minutes later than yesterday. We get the three first standard songs NOT FADE AWAY, TUMBLING DICE and YOU GOT ME ROCKING. Then Shattered from yesterday is replaced by IT'S ALL OVER NOW, what a title for the last night show! Mick says this is the final show of the Voodoo Lounge Tour in 1995.

We get SPARKS WILL FLY. Then SATISFACTION. Mick is pulling off his white shirt, getting warm even if it's cold. He is working hard on the crowd, it's the last show so he don't need to bother about getting a cold or saving energy. Then he wraps up his shirt like a package, takes a real good view at Ronnie, and throws it, as he often use Ronnie as a target. Ronnie later picks up the shirt when Mick is out on the wing, looks for Mick like a schoolkid about to do something he is not allowed to, then throws Mick's shirt into the crowd. You know, none of Mick's cloths ever gets to the crowd normally, as Mick never throws his own stuff to the crowd, he just pretend...

Then it's time for acoustic songs. While waiting we could hear they reheased Angie shortly before 4. I expected that one, but they never played it. Instead we got DEAD FLOWERS. What a great track. MIck says they will do a couple more tracks they rarely do. Well they do only one, but we get FAR AWAY EYES. I am starting to get this Brixton feeling. Mick on electric piano. The microphone is not fixed properly, so Bernard is trying to fix it. A crew members is fixing it soon. FAR AWAY EYES is still ringing in my ears.

LIKE A ROLLING STONE is next, usually as number 10 in the set, but now as number 9, meaning they will play 22 songs or change more later on... Mick introduces the song as one Bob Dylan once wrote for them, in 1965, 1966, 1967 or other years, varying from concert to concert. He do have a bad memory, but not that bad, I guess...

GIMME SHELTER then follows. Up to now Keith has been very active playing lots of solos, but now it's time for Ronnie too. Lisa does a really good and improvised twist on the backing vocals, like having the original studio version coming to us. Excellent. Then she steps forward, does her highlight of the show. Perfect. Ronnie and Keith is dueling, replacing each other on guitars. How I love that track, as I love Monkey Man, and how hard it has been to know I can get one of them at each show... Big Coutry used to play a song called Wonderland, but that's the name of the place I am staying in right now. Anything can happen. We might get Memory Motel.Who knows?

MIDNIGHT RAMBLER is the one to follow. Sorry I don't have words. It's a long version, and probably the reason for why this one will be 22 songs only, but how great it is, phasing out, getting back, this is indeed next to Brixton the best show I've seen.

I GO WILD follows, telling they are back to normal track. MISS YOU with the usual entertainment by Lisa, Mick and Ronnie, but this time Mick just gives Lisa a big French Kiss, I'm not sure what Lisa felt about it, but it's all show biz, you know...

The show is loose, they feel great. Keith may have been tired and given most of the work to Ronnie lately, but today he's the master. He takes the lead frequently, smiling this odd smile you know.

Then it's time for introductions.
When introducing Lisa, she makes a big crying scene, wipes out some large tears that probably is rather dry, then leaves the stage like a dog who is beaten, sad, head low, goodbye time soon. Bernard is handsome and nice as always. Chuck too. Bobby gets all the thanks he deserves, as does his fellow brass guys. Then Mick says: On bass, finishing his first tour with The Rolling Stones, Darryl Jones. This means the tour is over, and it means there might be a second... Charlie, Ronnie and Keith gets lots of applause, of course. Ronnie introduce Mick as the man with a voice of steel.

HONKY TONK WOMEN follows. Someone in the crowd has got a blow-up woman, waving with that stupid thing. The Stones has brought in some real women in front of the crash barrier. They may be from the crew, I'm not sure, they may be hired. Anyway, they don't really strip, but they do a proper backing of the song. One of them has got a Stones tongue on her bra, they dance and have a fun time. Ronnie's daughter, who was there in Germany and had to wipe out Mick's kiss is there too, and is helping in making a nice show.

Keith does HAPPY, as he did in Luxembourg. Then he does SLIPPING AWAY, same as yesterday, meaning he really love this song. Andy Snitzer who normally backs Bobby on sax now backs Chuck on piano. Someone has got a KEITH IS COOL poster in the crowd, and for "Slipping" it's on the video screen for the second time tonight.

After Keith's set we get SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL. Then I know it's back to the standard set, not really too bad, because even if I have had these 6 closing songs for many times, they are so great still. Keith once more plays the greatest solo on Sympathy. STREET FIGHTING MAN follows.

START ME UP moves the crowd, who hasn't been wild, but polite and dedicated, having a god time without making a big crunch. The camera man on the right is singing in on Start Me Up, as he has been doing over and over, and his collegue picks him up with his camera, for a short while the cameraman is on the screen himself, singing in, being a fan too!

IT'S ONLY ROCK'N'ROLL and BROWN SUGAR is bringing the finish closer. I am starting to think they may play two encores. Getting gready and not accepting there's only one song separating us from the very end.

The crowd is crying for more and get JUMPING JACK FLASH. Keith moves down to our right in the crowd. He start shaking hands with people, and the hugh sound and drive tonight on JJF instantly brings the song into waiting state for a while. Keith takes all the time he needs while the rest of the band is keeping the song going. Then he picks up his guitar again, the song is stronger than ever, his guitar is tuned to maximum, he might blow the PA but now it's the finish so who cares?

It's over. It's 22 past 11 and JJF has ended. The whole band does the final bow. When the 4 is staying to make their own final bow, Ronnie grabs Darryl on his way out, puts his arm around him, brings him to the final bow as 5 Stones for the first time I have seen during this tour. I get sentimental, Darryl is a great guy. Thanks Darryl, and thanks Ronnie, for keeping the band together.

Mick is thanking the camera people in the front, making the concert come alive to all the people who never made it to the front row. Charlie thanks the crew people in the control area under the cobra. Then they leave, Charlie and Mick does another final bow under the cobra.

The crowd stays, nobody leaves. It's insane to think there will be another encore, but still I do, must be out of my mind. The firework is on, even bigger than the so far biggest made for President Havel in Praha. The crew starts building down the stage, and it's a fact that this is over.

We are saying goodbye to so many friends we have met during the summer. If you saw just one or all 39, it doesn't matter, you're all a part of Stonesland, where people meet, have fun, listen to the greatest rock'n'roll band in the world. Now it's time to relax, read the tour program, all the reports, newspapers, clippings, bootlegs etc, and to wait for the new album. Life will definitively not be the same from tomorrow, but no tree grows into heaven, not even the Stones tree...

My diaries has cathed up 500 pages of good memories this year. I will read those when I'm old. In 1990 I wrote almost nothing. Still inside there is the same, big thank you to the Stones for adding so many great moments to our lives! I will tell more about Luxembourg and other incidents from Amstel Hotel, Kempinski and other places, but now my family calls...

-- Bjornulf, with deep respect for you all

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