The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus

Wow. Wasn't that a party. An "intimate" show in a circus tent with the bad boys. I don't know why Mick felt the stones' performance was weaker than the other acts, I mean, The Who were the best of the bunch, but it doesn't get any better than the version of "No Expectations" contained herein. A time capsule in the best sense of the word, all the acts were great- from Tull's wicked opener to The Dirty Mac's "Yer Blues". If only Barnum & Bailey could do it as good.....Let's Drink To The Good Hearted People...

Legend has it that The Stones withheld airing and release of this production for many years because they thought that they had been upstaged by The Who. One look at this show and you'll know why: Pete and the boys quite simply stole the show with renditions of such tunes as 'Happy Jack' and--especially--'A Quick One (While He's Been Gone)'.

In my opinion though, The Stones put on quite a show of their own, and its great to see them (and the other bands of that era) in their prime. If you're a fan of rock (especially of the late '60s), you MUST check this one out--you won't regret it.

"You've all been forgiven"--Townsend

Filmed live in 1968 as an intended television special but kept from the public eye due to the Rolling Stones' own dissatisfaction with their performance over a span of two nights, "Rock N' Roll Circus" showcases the Stones at the height of their game. Although I admit they have performed better in terms of musical companionship and melody, there is no denying the amount of energy they exude here.

The standout for me is the reggae-infused "Sympathy for the Devil" which sounds like the drunken plea of society's virus. The original came across as a taunt, and this rendition of the song is helpless and a desperate outcry - in a good way, of course.

Mick Jagger's vocals have been better and his voice is a bit off - I guess the guys were totally wasted and stoned out of their minds around this time. But watching them on stage, it's hard to deny they were one of the great rock n' roll bands. They're really not given enough credit for their fusion of blues and mainstream rock - at the time of their emergence, a lot of critics compared them to The Beatles - a comparison both understandable and equally unfair. They did write a few Britpop songs early on, but they always had a bluesy edge that the Beatles - despite their superiority in musical influence and range - never had.

If you're into the Stones, this is a must-see. If you're *really* into the Stones, it's probably a must-own. And if you aren't into the Stones at all, I'd recommend starting off with their double-album Forty Licks (a Greatest Hits compilation).

This circus-based rock show starts with Jethro Tull and The Who, moves through Dirty Mac (Lennon and Yoko, Clapton, etc.), Taj Mahal, and Marianne Faithful, and ends up with the Rolling Stones themselves. Some acrobats and other acts along the way add to the sense of spaced-out-ness and general oddity.

The performances range from great (the Stones set culminating with 'Sympathy for the Devil'; the Who with 'A Quick One'; Jethro Tull - featuring a young Tony Iommi - with 'Song for Jeffrey') to embarrassing (Yoko's wailing). The mood is chaotic and more than a little amateur, but this gives the show a certain amount of interest and charm.

The only colour footage of the original Stones line-up? Some crazy costumes here and colour clashes but good to see them together in their heyday, even if Brian Jones does seem a bit out of it.

Overall, enjoyable.

I can't totally understand why the Rolling Stones were embarrassed by their performance here in their TV special Rock & Roll Circus. Sure, everything else you've heard about the Who outshining them is not far from the truth (it's definitely one of the Who's finest hours with Keith Moon).

They're no slackers here either (sans Brian Jones, who was on the decline and except for No Exceptions does nothing significant here with the band), and hearing them perform Jumpin Jack Flash and Parachutte Woman- the latter a fantastic blues tune from Beggars Banquet- is a fine delight from late 60s rock & roll. They also make sure to end the special on two high notes: Sympathy for the Devil makes for a powerful punch of music that rocks the socks off everyone in attendance and without Jagger's preening to the camera (only to the camera is it annoying, everything else is a given with him), it's one of the very best performances of that song, and there's a fine little ending with Salt of the Earth. It's nothing to be ashamed of on their end.

Then again, the acts that surround them both outshine and lack the punch of their performances, so maybe at the time of their heights (and the sentimental factor of Brian Jones's departure and death from the band soon after) contributed to the decision to keep it from the public. As mentioned, the Who are in the great 'maximum R&B' tradition with A Quick One (While He's Away), which has as thunderous momentum matched with a wicked sense of humor. Other notable acts are Jethro Tull (featuring a slightly dazed Tony Iommi on guitar), Taj Mahal (a musician I never heard before but was blown away by), and a one-night-only type of grouping with Lennon, Clapton, Richards and Mitch Mitchell doing Yer Blues, which actually comes very close to topping the Who's performance- it's that awesome a rendition of the song.

Marianne Faithful is not my cup of tea, but is a talented singer here. My kryptonite though is the 2nd song by the Lennon group features one plus (violin) and one heavy minus (Yoko Ono's singing, which is like nails on a chalkboard). There's also the creepy sense that the audience looks like it's awaiting the 2nd coming, so to speak.

But it's always a lot of fun, the circus acts look cool in a kitsch kind of way, and there's a truly lively spirit going through all the performances. It's far from perfect, but it's a lot better than I expected, and will have a good place in my collection.