The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus

Originally made back in 1968, The Rolling Stones Rock And Roll Circus remains a product of it's time. Shelved until 1996 because the Stones were disastified with their performance, something I can't understand because (except for Jumpin' Jack Flash and Parachute Woman) they did an amazing job here, more if you consider they played a day after full of rehearsals and exhaution (and drugs). Clearly inpired by the Beatles TV specials, Mick got the idea of do one too for promoting the upcoming Beggars Banquet. Recorded in a sound stage decorated as a classic british circus in front of an invited audience with stellar sideacts, this TV special remains a lost (semi) gem. Presented in a classic circus way, right at the start you know you don't have to take this very seriously. Unfortunately there's 6 minutes of classic circus acts like a flame eater or a trapeze artist...the Stones should've been ashamed of that, not their performance. If you want to skip those you can pick the album, that wisely cuts the cr@p off. Things kick off with Jethro Tull. Though Ian Anderson was the only one that wasn't miming, this rendition of Song for Jeffrey is pure bombastic fun and a great way to start the concert. Fun fact: a then unknown Tony Iommi appears here (he only lasted two weeks in the band). Rumours had circulated that this show wasn't aired because the Who outperformed the Stones in their own game...I mean, they do a great job here but c'mon, that's just not true. I'm not a big fan of them and I don't enjoy A Quick One that much, but I recognize that their performanc here is stellar, and IMO the 3rd best of the Circus. I never heard of Taj Mahal, and that's very weird because of how much of a music sucker I am, but oh boy what a surprise it was to discover this man. Totally blown away by the blues rocker that was Ain't That a Lot of Love. I don't want to hate on Marianne Faithfull, but she's the worst of this special by a long shot. I respect her music career and I know she's a great songwriter but man, I just can't stand her voice. She was brave though, because just a couple of weeks before the filming, she had a miscarriage. Nevertheless she performed, and that's something I applaud, and she's not bad here really, is just unspecial. But something truly special followed. The one time only supergroup The Dirty Mac, conformed by John Lennon, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton and Mitch Mitchell, went on stage and totally blew everyone away. The not only stoled the show, but they also made the best version of Yer Blues, an almost imposible task if you ask me. Then they got joined by Yoko Ono and violinist virtuoso Ivry Gitlis to perform the Ono penned Whole Lotta Yoko. Some people will hate me for this, but I love this jam...yes even with the shrieks of Yoko. And finally, the Stones would hit the stage with 4 songs of the upcoming Beggars Banquet + Jumpin' Jack Flash and an early version of You Can't Always Get What You Want. The first two songs (Jumpin' Jack and Parachute Woman) actually show the band exhauted and playing without that much energy...however, their performance starts to get better with a beautiful rendition of No Expectations, and they totally skyrocked with You Can't Always Get What You Want, don't know what Mick did but he seems to have all the energy and pasion in the world from this song onwards. Jagger turns into a madman in what may be the best live version of Sympathy for the Devil; shirtless and covered with silly tattoes, he goes totally berserk and gives a demonic performance, proving why the Stones were the best band to see live. The concert finish in a both beautiful and orgasmic note with Salt of the Earth, that though the vocals were the only thing live, you can't help but want to dance seing the crowd go nuts. People waited for 28 years to see and hear this, and you know, totally worth it for them, because the Rock and Roll Circus remains one of the best moments in rock history and something every music enthusiast should experience.

This was one great special, but it was sad to see the man who was the original visionary of the Stones, Brian Jones, and the pitiful shell he had become. It was pretty much known that it was the end for him as a member of the band and this can be seen as his last hurrah. You also can see the changes the Stones had undergone from their beginnings as a group that covered songs by American blues greats to the juggernaut that was the Jagger/Richards songwriting team. It was also interesting to see The Who as they were in the middle of their transition from being the icons of the mods to the hard rock force they would be a few months later. Roger Daltry hadn't gone all the way with the look he was famous for, the fringed shirt and long curly blonde hair, and Pete Townsend had not yet gotten his white boiler suit. And as many people have commented, The Who blew the Mick and the boys off the stage that night.

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.

Most people who watch "The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus," a TV program that the Stones put together for the BBC in December '68--but that was never aired--will likely be struck by the same thought: How could this remarkable show fail to have been shown back when? The program turns out to be a godsend for fans of '60s rock, featuring as it does not only "The World's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band," but also Jethro Tull, The Who, Marianne Faithful, Taj Mahal and a band called Dirty Mac, interspersed, under the big top, with some amusing circus acts, and observed by a small but enthusiastic audience in whimsical regalia. All the performers are in top form here, but the highlights for me were Jethro Tull, here with future Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi filling in for the recently departed Mick Abrahams, and the two songs performed by the Dirty Mac. This was a one-shot supergroup consisting of Mitch Mitchell on drums and Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and John Lennon on guitars! The version of the Fab Four's "Yer Blues" that they dish out here is just awesome, and when Yoko Ono hits the stage to caterwaul on the instrumental blues romp "Whole Lotta Yoko"...well, just hold on to your eardrums! This program, fittingly, belongs to the Stones, however, and the six tunes that the boys give us are just terrific, especially that "Sympathy for the Devil," during which Mick Jagger gets to prove again that he really is rock's best frontman. Whotta high-energy display; no wonder John Lennon can be seen boogying his pies off in the audience! Bottom line: If you're a fan of any of the artists mentioned above, this DVD is for you!

... Mick Jagger says after finshing a set as Keith walks across the stage while Mick graciously accepts the warm applause of the audience. Get a feel for the times as these rock'n'roll icons huddled under a circus tent for a great performance. Being able to see Mick Jagger really get into his performance, interact with the crowd, and even direct his singing to the camera is great and makes this production very unique... not like Gimme Shelter with Hells Angles. No, this is a controled stage performace and everyone is having a great time. If you look around you can even see the camera men lugging around their heavy equipment catching different angles and views of the performers and the crowd. This is a definate must have for fans of real rock n roll music.