Court Order (Godfather Records GR536)
C.N.I.B. Benefit Concert, Oshawa Civic Auditorium, ON, Oshawa, Canada – April 22nd, 1979
(78:53): Introduction by Cliff Lorimer & John Belushi, Before They Make Me Run (The New Barbarians), Prodigal Son, Let It Rock, Respectable, Star Star, Beast Of Burden, Just My Imagination, When The Whip Comes Down, Shattered, Miss You, Jumping Jack Flash. Keith Richards studio sessions, Sounds Interchange Studio, Toronto, ON, Canada – March 12th & 13th, 1977: Sing Me Back Home, She Still Comes Around, Worried Life Blues, Apartment Number 9, Say It’s Not You
Court Order documents one of the more tense episodes in Rolling Stones legend. When they traveled to Toronto in March for the El Mocambo sets, Keith Richards was arrested and charged with possession of heroine. The possibility of a long jail sentence hung over him and the band, but eventually he was sentenced to give a benefit concert for the Canadian National Institute For The Blind.
Richards fulfilled his sentence with a concert featuring his pick up band with Ronnie Wood The New Barbarians in addition to a short set by the reconvened Stones on April 22nd, 1979 in Oshawa. Two shows were scheduled and would begin with a set by the New Barbarians and followed by The Rolling Stones (who had finished work on Emotional Rescue some months before). A very good eyewitness account can be read in the Concertholics website.
Both shows were recorded but the soundboard of the second show is the only one which has surfaced. It was pressed before on Blind Date Revisited (The Swingin’ Pig TSP-CD-202), Blind Date (VGP), Blind Date C.N.I.B. Concert True Stereo (Shaved Disc TSD 026/027) and Toronto Star (CD 7473822).
These editions featured the entire show, beginning with the introduction, the New Barbarians set and ending with the Stones. Godfather chose to omit the New Barbarians set (except for “Before They Make Me Run”), and fill up the disc with Keith Richards demos from 1977, right after his arrest. The sound quality of this release is great, as is Godfather’s usual sterling packaging with rare photos of the event. Court Order would have been defintive if they included the New Barbarians set.
1 Comment
Interesting show with excellent sound quality. This is the only “79” Stones show in my collection. Godfather presents this with pictures that I assume are from this performance however haven’t confirmed. This release also comes with a two page booklet reviewing the benefit concert and also explaining the Richards demos included.