Welcome To The Breakfast Show (Vinyl Gang VGP-337)
Disc 1: November 8, 1969 (1st show) Jumping Jack Flash, Carol, Sympathy For The Devil, Stray Cat Blues, Prodigal Son, Love In Vain, I’m Free, Midnight Rambler, Live With Me, Little Queenie, Satisfaction, Honky Tonk Women, Street Fighting Man
Disc 2: June 11, 1972 (1st show) Brown Sugar, Bitch, Rocks Off, Gimme Shelter, Happy, Tumbling Dice, Love In Vain, Sweet Virginia, You Can’t Always Get What You Want, All Down The Line, Midnight Rambler, Band Introductions, Bye Bye Johnny, Rip This Joint, Jumping Jack Flash, Street Fighting Man, Honky Tonk Women
The first disc of this release contains the first Los Angeles show on The Rolling Stones’ comeback tour of 1969. This tape was first released by the Yugoslavian outfit Risk Disc. This is the first appearance on a Japanese release. It was taped a fair distance from the stage making the music muffled and at times difficult to hear at first, but once the crowd settles down it becomes quite enjoyable and the Stones put in a great concert for the LA crowd.
The acoustic set is shortened with “You Gotta Move” being dropped. Further, there is a cut in the tape between “Live With Me” and “Little Queenie”, so we don’t know if “Gimme Shelter” was cut from the tape or not played at all in the show. It is a further disappointment that the tape seems to play too slow. In short, this is a short and hurried set by the Stones.
The second disc is a newly discovered source for the afternoon show on June 11th. The sound is much superior to the first disc with perhaps a rating of seven. After the Bill Graham introduction, they launch into a standard yet sizzling STP set. Mick Taylor’s guitar seems to explode in songs like “Gimme Shelter” and “Love In Vain” and the band deliver another memorable show.
The discs are packaged in VGP usual tasteful packaging. Great pictures of Mick and Keith on the cover and a smiling Charlie Watts on the back. Although it is rather strange to group these two shows together (the only thing in common is the venue), Welcome To The Breakfast Show is definitely worth having.
