Stones Main Page / My Stones shows / Werchter main page
(Posted to Undercover on June 21, 1998)
I am just back from the first Werchter show, so here is my report.
I went there in Thierry's Glimmer bus, with François-Xavier, Emmanuel (Thierry's kids), Chrisss and Stephane (Chrisss' son). We left Paris on Saturday morning around 9:30 am, and then we still weren't whether or not the show was maintained : we only knew that the Werchter vote was still on before we left...
We arrived in Werchter around 3pm and first checked our hotel room before going to the show. Then we headed to the Werchter festival area. We arrived there around 4pm and were 30 minutes later.
So late in the afternoon, the restricted area between the B-stage and the main stage was of course already full, and it was no more allowed to get in this section. But with a bit of work and some luck I managed to first enter the left section (Ronnie's side) then I went to the right section and exchanged my blue armwrist for a red one (blue armwrists where for Ronnie's side, and the red one for Keef's side :-)).
So here am I in the Keef section. I first sat down and watched on the big screen, the 2nd half of the Worldcup football match : Belgium/Mexico. While watching the game I spot a Japanese girl nearly attached to the front row gate ;-) Knowing that Mayumi is present in Werchter, I introduce myself to her : 'Hi I am Fabrice : are you Mayumi from Japan ?' (pretty rough way to introduce yourself isn't it ;-)) And yes indeed it was Mayumi :-) So we spend the rest of the pre-show having Glimmers' chat :-)
Just before 8pm (though they were scheduled at 8pm precise), the support band (Simple Minds) went on stage. They played during 45 minutes and gave an honest performance : it's always unfair to make critics on a support band, because when you attend a Stones the only band you want to see is the Stones, so it's difficult to have a fair judgement.
Anyway, the Stones finally come on stage, and for me it's dream time :-). Here am I front row Mayumi's side ;-)after all these cancelled/postponed shows I had tickets for (Lyon, Mannheim, Marseille, Paris2, Wembley) watching the Stones. In fact I am not exactly front row : I am just behind Mayumi (one hand on the gate) which in a way is like being front row ;-)
As I posted already I was very frustrated and a bit angry too after the mess in the beginning of the Euro leg. But after this show I am no more frustrated : on the contrary I am an happy Glimmer again :-)
It was certainly not the best show of the B2B tour, but I think it was a good one : definitely not a bad one. Werchter being my first B2B concert, it's hard for me to make comparisons (I only saw the US paperview : thanks to ... you know who you are ;-)), I guess Thierry, Chrisss or Mayumi will have a better judgement on that matter than mine.
The setlist was 'classic' : 21 songs (Thierry's got a copy of the setlist and will post it soon) with no surprises, except maybe for DEAD FLOWERS that replaced ASMB. As I said it was a good show : the boys seemed to be on (even Ronnie was good ;-).... just a bad private joke). Keith like in Nuernberg showed us he had no problems anymore with his ribs (at one time he even said : "that's better than dying...argh argh argh").
As Webchoice we got LOVE IN VAIN, and here must I say a big thank to all the people who voted it : we asked for it, and thanks to you we had it !!! :-)
After the concert we met at the hotel with some Glimmers and had a mini Glimmer's fest. Thierry, Chrisss, Mayumi, Peter De Vreese and his wife, Thomas Hoffmann, and myself spend part of the night together chatting about you know who :-)
All in all it was a great WE (sadly Thierry, Chrisss, and me had live on Sunday and couldn't stay with Mayumi, Thomas, Peter and his wife for the 2nd show) : one that I won't forget :-)
My last words (I have already been too long :-(), will be for Thierry that I would like to thank for driving me in Werchter, but above all for his kindness :-)
Cheers,
Fabrice (waiting now for the Glimmer fest in Paris :-))