News

A surprise gig for The Rolling Stones is now yielding a surprise release.  Back in March, 1977, two concerts were announced to take place at the small, roughly 300-capacity Toronto club El Mocambo.  Canadian rock band April Wine was confirmed as the headliner; the support act was an unknown band called The Cockroaches.  Tickets were distributed via a radio contest on CHUM-FM.  It wasn’t until the contest winners were being transported to the club on a chartered bus that radio station officials informed them The Cockroaches – in actuality, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Ron Wood, Charlie Watts, and special guest Billy Preston – would be taking the stage that night as headliners.  April Wine was relegated to opening status.  Attendees still recall their surprise when Charlie Watts took the stage to adjust his kit before his bandmates entered.  On May 13, UMe will issue Live at the El Mocambo for the very first time in 2-CD, 4-LP black vinyl, 4-LP neon vinyl, and digital formats.

Live at the El Mocambo features the Stones’ full set from March 5 (the second and final show), plus three bonus tracks from March 4, all newly mixed by Bob Clearmountain. Four of the live performances appeared on the September 1977 release of Love You Live, but this release marks the premiere of a complete El Mocambo set.  “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll” and “Rip This Joint” are both streaming now.  (April Wine’s own Live at the El Mocambo LP arrived in 1977, too, preserving the band’s fiery set opening for the Stones.)

Jagger, Richards, and co. channeled their early club days for the wide-ranging set which featured blues staples including Muddy Waters’ “Mannish Boy,” Bo Diddley’s “Crackin’ Up,” Big Maceo’s “Worried Life Blues,” and Willie Dixon’s “Little Red Rooster” alongside Glimmer Twins hits such as “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” “Tumbling Dice,” “Honky Tonk Women,” “Brown Sugar,” and “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.”  The Stones’ most recent album, 1976’s Black and Blue, yielded “Fool to Cry,” “Hot Stuff,” “Hand of Fate,” “Melody,” and “Crazy Mama.”  The gigs also saw the debut of “Worried About You” which wouldn’t appear on an album until 1981’s Tattoo You.

Live at the El Mocambo is due from UMe on May 13.  You’ll find the track listing and pre-order links below.

2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
4LP Black Vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
4LP Neon Vinyl: Rolling Stones Online Shop

The Rolling Stones, Live at the El Mocambo (UMe, 2022)

1. Honky Tonk Women
2. All Down the Line
3. Hand Of Fate
4. Route 66
5. Fool To Cry
6. Crazy Mama
7. Mannish Boy
8. Crackin’ Up
9. Dance Little Sister
10. Around And Around
11. Tumbling Dice
12. Hot Stuff
13. Star Star
14. Let’s Spend the Night Together
15. Worried Life Blues
16. Little Red Rooster
17. It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll (But I Like It)
18. Rip This Joint
19. Brown Sugar
20. Jumpin’ Jack Flash
21. Melody
22. Luxury
23. Worried About You