The Rolling Stones

Ronnie Wood




Ron Wood and Charlie Watts

 

Keith Richard

 

 




Keith Richard and Bill Wyman

 

 




Ron Wood

 

 




Mick Jagger

 




Mick Jagger and Ron Wood




Mick Jagger




Mick Jagger




 

One day as I pulled into the parking lot at my community college, they made an announcement on the radio that Stones tickets had just gone on sale. I immediately backed back out of my spot and headed for Tower Records to stand in line and buy tickets.

The Rolling Stones were on tour promoting their new album Tatoo You. They played two shows at Candlestick Park (October 17 and 18, 1981). George Thorogood & the Destroyers and the J. Geils band opened for them.

Ticket sales were limited to four per person. I bought four knowing I would not have a problem finding three people to go with me. We stood in a very long line outside the stadium and eventually got in. One of my friends asked where we wanted to sit. Sit? I pointed to the stage and said "there." My friend Consuela followed me while the others found seats in the upper decks. We made our way down to the field saying "Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me..." We ended up front row center but had to back up some as when I aimed my camera at the stage all I saw was the bottom of the stage.

I got some good shots of George Throgood & the Destroyers as well as the J. Geils band. One roll of B&W each. Prior to the Stones coming on, more and more people jammed onto the field. One guy got mad when we stepped on his blanket and Consuela said "Look Buddy, you just don't come out and have a picnic and watch the Stones on a Sunday afternoon."

The stage crew sprayed everyone up front with a firehose to help keep us cool. We were soon packed together like sardines. Once the Stones were on stage it was very difficult to shoot as peope were pressed up against me in every direction. I also had a problem with heads in front of me. Inspite of these obstacles and not being able to move my arms very much, I took several rolls of B&W and one roll of color slides.

 The images here are a sampling of what I ended up with. I shot B&W with my Pentax MX and Ektachrome slides with my Pentax ME. As usual I used a 120mm telephoto fixed lens.