Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/11/09/watch-the-rolling-stones-first-live-performance-of-sympathy-for-the-devil-with-a-dancing-john-lennon.html
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Who’s on piano? They don’t seem to show him. Was it Ian Stewart or someone else?
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it probably would have been nicky hopkins. stu didn’t really appear on stage during this period.
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I didn’t know that this was the first time that the Stones played SftD live, but it’s great. That’s definitely one of my favorite songs of theirs.
This whole “concert” film is worth watching, but for my money, nothing beats this little gem:
eta: That’s Clapton on lead, Keef on Bass, and Mitch F’n Mitchell on drums backing up John. Whoa.
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Huh. Weird. I found this same video about a week ago while falling down wikipedia rabbit holes after finishing Master and Margarita.
Fun video, great book.
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You can also see Pete Townshend in the mosh pit.
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Looks like 1 or 2 Pythons mixed in with the crowd as well. Also, if you pause at the sacred numbers of 3:11 behind Keef you see the message “Hi Trump” clearly spelled out on the amplifier…Mick knew even then what his name was…/s
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Did not believe but… IT’S TRUE!
I think the keyboardist is shown at 3:37
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Cool. The whole film’s worth seeing. Probably The Who come off best. (It’s rumored that the film wasn’t released for ages because the Stones thought they had been upstaged. They filmed their bit really late at night.)
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John Lennon looked like he had either just gone into trance-dancing or was on the verge: incredible! Crowds in the 60s and 70s got into the act and the people here were having a blast. What an awesome share - thanks!
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The Who fans have known about The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus for some time.
Footage from there ended up in the concert/compilation film “The Kids are Alright” in 1979 long before the Rolling Stones got around to releasing (which was edited together in the early 90’s) . Since the “Circus” footage was shot on television aspect ratio, they put put a flashing box around it for the Who’s film. (removed with subsequent digital remastering)
It was rumored that the Rolling Stones shelved the film because they were blown away by the Who’s performance of the mini opera “A Quick One While He’s Away”.
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Wow! A real rock and roll revival.
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“The Rolling Stones Rock N Roll Circus” also features the only known footage of Tony Iommi during his very brief stint with Jethro Tull. As the story goes, Tull’s serious work ethic was an impression on him that he took back to Sabbath.
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Although, Iommi’s only miming to someone else’s guitar work.
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That is what I heard too, and The Who are amazing. They had just finished a tour of Europe and were in fine form.
For my money The Stones came off as a bit flat, but overall it is a great slice of Swinging London.
Also the guitarist in the Jethro Tull set is Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, who was the Tull guitarist for only long enough to do this movie.
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Why are the crowd dressed 10 years early for a Gallagher conc… gig?
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I suspect there was a lot of sweating going on.Nobody wanted to get too close to Keith Moon when he started going.
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Seemed to me that he was doing an impersonation of a Muppet 
Great video, my favourite book.
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