The Rolling Stones’ 2024 “Hackney Diamonds” tour hit Soldier Field on Thursday and will include another performance Sunday in a return visit to Chicago, where the band has performed dozens of times.
We asked Sun-Times readers to tell us about their most memorable experiences seeing the Stones in Chicago. The responses have been lightly edited for clarity and readability:
“1972 at the International Amphitheatre. A couple of us weaseled our way to the front row and stood on a folding chair with 3 or 4 other goons. The one thing I remember before getting knocked off the seat was looking up and watching Mick Taylor going into a solo. I only got about 3 minutes in the front row, but that vision is still locked in the rock vault!”
— John Edmondson
Review: The Rolling Stones at Soldier Field
“I saw the Stones back in 1964 at the Arie Crown Theater. I think tickets were $3 or $4. The best part of the evening was the producer let audience members line up and file past or shake hands with the group who were seated on the stage!”
— Beatrice Villar, 75, Rogers Park
“The ‘Mouth’ tour!! The whole row in front of us passed out! Why pay all that money to see them and hear them!!”
— Phyllis Schriedel
“September 1997 at Soldier Field. Mick and the Stones were truly impressive. We signed up for a phone service promo to be able to purchase the tickets. It was a school night; on the train rides, our daughter had to memorize the periodic table of elements for a chemistry exam the next day.”
— Amy Jackson
“Saw them Sept. 11, 1994, at Soldier Field. The best part was when they played a blues set on a stage further into the crowd that brought them closer to me.”
— Frank Vaisvilas
“I saw the Rolling Stones at the International Amphitheater in June 1972 when I was 18. I loved Mick Jagger. I had a poster of him on my bedroom wall, but the most memorable part of the concert was that Stevie Wonder opened for them!”
— Betsy Schorsch, 70
“2019 tour. I believe it was the first show they did after Mick’s heart incident. Mick was amazing, running all over the stage and runway like he was in his 20s.”
— Linda Woner
“2002, 2003, 2005 and 2019. 2019 was such a great memory. I focused on it often during the pandemic. I live in L.A. now. I bought tickets for my parents and I flew in. We walked to the show, as they lived in Museum Park. Huge crowds. Big rock celebration.”
— Nathan Dusek
“Soldier Field, 1979-ish?? Hot day. They brought official, firemen-type water hoses on stage and sprayed the audience.”
— Deborah Fuller Tobias
“Second show at Soldier Field on the 1997 tour. The stage was right near our seats. They did ‘Let It Bleed’ and ‘The Last Time.’ The whole show was phenomenal!”
— Mark Venegas
“1994 at Soldier Field, eight rows from the stage. We’ll be back this Sunday, just not as close. Can’t wait!”
— Charlie Stewart
“Thursday makes five times. Of course, the first was the best. Truly, I enjoyed them all. What made the first better in 1969 was I got front-row seats thanks to a dear friend of mine who worked at Ticketron. As the concert started, everyone rushed the stage at the International Amphitheatre, so it really wasn’t great. We still stood the entire show. It was hot, people were passing out, my boyfriend held onto me because I was 90 pounds.”
— Susan Harris Fiege
“ ‘Voodoo Lounge’ tour in the late ‘90s, when Blues Traveler opened up for them. Very impressive. The Stones put on a 2-1/2-hour show.”
— Mike Obrien
