The Rolling Stones launched their 1973 European Tour on September 1st in Vienna, Austria, at the Stadthalle. It was the closest stop to the Eastern Bloc they would play during the Cold War, and a representative from the Soviet Union’s Ministry of Culture, Yuri Kurinoff, attended the show. From Vienna, the band tore through West Germany, hitting Frankfurt, Essen, and Berlin before heading to the UK.
In England, the Stones played a four-night stand at the Empire Pool in London. These were high-voltage shows built on the raw, bluesy rock that had defined the band throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The setlist drew from both deep cuts and new material. Classic numbers like “Brown Sugar,” “Gimme Shelter,” and “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” anchored each night, while songs from “Goats Head Soup” — including “Angie,” “Dancing with Mr. D,” and “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” — were received enthusiastically by crowds across the continent.
Each member played a distinct role. Mick Jagger commanded the stage in flamboyant costumes with relentless energy. Keith Richards drove the band with gritty, defining riffs. Charlie Watts held the rhythm with quiet precision, and Bill Wyman anchored the low end with understated cool. Mick Taylor added a layer of bluesy lead guitar that sharpened the band’s live sound considerably.
After the UK dates, the tour pressed on through Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The schedule was grueling — sometimes two shows in a single day. Reports from the road noted exhaustion and tension within the group, but the performances did not relent.
By late September, the tour reached Munich for a stop at the Olympiahalle, before continuing on toward Amsterdam, where the band held a press conference on October 12th.
The tour ended on October 19th at the Deutschlandhalle in West Berlin. That night marked Mick Taylor’s final live performance with the Rolling Stones.
