See the Press Clipping for the First Rolling Stones Concert, 50 Years Ago
On July 12, 1962 something monumental happened. A band calling themselves the Rolling Stones took to the stage for the first time. You can see a press announcement for that gig right here.
The venue was the famed Marquee club in London. At the time, the band consisted of Mick Jagger on vocals, Brian Jones and Keith Richards on guitars, pianist Ian Stewart, bass player Dick Taylor and drummer Mick Avory. Jones was using the stage name of Elmo Lewis in the very early days. Taylor would soon depart to form another blistering London-based R&B combo called the Pretty Things, and Avory would join the Kinks.
Among the songs the Stones, under the name the Rollin’ Stones (no G) for that first night out, performed during that first gig were Jimmy Reed’s ‘Bright Lights Big City,’ Chuck Berry’s ‘Back In The USA’ and ‘Kansas City’ by Wilbert Harrison.
Bill Wyman would join their ranks by year’s end and Charlie Watts would occupy the drum throne by the start of 1963, giving the world the Rolling Stones we all knew and loved — at least, until Jones became a rock and roll casualty.
Rolling Stones Set List, Marquee London 7/12/62:
1. ‘Kansas City’
2. ‘Baby What’s Wrong’
3. ‘Confessin’ The Blues’
4. ‘Bright Lights, Big City’
5. ‘Dust My Blues’
6. ‘Down The Road Apiece’
7. ‘I’m A Love You’
8. ‘Bad Boy’
9. ‘I Ain’t Got You’
10. ‘Hush-Hush’
11. ‘Ride ‘Em On Down’
12. ‘Back In The USA’
13. ‘Kind Of Lonesome’
14. ‘Blues Before Sunrise’
15. ‘Big Boss Man’
16. ‘Don’t Stay Out All Night’
17. ‘Tell Me You Love Me’
18. ‘Happy Home’