1964, Danceland in Excelsior: The crowd was sparse (maybe 200), the set was short (and heavy on covers) and the reception was less than enthusiastic.
1972, Met Center: Opening act Stevie Wonder did a long drum solo in his first number that wasn't appreciated. Jagger rocked for 15 songs but the lack of air conditioning was as annoying as the arena's acoustics. Unforgettable was the tear gas that filtered into the arena from police skirmishes with ticketless fans outside.
1975, St. Paul Civic Center: Jagger was more physical but the lack of horns diminished the music's urgency.
1978, St. Paul Civic Center: The Stones played it straight and professional: no fancy stage and just 18 songs. After the show, bassist Bill Wyman fell off the back of the stage, injuring his head and hand.
1981, St. Paul Civic Center: The Stones were never better here, including their new hit "Start Me Up." (You can listen to a soundboard recording of their full set here.) Jagger provided Stonesian outrageous fun, swinging over the crowd in a cherry picker for "Jumpin' Jack Flash."
1989, Metrodome: With big-bucks corporate sponsors, the Stones Inc. brought one of the biggest stages in rock history. The first of two nights was plagued by a muddy sound mix and low-voltage energy.
1994, Metrodome: We got what we need: sinuous guitar riffs, rock-solid rhythms, prancing and primping, and nonstop spectacle, though the Stones' usual raw energy was missing early on.
1997, Metrodome: Jagger joked about Hubert Humphrey (for whom the Dome was named) but it was Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" that turned the show around.
1999, Target Center: After three times in the Metrodome, the Stones thankfully returned to an arena. However, it took a good 75 minutes for them to shift into third gear.
2005, Xcel Energy Center: This was the kind of intimate, low-frills, plain ol' rock 'n' roll that fans had been dreaming about. There was a freshness and consistency not witnessed at other local Stones shows.
2015, TCF Bank Stadium: Despite Mick Jagger's ingratiating groveling through a Wikipedia's worth of Minnesota mentions ("A Prairie Home Companion," Minnehaha Falls, Mall of America, the Gophers, the Stones' 1964 Twin Cities debut), it was a memorably exhilarating and urgent performance, not just the classics but the seldom-heard "Moonlight Mile."
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