TINA: Live (Opening Act)

The Rolling Stones (1966 / '69 / '81)

The Rolling Stones had a great influence on Tina Turner's career. First in 1966, with the success of River Deep, Mountain High in England, Ike & Tina Turner were invited to perform with The Rolling Stones as an opening act at their UK tour. Three years later, The Stones asked Ike & Tina again to open their American tour in November 1969, which gave them a higher profile among young rock audiences. The performance of I’ve Been Loving You Too Long was included in the concert movie Gimme Shelter in 1970 and the complete performance of their opening set was released on the anniversary edition of the album Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! in 2009.

At the concert on November 27 at Madison Square Garden in New York, Janis Joplin was in the audience and jumped on stage for an unplanned duet with Tina on the last song „Land of 1.000 Dances“. The next year, Ike & Tina recorded with Honky Tonk Women their first song from The Stones, released on the album Come Together.

After the split from Ike, Tina worked on her solo career with her manager Roger Davies and covered many of their songs in her concerts. In 1981, The Rolling Stones were on tour in America to promote their current album „Tattoo You“ and invited Tina once again to open for three dates at the Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford. Beside her own set as an opening artist, she duetted also with Mick Jagger on „Honky Tonk Women“. After Tina’s comeback, she worked many times with Mick and Keith, amongst others at the Live Aid Festival in 1985, her Break Every Rule Tour in 1988, the Rock’n Roll Hall of Fame and the International Rock Award in 1989.

September 23 - October 22, 1966
Opening Night: Royal Albert Hall, London
Closing Night: California Ballroom, Dunstable

November 07 - 30, 1969
Opening Night: Colorado State University, Fort Collins
Closing Night: International Raceway, West Palm Beach, Florida

November 05 - 07, 1981
Venue: Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford

The moment that Janis had been waiting for came on November 27, 1969 (the day after Tina’s 30th birthday), when Janis joined Ike & Tina on stage at Madison Square Garden. Ike & Tina were one of the opening acts for the Rolling Stones and Janis was watching them from the wings. The duet wasn’t planned, but during „Land of 1,000 Dances,“ Janis jumped on stage (maybe also influenced by the treats that the Stones had for their guests backstage).

Cash Box - December 06, 1969

… before this all happened, the Ike & Tina Turner Revue had the audience hopping. Tina has got to be one of the sexiest performers in the rock world. Although she was wild and very single entendre with her version of „Respect," and everyone knew exactly what she was trying to say when she sang „I've Been Loving You Too Long“ while stroking the mike tenderly, her act seemed to be too well polished for the fans (98% white 15 to 25 year olds) who came to hear and see the earthy, natural, unpredictable Stones type performers. This beliefs was confirmed when at the close of „Land of 1000 Dances“ rocker, Janis Joplin jumped on stage and the two gals did a head-to-head finish while a strobe light flickered. They went off stage to an absolute roar because fans obviously experienced the sensation of watching two performers turning each other on.

A Message From Mick, Brian, Keith, Charlie, Bill

Hi, Here we are, on the road again. We are all very excited about this tour, it’s been nearly a year since our last tour of England and we have really missed it… We’ve tried to get together a great bill for this tour, and we know you’ll enjoy the fantastic Ike and Tina Turner Revue, which we saw some time ago in the States. We thank you for coming to see us tonight and hope you enjoy yourselves, ’cos that’s the general idea.

„Opening for the Stones were B.B. King and then World War Three, also known as Ike and Tina Turner….“

Cash Box - December 13, 1969

Tina opened with „Higher and Higher“ and then proceeded to go right in that direction. She did other numbers like „Respect,“ (complete with a serio-comic monologue), „Land of 1000 Dances,“ a totally sensuous reading of Otis Redding's „I've Been Loving You Too Long,“ and her own, great stylized versions of the Beatles „Come Together,“ and the Rolling Stones „Honky Tonk Women.“ But, what she sang isn't nearly as important as what she does, physically and to the audience.

Her dance numbers with The Ikettes are really incredible. They are deftly staged and so energetic that is it amazing that she and the girls are able to sing after dancing like that. The Felt Forum was a great place to see Ike & Tina, but The Electric Circus was the place to feel them. The room as the Circus really lends itself to the experience of music. You could actually feel the excitement and movement in the standing Circus audience and the sound seemed to come from everywhere.

The audience at the Felt Forum was so turned on by the Ike & Tina Turner revue that the level of involvement was Tina that it had to be kept at that level of excitement in order to be responsive. Had Sam & Dave followed immediately, they might have been able to sustain the excitement.