Stones in the Park

The legendary 1969 Rolling Stones concert from Hyde Park.

Featured songs include
Satisfaction
Jumpin' Jack Flash
I'm Free
Sympathy for the Devil
Love in Vain
Midnight Rambler
Im Yours, She's Mine
Street Fighting Man

Mick Jagger opened this legendary 1969 concert by reading an excerpt from Shelley's poem Adonais and releases hundreds of butterflies in tribute to the death of Brian Jones, which had occurred just two days before.

Half a million people one in a hundred of Britain's population gathered in the open air in Londons Hyde Park to stare, swoon, cheer, idolise and pay homage to the pop group the described as the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world: the Rolling Stones.

It was two days after the tragic death of guitarist Brian Jones and the atmosphere in Hyde Park was charged with emotion. A newspaper headline dubbed the concert Requiem for a Stone.

From all over Britain, the Continent and the United States, Stones pilgrims came to occupy a few acres of green turf before their singing idols. Odd types with even odder names: Hippies; greasers; Lemon Kids; Crops; Hells Angels. They clapped and swayed as Mick Jagger sang, screeched, pranced, wiggled and cavorted on stage hour after hour until dusk fell like a curtain on the greatest pop happening ever.

This revealing film trace the events from dawn, with people camping in the park in sleeping bags, to the Stones finale at dusk. The first camera unit was in action at 4.30 am, as soon as it was light enough to shoot colour film. This is not a pop show, says co-producer Leslie Woodhead. The programme is concerned with the entire event of which the music was only a part."