Rolling Stones Revisiting Legendary 1977 Gigs for ‘Live at the El Mocambo’ 5/13; Preview with Two Songs

In March 1977, The Rolling Stones played a 300-capacity Toronto club called The El Mocambo — and on May 13, the recordings from those legendary performances will be released for the very first time on CD, LP and digitally.

Announced on Friday by the English rock gods, Live at the El Mocambo was previewed with two songs.

Here’s “Rip This Joint”:

And “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll (But I Like It)”:

Click here to pre-order Live at the El Mocambo on 2-CD from our Rock Cellar Store
Click here to pre-order Live at the El Mocambo on 4-LP from our Rock Cellar Store

Welcome to El Mocambo 1977 🌴
A brand new live album featuring the legendary 1977 shows!
Pre-order now on deluxe 2CD, classic black 4LP & limited neon 4LP:https://t.co/M5VbDPtUF0 
Doors open May 13th.. pic.twitter.com/oOzcLTqjne

— The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) March 25, 2022

A bit more on the history of these gigs, which have long been considered among the Rolling Stones’ best moments:

As the Stones took to the stage of the “El Mo,” a fixture of the Toronto music scene since the 1940s, punk and disco were both rearing into full view, supposedly ready to see off a band who had already been at the top of their game for 15 years. Over two nights, in an intimate space in one of their favourite cities, they were about to make that prognosis look foolish indeed.

The gigs became reality after the El Mocambo was identified as the potential home for a secret booking. A radio contest was organized in which the prize was tickets to see Canadian rock heroes April Wine, supported by an unknown band called the Cockroaches. Guess who they turned out to be…

On the nights, naturally, April Wine were themselves the opening act, and so it was that the Stones rolled back the years to the exhilarating club incarnation of their early years. Against all the odds, the band produced two nights of exhilarating music that they still talk about in Toronto, and in Rolling Stones legend, to this day.

The track listing for the 2-CD set:

DISC: 1

1. Honky Tonk Woman (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
2. All Down The Line (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
3. Hand Of Fate (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
4. Route 66 (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
5. Fool To Cry (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
6. Crazy Mama (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
7. Mannish Boy (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
8. Crackin’ Up (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
9. Dance Little Sister (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
10. Around And Around (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
11. Tumbling Dice (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)

DISC: 2

1. Hot Stuff (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
2. Star Star (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
3. Let’s Spend The Night Together (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
4. Worried Life Blues (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
5. Little Red Rooster (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
6. It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll (But I Like It) (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
7. Rip This Joint (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
8. Brown Sugar (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
9. Jumpin’ Jack Flash (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
10. Melody (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
11. Luxury (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)
12. Worried About You (Live at the El Mocambo 1977)

This release comes as the Stones continue their 60th anniversary celebrations, which also includes a big European tour and a trippy new spin on the ‘tongue’ logo, which the band revealed recently.

Start me up! The Stones presale commences at 10am local time today, celebrate SIXTY special years with the Rolling Stones live across Europe this summer.
General tickets on sale this Friday 18 March (times vary per country): https://t.co/cimRWrDl07 pic.twitter.com/O73zGIPCo2

— The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) March 16, 2022