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Mick Jagger's Blackpool ban lifted
THEY'VE been banned from Blackpool for four decades – but it's all over now!
The Rolling Stones, barred from the resort since a riot broke out at their 1964 show at the Empress Ballroom, will get the red carpet treatment – if they bring their next tour to Blackpool.
Blackpool's Council leader Peter Callow says nothing would give him more satisfaction than seeing the veteran rockers put on a big show – perhaps at the new seafront headlands.
Fans will have a chance to spend the night together with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and company when they appear live in the resort via video at Blackpool's Odeon cinema, which is screening Stones biopic Shine a Light.
Were you at The Empress that night? Do you remember the incident? Register for free and leave your comments below.
But as The Stones know all too well, you can't always get what you want – and Coun Callow says the biggest problem that could scupper a return is the lack of a super-sized venue.
"When the Kaiser Chiefs played on the new headlands it was a fantastic event," he said.
"But with all due respect to the Kaiser Chiefs, we might need 20 headlands to house The Rolling Stones.
"They are icons – and I for one would certainly welcome them back.
"It would certainly give me some satisfaction if they did play here!"
Coun Callow said he believed a reappearance from the evergreen rockers would prove popular with music fans – a view shared by local music expert, Terry Regan, of Lincoln Road, Blackpool who attended the original gig.
"The question is, would they want to come back?" he said.
"But I certainly think they would get an ecstatic response.
"They're still going as strong as ever and I don't think what happened will have damaged the Stones' following in Blackpool at all."
Mr Regan also recalled his account of the violent scenes of '64 which led to the ban.
"On that night it was heaving in the ballroom," he said.
"There was a lot of heat in the crowd anyway between visitors and locals and then the Stones were heckled.
"The band ended up being taken off stage by security and there was a lot of trouble and a big police presence.
"It's memorable to say the least."
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Weather for Blackpool
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South west
