Tomorrow is the anniversary of  the start of 3 shows in 2 days at Madison Square Garden, NYC in 1969. (The first night was actually a Thursday, Thanksgiving! Followed by the Friday "Breakfast Show" and another evening performance. Having seen all three shows, but also watching "Gimme Shelter" so many times, it's almost become impossible to separate  my true memories from the movie.  

Yes, Janis Joplin, unrecognizable with a big white fur hat ran out on stage and danced in line with the Tina Turner and the Ikettes for a number.
Keith seemed to sing more at the mike than  you hear on record or see in the film.
More girls climbed on stage - only five feet high with no security in front - than was shown.
Before the Stones came on hundreds of fans rushed down the aisles and filled the empty area in front on the stage, totally pissing off the people in the front rows who had brought their expensive cameras, only to be crowded out.
People passing out during the good 45 minute wait in front. Bodies were packed in solid.
The pacing of the show, great new songs, yet still the homage to Chuck Berry, reworking old tunes, the band looked and sounded great.
Floor tickets I had were $8!!! Apparently, a bit more than the usual rock show. The fact that the shows sold out so quick and the "high price" were used to guilt the Stones to do a free, post tour, concert - which became the disaster at Altamont.
For months after, wondering if the shows had really been that good - then the miraculous appearance of Live'r Than You'll Ever Be comes out on boot and confirms it.

Stayed in our seats for the morning show. My friend actually brought his mom to try and and show her what he had been flipping out over for the past five years. (She was Greek and liked the Middle Eastern feel of "Paint It Black.") Though the music was "too loud" she had a good time.

The best Stones shows that I've ever seen.

Please.
Didn't want to rehash a lot of things people had seen in the movie and wanted to keep things brief.

Some more things outside the box:
Saw the show in Philly the night before. Same setlist.
Only disappointment each time was that there was no encore. Crowds stayed and screamed but no luck.
Friday night show debated whether to take one of those clunky cassette recorders or my mom's 8 mil. movie camera. Took the camera. In hindsight bad choice. Did get 5 minutes of film - no sound though. Figured I'd have something to remember the Stones by. A whole unedited show would have been a whole lot better though.
My friend somehow managed to sneak into their press conference at the Rainbow Room - midtown restaurant. Said he was standing next to the Stones. It was like he had seen the second coming. Could barely talk.
We heard later that people without tickets stormed the Garden and were driven back by police several times.
Another disappointment was the lack of stage presence by Mick Taylor. Didn't move or even look up. Spoiled by Brian Jones, it was only later when you listened to his playing did you appreciate what he brought to the group.
Surprised that they sang a third verse - "Sailing on the boulevards of Paris" - which wasn't on the single of Honky Tonk Women.
Biggest musical surprise was "Little Queenie" an unknown Chuck Berry number at the time. Keith stepped up big time on that.
The acoustic numbers were okay, but thought there were a lot more better numbers they could have done- As Tear Go By, Sittin' On A Fence, maybe.
Daily News actually gave the concert a front page story.
Actually took some of the rose petals off the floor home. Long gone.
(Years before at Ed Sullivan Show a maid from the hotel next to Ed Sullivan Theater gave me a plastic bag of hair! Said one of the Rolling Stones had gotten a haircut. For some reason bizarre reason I still have that. But that's a whole other story and day.)
I remember Rolling Stone Mag providing the only tour coverage that fall, city by city, and me x-ing out a calendar like in prison as the days got closer to the NY shows.

Enough for tonight. I will listen to the album, even though I discovered later the music was edited and cobbled together from different shows. That was a small letdown.  Hoping someday for a clean video from start to finish of one Garden show.

Cool story. Thanks!  

Yes, Lydon's Ramparts articles were excellent! I too have them saved.

Was there a better mag cover ever than the one with Mick with the Uncle Sam hat?!!!
(Couldn't find a picture on line though.)

Ramparts also put out a spec. edition that summed up the tour at the end.