The Rolling Stones

Back when Eastern Europe was referred to as "behind the Iron Curtain," communist governments didn't go out of their way to encourage concerts by major British and American rock bands. But after the Iron Curtain's demise, rock concert promoters started doing a lot of business in places like Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. Consequently, Eastern Europe has become a major target of rock bootleggers. Focusing on an August 14, 1998, concert at Slaski Stadium in Chorzow, Poland, this two-CD set is among the many bootlegs that was recorded in Eastern Europe in the 1990s. Poland 1998 was, for the most part, recorded from the stadium's soundboard and offers generally excellent sound quality; "Wanna Hold You" and "Little Queenie" are the bootleg's only audience recordings -- and those two tracks offer sound that is merely decent. This Polish concert finds the Stones' 1998 lineup (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and Ron Wood) joined by nine other people, including a keyboardist, a horn section, and three background singers. With all that help, the Stones opt for a slick, clean, Vegas-like presentation -- and quite honestly, they were more compelling when they favored a rawer, grittier approach and simply let it rip. Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable show. Hearing the Stones tackling "Brown Sugar," "Gimme Shelter," and "Sympathy for the Devil" in 1998 isn't like hearing those gems in the early '70s, but Jagger still brings a lot of spirit and charisma to the stage. After the Slaski Stadium show, Poland 1998 shifts gears for two bonus tracks that were recorded in Argentina in 1998: "Tumbling Dice" (which is also performed in Poland) and "You Can't Always Get What You Want." Is Poland 1998 essential? No, it isn't essential any more than it is cutting-edge (by 1990s standards), definitive, or unique -- in fact, there are countless other late-'90s Stones bootlegs that are just as good. But despite all that, Poland 1998 is a bootleg that obsessive Stones collectors will enjoy if they are able to track down a copy. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide