The Rolling Stones - A Dream Come True

A Coventry woman who was denied entry to a Rolling Stones gig in the city centre more than 50 years ago is going to get a warmer welcome when the band returns to the area next month.

Linda Langeveld, from Radford, had a ticket to see the Rolling Stones perform at the Locarno Ballroom – known nowadays as the Central Library – on Friday, April 17, 1964, only to be turned away at the door for being underage by two months, with no under-16s allowed.

So news that the Rolling Stones would be returning to the city 54 years on to play at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday, June 2 as part of their Stones - No Filter tour was music to the ears of Linda, who was given a great deal of satisfaction when her son Darren had purchased tickets so she could finally see her favourite band.

Recalling that fateful spring night Linda, 69, said: “I got to the front of the queue, presented my ticket and insisted I was 16, even though I probably didn’t look it at the time.

“I was determined I wasn’t going to miss the concert so I caught a bus to my friend’s house to ask if I could borrow her birth certificate – as this was one of the only ways you could really prove your identity back then.

“But because the ticket was given to me by a boy who my friend liked, she refused to help me, so I went home and cried!

“I’m glad I kept hold of the original ticket though, as it is proof that I was there, or tried to be there.

“Back then it cost ten shillings if bought in advance and was 12 shillings and a six pence if bought on the night, and the entertainment was on from 8pm until 1am, so no wonder under-16s weren’t allowed in!”

Stones fan Linda was brought up in an era dominated by the mods and rockers culture throughout the 1960s. Mods were known for their clean-cut image, scooters and affection for soul, rhythm and blues, while rockers were renowned for their motorbikes, black leather jackets and love for rock ‘n’ roll.

“My two older brothers grew up listening to different music such as Elvis Presley and Bill Haley, and my dad rode motorbikes and sidecars, so out of the two, I was definitely a rocker that listened to ‘The Stones’.

“I’ve only ever been to one gig over the past 50 years, so I’m really looking forward to seeing the Rolling Stones perform live, especially Charlie Watts who is my favourite.

“I saw a documentary recently on the Rolling Stones where Mick Jagger says the only way he can contact Charlie is by landline telephone, even to this day, which is crazy when you think they are all millionaires.”

Justine Hewitt, Head of Operations at the Ricoh Arena, played a part in bringing the Rolling Stones back to Coventry.

She added: “It’s brilliant that the Rolling Stones’ upcoming gig will enable Linda to finally see what the band is like when they perform live.

“Though they’re a lot older now we are expecting a high-energy spectacle of rock’n’roll that they have always been renowned for.

“The excitement is really building as we count down to the big day. Extra tickets have been released for the gig, but we’d urge fans to snap theirs up fast.”

To purchase tickets and see the range of hospitality packages available for Rolling Stones’ performance on Saturday, June 2 – where they will also be supported by The Specials - visit www.ricoharena.com