30 years ago, the Rolling Stones played Luxembourg's biggest-ever concert on Kirchberg, drawing 62,000 fans for an unforgettable night that still lives on in memory.
"Bonsoir Luxembourg... Willkommen in the Voodoo Lounge." With these words, Mick Jagger greeted the Luxembourg crowd on the evening of 27 August 1995 – exactly 30 years ago.
That night, 62,000 thrilled spectators gathered on the Kirchberg plateau to see the Rolling Stones perform as part of their Voodoo Lounge tour, on a field next to where RTL's headquarters now stand. It was, and still is, the largest concert ever held in the Grand Duchy.
Fans got exactly what they had hoped for: a setlist of 21 songs plus an encore, including iconic numbers like Satisfaction, Angie, Start Me Up, and Sympathy for the Devil. Unsurprisingly, the atmosphere was electric.
A logistical masterstroke
The concert only happened because Luxembourg seized a rare opportunity. Originally, the Stones were due to play in Athens on 27 August 1995, but that show was cancelled. Luxembourg, then serving as European Capital of Culture, stepped in.
Claude Frisoni, the coordinator of the programme, saw the cancellation as a unique chance. He contacted the band's management, and secured their agreement – on two conditions: that at least $1 million in revenue could be guaranteed, and that a sufficiently large venue was provided.
Frisoni's team quickly reached out to then-Economy Minister Robert Goebbels, who gave the green light. Suddenly, Luxembourg was set to host one of the world's biggest bands.
Special requests and sightseeing
There were still challenges even after the deal was struck. Mick Jagger asked to meet the Grand Duke or his son, the then-Hereditary Grand Duke Henri. At the time Henri was in Austria, but he returned to Luxembourg especially for the meeting.
Jagger even squeezed in some sightseeing. Accompanied by his son, he visited Vianden Castle, and photos of the pair on the chairlift remain iconic to this day.
People's experience
Many who were there still recall the night as unforgettable. Some described it as an incredible show with a top-class atmosphere, while others emphasised how rare it felt to see such a massive crowd gathered in Luxembourg just to celebrate together.
One fan admitted he hadn’t thought it possible to bring so many people together in the country for a cultural event, calling it the best event of the European Capital of Culture year. Others praised the discipline and energy of the audience, and the sheer technical spectacle of the stage.
For many, the organisation was as impressive as the music itself, a perfectly run event that they hoped would not be the last of its kind in Luxembourg.
