A gran who was turned away from a Rolling Stones gig as a teenage girl is finally set to watch her favourite band perform 54 YEARS later.
Linda Langeveld, 69, had a ticket to see the legendary rockers while they were an up-and-coming band at the Locarno Ballroom in Coventry on Friday, April 17, 1964.
But she was turned away at the door by bouncers for being underage by just two months – as no under-16s were allowed.
Devastated Linda was left in tears after she missed seeing Mick Jagger and Co. perform and held on to the hope that they would eventually return to her home city.
She even kept the unused ticket – which cost 12 shillings and a six pence – in a memory box to remind her of what could have been.
But last month gran-of-three Linda was left delighted when her son Darren, 47, surprised her with tickets for The Stones’ latest ‘No Filter’ tour.
The retired consultancy worker will now finally get to see her idols perform after half a century at the Ricoh Arena on June 2.
Mum-of-three Linda, of Radford, Coventry, said: “I’m over the moon that I’ll finally get to see them after all this time.
“I just liked them back then because they were a bit rough. I tried to get in on the night but I couldn’t.
“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.
She added: “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.
“I think its going to be a load of pensioners watching a load of pensioners, that’s what this concert will be.
“I’m sure no matter how much Mick Jagger jumps around the stage I bet he goes backstage and thinks ‘I’m glad that’s over’ and has a little sleep.”
