'Satisfaction' For Russian Rock Fans

Russian fans of the rock group the Rolling Stones finally got the satisfaction they've been looking for.

Despite repeated attempts, the rock group had never before been granted permission to play in Russia. They were denied permission in 1967 and again a decade later. The group was seen as disruptive. But now Mick and the boys have taken Moscow by storm. Band members brought their Bridges to Babylon European tour to Moscow Tuesday.

An estimated 70,000 Russian Stone fans braved a cold rain to see them.

You'd hardly know that Mick and the others are now well into middle age or that these days the Rolling Stones' nickname back in Britain is "the strollin' oldies."

Even so, a whole generation of the young Russians bought their records and worshiped their music. Today's post-Soviet Russian rock fans haven't forgotten the Stones. And they came great distances to see the group's one and only performance in Russia.

About 160 fans from the heart of Siberia flew to Moscow on Tuesday, an airline spokesman said.

The fans took a four-hour flight from Novosibirsk to see the concert at the 83,000-seat Olympic stadium in Moscow, said Dmitry Manakov of the private carrier Sibir airlines.

"We flew here all the way from Siberia," said one man from that flight.

"I have been waited for this moment for 10 years," a young student said.

As for the Rolling Stones, you can tell they were glad to be in Moscow, too. Their opening number was satisfaction.