6 Facts About The Rolling Stones' 1968 Rock and Roll Circus

It was a concert film, not a real circus The Rolling Stones organized the event in December 1968 as a filmed performance, featuring live music acts rather than actual circus acts.

The lineup included major 1960s acts The Who, Jethro Tull, Taj Mahal, and a supergroup called the Dirty Mac performed alongside the Rolling Stones.

The Dirty Mac was a one-off supergroup This band included John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and Mitch Mitchell, playing together only for this film.

The film was shelved for nearly 30 years The Stones were reportedly unhappy with their own performance compared to the Who’s, so they withheld the film’s release until 1996.

It was finally released in 1996 The concert film came out on home video, giving audiences their first official look at the event.

The Who stole the show Many critics and fans consider the Who’s performance the highlight, with the Stones’ set feeling less energetic by comparison.