well, who knew that the 50th anniversary celebration of The Rolling Stones would be so depressing? cynics and people who do not like the band are no doubt shouting "i knew". as someone who loves the band and the music, i certainly didn't know, and i am sad that it's turned out that the celebrations are purely money driven.
as you will no doubt be aware, the Stones have announced 2 gigs at the 02 arena in London. Mick Jagger has described it as a "bit of a f*** off laugh". Keith Richards has commented that he doesn't want to charge the fans too high prices, but admits to being unaware of current trends.
ticket prices for this "f*** off laugh" that they don't want to charge too much for range from £90 to £950, and you can add a 10% booking fee to that.
a sense of perspective on that price? certainly. the celebrated Led Zeppelin reunion at the same venue, actually a tribute concert featuring other acts (including one Bill Wyman) had a face value of £125 no matter where you sat or stood in the venue. Noel Gallagher, who has not shyed away from saying how it's all about the money these days, earlier this year (or possibly late 2011) charged £45 for the general standing area, i.e. the bit at the front of the stage.
want to see what your view of the stage is like for your entry level £90 + booking fee ticket for The Rolling Stones? here you go.
it's jolly nice that Keith "doesn't want" to charge the fans too much, but not wanting to and not doing it exist as two separate things, it seems. The Stone Roses, for the record, charge £55 plus booking fee for Heaton Park.
if the ludicrous cost of this was not sad enough, this official image released by the Stones suggests you are unlikely to get value for money. some have interpreted the following as a proposed set list for the gigs.
i suspect not, unless they really are as senile as some suggest with the inclusion of the remarkably average She's So Cold twice.
missing from the above list, off the top of my head, are Jumping Jack Flash, Sympathy For The Devil, Satisfaction, Brown Sugar, Let's Spend The Night Together and, perhaps most baffling, the song considered their greatest work by many, Gimme Shelter. what is included, however, is a number of tracks from albums they have recently issued rather expensive "deluxe" versions of recently. like how U2 did an Achtung Baby heavy set at Glastonbury last year when it just so happened they were about to re-release that album.
i suppose that, if we're honest, for at least the last 20 years it's been less the Stones, more The Rolling Stones (Pty) Ltd. it's depressing that they are chosing to remember 50 years together from a purely financial aspect, though. you'd have thought they might just chose to recall the days of getting by, of just making enough cash to sort of eat and make it to the next gig. you know, the days when only the music mattered.
best of luck to those throwing money at the band to attend this. i hope, in the absence of a decent view or several of the classic songs, they at least get Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor to guest on a couple of numbers for you.
be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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