I am sure the stage is set to be built / tested. Probably doing it indoors until a few days before show-time. Any sighting of it yet? ... as well ...

For those that went .. how was the sound as well as the show (lighting .. stage etc.) on their stadium gigs last year?

Have not saw The Stones in a stadium since 2002-03 ... Wondering if they still have that 'spectacle' as well as great sound these days?


Ian

There have been great improvements with stadium sound since 2002...I hope they have embraced them. U2's Claw had the best, clearest sound i have EVER heard in a stadium.

I am not a sound techie...so i cant even guess why it was so good, but it was.

I assumed they would just use the stage from the Aussie tour. A slow boat to San Diego harbor with one set to the Petco Stadium and the second set trucked off to Ohio. Plenty of time to get the set from San Diego to Minneapolis to get the city hopping going.

Any reports on the sound down under??

Paranoid Android wrote on May 16^th, 2015 at 10:17am:

There have been great improvements with stadium sound since 2002...I hope they have embraced them. U2's Claw had the best, clearest sound i have EVER heard in a stadium. I am not a sound techie...so i cant even guess why it was so good, but it was. I assumed they would just use the stage from the Aussie tour. A slow boat to San Diego harbor with one set to the Petco Stadium and the second set trucked off to Ohio. Plenty of time to get the set from San Diego to Minneapolis to get the city hopping going. Any reports on the sound down under??

Yeah ... I certainly hope they have embraced them as well. I heard the stage is 'basically' the same but with a minor facelift and the thrust that brings them into the crowd at some point in the stadium (possibly like A Bigger Bang Tour).


Was wondering how the stadium shows in Austrialia compared to stadium shows of the past myself? Sound ... lighting etc.

Anyone takers?

I think they should give free admission to all fans willing to get down on all fours and hold up the stage on their backs.

andrews27 wrote on May 18^th, 2015 at 6:55pm:

I think they should give free admission to all fans willing to get down on all fours and hold up the stage on their backs.

Ya think Keith could play better on a huge wobble board ?  :forfucksake

I got down on all fours and took it from Ticketmaster .

Sound down under was amazing in stadiums.
Lots of guitars !

I heard stage was diff for US. Lots of LEDs. Some guy was programming for a week 1pm-7 am.
It will be awesome.

From jazzbass on IORR -

"Just got an update from my buddy at Clair Brothers in Lititz where the trucks rolled out on Saturday evening with the stage for the trip cross country to San Diego. They are definitely only using one stage for the tour with the exception of Milwaukee or any club shows.

He said the stage is unique in that it has a facia frame surrounding the main stage and wings similar to the licks tour (IIRC), except this one wasn't designed with fan seating in the actual stage set up itself.

He said there are thousands of LED lights in the facia and stage surround and that there was a tech on site programing the lighting cues and arrays from 1 pm until 7 am for 7 days straight.

Blows my mind how much goes into a tour like this and how much gets done seemingly last minute.

No one from the core band showed up the whole week that the stage was there but security remained very tight with all techs having to check their camera phones at arrival each day."
________________________________________

TINGLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Deathgod wrote on May 19^th, 2015 at 3:29am:

Sound down under was amazing in stadiums. Lots of guitars ! I heard stage was diff for US. Lots of LEDs. Some guy was programming for a week 1pm-7 am. It will be awesome.

_______________________________________________

Awesome. Were they plenty loud enough .. with good punch ... good clarity?

I heard their 2005 show in stadiums sounded very "high tech" from a few friends. They said the sound engulfed you to the point were it sounded like it was 'playing' inside your head .. whatever exactly that means. Anyway that was ten years ago now...


How was the stage show etc.?

LadyJane wrote on May 19^th, 2015 at 7:54am:

From jazzbass on IORR - "Just got an update from my buddy at Clair Brothers in Lititz where the trucks rolled out on Saturday evening with the stage for the trip cross country to San Diego. They are definitely only using one stage for the tour with the exception of Milwaukee or any club shows. He said the stage is unique in that it has a facia frame surrounding the main stage and wings similar to the licks tour (IIRC), except this one wasn't designed with fan seating in the actual stage set up itself. He said there are thousands of LED lights in the facia and stage surround and that there was a tech on site programing the lighting cues and arrays from 1 pm until 7 am for 7 days straight. Blows my mind how much goes into a tour like this and how much gets done seemingly last minute. No one from the core band showed up the whole week that the stage was there but security remained very tight with all techs having to check their camera phones at arrival each day." ________________________________________ TINGLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lady Jane .. you are a staple here at Rocks Off!! Thank you for the inside info. Yes... security and the show itself is tighter than it has been in the tours past. From rehearsing to the stage itself .. very shut out and tight lipped with no leakage or photos. They are keeping it all very under wraps this time (wisely ... adds to their mystique at this point in their career).

Hmmm ... sounds different from the stage in Austrailia ... ? Not sure what you mean by the 'wings' .. because in Licks.. there was no fan seating incorporated into the stage. Are you sure you don't mean in the A Bigger Bang stage where fans were placed on the stage, in it's balconies?


Anything else he said? Was your inside source 'impressed'  with this paticular stage design / stage set-up above the others ? Is this what you were saying as well?


Ian

Ian Billen wrote on May 19^th, 2015 at 3:57pm:

Hmmm ... sounds different from the stage in Austrailia ... ? Ian

It's exactly the same setup they had in Europe, Adelaide, Hunter Valley and Auckland.

LadyJane wrote on May 19^th, 2015 at 7:54am:

From jazzbass on IORR - "Just got an update from my buddy at Clair Brothers in Lititz where the trucks rolled out on Saturday evening with the stage for the trip cross country to San Diego. They are definitely only using one stage for the tour with the exception of Milwaukee or any club shows. He said the stage is unique in that it has a facia frame surrounding the main stage and wings similar to the licks tour (IIRC), except this one wasn't designed with fan seating in the actual stage set up itself. He said there are thousands of LED lights in the facia and stage surround and that there was a tech on site programing the lighting cues and arrays from 1 pm until 7 am for 7 days straight. Blows my mind how much goes into a tour like this and how much gets done seemingly last minute. No one from the core band showed up the whole week that the stage was there but security remained very tight with all techs having to check their camera phones at arrival each day." ________________________________________ TINGLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By 'one stage' I presume that means 'one design' as opposed to different stages for different venue sizes.

As they're playing shows that are 3-4 days apart, that would be almost an impossible task to dismantle a stage, move it across the country and then assemble it again for a show about three days later.

More likely that they're using two stadium stages, surely which 'hop' each other, and that the exceptions would be the venues where there's a stage already in place (Milwaukee, Quebec, etc).

Is it me ...or has the American public been duped?? I have some questions here .. ......


1. Mick said the stage was getting a "face lift" .. when asked if it was different from The stage in Europe / Australia ... = It is the exact same set and design?? What face lift Mick??

2. Where is this supposed "thrust"? I see no thrust.. unless something is to occur during the show I can't ascertain by looking at it here ...but it sure doesn't look like any type of thrust installed / in this design to me??

3. Why have that idiotic grey roof over the thing? It ruins the whole set design... ??


*The same exact stage for a brand new tour eh? Oh and ticket prices three times as much as they should be to coincide with it .. ..

>> Mick .. Keith .. Ronnie... Charlie... Live Nation = = >Uh ... What the fuck  .. ??? ..


Ian

Dude one person said thrust, it wasn't official. We probably won't know the major changes until the shoe starts.

Ian Billen wrote on May 24^th, 2015 at 5:49pm:

Is it me ...or has the American public been duped?? I have some questions here .. ...... 1. Mick said the stage was getting a "face lift" .. when asked if it was different from The stage in Europe / Australia ... = It is the exact same set and design?? What face lift Mick?? 2. Where is this supposed "thrust"? I see no thrust.. unless something is to occur during the show I can't ascertain by looking at it here ...but it sure doesn't look like any type of thrust installed / in this design to me?? 3. Why have that idiotic grey roof over the thing? It ruins the whole set design... ?? Ian

1. New video content.

2. The catwalk is the "thrust".

3. Standard festival type stage design, when there is no custom-made load-carrying steel structure (like there was for the tours of the past with 100+ shows).

erikjjf wrote on May 25^th, 2015 at 12:02am:

Ian Billen wrote on May 24th, 2015 at 5:49pm: Is it me ...or has the American public been duped?? I have some questions here .. ...... 1. Mick said the stage was getting a "face lift" .. when asked if it was different from The stage in Europe / Australia ... = It is the exact same set and design?? What face lift Mick?? 2. Where is this supposed "thrust"? I see no thrust.. unless something is to occur during the show I can't ascertain by looking at it here ...but it sure doesn't look like any type of thrust installed / in this design to me?? 3. Why have that idiotic grey roof over the thing? It ruins the whole set design... ?? Ian 1. New video content. 2. The catwalk is the "thrust". 3. Standard festival type stage design, when there is no custom-made load-carrying steel structure (like there was for the tours of the past with 100+ shows).

________________________________________________


Yes... I feel ya. I understand your answers and yes I figured this out as you did already but there is one I cannot figure out... If this festival type of design is how they do it with less shows well then how did they cart a stage all around Europe that was w/o this sun roof? Anyway WHY this sun roof ...there is no F**G sun at night, right lol. What is the purpose... it cant be needed to hold it together because they didnt use it at all shows last year ... ...

So the thrust is actually a catwalk eh? This thrust as their rep called it ... isnt that a bit misleading? I know you never said this ...but whats your take? Thats a total sham Lol

They seriously need to lose the sun roof. It looks friggin stupid. At least put lights on the front of it and paint it black ... (<pun intended, I guess lol)

As well the front of the stage does not look completed??

What the F**K is all this anyway..??... We Americans got the 'can' this time around lol. Guess we were due.


Ian

In Europe, the local promotors in each city built the basic stage on which the Stones crew would install lighting, PA, video and the catwalk. Sometimes the basic stage had a "sunroof", sometimes it didn't. When they played the indoor stadium shows in Oslo, Düsseldorf and Stockholm, the heavy equipment could be hung from trusses in the ceiling. At other venues, the sunroof was more hidden by the fascia panels.
Anyway, this has become the norm for their stadium shows since Hyde Park 2013. Just get used to it.

erikjjf wrote on May 25^th, 2015 at 3:55am:

In Europe, the local promotors in each city built the basic stage on which the Stones crew would install lighting, PA, video and the catwalk. Sometimes the basic stage had a "sunroof", sometimes it didn't. When they played the indoor stadium shows in Oslo, Düsseldorf and Stockholm, the heavy equipment could be hung from trusses in the ceiling. At other venues, the sunroof was more hidden by the fascia panels. Anyway, this has become the norm for their stadium shows since Hyde Park 2013. Just get used to it.

_______________________________________________

I love your knowledge on the production aspects of all this ( .. Are you or have you been in the industry?). Thank you for the filling in.

I am not the type to whine at set-lists.. or the type to down The Stones all the time (hell Im a huge fan .. I feel if you are.. you should act like it "most" of the time, anyway). Most folks say I am the boards optomist .. however I do call The Stones when I really disagree or if something is bugging me. I have that right... Ive spent tons of money on them .. I followed them for years... at times I can disagree too.

The tickets prices are way ...way... Waaaaayyyy too high. $300-400 for general seating?? This isn't a 500 seat special club appearance. Spending 300.00 for a concert ticket that isn't pre-picked and within the first five rows is Wayyyy too rediculous IMO. Tickets could of been ...ample $60.00 seats ... plenty of 100.00 seats  ... and first 50 rows at 165.00 and sold out just fine and made enough money. Too much advertising and guarantees. Anyway that is another story.

The stage has that grey fixture (why not at least have it black .. with a few lights of it's own or something??)... and it ruins stage over all presentation. Mark Fischer is rolling over in his grave at this. Having something thats an eye sore and pretty generic right in the middle, atop of a Rolling Stones touring stage (in their second half of their career) is unacceptable in my opinion. I spose I will HAVE to get used to it :) .

Ian 

Ian Billen wrote on May 24^th, 2015 at 5:49pm:

Is it me ...or has the American public been duped?? I have some questions here .. ......

Americans have been  paying over four figures for good Stones tickets since 2012 and you reckon that that it's the design of the stage that they should be concerned about most when it comes to being possibly ripped off?

Gazza wrote on May 25^th, 2015 at 6:41pm:

Ian Billen wrote on May 24th, 2015 at 5:49pm: Is it me ...or has the American public been duped?? I have some questions here .. ...... Americans have been  paying over four figures for good Stones tickets since 2012 and you reckon that that it's the design of the stage that they should be concerned about most when it comes to being possibly ripped off?

_______________________________________________

When did I say they should be concerened 'most' about that? The very first thing I brought up when this tours tickets prices were announced was that the prices are beyond rediculous and uncalled for. I voiced my opinion on that a few times here (and other places).

You say these obseen ticket prices have been occurring on their tours <since 2012?> Well Guy .. it is only 2015 ... lol and that was only last time out for them here... yikes lol?? The reason I bring it up now is bc 2012 was a sort of special 50th Anniversary event with top notch guests at only major cities and the biggest markets and only at at arenas (which was still too high priced even at that). This tour is at stadiums. You see, The Stones and their people want the same return in the same league on this tour as if they were doing 40 or 50 or 60 stadium shows as their past stadium tours of North America is what this is all about. To achieve this ...they must charge three times as much. To me ... its not only unreasonable ....it's sort of sick to be that greed minded on their behalf if you ask me.

Why am I bringing up the stage design right now? ..>>> Well because

1. I am just seeing it right now like everyone is .. When do you want me to bring it up or talk about it.. ?

2. The stage design of what was reported by their people is not the stage design I am seeing...? We were clearly, and purposefully mislead. The stage is the same .. there was no facelift lol and the thrust is the center catwalk that was always there .. .. (we were purposefully mislead into thinking we were getting an even better set than was in Europe/Aust. ...not that we deserve one better .. but at the same time ya cant claim we are in order to push the tour and sell tickets and then NOT deliver it???... what the fuck??).

3. *Most importantly, In my opinion ... if you have the nerve and audacidy to charge by far the most outrageous ticket prices for a stadium tour ever dreamed up you could at friggin least, have everything the most top notch, without cutting any corners, and sparing absolutely no expense considering each ticket to get in to be in the hundreds of dollars. Call me crazy but that is a double slap in the face in conjunction with the most extreme ticket prices this time out.   

The only thing I could compare it to is paying $10,000 a plate for the best dinner cooked by some of the best chefs in the world ... Id say $10,000 a plate is way way over-priced for any meal .... though the food would surely be fantastic ... however, they promoted the dinner in saying your dining experience would be special and changed compared to the meals of the past .... So they pulled the silver and served your meal with plastic silverware instead ... (it is basically the same concept).

I think I have a pretty legitamate gripe or two here. See my points?


Ian

It is the general concept of supply and demand...

They create the demand with press, reissues, and hype.
On the tail of a 50 year anniversary doesn't hurt either( as in this may be the last time, how much longer can they do it...no other has done 50 years-though not true...See WhoTurns50, Beach Boys @ 50, etc)

Demand is created...prices are set to exploit that demand/hype...sit and wait.
Adjust as needed to sell out and create even more hype as the tour goes on.

AS American as Apple Pie...God Bless Capitalism and all that must come with it.

One field ticket is the price I pay for a 3 credit class for one semester.
A gold or platinum, or whatever they call it, pays for a full year at 15x2 credits at community college for most folks.

So...OBSCENE? Yes...those prices are upsetting...but the market is there, apparently.