We got a gorilla.

LadyJane wrote on May 2^nd, 2013 at 8:09pm:


I keep reading that. Its easy to forget that there were some desperate tarping and firesales on the late 2006 US leg and on the Euro tour that followed it. Cohl had outlived his usefulness as a Stones' promoter, it seems.

I also keep reading that AEG have fucked up and are to blame for this. The buck really stops with the band, unfortunately. If an artist is demanding something like $4.5 million or more per concert, then that basically means that the average ticket price in an arena of 15,000 seats has to be $300 just to ensure they get their guarantee. Thats before the promoter hires any staff and makes a cent, let alone pays any tax on what earnings they do make.

If AEG are going to stump up $80 million to make sure the Stones can be persuaded to work for 18 nights, then they're going to have to try and make a profit as well. The artist cant expect a promoter to bankroll their tour and then take up some sort of vow of poverty for the privilege of doing so. That $80 million is one hell of a risk to take (especially in the current economic climate), and when you couple this fiasco with their ongoing lawsuit from Michael Jackson's family, it has the potential to do them irrepairable damage.

Dainty & Branson must be mightily relieved that they had the foresight to see that the amount of money the Stones demanded for their five shows last year wouldnt translate over the length of a proper tour. Its hard to see after this how any company will even consider bankrolling a future Stones tour or even a future Stones tour leg unless the band really do show a bit of humility for once and accept that they cant get away with these kind of demands.  They seem to want to leave behind a legacy which appears to be some kind of scorched earth policy as far as the entertainment industry goes, by expecting promoters and fans alike to throw their entire concert budgets in their direction - leaving nothing but crumbs for everyone else. It might be great for their bank balances, but its sucking a great deal of energy from the music industry, unfortunately.

PERKS JUST GOT 2 $85 FOR 6/18....
JOEY, I WILL BRING YOU IF YOU CAN GET YOUR ASS TO PHILLY!

NOBODY TO WATCH THE MANURE PIT,JOEY?
SOME GUY GET YOUR ASS TO PHILLY ..I GOT YOU A TICKET!

Having seen The Police for $22.50 and Aerosmith for $22 from Sec 207, I can assure you those tickets are not worth $485 for the Stones. Probably not even worth $85 now that I think about it.

SupaRevy wrote on May 2^nd, 2013 at 6:35am:


Gazza: Makes no sense. When Stones' greed is always debated, Jagger bears the brunt of the flak (or gets the lions share of the plaudits for those idiots who think high tour grosses are some kind of badge of honour) every time by being stereotyped as the cold-hearted, money-obsessed businessman. Wanting to see an end to the performing life cycle of the band? That bit is believable. Ending it in embarrassing fashion? Not when you possess one of the biggest egoes in showbusiness, it isn't.

The point is that Jagger knows there is simply no way to kill off this band without crashing it in "embarrassing fashion". Keith simply would not
EVER accept that the Stones were done and dusted until they were a commercial embarrassment. And because Keith would never accept it,
the great majority of hardcore Stones fans would never accept it. As long as there is any kind of possible commercial success and neither
he nor Keith had died, neither the fan base nor the world at large would ever accept Mick in any significant role other than fronting the Stones.

G, you are right that Jagger has been the shrewdest of businessman over the last 30 years in both successfully marketing whatever their current
project was and simultaneously setting the stage for their next triumph.

And that is exactly why the fiftieth anniversary stands in such stark contrast to the rest of the "Vegas era". Every single move Mick has made since
2009 has eroded both the fanbase and the legend of the Stones. It was such a no-brainer to play the 50th Legends card to the hilt and gross around
a billion for the effort. Instead Mick has minimized and trivialized the Stones and alienated their fans at every opportunity.

Frankly I don't know how anybody can look at the last 4 years and not see clear evidence of Mick destroying the Stones, no matter what he says when
the cameras are on and he flashes that California smile.

I mean, just look at this just-released official video, and the comments underneath it, and then tell me its not a deliberate part of the campaign to
wreck the Stones as a commercial entity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLRD1R8GNgY

AEG, not Mick, is going to take a huge acid bath because of this tour, and because of that no promoter will ever again put up the big bucks to secure
the services of the Stones. So even if their retirement is not announced, it will be their de facto end as a commercially significant entity. Which, as
I said earlier, is Mick's only available path to artistic freedom. He's thrown away millions upon millions of anniversary booty in order to at least have
a shot at doing something artistically interesting to him with what remains of his life. God bless him.

Anyone see this promo video?  Surprisingly, it's been up for a month yet I haven't seen it.  It's pretty hilarious:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=WTk9SWE_Ayc&feature=endscreen

Seriously, if I'm going west it will be for Omaha 6.


Funny, Keith says the Stones are a "guitar" band.  Well, in the 11 minutes w/MT that is a fact.

A dim glimpse into the long ago days of '73.

Good piece, thanks for posting.

ijwthstd wrote on May 7^th, 2013 at 10:48am:


Post of the day!

It seems they've brought back the request a song segment for this tour. Using the Stones IPhone APP. Their are 5 choices for San Jose:
No Expectations
Fool to Cry
When the Whip Comes Down
Shattered
If You Can't Rock Me
I'd really love to hear No Expectations,but I'm afraid those damn Shidoobees are going to stuff the ballot box for Shattered. Not that it matters. Mick will still play whatever he wants.

When will they let us vote on a song that we don't want them to play?

My votes:

Honky Tonk Woman
Angie
Wild Horses
It's Only Rock and Roll

Yeah I'll throw in "Miss You."  I actually love the tune but not the way they've played it for the last 20 years.  Tired.