If you don't belong to the 20% of the audience which is close to the band, like a first circle, our eyes tend to to go to the screen...

In La Plata and Montevideo, I was seated a bit far, kind of ticket lottery, and I had to force myself to escape the attraction of the screen...

I would see a giant grinning Keith on the screen, and had to look on the stage a bit far, and LOOK FOR HIM - where the hell is he? On the left or on the right? Aah, he is coming, I spot him... Like a needle in haystack.. A bit frustrating.. So I go back to the huge TV screens -

But we ain'tcouch potatoes in a Stones show, are we?

me back .....



ROCKMAN

Yeah, Me Back....

2 1 2 0

Always the band! I would not bother going to any gig unless I am at the front, or close to it!

Depends where I standing.

i am always near the stage with the Stones.
jeroen

In a stadium show, I take it all in. What's in front of me, behind me, the stage, the screen...the sights and the sounds.

LoFL I can think of seven different snobby-connoisseur-type replies but the truth is:
They put the screens up there for a reason, and they put the real band up there for a reason too, so I watch both :E

My eyes want to be on Keith the whole time, and if he's out of their reach where I'm standing I check the screens;
and I try to be courteous about looking at the screens when the Rolling Stones plainly want me to;
but when there are real live Rolling Stones up there to look at ... how can I stop?

If you're watching the screen you should stay at home and watch a DVD.

Good topic...when I saw the Licks Tour in 2002, I was at the far end of Giants Stadium and the screens were very seductive. However, I found myself getting a better - and more enjoyable - sense of the epic scope of the event when I forced myself to watch the tiny real band on the stage and just refer to the screens occasionally. Easier said than done!

Yep, that's an interesting topic. Somehow it feels like a paradox to watch the screens when you know that the real Rolling Stones are right there up on stage. But what's the point of trying to watch them in real if you are so far away that you can't even tell if it's Keith or Ronnie? You can't see all those beautiful gestures and facial expressions. You can't see their emotions, enjoying playing their music. So don't blame yourself if you find yourself rather watching the screens. Just enjoy your stay and the beautiful music they play.

Both....

Screens probably 90% of the time.

I always try to get as close as possible so I don't need to look at the screen. But I will look at it from time to time but my main focus is on the band playing

i watch sasha
jeroen

Very good question. It's tough for me as I want to watch the people on stage some times I find myself looking at the screen because there's close ups and video montage or graphics sometimes. But if I'm all the way up front I normally would watch the stage.

When I was at the gig in Zurich in 2014, I was still pretty small and we didn't have good seats, because it was a rather spontanious decision to go to the concert and there were only GA tickets left. During the whole concert, I couldn't catch a glimpse of one of the real Stones, I saw just the screens. When I jumped, I could hardly see the camera crane. It was really depressing and after the concert I had the feeling I've watched a movie and the Stones weren't even there.

So I'll give everything to be in the front row and don't have to use the screens for one second, if I get the opportunity to see them again here in Europe.

It varies. I got right up front on the Voodoo Lounge tour, when it hit Wembley Stadium, and loved it. My hearing hasn't been the same since, but I'll never forget that opening Not Fade Away.

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tomcasagranda
It varies. I got right up front on the Voodoo Lounge tour, when it hit Wembley Stadium, and loved it. My hearing hasn't been the same since, but I'll never forget that opening Not Fade Away.

Agreed, my favourite all-time opening song. Just brilliant with the hypnotic drums and then Mick on a stage lift appearing right in the middle of the stage.
If you're at the back in a stadium watch the screen otherwise if you're up close I watch them, occasionally looking at the screens.

Chriseganstar

Satisfied since 1976

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with sssoul
LoFL I can think of seven different snobby-connoisseur-type replies but the truth is:
They put the screens up there for a reason, and they put the real band up there for a reason too, so I watch both :E

My eyes want to be on Keith the whole time, and if he's out of their reach where I'm standing I check the screens;
and I try to be courteous about looking at the screens when the Rolling Stones plainly want me to;
but when there are real live Rolling Stones up there to look at ... how can I stop?

You are a very wise woman, keeping it real, I like that a lot. Have a drink on me


But enough of reality!!!
And now another snobby-connoisseur-type reply...
but first allow me to get my pencil, grasp it firmly in my teeth, whilst
thrusting my nose to the sky and speaking in my best(worst) snobbysnotty clinched pencil in teeth voice...


"Of course only on the band, no REAL FAN would caught dead more than 10 feet from the stage and for anyone to even consider anything else is well below the dignity of ANY TRUE FAN and utter balderdash, harrumph!!"

Oops I meant to say....

SCREENS? WHAT SCREENS?!!