Just what sort of demand do you think the next Rolling Stone tour will have? It seemed to peak with Steel Wheels. The Voodoo Lounge tour sold more tickets, but they played more dates. Some dates on the Lounge tour (Indy) were half full. Birmingham and New Orleans were sell outs on the Steel Wheels tour but 3/4 capacity on Voodoo Lounge. Orlando was the same on the BB tour. Have they peaked? Will a great new album help. What do you think?

I'll demand some....

T&A....that's probably the best answer...me too!

I demand the tickets now!

They were one of the big ticket sellers
throughout the nineties. Possibly they've
reached a saturation point or maybe not-
we'll see!

The demand for tickets will depend on what venues they choose to play. It also depends on the prices they will set.

I don't forsee many people willing to shell out $200, $300 or $375 for a band that plays the same old songs every 3 years. The other issue to consider is how far will you travel to see them (that's an added expense, hotel, food, airfare, fuel).

I for one refuse to ever see them in a stadium show again. For the most part stadium seats are too far away even with the huge video screens.

A kick ass CD isn't going to draw the crowds either. Hell, they only play 2 or 3 songs from a new release anyway.

Maybe it will be small enough they will have to go back to the small arenas. Remeber? You could actually see them WITHOUT a big screen.

as much as i love the stones its all about pricing.play less shows.(not alot less)charge 25-30,percent less,and most shows would sell at,also stick with mostly arenas

john scialfa

Build a simple stage similar to the No Security arena shows. Drop the B stage, it's getting tiresome.

Keep Chuck,Bobby,Lisa and Bernard, tell the others they have been downsized in order to cut costs yet still have enough profit to line your own pockets.

If you must charge $200, $300 or $375, then play for 3 hours, you owe it to the paying customer.

No opening act, you did it in '75!

No guest appearances by Clapton, Axl, Cheryl, Dave et el, we are there to see The Rolling Stones.

Play arena and club shows only, those venues are cheaper to rent than a stadium.


Mick knows this, he's been involved on the business end of tour logistics since the mid 70's.

Sam Spade Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No opening act, you did it in '75!


Which shows in 1975 did not have an opening act?

The NY Shows at MSG. The Stones were THE only act. I was at the June 25, 1975 show.

In'75 they had the Lotus Stage, it was setup fully closed, with a cover on it. Hence, only the Stones used it. No second stage, no opening act.

Here ya go....4th pic down

[www.silvertrain.com]

" In'75 they had the Lotus Stage, it was setup fully closed, with a cover on it. Hence, only the Stones used it. No second stage, no opening act."

I saw them in stadium in 1975. No lotus stage. Four opening acts and fireworks at the end. That was a new one on me.

Good topic. In 89 it had been 8 years with rumours of a permanent split so of course demand was high. And there were people like myself who had never seen them so of course the demand was huge. With subsequent tours the demand has stayed high but without a huge break in between I think it's only natural to come down. I disagree with the point that an album doesn't matter. When Dylan came out with his great album in 97 and another in 01 it created a buzz and suddenly he was playing arenas and amphetheatres. (the show in I believe 02 at the ACC in Toronto is one I'll never forget) Now he's back to pleasing his fans with mostly club shows on his neverending tour. I know with the Stones it always comes down to money but don't they have enough? Make a few less million and please the ones that have helped line your pockets all these years. I don't think I'll attend any stadium shows either.

All they need is one tour where they price themselves out of the market and play to half packed houses or have to cancel shows due to poor ticket sales.

Then they will be reduced to playing venues like House of Blues, Westbury Music Fair [www.musicfair.com], small ampitheaters(like Dave Mathews plays) [www.alltelpavilion.com] [www.verizonwirelessamphitheater.com]

Wait a minute, that's not so bad, I'd pay to see them in cozy places like that.

Sam,
Do you think the stones could really price themselves out of the market, maybe i am jaded cause i live in NYC with a dense population of people, but everytime they come around it is a huge promotional blitz and thats all you hear on the radio, television and any other type of media. The same goes for other big bands like the who, springsteen and U2. However the who and U2 only made one New York apearence on the last tour wheras the stones were here 4 or 5 times, and the boss played about 13 shows, which i understand is because of where he is from and all, Jersey. As for guys like bob dylan his shows arent the spectacles that the stones shows are which is why there is not as high a demand for him. Sure its different in other places, but a fake guns and roses band sold out the garden, and the formerly great, but now a bunch of jokes group of motley crue sold out as well. People love nostalgia... if you were great once, your great forever... as the boys still are of course.
ps thanx for the lotus flower stage pics.
pps madonna sells out everywhere as well, she hasnt put any relevant music out since the eightys, if you call that relavant, and she talks with a british accent. that would be like keith developing an aristocratic arrogant american accent. shes from the friggin bronx.

Then I said Hi, like a spider to a fly...

I am with you guys on NEVER going to see them play at a stadium again. Last tour I went to see them at Giants stadium and it was horrible. I had some friends come with me who weren't big Stones fan and they had trouble making out the songs till Mick sang because the sound and echo was so bad.

Guess you had crappy seats.

Mickjagg65

Glad you got to see the Lotus Stage pic

As for the reality of pricing themselves out of the market, I think it's a possibility. I used to live in Brooklyn, and yeah when The Stones come to The Big Apple the hype is there, always has been since the early '60's.

New York, LA, Chicago, Phoenix, Boston, Philly are all MAJOR markets. If they played ONLY those cities maybe 2 shows in each city AND toured with their massive stage (stadiums) based on the economics I'd venture to say tickets would be priced at $150 and up.

I agree, people love nostalgia but at what price? Before Dennis and Carl Wilson passed on, the Beach Boys ( a true nostolgic act) were playing Westbury, and other small venues. No, they didn't price themselves out of the market, they just drew smaller crowds.

As for the likes of Motley Crue, Cream, The Eagles The Who, and some others, those bands don't tour every 3 years like the Stones do. In fact, the Stones 3 year touring cycle had been going on since '66. Then after '81 Mick and Keith were having their squabbles, Charlie had his "dependency" problems but they buried the proverbial hatchet and got back to business, Stones Business. Those afoementioned bands are out to nake a quick buck because they see Mick and the boys can still pack 'em in.

I've seen them many times, took my wife to see them at the Garden on the Licks Tour. Even though I believe they are the best road band on the planet, I do get tired of hearing Brown Sugar, HTW, Tumblin Dice, Satisfaction and a few others played at different tempos over the years.

Unlike some of these "so called" singers today, Mick NEVER "lip syncs" no matter how bad his vocal chords are on any given evening. Madonna, Ashley Simpson, Jessica Simpson, Cher you can keep them. The only female singer I truly respect is Tina Turner. I saw her final tour and at 60 that woman rocked the house.

Who knows? From what I've seen they are growing in certain areas and in others not. I think the Netherlands seem to grow and grow as far as crowds are concerned. It will all go be down to how they handle the sales. Price is a big factor when you deal with the masses. Houston 1989(49,000), 1994 (40,000), 1998 (24,000... and unlike this site says they were not sold out shows. I had seats behind the stage and was moved to the front to fill in empty seats) but then in 2003 ... Houston (55,000) ??? I know it is not the same as in 1981 when there was over 60,000 each for 2 shows and SRO but it is better than nothing.