Sitting in the Air Canada Centre last night I noticed something about "average fans", or at least that's what Mick calls them. We know that they don't want obscure numbers and like to hear the hits. No doubt I found myself sitting amongst these people last night.

During the hits that they all came to hear -- they talked. They talked non-stop. Why? -- I wondered. They always talk over them. Whether they hear them at a bar or at party. That's what they do during the hits because they know them too well. During Emotional Rescue, a song that they may or may not know, depending upon their level of "average", they listened. Maybe I'll never know if it was because they were hearing something different, or perhaps they had run out of things to say.

My point is this -- I don't believe Mick knows his fan base whatsoever. The diehards don't expect a full set of obscure stuff. They expect a few treats. Mick doesn't give the "average fan" enough credit. While he was working his ass off playing the hits he knows they want to hear, they were talking over him and, at points, flat out ignoring him.

I've been to a few gigs recently where people talked during it.

Tosseurs.

Mick wouldn't still be performing if he didn't comprehend the various facets of the concert (as opposed to video) audience...although it would take a psychiatrist to explain the "audience" as personifed by the wide variety of "fans" posting here.

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stonesrule
Mick wouldn't still be performing if he didn't comprehend the various facets of the concert (as opposed to video) audience...although it would take a psychiatrist to explain the "audience" as personifed by the wide variety of "fans" posting here.

i dabble in psychiatry every other weekend if that helps...

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fahthree
Sitting in the Air Canada Centre last night I noticed something about "average fans", or at least that's what Mick calls them. We know that they don't want obscure numbers and like to hear the hits. No doubt I found myself sitting amongst these people last night.

During the hits that they all came to hear -- they talked. They talked non-stop. Why? -- I wondered. They always talk over them. Whether they hear them at a bar or at party. That's what they do during the hits because they know them too well. During Emotional Rescue, a song that they may or may not know, depending upon their level of "average", they listened. Maybe I'll never know if it was because they were hearing something different, or perhaps they had run out of things to say.

My point is this -- I don't believe Mick knows his fan base whatsoever. The diehards don't expect a full set of obscure stuff. They expect a few treats. Mick doesn't give the "average fan" enough credit. While he was working his ass off playing the hits he knows they want to hear, they were talking over him and, at points, flat out ignoring him.

Interesting post, mainly I found your middle paragraph observations interesting. I have not heard many compiants about talkers here, on other music websites I hear about it all the time, and usually it is for mellow, quiet shows, but not much complaints here about talkers. I thought maybe it is the upside to cranking up the sound to the point of ear damage, but if shuts up the talkers, than ok.....

anyway... thanks for the at concert observation and how the talker stopped talking for ER, maybe it is the shock of the high pitched singing, or maybe it is... I dont know... but it is interesting. Thanks fahthree



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-05-27 00:44 by Max'sKansasCity.

Diarrhea of the mouth...Its unacceptable at a show...

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fahthree
Sitting in the Air Canada Centre last night I noticed something about "average fans", or at least that's what Mick calls them. We know that they don't want obscure numbers and like to hear the hits. No doubt I found myself sitting amongst these people last night.

During the hits that they all came to hear -- they talked. They talked non-stop. Why? -- I wondered. They always talk over them. Whether they hear them at a bar or at party. That's what they do during the hits because they know them too well. During Emotional Rescue, a song that they may or may not know, depending upon their level of "average", they listened. Maybe I'll never know if it was because they were hearing something different, or perhaps they had run out of things to say.

My point is this -- I don't believe Mick knows his fan base whatsoever. The diehards don't expect a full set of obscure stuff. They expect a few treats. Mick doesn't give the "average fan" enough credit. While he was working his ass off playing the hits he knows they want to hear, they were talking over him and, at points, flat out ignoring him.

Don't be fooled, these are actually Beatles fans that have been planted in the audience to give the impression that the Stones have become boring.

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JumpinJackOLantern

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fahthree
Sitting in the Air Canada Centre last night I noticed something about "average fans", or at least that's what Mick calls them. We know that they don't want obscure numbers and like to hear the hits. No doubt I found myself sitting amongst these people last night.

During the hits that they all came to hear -- they talked. They talked non-stop. Why? -- I wondered. They always talk over them. Whether they hear them at a bar or at party. That's what they do during the hits because they know them too well. During Emotional Rescue, a song that they may or may not know, depending upon their level of "average", they listened. Maybe I'll never know if it was because they were hearing something different, or perhaps they had run out of things to say.

My point is this -- I don't believe Mick knows his fan base whatsoever. The diehards don't expect a full set of obscure stuff. They expect a few treats. Mick doesn't give the "average fan" enough credit. While he was working his ass off playing the hits he knows they want to hear, they were talking over him and, at points, flat out ignoring him.

Don't be fooled, these are actually Beatles fans that have been planted in the audience to give the impression that the Stones have become boring.

There's still Beatles fans? I thought we we're losing them like WWII vets?

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stonesrule
Mick wouldn't still be performing if he didn't comprehend the various facets of the concert (as opposed to video) audience...although it would take a psychiatrist to explain the "audience" as personifed by the wide variety of "fans" posting here.

I'm not sure the Stones have any concept what "their audience" consists of these days. They still live in a world dominated by record labels, promoters, agents; their insulation seems bullet-proof.

Their online/soc media efforts seem pro-forma to me. The world now allows for complete disintermediation: an artist can get right up next to his/her readers/viewers/listeners, without all the organizational & bureaucratic bullshit of the past.

But its hard to imagine the Stones at this stage of their lives and career becoming that kind of band; why would they bother when they can just roll out every few years and barnstorm with warhorses?

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Munichhilton

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JumpinJackOLantern

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fahthree
Sitting in the Air Canada Centre last night I noticed something about "average fans", or at least that's what Mick calls them. We know that they don't want obscure numbers and like to hear the hits. No doubt I found myself sitting amongst these people last night.

During the hits that they all came to hear -- they talked. They talked non-stop. Why? -- I wondered. They always talk over them. Whether they hear them at a bar or at party. That's what they do during the hits because they know them too well. During Emotional Rescue, a song that they may or may not know, depending upon their level of "average", they listened. Maybe I'll never know if it was because they were hearing something different, or perhaps they had run out of things to say.

My point is this -- I don't believe Mick knows his fan base whatsoever. The diehards don't expect a full set of obscure stuff. They expect a few treats. Mick doesn't give the "average fan" enough credit. While he was working his ass off playing the hits he knows they want to hear, they were talking over him and, at points, flat out ignoring him.

Don't be fooled, these are actually Beatles fans that have been planted in the audience to give the impression that the Stones have become boring.

There's still Beatles fans? I thought we we're losing them like WWII vets?

Don't kid yourself. They have infiltrated IORR. Don't get me wrong, I am also a fan of the Beatles, but the difference is I love the Stones even more. The ones I speak of have no love for the Stones.

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LongBeachArena72

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stonesrule
Mick wouldn't still be performing if he didn't comprehend the various facets of the concert (as opposed to video) audience...although it would take a psychiatrist to explain the "audience" as personifed by the wide variety of "fans" posting here.

I'm not sure the Stones have any concept what "their audience" consists of these days. They still live in a world dominated by record labels, promoters, agents; their insulation seems bullet-proof.

Their online/soc media efforts seem pro-forma to me. The world now allows for complete disintermediation: an artist can get right up next to his/her readers/viewers/listeners, without all the organizational & bureaucratic bullshit of the past.

But its hard to imagine the Stones at this stage of their lives and career becoming that kind of band; why would they bother when they can just roll out every few years and barnstorm with warhorses?

The fact of the matter is the Stones do know their audience better than anyone. That's why we get what we get. The hardcore's problem is that we are just a small minority of the fan base. That doesn't mean Mick doesn't consider us, he most certainly does. It was us that showed the most enthusiasm for them continuing, and now that they have we can't find enough to whine and bitch about. We can only hope for a future club tour. Otherwise, it's going to be more of the same.

Jagger understands his hardcore fans---Grant, Jefferson, Lincoln and Washington!
Haha...

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JumpinJackOLantern

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LongBeachArena72

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stonesrule
Mick wouldn't still be performing if he didn't comprehend the various facets of the concert (as opposed to video) audience...although it would take a psychiatrist to explain the "audience" as personifed by the wide variety of "fans" posting here.

I'm not sure the Stones have any concept what "their audience" consists of these days. They still live in a world dominated by record labels, promoters, agents; their insulation seems bullet-proof.

Their online/soc media efforts seem pro-forma to me. The world now allows for complete disintermediation: an artist can get right up next to his/her readers/viewers/listeners, without all the organizational & bureaucratic bullshit of the past.

But its hard to imagine the Stones at this stage of their lives and career becoming that kind of band; why would they bother when they can just roll out every few years and barnstorm with warhorses?

The fact of the matter is the Stones do know their audience better than anyone. That's why we get what we get. The hardcore's problem is that we are just a small minority of the fan base. That doesn't mean Mick doesn't consider us, he most certainly does. It was us that showed the most enthusiasm for them continuing, and now that they have we can't find enough to whine and bitch about. We can only hope for a future club tour. Otherwise, it's going to be more of the same.

Not sure I agree, but I see your point. It's a tough one. I see so many artists in the Kickstarter age who could not exist w/o their direct relationship with their fans. That's the way of the future. The Stones, obviously, will never be like that, do not NEED to be like that, at least in part because it's HARD WORK and they are more often than not in semi-retirement.

But they are leaving a lot of interesting experiments and cool projects on the table by not continuing to push the envelope as they once did.

Most people do not follow a tour city to city. Most want to hear the hits.

I saw ZZ Top 2 weeks ago and a major set list overhaul and you know what, they lost the audience 30 seconds into the first song. 90% had no idea what the first song was (Precious and Grace) and the second song was off the new CD that nobody bought.

2 of their biggest songs (Cheap Sunglasses and I'm Bad I'm Nationwide) were scrapped.

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LongBeachArena72

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JumpinJackOLantern

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LongBeachArena72

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stonesrule
Mick wouldn't still be performing if he didn't comprehend the various facets of the concert (as opposed to video) audience...although it would take a psychiatrist to explain the "audience" as personifed by the wide variety of "fans" posting here.

I'm not sure the Stones have any concept what "their audience" consists of these days. They still live in a world dominated by record labels, promoters, agents; their insulation seems bullet-proof.

Their online/soc media efforts seem pro-forma to me. The world now allows for complete disintermediation: an artist can get right up next to his/her readers/viewers/listeners, without all the organizational & bureaucratic bullshit of the past.

But its hard to imagine the Stones at this stage of their lives and career becoming that kind of band; why would they bother when they can just roll out every few years and barnstorm with warhorses?

The fact of the matter is the Stones do know their audience better than anyone. That's why we get what we get. The hardcore's problem is that we are just a small minority of the fan base. That doesn't mean Mick doesn't consider us, he most certainly does. It was us that showed the most enthusiasm for them continuing, and now that they have we can't find enough to whine and bitch about. We can only hope for a future club tour. Otherwise, it's going to be more of the same.

Not sure I agree, but I see your point. It's a tough one. I see so many artists in the Kickstarter age who could not exist w/o their direct relationship with their fans. That's the way of the future. The Stones, obviously, will never be like that, do not NEED to be like that, at least in part because it's HARD WORK and they are more often than not in semi-retirement.

But they are leaving a lot of interesting experiments and cool projects on the table by not continuing to push the envelope as they once did.

It's going to be very interesting to see what happens after this tour is over. Will they have the energy (and the desire) to do more? And if so, just exactly what will they do? A new album? Club and theater tours? Or do they continue with the same model until the wheels come off? It's hard for me to imagine them doing what they are doing now five years from now.

Thats why the Licks tour was so great! They should try a concept like that again. Maybe have an album night at some shows,an obscure tunes night, a MICK TAYLOR night like Staples 2, a blues night etc. It just takes a little imagination thats all!

I think they will regret it someday if they make no final attempt to record a new album. Just think how wonderful it would be if they could produce one last classic Stones album before calling it quits. What they are doing now is remarkable but to produce one last great album would even be more remarkable. It would be considered as miraculous as Ali defeating Foreman in Zaire.