Springsteen announces first ever shows in South Africa.

1/28 Capetown, South Africa- Bellville Vellodrome

1/29 Capetown, South Africa- Bellville Vellodrome

2/1 Johannesburg, South Africa- FNB Stadium



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-02-16 14:46 by bv.

Wonder if he sings Sugar Man as a request...

...he should get Keith ta take him out on safari ......



ROCKMAN

What is the approximate capacity for these venues for concerts? I"m assuming they're soccer stadiums?

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DGA35
What is the approximate capacity for these venues for concerts? I"m assuming they're soccer stadiums?

Bellville Velodrome is 10,200 capacity indoor sporting arena.

FNB Stadium is the main soccer stadium in South Africa and has a capacity of 94,736.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-10-28 23:39 by Big Al.

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DGA35
What is the approximate capacity for these venues for concerts? I"m assuming they're soccer stadiums?

The Vellodrome is approx. 10,000 and FNB stadium is 90,000 + (surprised the would book such a large venue)!

I think he will sell it out.
I am so glad for south african fans, it will be great

and I have no doubt he will donate all the proceeds from the FNB show to a
local charity.

The two Capetown shows sold out in 30 min. Maybe a third will be added?

Wasn't it Gram Parsons who refused to play S.Africa way back in 1972, and decided to become more famous by hanging around Nelcote instead?

No, it was Keith who explained to Gram that bands didn't play South Africa because of the boycott, so Gram quit the Byrds and didn't go.

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Aquamarine
No, it was Keith who explained to Gram that bands didn't play South Africa because of the boycott, so Gram quit the Byrds and didn't go.

That's not exactly true. McGuinn and Hillman have often repeated that Parsons quit not because of South Africa but that he wanted to hang with the Stones. It's been disussed many times here. But please, Parsons is no saint on this topic.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-11-04 03:59 by tomk.

I wasn't claiming he was a saint. But I felt strongly at the time about the whole issue of the Byrds playing S.A., and I can see why McGuinn and Hillman would now want to cast it in a different light. I'm sure Parsons did want to hang with the Stones. It's Keith I'm attributing the moral sense to, not Gram.

Point being that he quit because Keith encouraged him not to go, so what I said is literally true, though we may disagree on motivations/interpretations.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-11-04 04:21 by Aquamarine.

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Aquamarine
I wasn't claiming he was a saint. But I felt strongly at the time about the whole issue of the Byrds playing S.A., and I can see why McGuinn and Hillman would now want to cast it in a different light. I'm sure Parsons did want to hang with the Stones. It's Keith I'm attributing the moral sense to, not Gram.

No, I wasn't hinting at that, but you'd be surprised at how many Gram fans paint him as some sort of aint-Apartheid champion because of this. I know. I'm a Parsons fan and have played many of these Gram-fests here in California and have heard this nonsense. Hillman has said many times, with a chuckle, that here's Parsons who had black servants and maids growing up in the South, and suddenly in the middle of London after hanging out with Mick and Keith says, "hey, I'm not going." I believe Parsons even signed the contract to go.

I edited just as you posted. I don't disagree with you, though the Gram-as-southerner thing is a whole different issue in this context. But anyway, I was just describing the sequence of events. Keith says don't go, Gram doesn't go, probably because hey, it's Keith Richards!, rather than because of principle.

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Aquamarine
I edited just as you posted. I don't disagree with you, though the Gram-as-southerner thing is a whole different issue in this context. But anyway, I was just describing the sequence of events. Keith says don't go, Gram doesn't go, probably because hey, it's Keith Richards!, rather than because of principle.

True. And Parsons had the money to do so. The whole Sweetheart record and saga is rather odd. I've often wondered why McGuinn went along with it, as he's no champion of country music. Maybe he was just tired at the time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-11-04 06:57 by tomk.

Good to she'll be back in action in 2014. Holding my breath waiting for US dates.

"It's just some friends of mine and they're busting down the door"

A third Capetown show has been added for 1/26.

Maybe he should add shows in Pretoria and Durban, too.

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tomk

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Aquamarine
I wasn't claiming he was a saint. But I felt strongly at the time about the whole issue of the Byrds playing S.A., and I can see why McGuinn and Hillman would now want to cast it in a different light. I'm sure Parsons did want to hang with the Stones. It's Keith I'm attributing the moral sense to, not Gram.

No, I wasn't hinting at that, but you'd be surprised at how many Gram fans paint him as some sort of aint-Apartheid champion because of this. I know. I'm a Parsons fan and have played many of these Gram-fests here in California and have heard this nonsense. Hillman has said many times, with a chuckle, that here's Parsons who had black servants and maids growing up in the South, and suddenly in the middle of London after hanging out with Mick and Keith says, "hey, I'm not going." I believe Parsons even signed the contract to go.

Gram wanted to hang with Keith-Stones at Nelcote and before Nelcote. Apartheid was a convenient excuse to fly the coop. McGuinn's comments are _ "we were professionals so we continued on without him"

Chris Hillman has the best take on Gram Parsons. A de-romanticized one. That Gram had great potential but drug taking and lack of work ethic terminated his genius. Some of my favorite Byrds and Stones are with Gram

Weeeeeellll . . . like I said, I'm not denying Gram's motivation here. BUT let's not romanticize McGuinn and Hillman, either. "We were professionals so we continued on without him"--professionals as in paid performers who played South Africa for the money at a time when NOBODY did. (Nobody worthy of respect, that is. This was the sixties, era of protest.) I can still remember being shocked that the Byrds, of all bands, were playing there despite the sanctions. I'm sure they now have a convincing excuse, but the bottom line is there WAS no excuse at the time for playing there.

South Africa is a painful nation these days. The Byrds playing there or not has no bearing on how it has evolved.

Well, no, I don't think anyone would claim their visit affected the outcome of the nation--which is in a helluva better shape now than it was back then, whatever its current lingering woes.

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Aquamarine
Well, no, I don't think anyone would claim their visit affected the outcome of the nation--which is in a helluva better shape now than it was back then, whatever its current lingering woes.

I do recall an interview with McGuinn where he says one of the main reasons for going was to try and help turn things around, try and affect some change. Now that's '60s naivete. Then Paul Simon goes there and is accused of trying to steal music and rhythms. Anyway, we're talking events from 40-plus years ago. That being said, Gilded Palace of Sin is a great record.

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tomk


I do recall an interview with McGuinn where he says one of the main reasons for going was to try and help turn things around, try and affect some change. Now that's '60s naivete.

Yes, the people who played there all tried that excuse! I don't think even they believed it at the time.

Looks like four great nights in South Africa with over 60 different songs being played over the four nights!

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birdie
Looks like four great nights in South Africa with over 60 different songs being played over the four nights!

Wow..now thats what I call an old rocker playing for the fans!

I know it's not a new idea, but wouldn't it be good for the newer shows?
It would mean I don't have to tape in Auckland ......

It would be cool.

Would only make sense if setlists were significantly different from show to show...IMO.


IORR............but I like it!