Is this a real picture?



Was the stadium really only half-full?

Mathijs

They rope off the infield for concerts at baseball parks.
Not unique for this show.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2005-08-22 21:26 by erikjjf.

whoah....looks like maybe the Bosox didn't allow seats to be sold on the infield? That's what I'm making of it.

The stadium area looks full to me. If you're referring to the field, bear in mind that baseball season is in full swing (pardon the pun) and the Red Sox are playing on the road. I'm sure it was intentional that no seats were set up in the infield area.

that would explain why the b-stage didn't move further. It's clear that in other venues (SBC for instance) - the b-stage will push much further back toward the infield (as it was last tour).

Baseball stadiums suck as concert venues and that picture says it all.
Major League Baseball does not allow anyone on the infield in their ballparks and as a result, a HUGE disconnect occurs between the stage and the seats.
Oh well.

Seriously?!? I didn't see a picture like this untill now. It's looks ridiculous.

You're right. What a HUGE waste of space! It looks like there were some people about a half mile from the stage!?! What suckers.

But then, if this is normal, WHY THE @#$%& DID THEY CHOOSE THE FENWAY TO OPEN THE TOUR???

How much did the people in the back pay to see an empty field?? 150 bucks?? Why on earth didn't they choose a proper stadium, or better: and arena? This is a crying shame, really.

Mathijs

it's weird alright. Hell the Bosox could have taken infield practice during the show it they'd wanted to!

The audience is on a platform a few inches above the stage, right? To do less damage to the grass? Why would they not put people in the ballpark.

I smell Photoshop.

Íf this is a real picture it's indeed a shame the stones played here!!!!
I would be so frustrated if i was sitting in the back.

Cheers,
Wuudy

You can see it confirmed in the new official tournews at Rollingstones.com site.

But actually I don't care if people were on the field, yes or no.

People didn't pay to see an empty field, they really can look a bit further than that to see the Stones. Don't worry.

Mathijs Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> But then, if this is normal, WHY THE @#$%& DID THEY
> CHOOSE THE FENWAY TO OPEN THE TOUR???
>
> How much did the people in the back pay to see an
> empty field?? 150 bucks?? Why on earth didn't they
> choose a proper stadium, or better: and arena?
> This is a crying shame, really.
>
> Mathijs

Hadn't seen the picture, but you're totally right. Why on earth the Fenway? This is ridiculous.

i really hope Reptile smells it right.

regards, e.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-08-22 22:54 by mr edward.

There are benefits to having the infield roped off: one guy managed to make it just about all the way around the basepaths before security got him...

And, as far as why kick the tour off at Fenway, well, the place has a certain mystique, roped-off infield or not, and I think the Stones wanted to follow Springsteen and Buffett's lead and be the third musical act to perform there. Plus, as American stadiums go, Fenway is quite small (36,000), so that you're never THAT far away from the stage. Don't go confusing a quirky little old ballpark with a cavernous European soccer stadium. At the furthest (in the .406 Club behind home plate), I'd estimate that you'd be 450 feet from the main stage.

Seriously though, if you weren't AT the show, don't bitch about the stadium's layout. No skin off YOUR nose, after all! And the crowd energy was not lacking, by any means.

And please, it's "Fenway," not "THE Fenway."

Treesnake2000 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> >
> Seriously though, if you weren't AT the show,
> don't bitch about the stadium's layout. No skin
> off YOUR nose, after all!


Are you new here? Perhaps you're not acquainted with our motto: We Bitch About Anything We Damned Well Please!

T&A Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Treesnake2000 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > >
> > Seriously though, if you weren't AT the
> show,
> > don't bitch about the stadium's layout. No
> skin
> > off YOUR nose, after all!
>
>
> Are you new here? Perhaps you're not acquainted
> with our motto: We Bitch About Anything We Damned
> Well Please!
>
>

AMEN!

mr edward Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mathijs Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > But then, if this is normal, WHY THE @#$%& DID
> THEY
> > CHOOSE THE FENWAY TO OPEN THE TOUR???
> >
> > How much did the people in the back pay to
> see an
> > empty field?? 150 bucks?? Why on earth didn't
> they
> > choose a proper stadium, or better: and
> arena?
> > This is a crying shame, really.
> >
> > Mathijs
>
> Hadn't seen the picture, but you're totally right.
> Why on earth the Fenway? This is ridiculous.
>
> i really hope Reptile smells it right.
>
> regards, e.
>
>
>
> Edited 1 times. Last edit at 08/22/05 22:54 by mr
> edward.


I was there people paid either $102 or $160 to sit There depending on the level.
It mays no difference once the show starts you don't even notice it. It was a much better setting with only 35,000 people instead of a football stadium such as giant stadium which holds 80,000. The crowd participation was one of the best ive ever seen. If this open space bothers you, your life is so mucher duller than mine and mine is quite dull. I think most Baseball stadiums will look like this.

The thing that IS deceptive about that photograph is the camera lens that was used (not Photoshop trickery), which makes the infield appear vast, and the outfield tiny (hence the impression that people were "about a half mile from the stage"). I'll try and post a picture of the actual stadium layout, so that you can see how much of the field was really off-limits (only the diamond shape surrounded by white):

Two things:

#1 That photo makes the stage look a LOT further away than it is. Fenway is a TINY ballpark as far as stadiums go. It only seats 33,000! When you sit behind homeplate at Fenway, you're amazed at what a small ballpark it really is.

#2 Fenway is Boston's most beloved and historical venue. To see the Stones at Fenway is like a dream for many. The in-field being full of people would be nice, but in baseball you have to protect the infield. Especially THAT infield! (Go Red Sox!)

I think the stage looks GREAT and I can't wait for Tuesday. A friend was there last night and said it was just phenomenal, a total blast.

Interessting theory. This seems likely.

Very Ugly setup,,,,it makes me wanna puke,,

Fenway maybe a small ballpark (I've been there, too) in terms of seating capacity - but it's pretty much normal in terms of the distance from home plate to centerfield. No, I don't think the camera angle distorts at all. The entire foul ground and infield (including the infield dirt) is devoid of spectators. That's a huge area. By the by...not all baseball stadiums will look like this - SBC's infield will be full, as it was last tour - season's over 6 weeks.

T&A Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> By the by...not all baseball stadiums will look like this
> - SBC's infield will be full, as it was last tour
> - season's over 6 weeks.

That's correct. Fenway, Detroit and Pittsburgh have this setup. Anaheim, San Diego and SF will be using the infield.

The photograph IS distorted because a convex (i.e. "fisheye") lens was used. That is a fact not open to discussion. I sat in section 25, and the view was NOT like that.

distortion or not - the distance between the best seat in Sec 25 and Sec 4 is about 150 feet, with virtually nobody in between.

And just FYI, the stage was slightly closer to home plate than the seating chart suggests. If you take a look at the photograph below, you will see that the front of the main stage was basically in line with the leftfield foul pole (that is, the end of section 33).

Whatever. Fenway's groundskeeper is fanatical about the infield, but it was still a great venue last night. And I can't stand the Red Sox, so I don't have any bias on that score.