Shouldn't we be called 'Seniors' and get a discount rate on our tickets?

In 1976 I was very disappointed that they only played Get off of my cloud from the pre-Beggars Banquet era because I had become acquainted to the Stones by the album High Tide and Green Grass.

I thought that the old songs on the 1982 tour like Let's spend the night together, Under my thumb and particularly Time is on my side (actually the highlight of the show) were great!

The 1990 show was choreographed perfectly which worked great on 2,000 lightyears from home but in other respects it was almost too perfect and 'technical'. So for me, Munich 1982 was the actual highlight of the Stones concerts I have been to (although Idid not regret seeing the others).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-01-03 13:21 by saltoftheearth.

By '81, '82 they were playing to their biggest crowds ever and selling more albums than ever (think Some Girls, Tattoo You, even ER - the latter two containing material as yet unplayed live).

The baby boomer population bubble had all grown up so the younger fans were able to join their elder siblings and friends at the shows finally. This pushed the attendance way up. I'm 60. Saw my first show in '75 and I'm guessing most present day fans saw the band first in '75-'76 or '81-'82. For the younger fans in attendance they actually wanted to hear the new stuff back then. Tattoo You, particularly, was a huge album.

Fast forward to '89-'90 and this same audience, by and large, was living, working, raising kids, paying mortgages and not actively pursuing music collecting en masse. Album Rock Radio and MTV had stupefied and homogenized everything so a mechanized, Steel Wheels warhorses tour de force made all the sense in the world. That tour included a couple new songs but also presented catalog stuff no one had ever heard live (2,000 Light Years,Little Red Rooter, Undercover, Harlem Shuffle). That became the template for the next three decades even as the setlist shrank and new stuff was relegated to one or two songs (at most) per show. Very few people leave a Stones show disappointed. We're the only ones that bitch, really.

Best answer/summation of the thread, rbk.

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ycagwywpmd
Shouldn't we be called 'Seniors' and get a discount rate on our tickets?

As long as we are still younger than the Stones themselves ... I doubt it.

But over the years/decades they had "consideration" for us oldies. No more running to the front of the stage anymore, wristbands made life much easier. And personally I often was "taken care of" by younger fans, that is like "oh no, you can stay where you are, we'll get the drinks for you"! Lots of the younger fans were really interested in "old folks" concert stories, so they were happy to do something in return. One of the remarks that still brings a big smile on my face: 1994 Giant Stadium, NJ ... after some nice chats, one American called his friends as follows: Hey guys, come over here ... here's one of the "originals". Really flattering to hear someone say that (mmm, am I that old?)

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ycagwywpmd
My first concert was 1965 [...] But my second concert wasn't till 1990

Interesting question/-s YOU raise, my friend...

Can you elaborate on this part I quoted?

I find it very hard to get my head around the concept that someone can go to a gig, fall in love with that band’s music ... and then spen the following 25 years NóT going to concerts of ‘em - especially when that particular band is producing one masterpiece ánd opportunitiy/-ies to go & see them after the other in the first 15 of those 25.

Not critisizing ánything here, btw; just trying (réally hard...) to understand.
But I better tell you upfront: even though I’m asking you to do so myself, you’ll have a really hard time helping me with that.

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RoughJusticeOnYa

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ycagwywpmd
My first concert was 1965 [...] But my second concert wasn't till 1990

Interesting question/-s YOU raise, my friend...

Can you elaborate on this part I quoted?

Well, yeah, agreed it does sound strange, even to me when I realised that. The quick answer is, life got in the way, but to elaborate a bit (as you asked):

that first concert, I was 12, walked to the venue less than a mile from home, bought the ticket with my pocket money, it was 10/- (£0.50p = to one weeks pocket money). Some people went to more concerts in the next town over, but I couldn't afford the bus fare and a concert ticket

By the time I was earning at 16, I had fooled around and fell in love, saved for a house deposit, married at 18, mortgage, and skint. Then along comes the family and even buying an LP seemed a luxury and concerts way out of the question.

Another big reason, when the luxury of a concert became financially viable again, I (almost) switched allegiance to Eric Clapton, who played for several weeks each year at The Royal Albert Hall London. Some evenings were dedicated solely to blues music, with guests Buddy Guy and Robert Cray. At the time, I found this venue and this music came, well, pretty close to nudging RS aside. You say they were producing 'masterpieces and opportunities', but here in the UK the opportunities, I would say, were better to see other people, for me anyway, at venues I could get to easily. So I was seeing Clapton, McCartney, Tina Turner, Genesis for instance.

Then soon after 2000 a new venue opened, the O2 in South London. Very accessible, I can see a concert and be home by midnight (getting older now!). So my daughter took me to see RS there, (I brought the kids up right) and wow! She took me to Desert Trip in 2016.

So I never really deserted RS , as others have said here, we are allowed to like other bands too?

So having filled in a few gaps, does that make sense now?
If I could do it all over again I wouldn't change a thing....
Well, maybe, just... Er.....
Byeeeee!

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georgie48

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ycagwywpmd
Shouldn't we be called 'Seniors' and get a discount rate on our tickets?

As long as we are still younger than the Stones themselves ... I doubt it.

But over the years/decades they had "consideration" for us oldies. No more running to the front of the stage anymore, wristbands made life much easier. And personally I often was "taken care of" by younger fans, that is like "oh no, you can stay where you are, we'll get the drinks for you"! Lots of the younger fans were really interested in "old folks" concert stories, so they were happy to do something in return. One of the remarks that still brings a big smile on my face: 1994 Giant Stadium, NJ ... after some nice chats, one American called his friends as follows: Hey guys, come over here ... here's one of the "originals". Really flattering to hear someone say that (mmm, am I that old?)

I had a similar experience at the O2 to see The Killers. Our group most definitely the oldest there, the whole audience seemed to be 20's maybe 30's (apart from our group of seniors). So a young man , early 20's said to me 'what a great venue, our first visit here, how about you?'
No, says I, been here before, saw the RS
WOWEEE. Says he, anyone else?
Er,well, The Eagles a couple of times
WHAAATT?..? anyone else?
Really, let's think.....The Who, McCartney, Queen with Paul Rodgers, Jeff Lynn's ELO, Rod Stewart, er, did I say the RS?
This was just a genuine off-the -cuff-no-showing-off-intended conversation, but it just blew the lad away. When his mates came back with the beers, it was 'just listen to who these people have seen here! They've seen the Rolling Stones!' They were just totally in awe of us, and we had a good time with them
That audience were just a great crowd, out to have fun and enjoy themselves, just like my kids would, and no trouble of any sort at all, including bad language, a rarity these days. So sad, I have to say, it's usually the boomers behaving badly and kicking up trouble ( not me, of course)

on the subject of relevant set lists, could the band get away with a late era set list or would it panned by the critics.

something like this

3 songs from blues and lonesome

doom and gloom
plundered my soul
rough justice
rainfall down
infamy
out of control
saint of me
flip the switch
love is strong
i go wild
you got me rocking
like a rolling stone
high wire
mixed emotions
rock and a hard place
almost hear you sigh
one hot to the body

no pre dirty work songs and no oldies.

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ycagwywpmd

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RoughJusticeOnYa

Quote
ycagwywpmd
My first concert was 1965 [...] But my second concert wasn't till 1990

Interesting question/-s YOU raise, my friend...

Can you elaborate on this part I quoted?

Well, yeah, agreed it does sound strange, even to me when I realised that. The quick answer is, life got in the way, but to elaborate a bit (as you asked):

that first concert, I was 12, walked to the venue less than a mile from home, bought the ticket with my pocket money, it was 10/- (£0.50p = to one weeks pocket money). Some people went to more concerts in the next town over, but I couldn't afford the bus fare and a concert ticket

By the time I was earning at 16, I had fooled around and fell in love, saved for a house deposit, married at 18, mortgage, and skint. Then along comes the family and even buying an LP seemed a luxury and concerts way out of the question.

Another big reason, when the luxury of a concert became financially viable again, I (almost) switched allegiance to Eric Clapton, who played for several weeks each year at The Royal Albert Hall London. Some evenings were dedicated solely to blues music, with guests Buddy Guy and Robert Cray. At the time, I found this venue and this music came, well, pretty close to nudging RS aside. You say they were producing 'masterpieces and opportunities', but here in the UK the opportunities, I would say, were better to see other people, for me anyway, at venues I could get to easily. So I was seeing Clapton, McCartney, Tina Turner, Genesis for instance.

Then soon after 2000 a new venue opened, the O2 in South London. Very accessible, I can see a concert and be home by midnight (getting older now!). So my daughter took me to see RS there, (I brought the kids up right) and wow! She took me to Desert Trip in 2016.

So I never really deserted RS , as others have said here, we are allowed to like other bands too?

So having filled in a few gaps, does that make sense now?
If I could do it all over again I wouldn't change a thing....
Well, maybe, just... Er.....
Byeeeee!

Rest asured: I get it now.
I can relate to what you say: it’s what life does (or can do) to you.
And as you said, you’d do it all over exactly the same way: that’s GOOD, bro.

Thx!

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buttons67
on the subject of relevant set lists, could the band get away with a late era set list or would it panned by the critics.

something like this

3 songs from blues and lonesome

doom and gloom
plundered my soul
rough justice
rainfall down
infamy
out of control
saint of me
flip the switch
love is strong
i go wild
you got me rocking
like a rolling stone
high wire
mixed emotions
rock and a hard place
almost hear you sigh
one hot to the body

no pre dirty work songs and no oldies.

The Stones can get away with any setlist. But they would never do a set like you gave. First of all, many concert going people are no real Stones fans, but know of this dinosaur band with big hits, who give great concerts and want to experience it. An (very very close) insider asked me once if I, as hardcore fan, wasn't getting fed up with all those big hits, but also confirmed that with the big shows the Stones want to reach op to a wide audience, so they would never skip the big hits from the setlist. Makes sense.

but surely the same theory applies about many fans being no real stones fans back in 1982 when a lot of these fans would only be familiar with the 60,s and early 70,s hits and not so familiar with

let me go
neighbours
black limo
hang fire
shattered
just my imagination
far away eyes etc.

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buttons67
but surely the same theory applies about many fans being no real stones fans back in 1982 when a lot of these fans would only be familiar with the 60,s and early 70,s hits and not so familiar with

let me go
neighbours
black limo
hang fire
shattered
just my imagination
far away eyes etc.

Different era. Those were all songs from three hit albums released within the previous four years...the Stones were far more an active, ongoing concern (albums, touring, etc.) then they are today.

I like surprise songs from any era, but especially the early days. Have been fortunate enough to see several favorites (Under My Thumb, Time Is On My Side, It's All Over Now, etc).

Same is true of Macca - wish he would change out "Can't Buy Me Love" for something else though.

There was a feeling in the early 1970s among Stones fans that everything before "Beggar's Banquet" was second rate. Songs like "Lady Jane" and "She's a Rainbow" didn't really seem like Stones songs.

In the 1975 tour they played "Get off of My Cloud" and I remember thinking how odd that was for them to play a song that old. The song seemed out of place in the concert I attended in L.A.

The Stones are kind of an oldies band now, albeit an oldies band that plays its own material.

its strange to think that the pre beggars era could be dissed in comparison to another in a very short time when it was the pre beggars era that gave the stones its popularity.

it just shows the quality the stones had from beggars onwards.

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buttons67
but surely the same theory applies about many fans being no real stones fans back in 1982 when a lot of these fans would only be familiar with the 60,s and early 70,s hits and not so familiar with

let me go
neighbours
black limo
hang fire
shattered
just my imagination
far away eyes etc.

Like Jah Paul says: "different ara". Stones concerts allow for timed promotion (or making aware) of "other stuff" like more recent albums, hoping it might attract those (with all respect!) possibly upcoming or still-in-doubt fans. Diehards didn't and don't need to be made aware anyway. Apparently it worked because after us "original" diehards so many new diehards joined the clan

Without wishing to hijack the thread, I have another question for older stones fans:

Anyone here ever get to see the Beatles? If so did you see them before the Stones and did that influence your early music preferences? Anyone else you saw, way way back?

I never got to see the Beatles, I think back in 1965 when I first saw RS, I also got to see The Yardbirds and Small Faces.

As a 13 year old , the first ever gig I attended was The Pretty Things p laying The Olympia Ballroom East Kilbride in 1965. I think their release at that time was Midnight To Six.I was totally mesmerised by this experience although I was already a big Stones fan. I then saw the Stones same year playing The Odeon Theatre Glasgow which was a life changer.I was also lucky to see them on the UK 1966 tour with Ike & Tina Turner & The Yardbirds at the same Glasgow venue. Saw The Small Faces there too in 1966 absolutely brilliant. I have seen the Stones at all their Glasgow gigs since then and in Berlin/Rotterdam/Paris/London/Las Vegas and looking forward to seeing them in the UK anywhere this year.