What’s it like in the pits? Is it totally first come, first serve in terms of where you get to stand and does it become competitive with pushing, shoving and elbows as people try to jockey for better position? Does your height play a major role in the experience?

Thanks
Vic

I'm not so sure there will be pits in the USA.

Sorry I should have posted this in the Tour discussion thread. Can’t seem to delete it from here.

In Paris, we lined up several hours pre-show time. Once they let you in everyone kind of runs and stakes claim to their spot. Of course, you are only let in one by one but everyone is moving fast once in. I'm short and was able to get a very good spot.

Cool, thanks!

Have been in on a few occasions. Lots of space and good atmosphere.

On the No Filter dates the stage was very high, so being at the front was a disadvantage as you can’t see the entire stage. Being halfway back was better and you can rock up just before show time.

It will be interesting because the last tour in the US didn't have any Pits. 50 and counting had the tongue Pit and it was an arena tour. Plenty of space and the crowd was older. Sounds like Europe was a younger crowd with more people in each pit.

I may just buy a ticket in the center of the first floor seated row in front of the end of the stage.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-11-23 21:26 by Jeter1984.

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VicJagger

What’s it like in the pits?

See the Thread 'The Pit Experience': [iorr.org] .

usually it's great, but certainly not worthwhile paying £500, 800 Euros or $1000.

I wouldnt mind but being on a budget can't. I'm lucky to be able to catch them a few times next year. Some of my friends can't go due to work and finances.

I replied in the tour thread.


plexi

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VicJagger
Sorry I should have posted this in the Tour discussion thread. Can’t seem to delete it from here.

Don’t worry, it will be moved there soon.

I was in the pit for the 50th anniversary tour. A lot of fun and great experience but people were more interested in recording on their cell phones then anything else. enough room where you are not to crowded.
The drunks settle down after awhile too.

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mosthigh

I will never recommend phone-free shows too often or too highly, even though I know a lot of people don't agree.

Pit is totally awsome. I did in 3 times, I was in the first row twice and in the second row once.

True, the stage is high, so the catwalk prevents you from seeing the other almost half of the stage, but the 4 Stones are mostly in the center area, which you see from the first row just fine (no problem seeing Ronnie from Keith's side and vice versa), so if you can live without seeing Chuck, Sasha and Bernard, the front of the pit (Keith's side in this case) is absolutely awsome.

If I had a chance to see The Stones again, I would want exactly the same spot and nothing else. The close contact with the band is priceless. In all 3 cases I arrived to the venue at 5 p.m., no pushing, everything was fine. True, I witnessed some peple trying to get to the front 3 hours later, then it was quite pushy and unpleasant for a short moment, but once the intruder was pushed out, it was fine again. Well, you get this kind of people wherever you stand anyway.

Of course, you can stand a little bit further from the rail and have better view of the stage (which a lot of people prefer), but you don't have that intimate contact with the band. Well, it is a matter of a personal opinion really.

Here are my pictures that will tell you about the view more than 1000 words:

Prague 2018 - first row: [www.flickr.com]

Stockholm 2017 - first row: [www.flickr.com]

Amsterdam 2017 - second row: [www.flickr.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-11-24 10:14 by Happy24.

The pit in arena shows - back when it was the Tongue Pit - was amazing and provided a close up view of the entire stage and everything and everyone on it. It was like seeing the Rolling Stones in a club. The pit at these stadium shows is nowhere near as good in my opinion but still the only place to be once you've got used to seeing them close up. But for me whereas the front was the place to be in the Tongue Pit the stage is too high in stadiums and I prefer being a bit further back. Regarding the admission set up the VIP people will get let in first but you can still be right up front with an ordinary ticket if you arrive early enough. The atmosphere is usually really good as you are with fellow diehard and knowledgeable fans and I have only ever experienced a minimum of pushing let alone shoving. It was much worse in the Tier 2 area at Hyde Park.

There's exactly the same thread from during & after the NO FILTER tour legs '17 & '18.
So dig there (too), if you really want to know, I'd say.
And since al layout/ seating maps for USA '19 indicate PiT's (A & B ), I'd suggest you do so, if you (really) need to be convinced...

Long story short: it's awesome there.
especially on Keith's side... (but maybe that's a personal thing...)

It's an unbeateble experience to see them from the pit. If you stand next to the rails, you get to see them really, really close. And Miss You becomes a highlight at every show because Keith and Ronnie joins Mick out on the catwalk for a while. And when they're out on the "b-stage" you get to see the show a bit from their perspective, and that is having a super bright spotlight beaming right in your face.

Overall I had better pit experiences in 2017 than 2018, because the pits were absolutely packed with people this time around. To me it seems like quite a lot of people get their wristbrands and enters the pits right before show start, and at some venues it got really tight - and at some places the pits were invaded during Satisfaction. But, you won't regret it!

After being in the pit for a few times in a row and then getting general admission, I thought the only real place to be at a concert is the pit, FOS. I also asked a friend who I took to a stones concert for the first time this year and got pit with me and he said it would be the only place to be at a concert because he's got no point in watching the screens and hearing the music.

The pit is heaven, you will be blown away no matter how good or bad the performance is. I was lucky that I got 5/6 times pit from Lucky dip tix on the no filter tour and the one time I didn't it felt like watchig another band really

But with these experiences I wouldn't recommend spending 1000$ on them. I remember in Berlin we bought 4 Lucky dips for a total of around 240 € and then we saw someone in the pit with the very same admission we had, but on his ticket there was a face value 1,200€. I wouldn't spend that much. I don't know how things go in the US, but if you want to be in the pit and you don't have the money or you don't want to spend that much, just go for Lucky Dip on multiple shows. I bet you will be lucky a few times. Expensive tickets are the ones that don't sell so fast and the leftover tickets will be lucky dips in the end.

Its Heaven..
Really great experience, if you can afford it.
Did it Amsterdam 2017, and Southampton 2018. Make sure, you stand somehwere in the middle, depends on how high the stage is. Its great.
You will see the interaction, the facial expressions, the glint in their eyes.
Pure magic.
jeroen

still there's thing that can spoil the pit experience: In the pit there are always people who don't care too much about the Stones but were either somehow invited, have too much money and/or just wanna impress their girlfriends.
For example in Dublin there were a bunch of younger girl right in front of me who cattered all the time – very annoying especially during wild horses

And, if you are vertically challenged (you are short in stature)
your sight will be blocked.
If you can stand on your toes like a professional ballerina, it can add like 4 inches. Wonder if it’s a skill I could learn in 3 months . Just the toes part.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-11-24 17:54 by 35love.

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Aquamarine

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mosthigh

I will never recommend phone-free shows too often or too highly, even though I know a lot of people don't agree.

now I cant see because the guy if front of me is blocking half the stage with his camera. Thats my point

Wow. Looks awesome. thanks a lot!

Excellent but for me not worth the full asking price, which I’ve never paid. I’ve been in the pit 3 times on No Filter - 2 with lucky Dips and another from a member on here with a spare 1 hour before showtime inside the venue after scoring a farAway nosebleed with Lucky Dip.

I’ve done Gold Circle 3 tines too and in some ways it’s better because you can see the whole stage. The height of the stage means you get a partially restricted view from most parts of the pit.

What camera?
What lense setting?
They look so crystal clear, i never gets pics that clear.

Thanks

Quote
Happy24
Pit is totally awsome. I did in 3 times, I was in the first row twice and in the second row once.

True, the stage is high, so the catwalk prevents you from seeing the other almost half of the stage, but the 4 Stones are mostly in the center area, which you see from the first row just fine (no problem seeing Ronnie from Keith's side and vice versa), so if you can live without seeing Chuck, Sasha and Bernard, the front of the pit (Keith's side in this case) is absolutely awsome.

If I had a chance to see The Stones again, I would want exactly the same spot and nothing else. The close contact with the band is priceless. In all 3 cases I arrived to the venue at 5 p.m., no pushing, everything was fine. True, I witnessed some peple trying to get to the front 3 hours later, then it was quite pushy and unpleasant for a short moment, but once the intruder was pushed out, it was fine again. Well, you get this kind of people wherever you stand anyway.

Of course, you can stand a little bit further from the rail and have better view of the stage (which a lot of people prefer), but you don't have that intimate contact with the band. Well, it is a matter of a personal opinion really.

Here are my pictures that will tell you about the view more than 1000 words:

Prague 2018 - first row: [www.flickr.com]

Stockholm 2017 - first row: [www.flickr.com]

Amsterdam 2017 - second row: [www.flickr.com]

Quote
grzegorz67
I’ve done Gold Circle 3 tines too and in some ways it’s better because you can see the whole stage. The height of the stage means you get a partially restricted view from most parts of the pit.

Agree whole heartedly with this.
For this reason I'm going with the closest seats to the stage, as close to the catwalk side, as I can when buying anything other than Lucky Dips.

For this stage, it is really difficult from the pit to see not only the whole stage/band, but the screens as well, which unlike other stages in the past, add a significant amount to this show imo.

If I was going to spring for pit tickets for only one show this tour, I would make it Jazz Fest (or whatever equivalent they will sell).
Good chance of it not being their stage there, and could perhaps be a bit lower.. That and anything less than premium tickets will likely make for a long day in the sun to get a decent spot.

Yup,
I think Gold circle is better than the pit. when you get in early at the stadium/arena...you are just one row behind or besides the pit.
I did this in Edinburgh and Prague.. and the view was great. and you pay less money than in the pit.
Jeroen

Weird that the VIP packages are pricing the Pit seats almost $500 lower than the so-called “Front row” seats. They either think people value the ability to have an actual seat more than being closer to the stage or they are ripping off people who would logically assume “front”row means closest to the stage.