Wining and moaning...

Ray
15 and counting. No stopping. Stockholm next.

This is why MicksBrain is called MicksBrain (and MsB stopped seeing them after the brilliant set - list SHOWS on the 1999 No Security tour. After fantastic treats such as MOONLIGHT MILE, SOME GIRLS, YOU GOT THE SILVER, SHINE A LIGHT, MEMORY MOTEL, a wicked PAINT IT BLACK, ROUTE 66, SAINT OF ME, OUT OF CONTROL, WHIP COMES DOWN, IMAGINATION, RESPECTABLE, and a lot of missing wahorses - please, keep them missing. I just knew it was never going to be this BOLD again - and it hasn't except for the 2002/3 club shows). Don't be too shocked if by the time the European shows roll around 18 or 19 is the standard set list. Mick even said himself in a recent Rolling Stone interview that it looses it's fun after the first 20 shows. They've proven the show works by then and then it's all just repeating one self. We all know how antsy he is...Can you see this guy sitting down everyday listening to hours and hours of tapes to put a rarities box set together? No way...and that's PROBABLY why we don't have one. Look at it this way, when I saw them in 1969 the set list was only 14 songs long.....But the tickets were only $5.50 and bands used to play for only 30 minutes in those days so more than double that was a treat. It's all coming full circle, that's all. SHOW ME DA MONEY !!!

One would think that Mick's supposed boredom would mean he would be more eager to change up the set-list. Unfortunately it seems to have the opposite effect . . .

I thought they played 21 songs or was that Wednesday night? I bet you missed a few, no way they'd drop from 21 to 18, they'd get hung!

err, sorry Debra, but they definitely played only 18 last night.

no word yet on any hangings, though.

My apologies! I checked! YIKES! How could they drop 3 songs and go to under 2 hours!? That's too bad for that audience, really.

got a noose handy?

BBC news just broadcast a report from the show. The Stones are unknown in China and most of the audience were foreigners or ex-pats. The BBC reporter says he went to several record shops during the day and couldnt find a Rolling Stones record anywhere

I suppose the Stones figured that if they dropped a few songs, no one would care or notice.

gazza - just sent you an email.

Gazza Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BBC news just broadcast a report from the show.
> The Stones are unknown in China and most of the
> audience were foreigners or ex-pats. The BBC
> reporter says he went to several record shops
> during the day and couldnt find a Rolling Stones
> record anywhere
>
> I suppose the Stones figured that if they dropped
> a few songs, no one would care or notice.

I saw that, too. But since the fans were mostly ex-pats (and judging by Mick's comment about ex-pat bankers, that's what the band also expected), they probably did care and did notice!! Let's hear the views of those who were there - Kahoosier, the Joker, anyone?? (Or at least let us know when you're through whooping it up on the 37th floor of the Four Seasons...).

Gazza, you're no doubt right and man, does that make them look bad!!

Believe me, I've been to China, if the Stones had played an 18 song set list of Beatles numbers the audience wouldn't know the difference. I don't care how many T-shirts they crank out for Walmart it's still a very naive, TOTALLY unsofisticated society/country that HARDLY gets it ! They need 20 - 25 more years, AT LEAST. Right now they're just "going through motions" (BTW, this does not apply to Hong Kong - a totally different cup of tea - they GET IT). Until America turned China into it's own little backyard slave labor sweat shop, all these people were working the fields throwing raw cow sh*t on rows and rows of baby cabbage. The Stones were something found in the dirt that you moved out of the way.The saddest thing is when they start pretending to have a clue, THAT, is something to see - that's ENTERTAINMENT !! Please pass me the Sweet and Sour Pork.....Thank you.....

One of the last Licks shows clocked in at about 1hr 45 mins.I expect a 90min set this summer.

I ALWAYS notice their shows get shorter and shorter towards the end of a tour. Is it THAT hard to keep it up while millions upon millions are pouring in?... What else do they have to do? Write the soundtrack to "ALFIE"? - bahahahahahahahahaha.......

MicksBrain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Believe me, I've been to China, if the Stones had
> played an 18 song set list of Beatles numbers the
> audience wouldn't know the difference.

considering the fact that its pretty much without dispute that most of the Shanghai audience were foreigners or ex-pat Chinese (with no doubt some experience of western culture and presumably, if they were enthusiastic enough to pay THOSE prices, the Stones' music) I would think its quite evident that they wouldnt fall into that category.

MicksBrain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Believe me, I've been to China, if the Stones had
> played an 18 song set list of Beatles numbers the
> audience wouldn't know the difference. I don't
> care how many T-shirts they crank out for Walmart
> it's still a very naive, TOTALLY unsofisticated
> society/country that HARDLY gets it ! They need 20
> - 25 more years, AT LEAST. Right now they're just
> "going through motions" (BTW, this does not apply
> to Hong Kong - a totally different cup of tea -
> they GET IT). Until America turned China into it's
> own little backyard slave labor sweat shop, all
> these people were working the fields throwing raw
> cow sh*t on rows and rows of baby cabbage. The
> Stones were something found in the dirt that you
> moved out of the way.The saddest thing is when
> they start pretending to have a clue, THAT, is
> something to see - that's ENTERTAINMENT !! Please
> pass me the Sweet and Sour Pork.....Thank you.....

Either take such comments somewhere else or keep them to yourself.

lets face it, they took the night off

Well I can say I was there, and yes it was short set. But amazingly, no one that was there left complaining! I saw people at the show thatI have seen at others, did not here a single one of them bitching or whining. I saw a crowd, admittledly light on locals, that screamed, danced , shouted and generally acted like it was 1969 at times. Women were hoisted on shoulders,people sang along, and even the people in the top stands were moving along with every nuace of the performance. I certainly have seen longer shows with crowds that got better material, and were too busy being smug and critical to enjoy it.

It was history folks, and any one there can tell you that the band and the crowd were well aware of it.

thanks kahoosier. glad you had a great time

How did the locals react to the Stones songs? Did they know them?

Alright Beast, I guess you aren't aware of the recent history of China and how a basically rural country is being transformed faster than the speed of light because it's super cheap labor is being exploited by wealthy countries and multi national corporations - greed + super cheap labour, nothing gives big business a bigger hard on. Sorry if the truth bothers you. I may have put it a bit harshly but a country that executes Political Prisoners with a shot or 2 to the head and then sends their family a bill (to be paid to the government) for the bullets used on that prisoner/family member really doesn't deserve any respect or decent comments about it what so ever IMHO. The main reson being it has yet to learn what decent behaviour is. When China learns how to treat it's people with respect I'll show it some respect. In the mean time there's always great Chinese places to visit like Hong Kong (still not REALLY a part of China - only on paper) and Taiwan. And if the audience of 8000 (in a country of over a billion) was mainly expats then this was a joke concert anyway. Just another notch on Jaggers belt. A true Chinese concert would have been AT LEAST 3 nights in Bejing and 3 nights in Shanghai in stadiums with over 100,000 seats with ticket prices the average working China man could afford - this was all a big put on !! It's all over the news today - Stones first concert in China. Yeah, where's the Bejing shows?? What a laugh.....

LOL Gazza, still a bit bleary eyed, and I have promised Paulywauly a full reveiw, but I was really surprised at the crowd recation. I truely expected a reserved Asain response. I know a lot is effected by where you are actaully trapped in a crowd , hence why you and I saw a differnt reaction at the Astoria than Mathijs did forn the back, but I have to say I was surprised at how well the show went over. I kept looking up into the rafters, the only seats honesty many local people can afford, and always saw waving lights, pumping arms, jumping people. Honestly, the people up there seemed a lot more rabid then the people I am used to seeing in a US show at the top of an arena.

BTW..the whole surreal event was capped with buying Blondie a drink after the show, lending him a ciggie, and breifly chatting. My sister says we have been "Shanghaied," and it is definitely gilding the lily, but with all the meetings, hand shakes, hugs, etc , she says we can honestly say we partied all weekend with the Stones hahhaha.Mick and Keith were invisible, but the rest of the band, many family members of all involved, were all at ease, and approachable. LOL where else could I ever have imagined Ronnie on Bongos with Leah doing bad Karaoke, falling of her her heels to land and on her back side and query, 'Where's Ronnie?"

Ah, how cute, they put some real fans in the nose bleed seats....SO THOUGHTFUL....

Micksbrain...where do you live?? You sound much like a missing Dutch Fan that will wail about human atrocitities while never once dealing with what happened in Indoneisa a haddful of decades ago. I live out here in the Pacific rim, and while I agree that China is far from perfect, give us a break man...change is coming. You are ranting an raving over an area that has not seen much regard for the individual life vs society for millenia. Of course that is another problem; without regard to right or wrong, and without championing any other truth, we as Westeners, as "civilized" people in the "free world" automatically assume #1 that everyone in the world wants to live that way and that #2any other way is wrong and evil.

That is the nexus of the religious wars in the mideast; Bush and many others just cannot undersatnd that there are a great number of people around that DO NOT WANT OUR WESTERN WAYS. SO while I grant you that I would not want to be a Chinese laborer, as some one that lives in world 2.5, right on thye edge of the third world, I can tell you that is is 1000% better than it was even two decades ago. I can tell change is happening. And when you whine abou those adventure capitalists taking advantage,I ask what the Hell is your solution; a return to communism?

I partiularly take offense at the personal use of my post talking about the fact that the crowd enjoyed what they saw being spun into your psuedo-political comment about "real fans,' in the cheap seats. Man your bitterness is showing. Guess what? I was surrounded by real fans, NOT IN THE CHEAP SEATS. You want another fact...they didn't PUT anyone up there, people paid what they could TO ENJOY THEMSELVES form all over from all walks of life. It was a @#$%& musical concert, not a "save the world"Bob Geldof human rights event! And I can see you are so concerened about these poor Chinese., I will happily and humbly apologize when you tell me what it is you personally have given of your time, of your money, of your sweat and blood to improve the living situation of the poor untold multitudes you are so concerened with. And by the way, bitching about their lives and the unfairness involved on a Rolling Stones Fan site hardly counts as social activism to correct the situation. You neglect to see that many people over here see this concert as a celebration of the many small victories over the old ways, and whne you debase the capitalisom of it all , THOSE ARE THE VICTORIES BEING CELEBRATED. I have been stranded delivering medical care on a primitive atoll without running water, electricity, communication for a moNTH until reScued by the Marshallese Coast Gaurd; I aM not Mother Teresa, and I am a well off capitAlist. But how much did you tithe last year to help the world? When the rich bastard Stones donated to Katrina relief, what did you to. Please make me wrong. Please put me in my place.

But if you cannot, please stop trying to guilt trip all of us that enjoy ourselves AS WELL AS contribute beyond platitudes. And dude, finally, there are plenty of political Blogs to go to...for christ's sake its a music site...lighten up! Or take it to a Sting site, maybe you can go whine with Bono somewhere.

Excellent first-hand report Kahoosier, and hopefully more on the way.

Wise words too, may I add...

Sorry man, let's all look the other way..... Sorry I STEPPED ON YOUR POST. You want me to erase all my sh*t? I'll do it in a f*cking second since your love of China, love of censorship, and lack of freedom of speech all goes hand in hand.... Just tell me what you want. And tell me were I was wrong about a country that totally ignores HUMAN RIGHTS. Keep shopping at Wal Mart so you can save a few cents.... This is EXACTLY why the world's so F*CKED UP, Cause everybody looks the other way - their moral compass goes out the door when they can save a few bucks....F*cking HYPOCRITE WHORES....

And Jagger's the biggest one, this is Ed Sullivan LET'S SPEND "SOME TIME" TOGETHER all over again. Jagger may have rolled his eyes when he sang those lyrics but he still got up on stage and s*cked Ed's dick. Morrison didn't listen and didn't change one word to LIGHT MY FIRE and the Doors still went on to great success.It all depends if you're gonna stick by you're principles or not...or if you even have any at all.....BTW, how's your stock in Haliburton doing? up, up, and away ?!?! Alright......PS, Hey Stephan, you're the Doc from Hawaii right?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-04-09 07:18 by MicksBrain.

They wait over 40 years, and get only 18 songs in China. Geez, not much bang for the buck.

So call China and ask people who attended whether they liked the show.

Midnight Rambler in Baltimore was one of the best versions EVER played (and I've been seeing them play that song live since '69, listening to live boots, etc.). Mick absolutely went off. From a setlist standpoint, that show was as 'autopilot' as they come - from the standpoint of people who actually showed up, it was memorable.

Hey, the setlist haters are stating on this thread that for the price of Stones tickets they can see:

Dylan
Clapton
The Who
Waters

... Exactly. Alright then. Thank you for proving OUR point.

MIckbrain, I have no stock in Haliburton, and I am formerly of Hawaii. The last five years has found me delivering medical care on an island of 3000 without a walmart within a two day travel radius BY PLANE. I work 24 hrs per day 7 days per week with 4 days off per month except when I travel, to deliver health care on an island with an avreage income of less than $10,000 per year per capita. I wait for the ice cream to come in on the boat my man.

What I am getting at is the all too quick need to point out greed in others when it is a matter of degree. You and I are disagreeing on the net, so I assume you have a PC and internet access. Do you know what luxury that is to billions around the world? If you sold your PC and donated your monthly interent charge , do you know how many babies in the thrid world we could vacinate against deadly disease? In the last month, have you gone out bar hopping? Have you bought a 12 pack? I live in an area with what you spent, I could buy books for a kid to go to school. And yet, I am sure, you do not feel privledged or special. But to many people here, your life is only something they could envy. Should they be mad at you for what you spend on yourself? Should they be mad at you for not doing what you can for them when it is so obvious to them that you could do more? I do not belive that they have that right to hate you because you have more' so , even though it is a matter of degree, I just cannot understand why you would be so virulent about others not giving more.

So what you see as normal is in many regards a a very luxurious life. I rememeber Sting driving around in a limo bitching about loosiong the rain forest, global warming and the rest. Hey Sting, take some homeless into your castle! So what I am getting at is that the harping at Mick COULD be turned around and leveled at you by people where I live. I have neighbors that woud ask if you are so conecrened why don'y you help more. The whole thing is "Judge Not, as ye shall be judged." I never suggest you look the other way, but that when you are looking all around you, look in the mirror now and then.

I am not trying to make you out as a bad human being, hell, I do not know you. BUT I am saying we are all quick to point out fault. Of course there is the automatic ( and wrong ) assumption that Mick and Keith never give to a good cuause. There is also the ability to sit 10,000 miles away and find all the was wrong with what happened, and ignore that for the people that were involved, for the people who are"being shot," this concert was, no matter what may be though of elsewhere, a ray of sunshine in an icreasingly free world. You can look at the dark side of all those expats being there, or you can see that the silver lining is that 30 years ago, none of them would have been alllowed into the country!

China is opening up...let it grow at its own rate! What else shoud we or can we do...liberate it like we have Iraq?? I never look the other way, that is why I know that your concerns are real. But they are also YOUR CONCERNS, and many people out here have a differnt view of teh future for themselves than you would have for them. That is why they coined the term , "white man's burden."

kahoosier Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>I work 24 hrs per day 7 days per week.




Wooooa!!! Whatever happened to spending lazy days relaxing on the beach and watching real hot skimmys?

kahoosier Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> without regard
> to right or wrong, and without championing any
> other truth, we as Westeners, as "civilized"
> people in the "free world" automatically assume #1
> that everyone in the world wants to live that way
> and that #2any other way is wrong and evil.
>
> That is the nexus of the religious wars in the
> mideast; Bush and many others just cannot
> undersatnd that there are a great number of people
> around that DO NOT WANT OUR WESTERN WAYS.

Exactly. Comments along the lines of people in X, Y or Z country don't get "it" betray the assumption that "it" is the be all and end all that everyone should strive for lock, stock and barrel.