Stoned in DC…you seem to want to make this personal…so let’s go at it…let me answer to your comments one by one…OK, DC dude? Answers to your comments below…

“baloney TURD if you had read my first post perhaps you would have seen that i saw them in baltimore and they kicked ass... so spare me the mangled solo and all that junk...”

SPARE YOU THE MANGLED SOLO AND ALL THAT JUNK? WHAT THE @#$%& ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT YOU IMBECILE? SO YOU SAW THEM IN BALTIMORE? GROOVEY FOR YOU. I SAW THEM IN NEW YORK…AND SAN DIEGO…AND L.A. WHAT THE @#$%& DOES THAT PROVE? YOU SAW A GOOD SHOW? HOW LOVELY. I SAW A FANTASTIC SHOW AT MSG IN NY. GREAT. AND THEN I SAW WOODY DESTROY SONG AFTER SONG IN SEVERAL OTHER CONCERTS.

“please spare me your "i see reality and they suck but i'm a dedicated fan" bullcrap....”

SPARE YOU WHAT?! THEY SUCK? DID I SAY THAT? WHERE…SIR? WHERE? READ WHAT I SAID…DON’T JUST REGURGITATE YOUR IGNORANCE OR THE WHINEING CRAP YOU READ SOMEWHERE ELSE TO ME. YOUR SIMPLISTIC FRONTAL ASSAULT IS RISIBLE AND PRIMITIVE AND UNINFORMED.

“the copacabana show was great..the buenos aires shows were by all accounts (and the soundboard of the first night) phenomenal and the baltimore show was great (i was there) and the list goes on..”

WHERE YOU AT THE COPACABANA? OR DID YOU READ ABOUT THAT TOO…AND WHOSE “ACCOUNTS” DID YOU READ? I WAS AT THE BUENOS AIRES SHOW…IT WAS MAGNIFICENT…THE BEST STONES FANS IN THE WORLD…AND RONNIE SUCKED AND THE SET LIST WAS THE SAME…BUT WHO CARES? THEY PLAYED WITH PASSIOIN…NO COMPLAINTS…

just cause you think its reality that they suck don't make it so...

THEY DON’T SUCK…YOUR RATIONALE FOR A RESPONSE SUCKS…THE STONES ARE THE GREATEST ROCK BAND THIS WORLD HAS EVER PRODUCED… AND THEY CAN PLAY WHATEVER SET THEY WISH…but the very least we can expect is that these songs be played with vigor and professionalism...and that these [WARHORSE] songs be kept to a minimum after 20 world tours. The Stones 'aint the Beach Boys...and never wanted to be...so why are they acting like them...? Why become a nostalgia act? And why do you accept this?...I do not live in the past...but I demand that the present Stones be held accountable...that is the least a true fan can do. DID YOU NOT READ WHAT I WROTE? OR DO YOU JUST NOT CARE…?

“stop passing off your negative whininess as some sorta reality..this is the place to discuss the stones but not to bring up a bunch of crap with no relation to reality.”

A BUNCH OF CRAP WITH NO RELATION TO REALITY? WHO’S DRIVING YOUR PLANE, STONED? AS I WROTE… This is EXACTLY THE PLACE where one can discuss these things. If you don't like it go YOU somewhere else...like RollingStones.com...and read the propaganda there. This is a place for the real dedicated fan. F-A-N...as in loving the band...being emotionally involved in the band...and caring enough to see the reality of the Rolling Stones 2006. AND IF I SEE MY BAND ON AUTOPILOT…COMPLETELY IGNORING THEIR EXCELLENT NEW ALBUM…AND PLAYING ONLY FOR THE TOURISTS IN THE BLACHERS…WELL, DAMN… I CAN CALL THEM ON IT…I PAY FOR THE PRIVILEDGE EVERY TIME I PLUNK DOWN MY CASH FOR A TICKET, GODDAMMIT…

”i don't agree the set lists are that bad and i don't agree- based on the recordings i've heard and the show i attended in baltimore (ie. , my own ears!) that the stones suck etc.. “

SO YOU DON’T AGREE ‘BASED ON THE RECORDINGS’ AND THE FACT THAT YOU ATTENDED ONE SHOW THIS TOUR IN BALTIMORE AND IT WAS GREAT…AND YOU BASE YOUR OPINION ON ‘RECORDINGS’…WELL I BASE THEM ON WHAT I SEE, STONED…OF COURSE THE STONES DON’T SUCK! BUT WHAT I SAW IN COLOGNE JUST A WEEK OR SO AGO WAS A SHAME…BECAUSE THIS BAND WAS BEING SABOTAGED BY RONNIE WOOD AND A SET LIST THAT ANYONE BUT THE MOST CASUAL FAN HAD HEARD TOO MANY TIMES. REPEAT AFTER ME STONED…THE STONES DO NOT SUCK!!!!!!!! THEY ARE THE BEST…BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THIS TOUR IS LESS THAN IDEAL…JAGGER IS AT A NEAR PEAK…CHARLIE IS CHARLIE…BUT RONNIE IS DECLINING AT STAGGERING SPEED…AND SO INCONSISTENT..AND OFTEN SIMPLY UNPROFESSIONAL. AND THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE…SORRY, NOT FOR THE STONES. SLOPPY IS FINE AND EXPECTED AND COOL…BUT NOT INCOMPETENT…AND HIS PLAYING ON THIS TOUR HAS BORDERED INCOMPETENCY FAR TOO OFTEN…AND THE SET LIST COULD BE SO MUCH MORE RIVETING AND FRESH...

the stones are playing at a very high level... i mean on a day we get posts on how great paris was we have to sift through the endless hogwash proposing they play some obscure song 90% of stones fans don't want to hear..

SO YOU READ THE POSTS ON PARIS AND ARE CONVINCED THAT THEY ARE GREAT…BECAUSE YOU READ IT IN SOME POST BY SOME FAN…WONDERFUL…I BASE MY OPINIONS ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE…NOT SOME FREAKING FAN POST…


i'm just breakin it to you that there's plenty of people who do not come to this board to whine endlessly.. and i for one don't enjoy the mandatory daily "i loved the stones but now i'm leaving cause i don't like hearing its only rock'n'roll"

LET ME BREAK SOMETHING TO YOU, DUDE IN DC…I DO NOT WHINE…I MAKE OBSERVATIONS FROM THE HEART. IF YOU DON’T AGREE…COOL. BUT DON’T GIVE ME YOUR “SPARE ME…” SHIT. I LOVE THIS BAND…WILL FOLLOW THEM TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH…I RESPECT THEIR LEGACY…I KNOW THEIR HISTORY…I ADMIRE THEIR TALENTS…AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR THEIR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO PERFORM…YET I STILL ENJOY THE RIGHT TO CRITICIZE AND COMMENT ON THE LESS-THAN-IDEAL ASPECTS OF A BAND THAT HAS BECOME A MEGA-CORPORATION…AND I CAN STILL EXPRESS MY WISHES THAT THEY WOULD CONCENTRATE MORE ON THE MUSIC AND LESS ON THE TRAPPINGS OF THAT CORPORATION…AND I CAN DEMAND EXCELLENCE AND PROFESSIONALISM AND PASSION…NOT GARBAGE LIKE RONNIE SERVES UP EVERY OTHER NIGHT…AND I CAN HOPE FOR A COMMITMENT TO NEW MATERIAL LIKE THE EXCELLENT NEW SONGS ON ABB…I CAN DO ALL THIS WITHOUT BEING CALLED A WHINER BY SOMEONE LIKE YOU. I WILL BE IN STUTTGART IN 2 NIGHTS…BECAUSE I LOVE THEM…AND I WILL BE THRILLED TO SEE THEM…AND I’LL SCREAM AND DANCE AND WATCH THE INTERPLAY…AND HOPE THE COMMITMENT IS THERE...WHILE YOU SIT AT HOME AND PASS GAS…AND WAIT FOR THE FAN POSTS. @#$%&.

Diamond rings, Vaseline, you gave me disease, well, I lost a lot of love over you.

the return of ferrante!

Wow! It's starting to get crazy in here. I'm gonna have to put my helmet on.
(and No, I'm NOT satisfied)

Turd -

That was pretty goddamn beautiful.

As for me . . . moderately unsatisfied. Won't be going unless I get a cheap ticket at the last minute and/or the pre-Giants reviews are (objectively) great.

i think you're full of crap TURD (you do your name justice i can't help but say).. the stones put on a great show.. do they make mistakes? of course...do they have off nights? sure... its rockn'roll .. if you want some scientific metronome music i suggest you go check out kraftwerk...


but i did not make it personal like you did.. you went nuclear..and thats pretty poor... good luck to you..

i will continue to enjoy the shows....and that includes shows i have dvds or audio recordings of.. i guess from reading your words that i can't think buenos aires was a good show because i was not there or something even if i heard the recording.. how perfectly silly.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-08-02 06:45 by stoned_in_dc.

turd wrote: the reality of the Rolling Stones 2006.
i say: who says what you perceive to be reality is reality?

turd wrote: We are not satisfied getting the 2,765th performance of 'It's Only Rock and Roll' with a mangled guitar solo by Keef or the 995th performance of 'Start Me Up' with Woody destroying the solo
i say: sounds like they suck! but then you go nuts cause i say you say they suck.... they are mangling solos left and right but they are great???


turd wrote: we demand committed and fresh performances...we realize that the Stones have to play certain songs to satisfy the masses...but the very least we can expect is that these songs be played with vigor and professionalism
i say: again, they don't suck but they don't play with vigor, are not committed , are not professional etc?? sounds like you ARE saying they suck after all... i think they are professional..VERY..


turd wrote:...and that these songs be kept to a minimum after 20 world tours. The Stones 'aint the Beach Boys...and never wanted to be...so why are they acting like them...?
i say: they are a nostalgia act but don't suck? i think a nostalgia act does suck.. but of course i don't agree.. i think they are kicking ass live right now... again you talk as if your reality is really whats going on but it does not hold relation to what i see or hear or perceive..




turd wrote: but I demand that the present Stones be held accountable...that is the least a true fan can do.
i say: accountable to you and your imaginary vision of reality?? why??

all your caps screaming does not change your words which are very negative and damning of the stones... and they do not mesh with what i experienced in baltimore or the dvds i've watched or cds i've heard.. i think mick is better than ever.. i think they are professional.. and the fact that the set list is made up of old songs does not make them a nostalgia act.. i also think the sound of their shows is better than ever which does make a difference..

in sum you live in a fantasy world where the stones live suck.they are a nostalgia act... they are not professional.... they are messing up song after song after song.. they suck!

Yes they are gems. I want You Got Me Rockin!!

Please understand a few basic things in life:

- The Stones do not change their set list much
- The Stones tickets are expensive
- The Stones do not change their band members
- The Stones do not normally play club shows

It has been like this all the years. They used to play the same set list. The very same. Every show. Now they change some songs. Tickets are expensive. Yes. Of course. They are number one in the world. Always been. Always will be. They will not replace a band member because you say so. And they don't play club shows unless they want to record something, or rehearse before tour start, or it is part of a concept (S/M/L Licks).

As people grow older they seem to forget. May be you think the Stones will change because you have changed. They will not. Remember when they played Sway in Berlin and Amsterdam the crowd was quiet. And then they played Tumbling Dice and the crowd went nuts. That is what they want. Those 98% who do not spend their time reading reviews and posting messages about being bored, but they just take the underground to the show and go home to their own bed in their own city just nearby, happy, smiling, and are ready to buy a ticket to the show on the next tour.

As for myself, I love the band and I love what they do. I would be pretty stupid if I went to many shows and did not like it. Please accept the fact that many fans in fact most fans do love them even if you are just tired of the band as they are now. They won't change because you are bored.

Bjornulf

So, i have to say i am satisfied, i saw them two times on this tour (Ft. Lauderdale and Vienna).
The setlists there always great
7 different songs
5 from BB
5 i have never seen them doing it live (Sway, Ain`t too proud, She`s so cold, as tears.., night time + also 5 from B!!

And ticket prices:
Ft. Lauderdale about $ 90,-- (first row side view, no one in front of me, and 5 meters to keith)
Vienna about € 114,-- front row standing (the early bird catches the worm)

So, to compare with other groups, singers it is more expensive, but not that much, and they are the stones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See you in London (20th. August)

D.

I'm satisfied. To the max even. Great shows, great albums. What's not to like... ?

JumpingKentFlash

I saw them twice this time. I saw people singing and dancing along and having a real good time with: guess what songs?....the warhorses: especially satisfaction!!! they still love it and wanne hear it and you have to give them what they want. The only ones who are constantly complaining and bullshitting are the so called hardcore fans on this log! Be happy the stones are still there....."it won't take long" anymore...

Stop whingeing, the Stones are still the greatest show on earth so enjoy it while it lasts and be happy they are still doing it live. I don't care what setlist they choose personally and the ones they are doing are fine for me and many others. I have seen them many times over the years, the last one being LA Forum in March this year and I must say, I was surprised, by how good the show was overall - the sound was excellent and all members of the band were at their best and seemed to be greatly enjoying the gig. I didn't see anyone moaning about setlists - so grow up or go and see someone else if you are stupid enough - but you will never get a better event than The Rolling Stones in concert. See you all at Sheffield and Cardiff...

"till the next time..."

I think BV is right and a lot of complain have also its acceptance.
What we received in 2003 during 40 Licks was phenomenal. They changed a lot of songs and even when paying a fortune for theatre shows on ebay or whereever you went, it was worth it. In 3 shows about 43 different songs is not to bad at all.
This time we are back to a normal tour which has let's face it normal set lists. For the ones who spend a fortune to go over to the US I think it was worthwhile to go. Hollywood Bowl we received different songs every night. Also in Philly it was the same. It is quite clear that they would not change a lot as people and that is what I agree fully with BV want to hear warhorses. Honestly speaking I was very reluctant about the European leg of the tour after all that hazzle with cancelled shows, flights, airtickets refunds. But I was surprised how good they were in Milano and Munich (though Munich was very short). What I miss are the arena shows, because that's what they should play nowadays. The stage would be still big enough for Mick and the rest would not be getting lost by the tunes. That's a big dissappointment for me in Europe. But anyway once I am in the crowd then it's on with the show.

To all the people moaning about setlist:You may never have a chance to hear any of those songs being played live in your presence again so enjoy it while you can.It's only rock'n'roll...

They can not play arena shows. There is a simple reason. This tour is to meet new fans, new people. Very good example Regina or Horsens or Bergen. Every time they play an arena for 10,000 people (that is a large arena in Europe) they miss 40,000 people in another city. They are simply too popular. That is the problem. Licks was great for some but also they lost 10 other cities because they played 10 or so smaller shows. Same with USA. The more arena shows they play the fewer people can see them. Simple as that.

They play arena in Las Vegas usually, and we all know what happens then. Average ticket price 250 us dollars. Arena means fewer people and higher cost of the ticket.

Bjornulf

I am not so unhappy with the two concerts I saw. Actually I had a great time!
However, I can also understand some of the criticism here.


Belgrade-Bucharest-Budapest-Brno

x



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-07 06:50 by Beelyboy.

What I like about Sway (love it) is the opening riff. But in A'dam it was quite different from the original. But, I still enjoyed it, but wasn't great. Solo's suck of course. Maybe they should re-introduce "She's a rainbow" so Chuck can do the intro so they can't @#$%& it up

bv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They can not play arena shows. There is a simple
> reason. This tour is to meet new fans, new people.
> Very good example Regina or Horsens or Bergen.
> Every time they play an arena for 10,000 people
> (that is a large arena in Europe) they miss 40,000
> people in another city. They are simply too
> popular. That is the problem. Licks was great for
> some but also they lost 10 other cities because
> they played 10 or so smaller shows. Same with USA.
> The more arena shows they play the fewer people
> can see them. Simple as that.
>
> They play arena in Las Vegas usually, and we all
> know what happens then. Average ticket price 250
> us dollars. Arena means fewer people and higher
> cost of the ticket.


'cannot' isnt a word that should be used when talking about this band. If they want to do it, they can.

I get your point about smaller shows meaning higher ticket prices, but the whole point of their existence shouldnt be about how much money they'll make per night before they can be motivated to perform. By accepting and justifying the picture youve quite accurately painted above, youre effectively saying theyre only in it for the money - or rather that unless they get a certain guarantee, they wont work. And that in a nutshell is why a lot of people get cynical about the band's attitude

maybe in 1966 or 1972 I could understand that attitude because they were ripped off and underpaid for years, but in 2006 when you have a combined wealth of over a billion dollars, it seems pointless and cynical. It also places the importance of the music way down the band's pecking order...and its our love for their music which has kept us all interested down the years after all, isnt it?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2006-08-02 12:46 by Gazza.

Yes, the Stones will be my favorite band due to their history and the great ABB album, but I see some points of massive decline during this tour. First the desastrous guitar playing of Ronnie Wood. His Solos are no music. Now I heard him in Cologne and Amsterdam live (not only from boots), the solo on "Sway" was impressive, okay, but what he played e. g. on SMU or YCAGWYW was nothing more than musical nonsense. Meanwhile I fear the moment when Ronnie is going to play his solos. Usually he destroys the song completely. Keith Richards does a wonderful job, he has to do Ronnies job often. Another sign of decline is the setlist, there is no risk, warhorses all over, they played "Back of my Hand" a few times, and then this great blues take vanished e. g. Since Steel Wheels it is the fourth or fifth tour in the same manner lest the Arena and Club shows during Licks.

In my opinion the future of the band is depending on their ability to go new ways which are the old ones: the blues rooted performances of their beginning. They are all fantastic blues musicians. The second essential point is an massive improvement of Ronnies terrible guitar performances. He is a musician with great abilities and great merits due to his contributions to Stones history. But for the moment he burdens the band with his no guitar playing heavily.

Song played on Tour of Europe 1973


All Down The Line
Angie
Brown Sugar
Bitch [twice]
100 years ago [twice]
Dancing with Mr D
Doo doo doo doo doo (Heartbreaker) [not always played]
Gimme Shelter
Happy
Tumbling Dice
Sweet Virginia [twice]
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Midnight Rambler
Rip This Joint
Jumpin' Jack Flash
Street Fighting Man
Silver train [once]
Star star

jamesjagger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I saw them twice this time. I saw people singing
> and dancing along and having a real good time
> with: guess what songs?....the warhorses:
> especially satisfaction!!! they still love it and
> wanne hear it and you have to give them what they
> want. The only ones who are constantly complaining
> and bullshitting are the so called hardcore fans
> on this log! Be happy the stones are still
> there....."it won't take long" anymore...

Yeah, my girlfriend and her friend went to see the band with me in Munich. It was their first Stones show and they were bopping and hopping and woo-wooingand generally having a wonderful time. And their comment after the show - Fantastic. Nearly as good as REM................
That hurt.

bv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tickets are expensive.
> Yes. Of course. They are number one in the world.
> Always been. Always will be.

You sound like Donald Trump. Hey, the Stones might appreciate that.

spot on, Gazza! Cannot? WTF? The Stones CHOOSE NOT. And, come Oakland they will find that that choice will cost them in terms of sales, assuming they don't line up at least one other MAJOR act on the bill.

bv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Please understand a few basic things in life:
>
> - The Stones do not change their set list much
> - The Stones tickets are expensive
> - The Stones do not change their band members
> - The Stones do not normally play club shows
>
> It has been like this all the years. They used to
> play the same set list. The very same. Every show.
> Now they change some songs. Tickets are expensive.
> Yes. Of course. They are number one in the world.
> Always been. Always will be. They will not replace
> a band member because you say so. And they don't
> play club shows unless they want to record
> something, or rehearse before tour start, or it is
> part of a concept (S/M/L Licks).
>
> As people grow older they seem to forget. May be
> you think the Stones will change because you have
> changed. They will not. Remember when they played
> Sway in Berlin and Amsterdam the crowd was quiet.
> And then they played Tumbling Dice and the crowd
> went nuts. That is what they want. Those 98% who
> do not spend their time reading reviews and
> posting messages about being bored, but they just
> take the underground to the show and go home to
> their own bed in their own city just nearby,
> happy, smiling, and are ready to buy a ticket to
> the show on the next tour.
>
> As for myself, I love the band and I love what
> they do. I would be pretty stupid if I went to
> many shows and did not like it. Please accept the
> fact that many fans in fact most fans do love them
> even if you are just tired of the band as they are
> now. They won't change because you are bored.


right, 100 % agree.

Never ever complained about setlists, ticket prices, band members, not playing club shows. NEVER EVER (sorry).

but what i complain is

cancelling half europe and then adding one date after the other in canada and in the US and announcing "i think we left too early"

this is a bad attitude towards european fans.

and it pisses me on.

nevertheless you're right with your second post.

Just a few random comments that came to my head after reading all these thoughts you care to share...

The feeling of "slightly dissapointed performance" after a Stones show came to me after the 2nd Licks gig I attended. I went with a few friends, some of them first Stones-goers. One negative comment was about the guitars being too low in the mix. The shame was that one of the first thoughts that came to my head when this friend told me he was going to make a comment about the guitars was "Wow, at first I was fearing you were going to made a comment about the guitar players being lost".

This goes on the comment posted here before (can't remember who was, sorry!) about the guitar players making many more mistakes in 1978 than now. Well, the shame is that back in 1978 the guitar players actually played, instead of posing!!.

About the setlists, everything is already said.

The spectacle (sp?) is OK: fireworks, screens, inflatables, B-stages... They are the masters of this...

Another question is the musical performance. My little complain is about the songs being performed in a studio-version mood, instead of a live-version mood, i.e. should be played faster and harder. And my main complain, already stated here on this forum before, is that the songs are performed almost the same way since 1994. Tumbling Dice is the main example: take any boot from 1975, 1978 and 1981, and all of them sound very different. Do the same with any boot from 1994 and all them sound almost identical: Keith's intro >> two instrumental bars >>backing vocals doing the very same "wooo-wooo-woooooooo" since 1994... Same tempo, same amp settings... Same arrangements since 1994...

At the same time, the Stones are the best band ever, so if you catch one of the few moments when they are "on", you are experiencing the summum of rock'n'roll. The shame is that those "mystical moments" get rarer and rarer...

[There'll be no wedding today...]

BV - it's so nice of you to educate all on the basic things in life. That's why I come back here everyday.

One last thing before I bow out of here gracefully. BV, I still don't think you get the point some people are trying to make about the set lists. I think (at least some people, me included) wouldn't care about mixing up the set list drastically every night, but from tour to tour the Stones were always good about putting a different show from the last time they came to that city. Look from tour to tour from 69 on and you will see many changes, maybe not from night to night but from tour to tour you would always get something different along with a good amount of songs from the album they are promoting. This is far from the case now.. and when they state at the press conference they would be doing some songs they never did before and new ones and you go to 4 shows and don't hear one song they never did before and only 3 new ones, well sorry but I was dissappointed.

You also mention the Stones don't do club shows unless its under certain circumstances, well when Mick says at the press conference that they would be doing club shows and even says the prices, people like me got very excited and rushed to spend money on the fan club with hopes of getting tickets to one of these shows.

I don't understand that when I write these things people don't understand and people say I hate the Stones. I am sorry that I don't praise everything they do.
They should not promice things they can't deliver. Yes I am happy they are still around but the spectacle or show is something even Mick said himself he would never let the Stones become.

>If you don't like the Stones anymore then why on earth do you spend time on a >Stones board?

>Bjornulf


Here..here, I agree with Bjornulf.

I am becoming increasingly sick of the pervasive negativity which characterises many of the posts on this board.

Why can't we simply be thankful that this great band is still playing after all the shit they've gone through and still packing out stadiums.

Please, please, please the posts about poor setlists, Ronnie's playing and the 'good old days' with Mick Taylor are driving me INSANE!!

bv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> It has been like this all the years. They used to
> play the same set list. The very same. Every show.
> Now they change some songs. Tickets are expensive.
> Yes. Of course. They are number one in the world.
> Always been. Always will be. They will not replace
> a band member because you say so. And they don't
> play club shows unless they want to record
> something, or rehearse before tour start, or it is
> part of a concept (S/M/L Licks).
>
> As people grow older they seem to forget. May be
> you think the Stones will change because you have
> changed. They will not. Remember when they played
> Sway in Berlin and Amsterdam the crowd was quiet.
> And then they played Tumbling Dice and the crowd
> went nuts. That is what they want. Those 98% who
> do not spend their time reading reviews and
> posting messages about being bored, but they just
> take the underground to the show and go home to
> their own bed in their own city just nearby,
> happy, smiling, and are ready to buy a ticket to
> the show on the next tour.
>
> As for myself, I love the band and I love what
> they do. I would be pretty stupid if I went to
> many shows and did not like it. Please accept the
> fact that many fans in fact most fans do love them
> even if you are just tired of the band as they are
> now. They won't change because you are bored.


BV--I think this is very well said and completely accurate. But your defense of the band is in fact a sad indictment of how complacent, and completely focused on the bottom line the Stones are. With the talent to challenge themselves and do some interesting and innovative things to evolve their legacy, they are in fact cheapening it.