Roadster, I agree with you.The webmaster's post regarding the cancelled concerts in Spain is not full of empathy,at least towards the frustrated spanish fans. On the other hand his empathy for the Stones is obvious....
But I think he is wrong. The Stones exist as artists because fans give them time, money, attention, in other words, energy. Same goes for this forum and its webmaster.
That said, nobody is arguing against the fact that illnesses happen. But as someone else wrote in his post, a better PR machine would be welcome. And not only that: when you run a money making machine as powerful as the stones', better logistics would be needed to cover show cancellations. There would be plenty of open air sites in Spain in September to offer the cancelled shows. Plenty! In this country we have open air concerts trhoughout September and sometimes October. Therefore, fans are entitled to feel cheated, and in case they don't receive any compensation in return for their dedication, they might as well direct their devotion to someane else.

>> So, thats why voodoo lounge is the first proper branded world tour. <<

thanks for clarifying my point about the Voodoo Lounge tour, Mr Jimmy.
granted, to most people's perceptions, Steel Wheels North America, Steel Wheels Japan (which by the way took place entirely in one venue)
and Urban Jungle can be lumped together as a "world tour" - but in that case, that was their first one,
and they'd certainly done plenty of touring before then. a tour a couple of months long all on one continent
(and with a considerable break before the next one) is more of a norm than these marathon world tours are,
and there's no reason for the Stones not to go back to that mode if it grooves them.


"What do you want - what?!"
- Keith



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-08-15 21:26 by with sssoul.

JumpingKentFlash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah. The Keef incident doesn't count as being too
> old either....


correct. Just drunk and stupid!

bv Wrote:

> they will come to Europe next summer, so stop
> crying like little spoiled kids and think
> positive. Nobody died.

If this is true, then the Stones could do a lot to help their fans feel better by at least hinting at the possibility of a 2007 European tour instead of just coldly saying the shows are cancelled. "Cancelled" is such a permanent sounding word and so far the Stones are doing absolutely zero to try to make their fans feel that they may have another chance to see them.

A lot of fans in these small Spanish cities, and in many of the cities that were previously cancelled, probably have not seen the Stones before and now their hopes are dashed because the Stones organization is not willing to at least say "we will try to reschedule the shows in 2007".

True. :-)

JumpingKentFlash

Its an awful situation,but I don't see what else they could have done.

If Mick can't sing,who'd have done the vocals?

Perhaps they could have called in Nick Dagger from the Counterfeits,Mick Jaguar from the Rollin Stoned or Ian from Stikky Fingers.

I'm sure they'd all have done a good job but I doubt the payin public would have accepted it.

Perhaps it would have looked better if they did actually confirm that they intend to return to Europe next year & just postponed the dates.

Still,if you've travelled a long way,its kinda hard to swallow.

I know how the Spanish fans must feel. I have been there before.

Remember back to 1998 B2B tour when ALL UK gigs were cancelled and we all had to wait a full year. That was for tax avoidance reasons as opposed to the fact that Mick's throat had given way and the UK fans would have been in their rights to be a bit annoyed about it (and I was), but they rewarded us a year later with a fantastic show. Everyone who was there remembers the B stage set and Keith doing You Got the Silver. (Remember that the cancelled Twicks show in 03 got a special version of Salt of the Earth as a thank you too!)

The Stones hold nothing against SPain and I'm sure they would love to be performing - if not for the love of it then for the money. It costs them big style to cancell gigs like this and they won't do it unless it is really necessary. I mean, how much money do they spend on hiring a stadium, publicity, putting up a stage, transport, personell retainers, etc etc...

Anyway, they'll be back next year and I'm sure they'll be playing in Spain. If your really desperate to see them now then I can confirm that tickets are still available for Twicks!!!

Anyway, I'm sure that they'll give you a real good show in 07 and in the mean time best of luck!

So I take it NO one has every called off their job sick before?

Yes Ohcarol, We have. But we have gone back to work in the same office as soon as we recovered. By the time Mick recovers he will be in the UK. I just hope the Stones have not touched a penny from the cancelled shows. I'm not sure how it goes with insurance companies and so on...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-08-15 22:08 by florinda.

On TV3 (catalan television), it has just been said that The Rolling Stones have promised to come back next year...

Dear Spanish fans, I'm very sorry for you. I was happy when I bought two FOS-tickets for the second Amsterdam show and it was cancelled too. How about the future? We might hope that they will visit Europe once more, but to be honest I have miy doubts. The roots of the band are in Europe but they have forgotten it. Maybe because of their age?

I went also from Italy for the second show in Amsterdam '03....

I came also from Italy for the second show in Amsterdam '03....

bv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is NOT about Spain. They cancelled EVERY show
> in Russia, Sweden, Greece, Croatia, Czech
> Republic, Belgium and Poland as well this summer.
> Accidents happen. Take a look at yourself in the
> mirror. Ask yourself: "What is happening
> tomorrow?" Nobody have any guarantees. Most of us
> do enjoy tomorrow but not everybody.
>
> By the way this is the last world tour ever and
> they will come to Europe next summer, so stop
> crying like little spoiled kids and think
> positive. Nobody died.


LAST TOUR???????

Oh so I get it, only entertainers on tour can't call in sick. The rest of us can.

Cosmique Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> On TV3 (catalan television), it has just been said
> that The Rolling Stones have promised to come back
> next year...


Is this the first time officially so far that the Stones have actually made commitments to performing in 2007?

bv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> >
> By the way this is the last world tour ever and
> they will come to Europe next summer, so stop
> crying like little spoiled kids and think
> positive. Nobody died.



Exactly. The whining and the conspiracy theories, all the negative attitudes... People on this site must be in a terrible state, mentally speaking.
First some lunies actually said Keith didn't have an accident... Then when Jagger got laryngitis - they still wanted him to sing... What sort of review would the same grumpy men have come up with after that? Demanding their money back?
Next summer, guys! Europe next summer! I bet you'll all turn up, just like I will. If you're serious about the Stones.

You're absolutely right Shidoobee!

It struck me the last couple of months that negativism rules.

I hope you're right to Europe 2007-I am really looking forward to it!

bv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Last time they cancelled shows because of Mick
> loosing his voice was Twickenham show Aug. 23 in
> 2003. Since then Mick have had no problems for
> more than 100 shows. Now they have cancelled 2
> shows. Sure I feel sorry for everybody who could
> not go. But... If my old dog can not walk much one
> day then I don't kick him and tell him he is not
> good. I feel sorry for him and hope he will be
> better tomorrow.


Ah, bv, i always enjoy reading your analogies, the way you always find a comparison with something completely unrelated to the stones!

_____________________________________________________

What's your favourite flavour?...........Cherry Red!!

Tobias Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You're absolutely right Shidoobee!
>
> It struck me the last couple of months that
> negativism rules.
>
> I hope you're right to Europe 2007-I am really
> looking forward to it!


BV has CONNECTIONS within the band. He knows! And I've spoken with some members, too. Summer 2007 - Europe. Get ready! Don't make any other plans! Don't miss out on that one.

Absoltely right, Bjornulf,

If Mick cannot sing because of laryngitis it needs several days of total non-speaking, never mind singing. What would you prefer....Mick to appear on stage, try to sing and can't and then be booed off stage ?

Unfortunately we all get ill sometimes, and it just happens to be that when you're a singer it means you let people down.

It is not intentional !!!!!!!

Chris

The problem isn't Micks health or Keiths health. I think everybody understand that, if he is ill, he cant do his job. The problem is that 4 shows have been cancelled. In all the cases except for El Ejido, there has been given very bad information about the problems (what was happening, when could we have information, etc.). They don't have problems to sell the tickets early, but they have a lot of problems to give refunds (our money). Also, if they are planning a tour, and if I have lost a lot of my time in order to get their tickets, why do they cancel the shows?. Why no postponement or wait until having more information?. Who can assure me that next year I will be able to have FOS tickets or ONSTAGE tickets?. They cancel the shows, they don't add more dates, but they plan a US tour. If I behave like they have behaved in my job, I would have lost all my buyers. They, contrary to other groups, don't care for so many fans. Too many bad things done, in just one country. If we sum what has happened in all the countries, we can say A Bigger Shit in Europe: The special case of Spain.

I understand how you feel. I lost tickets to Bergen and Paris, but there will be a 2007 re-visit of Europe. The Stones have always gone back to cancelled shows for whatever reason, just hang loose for a while and all will be O.K.
Chris

What else can a poor boy do cept to croak for a rock and roll band?

I do fully understand the disappointment of all fans in Spain. No matter if they are local or from foreign countries. I lost quite a bit when the first concerts had to be cancelled, but I also got refunds where I did not expected. Still it does not cover a nights concert with the Stones.
I think they wanted to be 100% sure (hopefully I am right) that Mick can sing next Sunday in Twickenham can do all the UK shows as they had to cancel that concert on the day of the event the last time.
I hope for all the fans who still would like to see the Stones that there will be a return in 2007. For the Stones chapter is closed after the UK. I will remember very happy times and I will look back to have met wonderful people in North America and Europe. That is what I will remember. I just delete all the angryness regarding the tour policy of Michael Cohl. Otherwise I would explode.

In fairness, they may have just cancelled Valladolid so late (lunchtime on the day of the show) simply because they were clinging to hope that he may have been OK to perform, and were reluctant to call it off until they felt they had no option. Mick's a professional. While the Stones may cancel shows if theyre not selling like they should and invent some lame excuse, Jagger isnt going to pull out due to illness unless he is REALLY unable to sing - and add that to the fact that by doing so, he could make matters worse and lead to more cancellations.

Until the Wembley postponements in 1990 when Keith bust his finger, to the best of my knowledge the band had never missed a gig due to ill-health in their entire career - even in the 60's when Brian let them down a few times, they went ahead as a 4-piece. I think a decision to pull out due to ill-health is never taken lightly and those decisions - by the very nature of illness such as flu or laryngitis - will tend to be made at a very late stage because the recovery period is potentially far shorter than it would be for keith's cracked ribs or brain op etc.

The show is cancelled simply because they know it wont be possible to reschedule it in 2006 due to commitments that have already been made elsewhere. It would be ideal if they could say "hold on to your tickets and they'll be valid for a new date in 2007" but maybe theyre just going to plan a different itinerary next year. I do think they'll be back however. About a third of this European tour has bitten the dust already for various reasons this summer and the signs are hopeful that they'll come back in 2007. I'd have been less hopeful had it just been 3 or 4 shows cancellations as the temptation would have been to say "@#$%& it - its not worth our time for a couple of shows", but when it gets to, what 12-14 shows now, its a tour in itself.

Well just taking a look at the schedule right now the boys have from Sept. 4th to Sept 10th to try to fit in a couple "make up" shows in Spain. I'm sure out of all the medium to large cities in Spain they can find an empty stadium or 2 for say the 6th of Sept and the 9th of Sept (weather will still be nice and warm at that time). That will still give them 10 days before they come back to the USA - plenty of time to rest. If I was earning about $10,000.00 USD a second and paying 1.6% on my taxes I'm sure I'd try extra hard to make the fans of one of Europe's largest countries happy. They only play from 4 to 6 hours of live music A WEEK as it is, I'm sure they can bend the rules a bit. I'm counting on the boys cause I'm sure the fans come first..... (SPAIN's different then the other mentioned cancelations - it's been hit TWICE. A very special situation that deserves a Remedy. I'm sure the boys will do the right thing)

Good Gazza! To the point! Wise man spoke. And yes, there WILL be a tour in Europe in 2007 - in the summer. BV has had this confirmed from his sources. And I've spoken with a band member too. 2007 summer - Stones will tour Europe.

MicksBrain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well just taking a look at the schedule right now
> the boys have from Sept. 4th to Sept 10th to try
> to fit in a couple "make up" shows in Spain. I'm
> sure out of all the medium to large cities in
> Spain they can find an empty stadium or 2 for say
> the 6th of Sept and the 9th of Sept (weather will
> still be nice and warm at that time). That will
> still give them 10 days before they come back to
> the USA - plenty of time to rest. If I was earning
> about $10,000.00 USD a second and paying 1.6% on
> my taxes I'm sure I'd try extra hard to make the
> fans of one of Europe's largest countries happy.
> They only play from 4 to 6 hours of live music A
> WEEK as it is, I'm sure they can bend the rules a
> bit. I'm counting on the boys cause I'm sure the
> fans come first..... (SPAIN's different then the
> other mentioned cancelations - it's been hit
> TWICE. A very special situation that deserves a
> Remedy. I'm sure the boys will do the right thing)


Nope. The football season will have started - plus Keith has his 'Pirates 3" commitments, unfortunately. Which is why they didnt reschedule more shows than they did after Cardiff following Keiths accident. Its often overlooked that trying to get hotel accommdation for 250-300 people at a couple of weeks notice is somewhat difficult - especially in Spain in the height of the tourist season (and especially somewhere like Almeria). Aint gonna happen this year

I think they'll do all the Spanish shows next year and hopefully add extra(s). the shows all sold very well after all. But a prompt announcement of the actual intended dates to reassure fans and reduce any ill-feeling would certainly help

MicksBrain, you are right: They could find a solution....if they wanted to.