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Name: Syph
E-Mail:
Subject: My experience/Oakland show
Date: Monday, May 6, 2013
Time: 10:59:23 AM
Remote Address: 65.78.131.27
Message ID: 276943
Parent ID: 0
Thread ID: 276943
(long review...about to hit "post message" and my laptop's battery died...sooooo not happy right now...)
Anyway, typing it all again...
We got to the show around 6:30...many different lines...the longest was for the people that bought $85 tickets. They paid in advance, and at a will call type of situation, they got their tickets and found out where they were going to be seating. Luck of the draw - some got level two, others level one, etc. We were in section 203 row 18 (!)...only 2 rows of seats separated us from the back wall of the arena - where the roof meets wall. Truly, we weren't "in the gods," God was 5 feet behind me...just before the show started he tapped me on the shoulder and said "Shit, these seats suck!" Being an arena, all seats have a clear view of the stage, but this was where the floor gets so steep that when you walk by people's legs - as you squeeze by - you get that "whoa...here we go!" feeling of losing your balance...
My sister bought extra tickets - and through a series of people backing out etc., she went w/2 tickets - one in 203 w/us and one in 115 by herself...to illustrate just how far up we were, check this out - remember 203, row 18 - in the BACK of 203:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1C004A7D90E340F8
So, we began the show here - w/my sister going down to 115. There were huge pockets of empty seats at 8:10 (show "started" at 8)...so many that I thought, "we can move down when the show starts and get better seats, no problem...but by the time they came on, it was PACKED and getting to the end of our row was a task - let alone trying to get to 115 where my sis was...
Show started with a short video...regular fans mixed in w/Johnny Depp, Iggy, Perry Ferrell, etc...talking about the moment the Stones entered their lives w/their music and how it had a profound effect on them.
No big BOOM like previous shows - it WAS indoors and Get Off My Cloud just doesn't have the right dynamics for that. Right away, I realized how good they were sounding. Everyone sounding good.
Highlights from the first part of the show:
• Ronnie was "on" - when Jimmy and I went to the SF gig during the last tour, Mick had to run around w/Ronnie and cue him when he was supposed to "solo"...then Ronnie would play some bum notes and Mick would run his finger across his throat telling him when to stop. During Keith's spot, Keith said "Shit, Ronnie" into the mic when Ronnie messed up. I turned to Jimmy and asked him - without humor - "Did Ronnie have a stroke?" I truly thought something major happened to him and that the Stones just didn't inform the public...or, Ronnie was wasted. So, compared to that, Ronnie was VERY good.
• Emotional Rescue - although I saw that it was played in LA, when it started I had no idea what it was...it had a Stax/Everybody Needs Somebody/old school sound to it...so when Mick came in w/the falsetto, I was pleasantly surprised. Great Addition to the set. (we didn't get Factory Girl or Respectable - which I wanted to see. I was hoping for (and for my daughter) Billie Joe to come out and do Respectable...since he was in town and probably within 5 miles of the arena...
As Doom and Gloom was wrapping up, an Arena staffer shined a flashlight down on the 3 of us...motioning us to come out. Once I wasn't blinded by his light, I saw that my sister was with him (in her inimitable way, she got this guy to come to 203, pull us out and walk us to much better seats - I think Jimmy man have taken over this guy's body for a few minutes! : )...we then proceeded to an elevator which brought us down into the bowels...we went under the Tongue Pit and past the VIP bar (to me at least) to section 115 row 3 and it was a different show...plus about 100 decibels louder!
So, I got to see the Stones rather closely for my last go around with them. I have my sister to thank for that...the choir on YCAGWYW was very nice as was the french horn. As everyone in the place seemed to have a cell phone in the air (which I find disgusting and has lead to the ruin of live music) I'm really only talking about my experience - all the songs are probably on You Tube already. When Mick sang directly to people from the catwalk, about 80% of them immediately put their phone up - "Must prove I was here, must post immediately to Fart/Farcebook..." I choose to use my eyes whenever possible. Otherwise, watch a DVD.
Anyway, the "Jimmy" part of YCAGWYW was rather poignant and really fit the last time I saw him...weird stuff. My original "review/post" had other and different info about the concert which I lost when my computer died...so I know I'm missing a bunch of stuff...but I've been typing for an hour now and don't have much to show for it - except for a sore neck.
Overall - GREAT show! They truly are one of the last 2-3 bands that can put on a show with nothing more than their talent...Overpriced? Yes. Will I pay that much again? No. But I also don't think I'll ever have the opportunity to see them again...so it was worth it in some weird way.
One last thing - Charlie is a true powerhouse of a gentleman. He was spot on all night and hasn't slowed down a bit. He pulled off Doom and Gloom's drums very well - which I thought might be difficult live. Unlike the others, his talent remains undiminished and he's just a joy to watch.
I hope everyone who wants to go to this tour can go - do the $85 deal if it's available in your area...just to get in the door.
Syph
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