Rolling Stones Play Shanghai

So last Saturday the Rolling Stones played in Shanghai. Here’s my notes on the gig. 

We arrive early and circle the concert hall several times. The concert hall is small - maybe a 9000 capacity - making this, probably, the smallest audience the Stones have played to in a long time. CNN (Richard funny voice) and MTV are there, interviewing concert goers. I know it’s MTV because they are screaming in to the camera. The tickets cost up to USD 500. It is almost exclusively expats. The Shanghai glitterati are out in force. There’s a row of young women (not really dressed for outdoors) holding small Deutsche Bank signs (the sponsor) - rather surreal.

There is no checking/security as you enter the hall. You can even buy a Starbucks and carry it in. This makes a nice change from some London venues I’ve been to. Inside the concert hall is clean and spacious - everyone has their mobile phones and cameras out. I’m sitting in the second tier centre overlooking the mixing desks. Behind me is an old Chinese guy sipping tea - I presume this is the PPC rep.

As it’s a select group that can afford to go to this concert, it is likely that you know someone who is there. So most people spend their time calling their friend’s mobile and turning round and waving trying to pick them out of the crowd. Some people carry on doing this for several hours.

Finally a Japanese support band takes the stage. I think they play three electric songs. It is hard to know since they all use the same chords and melody. It is a continous buzz. They finish with an acoustic number that sounds the same as the electric ones - only quieter. Support bands really get the wrong end of the stick on tour and this one is no exception as no one even looks at the monitors during their “performance”.

More looking around and phoning.

The Stones pre-stage video starts about 9:00pm. Everyone stands up. It is loud. I mean LOUD. The explosions in the video are accompanied with big bangs that get bigger as it progresses. The tour is called A Bigger Bang - see what they’ve done there. Clever. The first song is Start Me Up.  Remember I said this was a small hall? It seems the audio guys didn’t bring the small hall sound system. There is something wrong with the mix - the only time I can hear the keyboards, horns or the backing singers is when nothing else is playing. Ron Wood looks totally out of it. Mick is doing his arhythmic jerky dance. Keith and Charlie are keeping it all together.

For Wild Horses they bring on a Chinese rock star. I don’t know who it was but he clearly did not know either the words or the chords to the song. You would have thought he would have practiced a bit before taking the stage with the Rolling Stones. Oh well.

In the middle Keith “sings” (croaks) a couple of songs on his own. Awful.

They finish with Satisfaction.

More looking around and phoning.

Exit. Rain. No taxis.

It was a good show overall. Though much too expensive. I hope this opens the door to more of the same from other Westen acts at prices closer to Earth.