Bob Hamrick has a commentary in today’s Eagle urging his fellow Wichitans to stop whining about the Rolling Stones concert. Some of the naysaying includes: Tickets cost too much. So what if we got the Stones, so did Missoula. They still haven’t sold out the stadium. And now, no one has heard of the opening band. “Nothing is ever quite right here in River City,” Hamrick wrote.
Our editorial today also notes that those who seem to take pleasure in arguing that there’s nothing to do in Wichita certainly can’t say that this weekend — if they ever can. Besides the Stones concert, options include the first Kansas Book Festival today and Saturday at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, the Downtown Chili Cookoff and the Great Plains Renaissance Festival. There are also concerts, a rodeo, theater performances and much more.
As Hamrick put it: “All you have to do is show up, shut up and listen.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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62 Comments
quoting the paper….”And those people happen to know a thing or two about rock and roll.”
Well we certainly hope that BRMC shows up with their other rock and roll music. Their most current stuff is now kin to Bob Dylan mumbling on an old LP. Seems their own fans on MySpace have a few questions of them also. Their older music may be fitting but they seemed to have now moved into Simon-Garfunkel, gospel, dylan mumbo. They used to do bit of blues-rock but I guess we’ll see who shows.
Well said Phil. I look forward to the Stones concert Sunday.
I also enjoyed the Symphony last weekend. They put on a great show. One particular piece I liked was “Concerto for Cell Phone” which was both hilarious and well-played.
During the summer we attend Music Theater. The local group does as good a job as we have seen elsewhere – the coasts and London.
Wow! I just learned someone is offering me free tickets. And I never–okay, seldom–turn down anything free.
The tickets do cost too much Phillip.Those ticket prices are above average prices for the majority of Wichita’s wages and stands to the reasons to the whining.This is the results of the practice of the area industries reluctant to properly increase wages for the area economy verses the outside world economy.The East and West coast wage vs. economy is higher than the middle mid-west.Come on get real!!!!What are the wages incomparing to age, sex, race, education, majority and minority.How about comparison on debt to savings?What about cost of everything that you are suppose to pay thru taxes.Phillip Brownlee and Bob Hamrick, if you really are newspaper journalists then why aren’t you writing the whole truth about it?
Maybe wages are lower in Wichita than the east/west coasts…so are housing prices.
My house payment dropped by $700 a month by moving here from Florida. My house here would cost easily 4 times more if it were in California. Higher taxes, higher electric costs and higher natural gas costs are all part of that package as well.
So, yes, it is possible to whine about wages…but let’s put it in perspective.
Like the article initially said, it is time for people to stop whining. There are a LOT of positives here.
I love the Rolling Stones.
As they were thirty years ago.
Every act ages past its prime, and as much as I love their music, they’re seriously pushing the logical end of what’s practical.
And for all you Dylan knockers, Dylan puts on one hell of a show even now. And he doesn’t need an eight-story tall stage with videoscreens to do it. And I only paid around $30 average for the last three times I saw him in concert.
In the words of Jethro Tull, “You’re never too old to rock and roll/if you’re too young to die”… but that doesn’t mean that you should be commanding hundred-plus for tickets when you would never have asked anything like that when you were in your PRIME. (even adjusted for inflation.)
Just a thought.
Don’t you understand, Postal? It is a market-based economy, the kind Charles Koch and all his rich buddies love. As long as we’re suckers enough to pay the inflated prices, people will continue to stick it to us.
I think it’s funny how the Eagle has an article about the dummies that speculatively bought a bunch of tickets and now can’t even get face value for them and WHINING to the Eagle about it. Then the Eagle publishes an article telling everybody else to stop whining. Irony, thy name is the Eagle.
You wannabe ticket scalpers deserve to take it in the shorts.
Only boring people complain that there’s nothing to do in Kansas.Check out the Events calendar on Sundays…$5 tango, ballroom or salsa dancing lessons +socials happen all the time!Cooking classes.Crash a wedding at the HyattWine tastings, I thinkArt exhibits.Live music.Lots of cheap drinks if that floats your boat.Musicals/plays/balletOr you could go to the park and play some basketball. Or feed the ducks. Or have a picnic.And go see the Stones :) That’s before my time though…
And everything is either cheap or free for the most part, unlike here in Honolulu. True, there’s no beach bumming on the weekends but there’s always something fun happening if you look hard enough…
Yeah Raptor you are right!Maybe wages are lower in Wichita than the east/west coasts…so are housing prices, taxes, electric and natural gas but the point of my last comment is the east/west coasts thinks that the mid-west have the money like they are used to having where they lived in those other states.And they call that fair?
Yes, ticket scalping. It works so well in other cities, and Wichitans whine because they can’t make it work here. Those who live by the “greater idiot theory” (there’ll be someone dumber than me who’ll buy this for more) die by the greater idiot theory.
Shoulda scalped some Kiss, Van Halen, or REO Speedwagon tickets instead. Those shows sell out because mullet bands appease the gods of this mullet town. Old school ’80s rock is a staple of manufacturing communities. ’60s British bands cater to a smaller cross-section of America, at least as far as who would pay big bucks to go see them.
Well, I guess 70s/80s rock, seeing as how Van Halen I came out in 1978, and Kiss was around in 73.
I moved here from Chicago and have enjoyed being back – lots more to do than when I was stationed at McConnell in the late 70’s. But somethings haven’t changed – No support for the baseball team, airport still not providing much in the way of cheap service (explain to me why we’re giving 5 million to Air Trans for 3-4 flights a day with nothing heading West?) and the right wing christian conservative republicans still have a strangle hold on the state. Back in the 70’s one of the slogans was “Welcome to Wichita, don’t forget to set your watch back 10 years. Now it’s only about 7 and a half.
Stones! Stones! Stones! Stones! Stones! Stones! Stones! Stones!
:)
That’s what I’ll be chanting Sunday evening, and having a blast while at it. :)
It’s going to be a good time.
Joe,
Good to see you have a good taste of music.
WTF are people complaining about… Last check, there were tickets going as cheap as $30. Yes, they are nose bleed seats but they are seats. Why do they charge in upwards of $100 for a majority of the tickets, because they CAN and people will pay it…
At last check, all of the seats that were the $100 and more are sold out. The ones that are are the “cheap seats”. And considering that i believe this is the largest concert to ever come to Wichita, I don’t think we are doing that bad…
So, stop bitching and have some fun… If your not going, than shut up and let the rest of us enjoy it…
I agree, the complaining by all the naysayers is really, really old. As for the Missoula comment – the Stones haven’t sold out there either, or in Chicago or Seattle, for that matter. It’s admittedly tough for many groups (even of that caliber) to sell out a 40,000 seat show these days, unless there’s more than one major act on the bill. As for those high ticket prices, it’s not just a midwestern thing – it’s happening everywhere. You can thank scalpers for that, and you can also thank Ticketmaster (who racked up over $1 billion last year just in fees). There’s a lot of money floating around that the artists and those associated with them (crew, promoters, et al) don’t even see. Sorry to go off on a bit of a tangent there, but there’s a lot more behind ticket prices than many people might realize. Just Google and see all the news reports.
Yea, talk about the money…
I worked with Wheatland Jam and the River Fest and the amount of money it costs to put on one of these productions is tremendous…
Just look at the staging… a 200′ x 90′ stage rent is a couple of thousand dollars, assembling it is just as much… Sound system, same thing, couple of grand to rent, than setup…
It takes an entire week or more to build this theater, just for four hours of entertainment…
I don’t really question the pricing of tickets any more… I have worked and seen where the money goes. The bands don’t make millions… Heck, i doubt if they clear 100 grand in profit to go to the stones… split that among the group, that really ain’t much….
I’ll try to enjoy the concert, anyway.
I think it is Great the Stones are even here!!! My HAT is off to the people that got them here. A world known legendary band. I wish I was not working, :( but I am close enough that I can step outside & get a quick listen, with a nurse that survived the Vietnam War! Think about the history of this band, they are LEGENDS, and their legacy, blows my mind. When I think about the Stones, I think about Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Cream, Woodstock, and Watergate. I know PLENTY of current bands that listen to the STONES on their pods. I am confused, what is there to complain about? Music, dancing and having fun, listening to a band that will be remembered in HISTORY FOREVER!!!
LOL, the Stones. Sheesh, I saw the Stones twice in the 70s, once at Arrowhead (with Chaka Khan). This was in like ‘76, when the Stones were at least 2 years past their prime. That was a sad, sad show. Ms. Khan so upstaged the Stones, who displayed all the musical talent of Spinal Tap (the Stones are superior producers of recorded music, but their live act? Give me a break)
Now they’re at least 32 years past their prime, and Mick Jagger would easily get run out of (insert your cheesiest) karaoke bar.
Meanwhile, one of the 2 greatest giants of American 20th century music can, unfortunately, barely fill Century II. That’s Bob Dylan, by the way (the other is Louis Armstrong).
Postal has already said mostly the same thing above, btw.
Jagger was great in his prime, and yall are suckerz if you’re paying lots of good money to actually see him “perform” hits he couldn’t even perform half-assed in 1976.
Man, “cut”, little judgmental today, are you? What do you care if people want to go see the Stones? Past their prime or not, why does it bother you?
Just who are you to tell people they are “suckerz” for doing something they want to do? Is anyone forcing you to go?
It is called freedom of choice, “cut” and just because you don’t like something doesn’t make it wrong for others. Lighten up…
It’s just maddeningly further evidence of the dumbing down of America, raptor.
A guy can only take so much evidence that his fellow citizens are, at the core, witless and random consumers of crap-o-la and boom, he blows up. ;)
To be honest, I much prefer going to Kirby’s and listening to the bands that perform there instead of attending overpriced concerts of bands that should have been put out to pasture.
Same here, Cecil…but that doesn’t mean anyone has to belittle the people that do like to go…
I saw the Stones last March, it was the best show ever!! No one will be disappointed and there isn’t a bad seat in the house. I think the reason it hasn’t sold out is that with gas prices and the cost of everything going up, there just isn’t as much disposable income nowadays, too many have to worry about paying their utilities and keeping a roof over their head. The Stones concert is just not a priority for many who are struggling just to keep their heads above water.
Yeah, I’m sure Jagger has taken some voice lessons since 1976 or so.
Hopefully. (!)
Here’s the test: if you’re a Stones fan, you’ll easily remember the set list for tomorrow night’s show. If so, you have the opportunity to evaluate your decision as a rational American consumer. ;)
You’re a fan of rock – obviously – and likely listen to lots of rock tunes, so here goes. Are you better off buying the Stones’ set list ripped legally from iTunes at $0.99 a pop and downloaded to a hard drive, from which you can enjoy without limit, or are you better off paying $75 or so to see the same music “performed” by the Rolling Stones in Cessna Stadium?
If you’re rational, then I’m tellin’ you right now that you’re way ahead of the game to forego Cessna Stadium and schlepp on over to iTunes instead.
Unless, of course, you actually prefer to see lotsa middle-aged butt stuffed in leather trousers with your Stones, both onstage and off. ;)
Nothing beats a live concert, it’s the experience you’re buying, not just the music.
Cut and ran, the Stones are too old to be middle-aged!
I didn’t like the Stones when they first came out, let alone now> Never liked screaming, even if it was kind of in tune to the music.If Josh Brogan came into town, I’d be there in a heart beat, but that’s my personal opinion, which I’m entitled to. I can think of a better ways of spending $100.00 then that.
A bunch of Wichita baby boomers rockin’ on to some decripit old limeys, yee haw!!
Viva La Revolucion Blanco!!
mr. cut & run–seems to be your “theme”. Sorry, I don’t buy your insufferable know-it-all wanabe music critic comments. I’m sure if Jimi Hendrix or The Gratful Dead were to perfom you’d be sayin the SAME thing. Get real. It’s too bad I’m working or I would take my kids too. So they could see a legend. So stop with the BORING lecture. Obviously, your not into fun.
That’s Mr. Cut and Ran to you, Sandy. ;)
If your idea of fun is to see a bunch of old men “perform” songs in 2006 that they couldn’t even get right 30 years ago, then pardon me if I ain’t taking any lectures from you on the definition of “fun.”
;)
I went to see Josh Groban last year, Virgina. He was great and I hope someday he’ll come back to Wichita, I’d go see him again. I love the Stones, to me they are the greatest rock band ever, certainly they’ve had more staying power than any other band I can think of.Age is a state of mind, Ian. In that respect, I’m sure you’re much older than Mick Jagger. I know he’s got to be in better shape than you. He works out at least as much as you sit on the computer!
So “Cut and Run” what DO you do for fun? If downloading music on an ipod rather than attending a live concert is your definition of having a good time, I think you need to seriously think about getting a life.
That’s Mr. Cut and Ran to you, Mary. ;)
If the band we’re talking about is the Stones, then yeah downloading their music to my iPod is way better than attending one of their live concerts.
Correction: waaaaaaay.
Fortunately the Stones aren’t the only rock act around, though.
In fact, 50-100 years from now the Stones will pale in comparison to Bob Dylan. Every living recording artist would give their left adenoid to record just about any one of Dylan’s songs. Can you say the same about the Stones?
The last great rock act I saw, apart from Bob Dylan, was Queens of the Stone Age. That’s a great, great rock band, and they’re sonic as hell to boot. ;) Leather, in fact, complements the hell out of QOTSA fans.
Now THAT was fun. :)
You want the 2006 American version of Mick Jagger, you may wanna check out Josh Homme. He may be the one.
Bob Dylan can’t sing. That’s my opinion, and I’m sure others don’t share it. However, he is very talented, and I still enjoy some of his music. On the other hand, his music isn’t all that easy to dance to. (Shades of American Bandstand?) The Stones’ music is. It all depends on what you’re looking for and what you’re going to do with it.
The Stones and Dylan aren’t about the same things. Their music and styles are completely different. Comparing them is like apples and oranges.
If you prefer Dylan to the Stones or anybody else to the Stones, then by all means, listen to what you want to hear. Other than that, nobody really cares.
And, Cut? If you don’t like having your name shortened, use a shorter one. When you’ve learned your manners, you’ll have earned the right to be called Mr. by your elders.
See, Mary knows fun.(i think that was simple enough even for you(cut-run-ran) to understand.
Mr. Cutwhatevera! You might think you know the definition of fun, but surely NOT the comprehension of it. It’s very sad to read your poor knowledge base of music. You must be in a lot of pain to write these insidious comments about people that want to go to see “The Rolling Stones”. This group is known all over the WORLD. They have been Rockin before I was born!! AND They still ROCK man!! I wish I could have seen Frank(blue eyes)Sanatra. HISTORY MAN. Stones are great. And I love hearing their songs live or studio. So, Stop slamming, and chill.
It’s been I think about a decade since they put out a decent song.But like you say Sandy, they are about History. They are the last of the British Invasion still together (at least that aren’t playing the county/state fair circuit -i.e. Hermans Hermits).The Rolling Stones are legends.And the baby boomers who more than likely lost their virginity to a stones tune in the back seat of a Mustang are the one’s driving up the ticket prices.Supply and demand.But really. Cessna Stadium?A decade ago they were filling the Rose Bowl at 100,000+.
RD, what do you think of Leonard Cohen’s voice? How about his songs? Do you think he’s sexy just based on his music? ;)
That’s the acid test in my book, the boomer acid test btw. Women who dig Leonard Cohen can lecture me on manners. Women who don’t can’t.
Mr. KIA,
Where is our(wichita) Rose Bowl stadium?
Sorry Sandy what I meant was that the tour they did in 96 or 98 a market like Wichita didn’t even get the show. So appreciate that you have it I guess it how I meant that.
Tough Twinkies, Cut. You’ve already been lectured. I could care less if I pass your boomer acid test.
And Leonard Cohen? Up or down, RD?
Somebody must like the Stones, as they are the top grossing band in the world. So Cut the bull shit, and save your pennies for the next time. Like never.
Hey, don’t get me wrong, the recorded work of the Stones is GREAT.
I repeat: GREAT. I don’t know how anybody can listen to the opening bars of “Gimme Shelter” or “Sympathy for the Devil” or “Street Fighting Man” and not get goose pimples on the back of the neck.
But the Stones are NOT a great live band. Great LIVE boomer bands included The Grateful Dead (who sounded waaaaaay better live than recorded) and, most especially, Bob Dylan (who complains incessantly about how bad ALL recorded music sounds and whose live shows bring, breathtakingly, to life his own recorded music).
I ain’t slamming the Stones, steve. They were a great, great, GREAT band back in the day.
But that day is past.
BTW, now playing on my own system: The Pogues, “Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash.”
Irish redneck music at its very best. ;)
Are we all impressed?
As for Leonard Cohen…depressing.
Then your lecture wasn’t received, RD.
I’m sure you sent it, though, somewhere. ;)
I’m not a big Stones fan myself, but I recognize that they’re a major part of rock history. I got a hell of a deal on tickets and the G/F is a huge Stones fan. If she wants to go, I consider it my pleasure to take her. I feel sorry for those of you who’ll miss it. You can run down the boomers all you want, but it was us who taught you kids how to party. We defined it. The rest of you are just following us.
And Sunday night, we’re going to show you how it’s done again.
huh huh huh, wrap yourself in spandex…
The Rolling Stones are anti communist Jesus loving, pull yourself up by the bootstraps radicals. They dont fit in any mold, they broke the mold!Listen to the lyrics:
http://experts.about.com/q/Rolling-Stones-578/name-lyrics-song.htm
According to the band, they wrote the “Pleased to meet you” (Sympathy to the Devil) after they were called “evil” by their detractors. They wanted to show what they believed was true evil, which was the Bolshivic (Communist) revolution in Russia, the temptation of Jesus in the Garden, and the and the Nazis in Europe.I fully realize that the Stones are not my political soul mates, but even so, they do present some interesting views, dont they?
“You cant always get what you want, but if you try some time, you just might find, you get what you need”
Ok Sympathy for the Devil, I got it wrong.
And, I do admit, that some disagree with my take on this one, lol:
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Evils%20in%20America/Rock-n-Roll/rolling_stones.htm
However this is what Keith Richards says was the motivation:
Written by: Mick Jagger, Keith RichardsProduced by: Jimmy MillerReleased: Dec. ‘68 on LondonCharts: Non-single
“The inspiration for this hellish detour came from Soviet writer Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel The Master and Margarita, which depicts Satan having his way in 1930s Moscow. The Stones gave the devil one of their best grooves, built on Rocky Dijon’s congas and Bill Wyman’s Bo Diddley-esque maracas. “Before, when we were just innocent kids out for a good time, [the media said], ‘They’re evil, they’re evil,’ ” Richards said. “So that makes you start thinking about evil…. Everybody’s Lucifer.”
The above from this site:http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/therollingstones/articles/story/6595877/sympathy_for_the_devil
Forgive me if I do not regard with much relevance the social commentary of mutibillionaire purveyors of aging music. Many could not even afford to attend the Stones concert even if they wanted to. ( I did not)
Actually the Sympathy for the Devil song isn’t some anti-Communist, pro-Jesus song. The inspiration was a Russian author but was a commentary on social ills present during the 60s.
http://dir.salon.com/story/ent/masterpiece/2002/01/14/sympathy/index.html
Doug,You cant read the lyrics and not see that the Stones felt the slaughter of the Russian Royal Family by the Communists was evil, and you must also believe that the Stones understood the Passion of Christ in the Garden.
Please allow me to introduce myselfI’m a man of wealth and tasteI’ve been around for a long, long yearStole many a man’s soul and faith
And I was ’round when Jesus ChristHad his moment of doubt and painMade damn sure that PilateWashed his hands and sealed his fate
Pleased to meet youHope you guess my nameBut what’s puzzling youIs the nature of my game
I stuck around at St. PetersburgWhen I saw it was a-time for a changeKilled the czar and his ministersAnastasia screamed in vain
I rode a tankHeld a general’s rankWhen the blitzkrieg ragedAnd the bodies stank
Pleased to meet youHope you guess my name, oh yeahAh, what’s puzzling youIs the nature of my game, ah yeah
(whoo whoo, whoo whoo)I watched with gleeWhile your kings and queens (whoo whoo)Fought for ten decades (whoo whoo)For the gods they made (whoo whoo)
I shouted out, (whoo whoo)”Who killed the Kennedys?” (whoo whoo)When after all (whoo whoo)It was you and me (whoo whoo)
Let me please introduce myself (whoo whoo)I’m a man of wealth and taste (whoo whoo)And I laid traps for troubadours (whoo whoo)Who get killed before they reached Bombay (whoo whoo, whoo whoo)
Pleased to meet you (whoo whoo)Hope you guessed my name, (whoo whoo) oh yeah (whoo whoo)But what’s puzzling you (whoo whoo)Is the nature of my game(whoo whoo), oh yeah, get down, baby (whoo whoo)(whoo whoo, whoo whoo)(whoo whoo)(whoo whoo)(whoo whoo) ……….
Pleased to meet you (whoo whoo)Hope you guessed my name, (whoo whoo) oh yeah (whoo whoo)But what’s confusing you (whoo whoo)Is just the nature of my game (whoo whoo) um yeah (whoo whoo)
Just as every cop is a criminal (whoo whoo)And all the sinners saints (whoo whoo)As heads is tails (whoo whoo)Just call me Lucifer (whoo whoo)’Cause I’m in need of some restraint (whoo whoo)
So if you meet me (whoo whoo)Have some courtesy (whoo whoo)Have some sympathy, (whoo whoo) and some taste (whoo whoo)Use all your well-learned politesse (whoo whoo)Or I’ll lay your(whoo whoo) soul to waste,(whoo whoo), um yeah (whoo whoo)
Pleased to meet you (whoo whoo)Hope you guessed my name, (whoo whoo) um yeah (whoo, whoo)But what’s puzzling you (whoo whoo)Is the nature of my game, (whoo whoo) um mean it, (whoo whoo) get down(whoo whoo) (whoo whoo)(whoo whoo) (whoo whoo)
Woo, who (whoo whoo)Oh yeah, get on down (whoo whoo)Oh yeah (whoo whoo)(whoo whoo, whoo whoo)(whoo whoo, whoo whoo)……..
Oh yeah! (whoo, whoo)Tell me baby,(whoo whoo) what’s my name(whoo whoo)Tell me honey,(whoo whoo) can ya guess my name (whoo whoo)Tell me baby, (whoo whoo) what’s my name (whoo whoo)I tell you one time, (whoo whoo) you’re to blame (whoo whoo)
Woo Who (whoo whoo)Woo Who (whoo whoo)Woo (whoo whoo) alright (whoo whoo)
Oh, who who, oh, who who, (whoo whoo) oh, who whoOh Yeah (whoo whoo)Woo, who who (whoo whoo) Woo, who who (whoo whoo)Ah yeah, a-what’s my name (whoo whoo)
Tell me, baby, (whoo whoo) what’s my name (whoo whoo)Tell me, sweetie, (whoo whoo) what’s my name (whoo whoo)
Woo, who, who (whoo whoo)Woo, who, who (whoo whoo)Woo, who, who (whoo whoo)Woo, who, who (whoo whoo)Oh, who, who (whoo whoo)Woo, who, who (whoo whoo)Ah, yeah!Whoo whooWoo Who WhoWhoo whoo
http://www.shidoobee.com
Yeah Paul, I guess the guy who wrote it has no input on the matter.
WELL:
After seeing the show: If you missed it, you missed out. Sorry, JR; too bad, Cut&Run.
Your loss.
Mick was in fine form. Keith outplays any dozen 20-something players, and does it with a lifetime of living informing his style (whether you agree with those lifestyle choices or not). Ron Wood may be even better. “She Got the Silver” was magic, with Wood on acoustic slide.
They haven’t been around 40+ years for nothing (and that said as someone who’s not a huge Stones fan). Time has a way of weeding out the also-rans.
Kids, listen and learn. This is how it’s done.
AMEN!!!! It was a great show!!