Sympathy for the Devil?
By Laura Duffy

It surprised many people who went to buy Rolling Stones concert tickets that their Dublin concert had sold out within minutes. After all, aren’t they a bunch of dated rockers who only appeal to your great uncle? Many other younger bands with current hit singles and albums play venues in Ireland. There are more handsome vocalists, with livelier stage shows. Yet few can attract this enthusiastic response from a cross-section of society.

Controversy has flared following the decision to hold this eagerly anticipated gig in the Point Theatre, as opposed to the RDS, a venue which has potential to hold thousands more people. Further controversy arose when it became clear that the majority of tickets were sold in major cities, while Ticketmaster outlets in smaller towns appeared capable of selling only a limited amount. This has led to great disappointment for fans since many will not be able to afford the ‘hotel break & concert ticket’ offers advertised. How business people managed to snap up tickets, which loyal fans who queued for hours could not obtain, is certainly questionable. But whatever the methods of sale, those tickets are certainly hot property.

This phenomenal demand reflects the Rolling Stones’ massive appeal, spanning the gender and age gap, this affection lasting over many years. People who are largely uninterested in music will often recognise a Rolling Stones tune, often without realising who performed it in the first place. Artists who have recorded cover versions of their tracks range from Guns N’ Roses to Steve Earle. Although it is widely acknowledged that death equals a measure of credence in the world of rock (think Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, etc) most members of the Stones are unfashionably alive and kicking. They have been politically incorrect, having written lyrics which many people have found to be racist/sexist, they have taken copious amounts of drugs and alcohol and despite the negative aspects of their career they are still as likely to be a favourite band of your little nephew as your grandmother.

Perhaps the enduring appeal of the group is that they have moved with the times while still remaining true to the kind of music they started out playing. Few artists can stand the test of time in the increasingly fickle music world. Most new videos have fast-flicking images reflecting the current short attention span of the audience and radio stations rarely play a single to the end of the track. Given this growing demand for hype and gimmicks, love them or loathe them, it is to their credit that the Stones are one of the acts whose concert tickets remain extremely elusive and desirable in 2003.

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