The good, the bad, and the Rolling Stones
The British rockers’ upcoming concert in Vancouver next year is an incredible event of excitement as well as concern
British rock band The Rolling Stones announced the only city in Canada they will be visiting on their North American tour following the release of album Hackney Diamonds is Vancouver come July. (Wikicommons/Silvia Klippert)
The Rolling Stones announced that Vancouver will be the only place in Canada included in the North American tour for their recently released album Hackney Diamonds. The band is planning to play old and new songs on July 5, 2024 at BC Place Stadium, in addition to 16 other cities in the United States. Like everyone else, I can’t wait for their visit.
One reason why the band chose our city only and not other places in Canada is most likely to make up for missing out on performing here back in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Touring here next summer will certainly be welcoming compensation.
Another possibility is that it’s just been a long time since they came to Vancouver. The band had sparse visits to our city from a chaotic 1972 concert at Pacific Coliseum to a more peaceful event at BC Place Stadium in 2006. They clearly missed us with a passion.
One of the things that excites me about the Stones coming here is that it will no doubt bring a lot of buzz to the Vancouver community. The band’s concert will add value to our city’s already rich history of arts and entertainment. On top of that, the Stones will be a very captivating story for locals and tourists while boosting our reputation as a music-centric urban hub.
For me personally, it’s fascinating to live in a city where the Deadpool movies were made and also home to my favourite local punk band, The Pack A.D. With our arts scene thriving daily, it gets cooler knowing that the Rolling Stones will perform here.
Evidently, the show will be a sold-out event for the year because it’s the Stones. These British rockers are one of the oldest rock groups ever with a global and multi-generational fanbase that has only grown over the years. I don’t see their massive following becoming detrimental to their career anytime soon.
Moreover, their newest album was an undeniable hit that showed these rockers are timeless paragons of music. An enormous turnout will also stem from the fanbase’s love and support for the band in the midst of late drummer Charlie Watts still lingering in everyone’s minds.
While Vancouverites are beyond excited that the Stones made an exception with us for their tour, my only concerns are the growing concert problems becoming more prevalent everyday. If Ticketmaster’s ticket fiasco over Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour proves anything, it’s become more difficult now than ever to watch live acts from your favourite band or solo artist.
Swift’s tour has become an accidental example of how absurd and extreme it can be when navigating the online world of concert tickets. The Vancouver Sun reported Swift fans are getting so desperate they’ve resorted to unregulated ticket resale sites like StubHub and may even turn to ticket scalpers if pushed far enough. It will obviously be just as hard for locals to see Mick Jagger live on stage.
In any case, I wish attendees a safe and fun experience when the Stones finally do come knocking, asking if we’re ready to rock. Fan presales started on November 29 and general tickets became available on Dec. 1 through the Stones’ official website.
