As I walked to the Dome in St. Louis, a short five minutes walk from my hotel just across 9th Street to the Entrance D on Cole street, my stomack was in big pain, I was hit by a sudden nervous pain I have never experienced before. Then once inside, I met with friends in the VIP lounge, and my pain was gratually going away.
At 7pm I went down to the pit area, Pit 1 i. Ronnie side, the place was half empty, but it would fill up during the next hour or so. More friends to meet, the pain was not there anymore. Then at , the lights went ot, and drums started to sound all over the stadium. It was Charlie drumming, soft, hard, gentle, great pace, just like having Charlie in the venue. Various images of Charlie were on display on the large screens.
My emotional roller coaster ride had started, and it would last throughout the show, all the way back to my hotel. The Charlie intro lasted for two minutes. A great tribute, but so sad. They rehearsed some songs. I had the great pleasure of being in Boston for two weeks, and got to hear around sixty songs rehearsed. The following is some memories from the Boston rehearsals.
One month later I was in Cancun Mexico, on hold, waiting for 16 days in order to get approval for US entry. What makes a grown up father and grandfather leave the family for three months, challenging COVID, with travel to places where there is ten times more COVID as compared to my home country Norway?
The answer is simple, like it has been for the past fifty years for me: The love of The Rolling Stones and their music. I just love to see and hear The Rolling Stones live performances. And over the years, the same applies for their rehearsals.
I have been invited into their rehearsals studio three times over the years. They might not play any of these songs during the tour, but I have been enjoying them all still. Even this year in Boston ! The sixteen days in Cancun Mexico were painful. With the sadness of the passing of our dear Charlie Watts, I tried to get home, just gave up on the tour, sitting for hours on the phone line, trying in vain to book a return flight. Then my closest back home told me to sleep on it, give it another day.
So I did not go home. Sad moments when the 4th car with Charlie did never arrive, I miss Charlie so much, and those moments at the studio, when he did not appear, did not return after rehearsals, did not hit the drums, so painful. They said there was no point in going to Boston for the rehearsals. You see nothing. You hear nothing. And not true. I have been to more than one hundred rehearsals. It has been a habit, or a life style.
There is always a door or a wall or a side entrance or a window or a corner nearby when you may see them, hear them, or both. Soon after I arrived, the crew and the band members gave me a warm welcome. They know me from many rehearsals. They know I will never jump in front of any of the cars, push an album up into the side window for a signature, or try to sneak into a side door, or flash a camera or my mobile phone up on the side window of any of the cars.
May be that is why Mick, Keith and Ronnie quite a few times did roll down the window, often when I was alone, said hi to me, up close, smiled, and waved. I felt happy and privileged. I am Mr Nice Guy, it helps a lot with the trust. So they gave me approval for listening as close as possible, right next to the door to the parking, on the premises.
I did always have my mask on, whenever someone passed by less than five feet. Covid days, respect, I have to protect the band, the crew, the tour, and myself. Sixty songs. It sounded great from outside. The new guy do have a Gretch drum kit, not really exactly like the light brown one Charlie had, but still, Steve Jordan is loyal to the sound and the songs, I will give him a chance. And during my two weeks at the studio, Steve Jordan smiled, behind his mask, saluted me as I was there as they arrived and departed every day.
Wednesday Sept 8 was a favorite of mine. How often do you get such a set of songs during an hour or so the same night? I was in Stones paradise. Play With Fire.
So great. They did it many times at the rehearsals in London It is rarely performed live. Ghost Town. And one or two other songs I did not recognize, because it is hard to hear the lyrics through rain, traffic, bird singing, wind and talking from people in the streets.
Far Away Eyes. Monkey Man. Sweet Virginia. Let It Bleed. No Expectations. And one more time Memory Motel. I get Memory Motel every week! As I write this, it is Saturday evening September I am tired, after having been away from home and my family for more than a month. I miss my family.
I miss Charlie. I miss my friends. It has been a long wait, but now I am ready! The Rolling Stones Tour was announced July 22, One month later I was in Mexico Cancun, on a long and winding travel that would eventually take me into Stonesland. This is the story about getting there, it is not easy, but it is possible, and you are welcome as a visitor to USA, as long as you follow their current rules.
It took a few days until I realized I had to go on the tour. May be I knew it all the time, because I had booked more than 30 hotels for the entire tour in USA already on July All bookings flexible, so no cost yet. My passport was renewed in July, as it expired in September. I was ready, without knowing anything would happen this year. I have not been on travel by air or outside Norway since I went to London late , to see Ronnie Wood there.
Checking travel rules is essential when you want to visit USA. Rules change, there are separate rules for each country and so on. Norway as an example are completely closed for non-EU visitors, a bit like Australia and New Zealand. So I spent hours and days checking. This rule do also apply to transit, so there are few options.
Mexico have no rules of entry, except entry form etc. There are a few other options, like Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and a few other places, but as there are very few flights, you do not want to spend a fortune and wait another week to get there.
That may be a show stopper if there are delays. I found out Mexico was the safest travel path for me, and as Cancun was closer than Mexico City, I chose Cancun, even if there were more flights from Europe to Mexico City. Flight booked. A total of 24 hours of travel door to door, an expensive ticket I could, and did, change, and will change more probably. I would have been rejected at the airport.
Then the long intercontinental flight 10 hours 30 minutes. A smooth flight with Edelweiss Air, part of Swizz, four movies, hardly any sleep. I book a taxi inside the Cancun terminal, because outside you have less control of your booking. Then a 20 minutes ride to the hotel.
At pm i. As I walk out of my taxi, it is dark. I see the impressive large blue fountain of waterfall in front of the hotel. Inside they welcome me, they are expecting me, personal service, and I am at my room in 10 minutes. I am sleeping within minutes.
The resort was just fantastic. I ended up staying there all my 16 nights and 17 days in Cancun, except for a side trip of two days to Isla Mujeres. During my stay in Cancun, on Tuesday August 24, just after having lunch at 1pm, I returned to my room, and a close friend is calling me.
He says it one more time. We talk. I go black. I tell him we talk more later. Then I check my messages, lots, even if the news were just out.
Before I have time to grief or think my IORR Editor mind kicks in and I have to edit the volume of separate messages and posts and news all over. Then after an hour or two, I can think. I go outside. I am sad and lonely. I go back to my room, and I stay there for hours, trying to find flights home. Lufthansa booking are very helpful, but everything is too late today, and tomorrow the cost is USD 5, and up. I want to go home, but I decide to sleep on it. The band is currently on the No Filter Tour, their first tour since without drummer Charlie Watts, who died in late August.
Brown Sugar, how come you taste so good Brown Sugar, just like a young girl should. Brown Sugar, how come you taste so good? Brown Sugar, just like a young girl should Brown Sugar, how come you dance so good? Brown Sugar, just like a Black girl should. I said, yeah, yeah, yeah, wooo! How come you, how come you dance so good Yeah, yeah, yeah, wooo!
Just like a, just like a Black girl should Yeah, yeah, yeah, wooo! Charlie had a lot of hooks. Jagger, as usual, was more circumspect than his freewheeling counterpart. Both men were reluctant to describe the new music in any detail.
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