The Rolling Stones have tried to bring their rock 'n' roll to
the Chinese mainland for decades.
The band scheduled four shows in 2003 as part of their "40
Licks" tour, including two concerts in Hong Kong and one each in
Beijing and Shanghai. But the SARS epidemic intervened.
While the shows in Hong Kong were rescheduled the band played
for two nights in November 2003 as a part of Harborfest, an event
organized by the Hong Kong government to revive the city's economy
following the SARS scare the two mainland gigs were cancelled.
Three years later, the Stones will finally satisfy mainland
fans. As part of their "A Bigger Bang" global tour which opened in
Boston in August, the veteran group are set to make their mainland
debut in Shanghai tomorrow. The Shanghai show will take place on a
stage especially created for the Chinese performance, complete with
state-of-the-art sound, video and lighting systems.
Although local media criticized the ticket prices, ranging from
300 (US$37.5) to 3,000 yuan (US$375), as too high, anticipation
runs high, following a warm critical and box-office response to the
Stones' North and South American performances.
(China Daily April 7, 2006)
