Just back from a Rolling Stones Concert in Lausanne, Switzerland
Aug 13th, 2007, 01:11 AM
#1
Just back from a Rolling Stones Concert in Lausanne, Switzerland
Migros, one of Switzerland's largest grocery chains, sponsored a Rolling Stones concert for their customers last Saturday. The customers collected stickers, stuck them onto cards and sent them to Migros, in hopes of winning two tickets. Well, I won!
Since the train journey was also included in the package, my friend and I decided to splurge and spend the night in Lausanne. We took the train Saturday morning from Goldau to Lausanne. Everything went well until we got to the Zürich Hauptbahnhof. Then it was chaos!
Finding our connecting train, we walked by scantily dressed women and strangely dressed men all wearing wild colours. It was the street parade! It was nice to get a sneak preview of it. In the background, we heard the pumping of rave music and wished we could have stayed in the area a bit longer.
Switzerland had some major rain showers last week and consequently, a few major train lines had to be detoured. This all resulted in overcrowded trains from Zürich to Lausanne due to the Stones concert. The lucky winners, expecting about a peaceful train journey, were sitting in the aisles, squished in the entry areas and many just couldn't even board the trains because there was no room. I had never seen anything like it.
We finally got to Lausanne and walked down to Hotel du Port, located in Ouchy along the lake. A nice basic hotel with modern rooms. I had room 33, which was facing the back but very quiet. This hotel is mentioned in Karen Brown's book on Switzerland. I would stay there again. We paid SFr. 184 for a single room. (Luckily, there was a French bed so we had adequate space to sleep. All the double rooms were already reserved.)
That evening we walked up to the Olympic Stadium. It was a warm evening with clear skies. We found a small restaurant next to the stadium and had a few drinks since we weren't too thrilled with the opening act.
At 8 pm we entered the stadium and was literally crushed by the crowds as we tried to find our correct entrance. After being formed and pushed in every direction, we found Gate 3 and our seats.
The stadium was almost packed but the audience consisted of Swiss Migros customers and not Rolling Stones fans. You saw people of all ages and 99% were very mellow. It was this way throughout the whole concert. My friend and I were dancing away while the 10,000 people around us stayed in their seats and maybe moved a bit to the music. Luckily, Eichof had a beer stand nearby to help us keep our courage up.
The last song, Brown Sugar, was played and people left the stadium. We really enjoyed the concert and felt the Stones just radiated with energy. Keith Richards sang two "unknown" songs and his voice is comparable to Bob Dylan. Skinny Mick was wonderful and I would love to see him perform again.
We walked back down to our hotel and the next day took a boat to Montreaux. We walked 45 min. to Schloss Chillon, walked around the castle and went back home.
Montreaux was very beautiful and surprisingly similar to Locarno in Tessin. The vinyards were a pleasure to the see from the boat and the vegetation was very mediteranean.
Thank you Migros!
Since the train journey was also included in the package, my friend and I decided to splurge and spend the night in Lausanne. We took the train Saturday morning from Goldau to Lausanne. Everything went well until we got to the Zürich Hauptbahnhof. Then it was chaos!
Finding our connecting train, we walked by scantily dressed women and strangely dressed men all wearing wild colours. It was the street parade! It was nice to get a sneak preview of it. In the background, we heard the pumping of rave music and wished we could have stayed in the area a bit longer.
Switzerland had some major rain showers last week and consequently, a few major train lines had to be detoured. This all resulted in overcrowded trains from Zürich to Lausanne due to the Stones concert. The lucky winners, expecting about a peaceful train journey, were sitting in the aisles, squished in the entry areas and many just couldn't even board the trains because there was no room. I had never seen anything like it.
We finally got to Lausanne and walked down to Hotel du Port, located in Ouchy along the lake. A nice basic hotel with modern rooms. I had room 33, which was facing the back but very quiet. This hotel is mentioned in Karen Brown's book on Switzerland. I would stay there again. We paid SFr. 184 for a single room. (Luckily, there was a French bed so we had adequate space to sleep. All the double rooms were already reserved.)
That evening we walked up to the Olympic Stadium. It was a warm evening with clear skies. We found a small restaurant next to the stadium and had a few drinks since we weren't too thrilled with the opening act.
At 8 pm we entered the stadium and was literally crushed by the crowds as we tried to find our correct entrance. After being formed and pushed in every direction, we found Gate 3 and our seats.
The stadium was almost packed but the audience consisted of Swiss Migros customers and not Rolling Stones fans. You saw people of all ages and 99% were very mellow. It was this way throughout the whole concert. My friend and I were dancing away while the 10,000 people around us stayed in their seats and maybe moved a bit to the music. Luckily, Eichof had a beer stand nearby to help us keep our courage up.
The last song, Brown Sugar, was played and people left the stadium. We really enjoyed the concert and felt the Stones just radiated with energy. Keith Richards sang two "unknown" songs and his voice is comparable to Bob Dylan. Skinny Mick was wonderful and I would love to see him perform again.
We walked back down to our hotel and the next day took a boat to Montreaux. We walked 45 min. to Schloss Chillon, walked around the castle and went back home.
Montreaux was very beautiful and surprisingly similar to Locarno in Tessin. The vinyards were a pleasure to the see from the boat and the vegetation was very mediteranean.
Thank you Migros!
Aug 13th, 2007, 01:19 AM
#2
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This is clearly a growing trend. The Cornbury Festival (a rock festival which claims it's now known as Poshstock because its attendees aren't exactly your average grunge-lovers) is occasionally sponsored by Waitrose, who offer free access to a VIP lounge (chilled white wine, comfy sofas and the Sunday papers) to all account card holders.
What's Wal-Mart going to sponsor?
What's Wal-Mart going to sponsor?
Aug 13th, 2007, 04:11 AM
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What's Wal-Mart going to sponsor?
Good question and hopefully you'll get some "appropriate" answers
I suppose a seminar entitled, "How to Keep them Happy with Low Wages" might work.
Good question and hopefully you'll get some "appropriate" answers
I suppose a seminar entitled, "How to Keep them Happy with Low Wages" might work.
Aug 13th, 2007, 04:16 AM
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Aug 13th, 2007, 04:45 AM
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Hi schuler 
What a lucky winner you were!
I have to believe the other 10,000 in the stadium were fans - just older fans and past the dancing stage, lol!
OTOH, when we go to a Willie concert here in Texas, those old folks sure do know how to smoke some smelly stuff!
amp;
Thanks for the little bit of Switzerland this morning. Always a pleasure to read about your beautiful country.
What a lucky winner you were!
I have to believe the other 10,000 in the stadium were fans - just older fans and past the dancing stage, lol!
OTOH, when we go to a Willie concert here in Texas, those old folks sure do know how to smoke some smelly stuff!
amp;Thanks for the little bit of Switzerland this morning. Always a pleasure to read about your beautiful country.
Aug 13th, 2007, 05:37 AM
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Glad you enjoyed the Stones--my wife was backstage at their concert in St. Petersburg's Palace Square about two weeks ago (only their second performance in Russia-they didn't play Moscow this time) and had a blast. Here's their playlist:
> Start Me Up
> You Got Me Rocking
> Rough Justice
> Bitch
> She's So Cold
> You Can't Always Get What You Want
> Midnight Rambler
> I'll Go Crazy (James Brown cover)
> Tumbling Dice
> [Bandmember intros]
> You Got the Silver
> Little T & A
> Miss You [stage moves to the front]
> It's Only Rock'n'Roll (But I Like It) [stage in front]
> (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction [stage in front]
> Honky Tonk Women [stage moves back to the rear]
> Sympathy For The Devil
> Paint It Black
> Jumpin' Jack Flash
> Brown Sugar (Encore)
> Start Me Up
> You Got Me Rocking
> Rough Justice
> Bitch
> She's So Cold
> You Can't Always Get What You Want
> Midnight Rambler
> I'll Go Crazy (James Brown cover)
> Tumbling Dice
> [Bandmember intros]
> You Got the Silver
> Little T & A
> Miss You [stage moves to the front]
> It's Only Rock'n'Roll (But I Like It) [stage in front]
> (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction [stage in front]
> Honky Tonk Women [stage moves back to the rear]
> Sympathy For The Devil
> Paint It Black
> Jumpin' Jack Flash
> Brown Sugar (Encore)
Aug 13th, 2007, 05:47 AM
#12
Yup. That would be about right for their Lausanne concert too. The stage moved towards the middle as well.
Concert shirts were going for SFr. 50 to SFr. 65.
For those in the Vevey area on Sept. 8, Elton John will be performing a concert there as well. I believe standing room costs SFr. 110. See ticketcorner.ch.
Concert shirts were going for SFr. 50 to SFr. 65.
For those in the Vevey area on Sept. 8, Elton John will be performing a concert there as well. I believe standing room costs SFr. 110. See ticketcorner.ch.
Aug 13th, 2007, 12:40 PM
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Thanks for the report Schuler. Good to hear of someone winning something
As far as the sponsorship goes and holding a lottery for the tickets I guess it is one way of filling their concerts. In Belgium an Holland they failed to sell out (by a long way). And I just read that at one of their concerts in Germany they have redesigned the stadium, putting the stage along a long side instead of across the end as they have sold so few tickets.
As far as the sponsorship goes and holding a lottery for the tickets I guess it is one way of filling their concerts. In Belgium an Holland they failed to sell out (by a long way). And I just read that at one of their concerts in Germany they have redesigned the stadium, putting the stage along a long side instead of across the end as they have sold so few tickets.
Aug 13th, 2007, 12:45 PM
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<Luckily, Eichof had a beer stand nearby to help us keep our courage up.>
Migros sponsoring and a beer stand - have they loosened their tea-totalling history - they've never sold booze i guess on principal - chaning with the times?
Migros sponsoring and a beer stand - have they loosened their tea-totalling history - they've never sold booze i guess on principal - chaning with the times?
Aug 13th, 2007, 12:51 PM
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I guess Russia is becoming handicap accessible now if the Stones were able to get their wheelchairs up into the palace. Who'd have ever thought back in 1970 that most of the Stones would still be alive 37 years later while the Beatles' numbers have been halved?
Aug 14th, 2007, 06:33 AM
#20
schuler~ wanted to mention, thanks for the mention of the street parade performers. People generally think of the Swiss as so tame, but i've seen some of the craziest stuff there when they get partying!
