HOT
You Can’t Always Pay What You Want
The Rolling Stones seem to have a problem similar to Mitt Romney’s inability to connect with everyday people who don’t have car elevators in their mansions. Upon hearing ticket prices for the band’s 50th anniversary concerts (which sold out immediately), some fans were outraged — “cheap seats” were around $140 and higher-end VIP packages were $1,500. Ron Wood defended the pricing, telling The Telegraph that the group has already spent millions in preparation, including “a million on rehearsing in Paris.” Hey, band-practice butlers and masseuses for each member of the entourage add up! Especially in Paris!
WARM
Not Down With Brown
Residents of Stockholm, Sweden, were likely caught off guard by recent “concert posters” plastered all over town for R&B star Chris Brown’s upcoming concert. That’s because the “ads” featured the infamous photo of ex-galpal Rihanna after Brown violently beat and choked her, according to Ajour.se. The posters were the work of unknown activists, part of a growing number of overseas citizens protesting Brown’s very existence. According to Huffington Post, someone infiltrated an HMV record store in the U.K. and placed stickers reading, “WARNING: Do Not Buy This Album! This Man Beats Women,” on Brown’s latest CD, while Irish Hip Hop act Original Rudeboys made headlines for declining to open for Brown because of the Rihanna incident. Meanwhile, in Brown’s country of origin, like R. Kelly and Michael Jackson before him, most fans have stood behind the superstar (including his victim) because, hey, he sings and dances very well.
COLD
INXS Faces Reality
This Internet recently had fun mocking the insignificance of Chumbawamba’s breakup. Because they had more hits and a less silly name, news that Aussie legends INXS have split shouldn’t elicit the same level of “WTF,” even though it’s a far more ludicrous proclamation. According to news.com.au, the band made the announcement during a recent concert in Perth. After singer Michael Hutchence died in 1997, the remaining players milked the INXS name dry with various frontmen. INXS’s final moment of indignity — the group announced the split during a concert where they were opening for Matchbox 20 (and even let Rob Thomas bully his way on to the stage to join them; see below).