June 14 – Rehearsals in London have finished
=> All we heared from rehearsals before this tour leg was, that they were happening in London and now they’re finished. So by now, the band will be moving on to Chicago to check the stage build up process and surroundings there for the tour start on June 21. This time, we sadly almost got no news from rehearsals as they were going on. Which is understandable in one way: the band is getting into shape and crowds of fans and signature hunters are not really that inspiring to the band. On the other hand – I’ld love to get news from the place where they rehearse about WHAT they rehearse. I wouldn’t care WHERE that is, but only *WHAT* they rehearse would be meaningful to me. Before former tours, we got lots of infos about the songs they rehearsed, day by day. This time – no. But well, there are 2 sides to this… That being said, we should look forward to Chicago, the stage, the hotels and the news coming up from here.
One last thing from the rehearsals: I got across a report from the RocksOff board, where “glen 795” wrote about his trip to London and his luck to be invited into the rehearsals place to get 4 songs played live by the band before they left for Chicago. Whether that’s a true, trustworthy account (like this, it has happend before!) or not, I can’t tell. But nevertheless, even if it’s a dream and not true, it could well be a true story, … so here it is:
So yesterday Thursday June 13 I decided to go to London and find the Stones Rehearsal site and see what was going on. I figured that yesterday was most likely to be the final day so if I was going to be lucky in any way I had to go.
I arrived at about 3.30pm to find Bjornulf and Linda in situ at my 1st choice of likely sites so to say I was delighted in my success would be an understatement!
After some reassurance to Bjornulf that I was genuine I established that all the band bar Mick were already in the building and within 20 minutes of my arrival Mick was driven past to complete the band.
By this time 2 more fans had arrived to try to hear what was being rehearsed (which was proving to be extremely difficult in the windy conditions).
We could make out certain songs like TD, HTW & SFTD.Before I had realised it the time had got round to 6pm when the band had decided to take a break, it was during this break that the band’s security came out to speak to Bjornulf which caused a ripple of excitement amongst the rest of us fans (now numbering 6) all secretly hoping that we were going to be invited in to listen to the band rehearsing.
Then we were invited in, all 7 of us were ushered inside the entrance of the building and told that we would be allowed in to the rehearsal space after MR & PIB and would be allowed to hear SMU, JJF, GS & S.This was more than I or any of us could have dreamt of our favourite band allowing us to see and hear them rehearse and I can confirm they sounded and looked good and tour ready. And then it was over 4 songs and I was pinching myself to check am I dreaming?
It was surreal but to be invited by the band and then acknowledged after the 4 songs was humbling and I know I was fortunate and privileged to witness them in such a “raw” environment.
Or as Gazza put it “You lucky bastard”
… some of the things we can expect:
