They had been waiting 24 years for this. Christian and his wife had to miss the 1982 Rolling Stones concert because their daughter Candy was due to be born just a few days later. On August 8, 2006, we find Candy, her parents, and her nine-year-old little brother in front of the Nikaia Palace in Nice, just before entering the Charles Erhmann Park grounds. “As soon as the tickets went on sale, I bought them. First, for my daughter’s birthday and for my wife, and then for me and Jason. I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see the greatest rock band. You have to see them once in your life,” explains Christian. He missed them once, and now living in Nice, he couldn’t pass up the chance to see these rock legends perform. The Rolling Stones? They defined his youth. Slightly younger than Mick Jagger, he grew up to the rhythms of this legendary band’s hits. His wife echoes the sentiment: “While my friends idolized Sheila, for me it was the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd.” The children caught the bug too. Candy delights in getting a flashing “tongue” badge from the Rolling Stones, and Jason, although he prefers Sean Paul, is eager to be on the lawn not far from the stage. But Christian cautiously waits: “To avoid the crush of the front rows, it’s better to enter a bit later.”
All four embody the family atmosphere of this pre-concert environment. The 50,000 attendees, arriving by train from the Saint-Augustin station, by special shuttle services provided by Ligne d’Azur (two euros round-trip), or by personal cars, gather near the entrances calmly. At the opening of the doors, the first few, as if by ritual, sprint inside. They are the minority. The others, slowly but surely, after security checks, can discover the grand spectacle of the Rolling Stones. There is no euphoria. Some hum tunes like “Angie” and “Satisfaction,” some partake in a frothy, bubbly alcoholic beverage, while others spend a few euros at the official shop to keep a souvenir: t-shirts, posters. Street vendors also see considerable success, offering unbeatable prices: 6€ per t-shirt, compared to at least 20€ at the official shop.
Yann and Pier-Alain, ages 20 and 21, watch all this while waiting for their friend. They left their parents in their stand, and they will experience this concert among fellow youths. Dressed in the famous black t-shirt with the red, success-starved tongue of Mick Jagger, Yann is proud to be there and shares Christian and the 50,000 other attendees’ opinion: “It’s legendary. The Rolling Stones are the greatest rock band of all time. I love their old hits, and they symbolize the 70s and the spirit of that decade.”
Everyone is excited. They are about to attend the second French concert by Mick Jagger and his cohorts. It’s an event. All happy? Not everyone. Those who bought extra tickets hoping to speculate made a miscalculation. “I had purchased four extra tickets which I thought I’d sell just before the concert to pay for my own tickets,” confesses Julie. By 4 pm, she was selling them for 60€. Two tickets found buyers. An hour and a half later, it’s a fire sale. Julie cut the price of her lawn tickets in half. Not far off, Samuel sells three tickets for 60€. Unfortunately, everyone already had their ticket. There were still three hours left for Julie and Samuel to fully enjoy, just like Christian and his family, Yann and his friends, the grand Nice show of the Rolling Stones.
