‘No Security’ (and No Expense Spared)
The Rolling Stones kick off their “No Security” arena tour tonight in Oakland, and you can expect a lot of jokes about renaming it the “Social Security” tour. But even though Mick and Keith & Co. may qualify for some senior discounts, rest assured that the jokes will stop when they crank up their rock anthems. It’s been two decades since the Stones opted for a national tour of arenas instead of stadiums, and fans seem willing to pay for the increased intimacy--the best tickets cost a whopping $300, while the average tickets for the sold-out Oakland show were between $85 and $110. Should concert fans worry that the steep prices might signal higher prices for other acts? No, says Gregg Perloff, president of Bill Graham Presents, the Bay Area promoter handling Stones shows in Oakland, San Jose and Sacramento. “The reason is that these are the Rolling Stones, the best rock ‘n’ roll band there is, and the rules that apply to them are exclusive.” The band also has a legion of baby boomer fans who are, on the whole, more likely to spend big bucks for an “event concert” than younger music consumers. The Stones already have sold out their Feb. 9 and 11 shows at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim.
Super Bowl: An Afterthought on Fox?
Some time this weekend, a game will interrupt Fox’s Super Bowl-related programming. Never to be outdone in the hype department, the network will air more than 10 hours of football programs before the actual kickoff, running several specials Saturday and a pregame show that begins at 8 a.m. Sunday. As the perennial most-watched event of the year, the Super Bowl has become an enormous marketing and promotional platform, one that Fox will use to introduce the new animated series “Family Guy,” which follows the game along with an original episode of “The Simpsons.” Fox has so much time to fill before the game, meanwhile, the network will even devote a half-hour to how Fox Sports prepares for the broadcast, anchored by new arrival Keith Olbermann, providing the added bonus of generating exposure for the Fox Sports West cable channels. Even the All-Madden Team has become the “All-Millennium” team, with analyst John Madden selecting his roster from the 80-year history of pro football. For those just interested in seeing the game, it’s scheduled to start at 3:18 p.m. PST. If your clock stops, that should be right around the time the roar from the TV dies down.
Package of Clout Found in Mailroom
Starting in the mailroom at a major talent agency has long been an established route to becoming an agent. But how about a filmmaker? In the case of “Thick as Thieves,” a modern-day gangster movie that premieres this week at the Sundance Film Festival, mailroom scut work seems to have led, indirectly at least, to cinematic glory. The film’s writer-director, agent and two producers all met in the mailroom at United Talent Agency and became fast friends. One of the partners at UTA, Gavin Polone, encouraged the foursome, and eight years later, they say the relationships formed at the agency were essential to making their film a reality. The 93-minute feature, which was acquired by October Films before the festival began, has one of Sundance’s most recognizable casts: Alec Baldwin, Andre Braugher, Janeane Garofalo and Rebecca de Mornay. Described by festival honchos as “Elmore Leonard with a new persona,” the film likely will prompt interest in its director, Scott Sanders, a former television writer who some are touting as the next major black writing-directing talent in Hollywood. (The others in the foursome include CAA agent Brandt Joel and producers Jon Steingart and Glenn Zoller). Polone, meanwhile, has been rewarded for his mentoring. Now a manager, he served as sales agent on the film, in which he also has a cameo role.
--Compiled by Times staff writers