The days of rock bands filling stadiums appears to be coming to an end. Without the power of terrestrial radio to filter a limited selection of music to the ears of the masses, it is difficult to imagine how new super groups will be created. The list of rock bands who could still command the attention of over 60,000 fans a night is limited to Iron Maiden, the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Paul McCartney, maybe Bruce Springsteen, and now Guns N' Roses. All of these bands are at the tail end of their careers with no heir apparent. This is a shame. Although I am grateful to live in a world where small bands can find a stage and a niche market, and while concert attendance should not be a barometer of a band's quality, I think there is a place in the world for for the energy and environment of a packed stadium all listening to the same music.
You can have a great concert experience without fireworks during the encore, but they sure don't hurt.
