The Rolling Stones’ monster free concert on Copacabana Beach was a gas, but the million spectators left a monstrous clean-up job on Sunday.
About 400 city workers hauled almost 200 metric tons (220 tons) of trash left behind by the more than 1 million people who attended the concert, which brought a carnival spirit to the city a week ahead of the world-famous annual celebration.
It was the Stones’ third visit to the country, but the first time the band has played for free in Brazil, where few can afford tickets to see top international acts.
Doubtless, the tourist biz in the city made it all worthwhile. The city picked up the tab for 10,000 cops, 600 lifeguards and firemen, as well.
Entry was free but that doesn’t mean the show didn’t cost anything. However, Brazil is entering Carnival season now so huge numbers of people in the streets making mess will be nightly event. It’s ‘amazing’ that the Stones survived in Rio considering the huge ‘security risk’ there… I love the media, I really do!
“where few can afford tickets to see top international acts.”
I don’t think so.
U2 tickets sold out in just a few hours…
There are millions in poverty in Brasil but many millions more in the middle class.
A million people show up for a concert… wow… just think about that for a moment… wow…
I’m brazilian. I’ve watched the concert. 1.2 million people.
It was a wonderful experience. For a bunch of people.
But tell me something: have you guys ever been to the site of a concert after it’s over. It’s always a mess. Lot of junk. Messy as hell. Always. Just clean it up!
Why would it be any different in Brazil? Tell me.
Loved the concert, hate this headline.
Carlos, I believe what the headline and the article probably criticizes — is Stones fans.
I’ve been to a number of outdoors concerts where the fans cleaned up afterwards. Shocking concept. Way too 60’s & 70’s.
“One Million” or “1.2 million”? Must be units of “metric people?, huh?
Concerts in these countries do sold out, even when not free.
The Stones concert in Argentina tomorrow (Tuesday) is sold out. As is Thursdays!
Thanks God I live in Uruguay (very near by) and got tickets the day they went on sale!
hard to imagine 1 million (or 1.2 million metric) live people watching anything, much less the Stones.
But what caught my eye was the medias lack of knowledge about Brazil (or anywhere outside New York or Washungton) it’s a country with a large and thriving middle class and loads of money to spend on all the finer things in life.
It could very well be the super power of the future, maybe in my lifetime.
A free concert will always produce trash. Whether it is cleaned up by volunteers or by the city is irrelevant. In a crowd of that size, I think it would be better to remove the trash containers to avoid them becoming dangerous and then just clean up the mess later. 200 metric tons works out to about 7 onces of trash each. Considering that some of them must have been there all day, not an unreasonable amount.
When we have our annual Harvest Fest Day Parade, volunteers clean up the parade route later. The city supplies a truck to haul away the garbage.
How many hot dogs were sold? How many portable toilets were there? How much waste did the toilets contain? How long did it take for the crowd to dissipate? These might also be more relevant numbers as a social indicator then just the amount of solid waste left.
How loud did it have to be in the front row to be loud enough in the back row?
I was at the Stones outdoor show in Toronto three years ago. Over half a million people at that one. Sure there was a lot of mess afterwards, but who cares? We were there to see the Stones and they were outstanding as usual!
I was at the concert and have lived in Brazil for over 8 months, while things are getting better in Brazil, the middle class is still relatively small and is not as robust as the US or Europe or even developing Asia. Regardless, it was a great free show. One of the great things about Brazil