The Stones in the City. With a slight delay, it is finally here, The Rolling Stones- Unzipped is finally on display at the Groninger Museum. You could hardly ignore it, the entire city centre of Groningen sometimes seems to be an invasion of protruding tongues; the bands iconic logo. Against expectations, the museum decided earlier this year to let the exhibition go ahead anyway. A huge risk that seemed to go wrong at the last minute. 'You can't always get what you want' seemed to apply, but in the end it seems to have ended with a hiss. Unzipped is a dynamic and musical, yet somewhat well-behaved tribute to one of the most famous and influential rock bands in the world.
Cultural phenomenon
The Rolling Stones are more than music. It is an extremely successful and prominent brand, intertwined with various elements of/in popular culture. Even if today's young generation sometimes has no idea who Mick Jagger or Keith Richards is. Although 'everything used to be better' can sometimes come across as a cliché, it certainly applies to today's music climate. Nowadays, many artists and songs have a shorter lifespan, songs are recycled with a different beat underneath. Computers, autotune. A tsunami of songs that hardly linger. Unlike the musical legacy of the 1950s through the 1980s. The Rolling Stones played a vital role in that. My ringtone is not for nothing Paint it Black.
The year 2023 marks their 60th anniversary. However, they also started small. The exhibition seems to want to make that clear when you step inside the reconstruction of their small and squalid 102 Edith Grove flat. Think of an average student dorm. It is not a literal representation, but based on 'idyllic' memories.
Audio (and) visual
Fortunately, the Groninger Museum also puts enough focus on the aural aspect; not only are visitors treated to the various Stones songs, culminating in the concert in Cuba in 2016, but snippets of der band members themselves and (popular) cultural figureheads such as director Martin Scorsese also pass by. It is never completely quiet in the halls, and that is how it should be with a rock and roll exhibition. The exhibition gives you the opportunity to create your own 'sound'; visitors can use tracks from the current four band members to do so. There is also a reconstruction of a studio with original instruments and images of the Stones 'at work'.
Besides the excess of costumes-the puppets are unfortunately not in original poses like David Bowie's-and the wide range of instruments, which guitar lovers can enjoy, I was very impressed by the photographs and (cover) art such as posters and album covers. A journey through the (recent) past plus a look at the creation of legendary images and art by icons like Andy Warhol and Alexander McQueen. The Rolling Stones have not only pushed boundaries in music and that shows Unzipped see. Replicas of stage models I also found interesting, because for the concertgoer, the (empty) stage is the first impression, the business card, of the show and artist after all.
Bit well behaved
The Rolling Stones, almost six decades of rock and roll. That includes sex, drugs, booze and drama, and if the stories are to be believed -Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood- things got heated. Unfortunately, none of this is evident in the exhibition. Mick Jagger remarked, regarding the costumes, that it wasn't just about the music, it was also about image and it shows here. It is perhaps too extreme to call it 'whitewashing'. I personally would have liked references or information about the somewhat turbulent periods. For instance, from Sympathy For The Devil and the creation of a rebellious and somewhat dark image, because as my parents used to say, "You were a fan of either The Beatles or The Rolling Stones."
The pages from Keith Richards' diary are also well behaved. Especially considering his drink-and-drug lifestyle. Elements that make the exhibition more of a 'edge' and what could have given more insight are missing: the influence of Marianne Faithfull, the death of Brian Jones the tragic death of a fan at the hands of a Hells Angel at the Altamont Free Concert in 1969 and what about Bill Wyman to name a few. It does show the chaotic footage of furniture flying around during the Kurhaus concert.
It is an exhibition divided into themes and it therefore does not form a narrative, unlike, say, the David Bowie exhibition. For a The Rolling Stones 'why and how', you are at Unzipped to the wrong address. It revolves around the four current band members, Bill Wymans memorabilia is also not on show.
Experiencing music as it should be
As mentioned earlier, the concert experience at the end of the exhibition is enjoyable. Especially at a time when we have had to do without concerts and festivals for some time. Pure sound and images on various screens of the 2016 concert in Cuba from various perspectives. Dynamic!
Good to knowThe Rolling Stones- Unzipped can be seen until 28 February 2021
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