THE ROLLING STONES’ UNZIPPED
A CONVERSATION WITH THEMUSEUM’S DAVID MARSKELL
Since 2016, The Rolling Stones have been touring a museum exhibit around major cities across the globe. The formerly titled Exhibitionism has made landmark stops in New York City, London, Chicago, Sydney, and Las Vegas, among others. Recently expanded and rebranded as Unzipped, The Stones exhibit has currently set up residency at the Groninger Museum in The Netherlands, but has its sights on Kitchener-Waterlooβs THEMUSEUM in Ontario, Canada. Speaking with THEMUSEUM CEO, David Marskell shares what Unzipped has in store when it launches on November 30, 2021 for its exclusive Canadian premier.
Featuring over 300 artifacts of all sorts, Unzipped is an exhibit of unprecedented size and tone as it looks to celebrate the legacy of The Rolling Stones as they approach their 60-year anniversary with the ultimate backstage experience. As Marskell explains, βthe exhibit will have hundreds of artifacts that include original costumes and stage clothes, album art and photographs, and a collection of guitarsβ. Having recently been expanded, the exhibit will also have a βrecreation of the original Chelsea flat which the band shared before becoming famousβ along with an interactive studio where you can listen to classic hits and play music. The exhibit will also feature an extensive gift shop and a Voodoo Lounge restaurant and bar. Furthermore, Marskell is in the final stages of negotiating an additional exhibit featuring the original artwork of guitarist Ronnie Wood, making THEMUSEUM the first Unzipped showcase to feature such an addition. Unzipped seeks to be an incredible look at the history surrounding one of the greatest rock bands the world has seen with a plethora of previously unseen material and a level of access that has only been granted to those closest to the band.
βThis would be a big deal in any Canadian city, but the fact that Kitchener-Waterloo got it is massiveβ, Marskell exclaims. Heβs right; most international touring artists see Canada for Toronto and, potentially, Montreal and Vancouver as viable markets, making the seemingly left-field choice of the Kitchener-Waterloo a matter of βtenacity and not being afraid to ask for itβ, as Marskell puts it. He continues, βwhen the manager for The Stones was asked βwhy Kitchenerβ, she responded βthey really, really wanted itβ. Having previously worked at the Canadian National Exhibition, Marskell is no stranger to booking top tier talent and exciting extravaganzas; furthermore, THEMUSEUM has built up a level of credibility through successful previous traveling exhibits including 2013βs One Love: The Bob Marley Exhibition and, perhaps most notably, 2010βs Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition. All of this, combined with Marskellβs abundant and obvious love of music has made the upcoming Unzipped showcase possible.
βI think itβs safe to say that this would be the biggest thing to bring into the Kitchener-Waterloo regionβ, Marskell states. The only thing bigger would be The Stones themselves. βObviously that is something Iβm hoping forβ,Β Marskell shares, adding βat previous exhibits, the band or individual members have made appearances; we can only hope that they will when the pandemic clears upβ. Regardless, THEMUSEUMβs Unzipped should be an incredible experience for lifelong fans and casual listeners alike. An exhibit of such grand design naturally speaks to the business power behind The Stones, something that has kept them as pop culture icons throughout for a near six decades and through drastically changing times. Speaking on the cross generational appeal of The Stones, Marskell simply strips it down to the music. Recounting The Stonesβ most recent Canadian concert, 2019βs massive show at Burlβs Creek in Barrie, Ont., Marskell adds βto be in that field with some 70,000 others β Iβm talking people like me who grew up with The Stones standing beside people who may only have discovered them 20 or 30 years ago, and even teenagers and kids β it was truly an amazing experience. My biggest hope for this exhibit is to see a parent, or grandparent, taking their child and explaining to them what The Stones meant to themβ.
Tickets for THEMUSEUMβs Unzipped are on sale now!
THEMUSEUM Links
