The last time The Rolling Stones toured Australia was in 2006, as part of their A Bigger Bang World Tour, which went on to rake in over $550 million, making it one of the highest grossing tours of all time – second only to U2’s 360 Tour.
Judging by the newly announced ticket pricing for the Stones’ forthcoming Australian shows, it’s no surprise they reached such multi-million dollar figures.
Details of the Rolling Stones full-scale national tour were announced earlier this week, with the vintage rock quartet performing five ‘one night only’ concerts in capital cities across the country, presented by AEG Live and Frontier Touring, including an outdoor event at the iconic Hanging Rock.
But fans young and old looking to nab a ticket when the box office on the ‘14 On Fire Australian Tour opens next Monday better have had their pennies seriously pinched, or prepare for wallet apocalypse.
Tickets are selling for as much as $580, for Stones diehards wanting the best seats in the house to watch the band in their 51-year-old prime on their seventh ever Australian tour, while the ‘cheap option’ averages at around $200.
The Perth Arena show has the highest asking price, with GA passes into the ‘Tongue Pit’ – offering a 360-degree concert experience with the band – equating to a staggering $580.45, followed close behind by Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena at $578.25, while Sydney and Brisbane prices start at $577.70 for the same privilege. Whether fingers are crossed, banks are robbed, or baby boomers blow their life savings, when tickets go on sale they’re expected to sell out in a flash…
Other ticketing tiers drop off to an average of $370 and just under $200 for Category 3 seats. Tickets to the much-hyped Hanging Rock concert, a lifelong dream of Mushroom’s Michael Gudinski set to be fulfilled on Saturday 30th March – offers first-rate tickets at $576.60, while Category 2 tickets are $373.10 and the further afield (literally) standing prices are a better valued $153.10.
Helping to soften the expensive blow is a $99 ‘Lucky Dip’ option available for all five ’14 On Fire dates; a limited selection of ‘lucky’ seats from each venue available at www.rollingstones.com on Monday 16 December (from 9am local time), “ensuring that some of even the best tickets can be snapped up for a bargain by genuine fans,” tease promoters.
Whether fingers are crossed, banks are robbed, or baby boomers blow their life savings, when tickets for all shows go on sale to the general public (on Monday 16 December, with a pre-sale via frontiertouring.com/rollingstones from Monday 9th December), they’re expected to sell out in a flash – especially given the near-certainty that the Stones’ 2014 visit will be their last in Australia.
The Stones have previously addressed the lucrative ticket prices from claims of profiteering before. Speaking to The Telegraph about the high cost of their or their 50th Anniversary tour dates last year, guitarist Ronnie Wood made no apologies for the price tag of London O2 dates.
“We feel no bad thing about ticket prices. We’ve got to make something,” said the 66-year-old, with prices ranging from £95 to £375 and £950 for VIP tickets, the guitarist explaining that the concerts has set them back millions of pounds to produce.
Frontman Mick Jagger cited a similar defence to The Chicago Tribune, the 70-year-old singer saying “there’s a price for everybody,” while expressing concerns about ticket scalpers, saying that the secondary market of re-selling should be made illegal.
Given the intense demand for The Rolling Stones’ imminent return, don’t be surprised when scalpers and ticket touts come out of the woodwork and snap up passes come Monday’s pre-sale, likely to inflate ticket prices for mass profit that’ll make the $580 price tag look like pocket money. After all, it’s happened to Frontier Touring once already this year with another high-profile rock icon; Bruce Springsteen and his forthcoming Australian Tour.
(Image: Dave Hogan. Source: Frontier Touring)
The Rolling Stones Australian Tour 2014
Wednesday 19 March 2014 – Perth Arena, Perth WA
Ticketek 132 849 www.ticketek.com.au [Pre-sale starts Monday 9 December 3pm Perth time]
Tongue Pit – $580.45
Category 1 – $580.45
Category 2 – $376.95
Category 3 – $200.95
Lucky Dip – $99.00
Saturday 22 March 2014 – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide SA (SOLD OUT)
Ticketek 132 849 www.ticketek.com.au
Tuesday 25 March 2014 Sydney Allphones Arena
Ticketek 132 849 www.ticketek.com.au [Pre-sale starts Monday 9 December 3pm Sydney time]
Tongue Pit – $577.70
Category 1 – $577.70
Category 2 – $374.20
Category 3 – $198.20
Lucky Dip – $99.00
Friday 28 March 2014 Melbourne Rod Laver Arena
Ticketek 132 849 www.ticketek.com.au [Pre-sale starts Monday 9 December 4pm Melbourne time]
Tongue Pit – $578.25
Category 1 – $578.25
Category 2 – $374.15
Category 3 – $197.95
Lucky Dip – $99.00
Sunday 30 March 2014 Hanging Rock, Macedon Ranges
Ticketmaster 136 100 www.ticketek.com.au [Pre-sale starts Monday 9 December 2pm VIC time]
Category 1 – $576.60
Category 2 – $373.10
General Admission (Standing) – $153.10
Lucky Dip – $99
Wednesday 02 April Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Ticketek 132 849 www.ticketek.com.au [Pre-sale starts Monday 9 December 4pm Brisbane time]
Tongue Pit – $577.70
Category 1 – $577.70
Category 2 – $374.20
Category 3 – $198.20
Lucky Dip – $99.00
The Rolling Stones ’14 On Fire Australian Tour
frontiertouring.com/rollingstones Pre-sale: Monday 9 December to Tuesday 10 December
RollingStones.com $99 tickets: Monday 16 December – from 9am local times*
On-sale: Monday 16 December – from 9am local times
*visit frontiertouring.com/rollingstones for local times and ticketing terms and conditions
~ or earlier if pre-sale allocation exhausted
