As already teased last week, it always seemed unlikely that The Rolling Stones would settle at just four shows – two a piece in the UK and USA – to help celebrate the 50th Anniversary of their first ever show.
Following the announcement of their arena shows at London’s O2 Arena in late November and New Jersey’s Prudential Center in December, which sold out in just seven minutes (and will no doubt be scalped for insane prices online), Mick Jagger has now made comments that confirms the band are bringing their half-decade anniversary tour to Australia sometime in 2013, according to The Age.
Appearing on the red carpet for the world premiere of the new Rolling Stones documentary, Crossfire Hurricane, Jagger told press that they’d be heading to Australia, “Not this week, but I hope to come to Australia. I haven’t been there for ages. I’m really looking forward to it.”
While Jagger and the promoters have at this point said that the four announced dates are the only concrete plans, it seems like the band are certainly considering the prospect of more shows. Richards already revealed to the BBC that he was in support and “wouldn’t be surprised” if the tour plans expanded.
“Nobody’s actually given a heads up on that, but I don’t think that this band is gonna wind up all of this for four shows. I think they want to do something for the end of the year, and I think next year probably looks like it’s on,” he said. Adding that the group see 2013 as the proper birth of the Stones since it marks 50 years since the addition of drummer Charlie Watts.
“Next year is the birth, but everybody around the world has decided a conception’s worth a celebration,” he joked.
A visit from the Stones to Australia in 2013 seems to be a likely scenario given not only Jagger’s own family ties to Australia (his mother, Eva, was born in Sydney), but the newly-formed production company that are promoting The Rolling Stones’ 50th Anniversary shows, Virgin Live, is a result of a partnership between two entrepreneurs who also have ties to Australia.
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Virgin Live is the product of Richard Branson and Paul Dainty of the Dainty Group, who have a proven track record of bringing high-profile acts to Australia, including Eminem, U2, and Prince to name a few; while Branson also has ties with Australia through Virgin, the airline arm of the corporation recently taking flight with AIR’s 2012 Independent Music Awards.“Not this week, but I hope to come to Australia. I haven’t been there for ages. I’m really looking forward to it.”
A visit down under from the Stones will mark the first from the group since 2006, as part of their hugely successful A Bigger Bang tour, a global trot that became the second highest earning tour of all time, earning over $US 550 million (second only to U2′s 360 Tour).
Jagger, whose mother Eva Jagger was born in Sydney, and who still has strong family ties here, let the plans slip at the world premiere of Crossfire Hurricane, the band’s new documentary film to mark their golden jubilee.
Helping celebrate five decades of one of rock’s oldest rascals is a GRRR!, a new career-spanning compilation, along with a brand new single in ‘Doom And Gloom’, and the aforementioned rockumentary, Crossfire Hurricane, which premiered at the London Film Festival on Thursday as well as all over Europe via satellite.
The film, which is set to screen across Australia from this Sunday – complete with red carpet highlights, documents the Rolling Stones rise to fame and notoriety during their turbulent early days, which may or may not cover the wacky conspiracy theory involving the FBI, MI5, and a drug dealer called Acid King Dave.
Appearing alongside Jagger at the premiere were fellow Stones Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Charlie Watts, and – for the first time since departing the band in 1993 – former bassist Bill Wyman. Further fuelling rumours that Wyman will be joining the Stones for select shows, following Jagger spilling the beans and saying he had “been in touch” with him about rejoining the band.
Australian Clare Stewart, who directs the London Film Festival, also spoke at the Crossfire Hurricane premiere of her adoration for the band “The Stones are in everybody’s DNA,” she said. “You don’t even have to be a fan to have an absolute adoration and respect for them. And I have that in spades.”
She’s certainly not alone, and considering the piles of money that can easily be made from a 50th Anniversary world tour, Australian fans can perhaps ease up on those crossed fingers and just be patient.
