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05-02-2002, 05:55 PM
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Rolling Stones to Announce New Tour Next Tuesday
Updated 5:53 PM ET May 2, 2002
By Dean Goodman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Rolling Stones plan to drop in from the sky next week to announce their first tour in three years, a U.S. government official said on Thursday.
The veteran British rockers will commandeer a blimp and cruise into Van Cortlandt Park, New York City's third largest park, in the northwestern Bronx, on Tuesday at about 12:45 p.m. EDT. The site's wide open spaces, used for football and cricket matches, make it a practical landing area.
An official at the Federal Aviation Administration told Reuters that Stones operatives had sought permission ``and we're trying to accommodate that request,'' although he did not think there would be a problem. Stones publicist Fran Curtis declined to comment about the blimp plan as did city park officials.
Similarly, details of the North American tour are being kept under wraps. Unconfirmed speculation has focused on a tour of indoor arenas in the fall. Gary Bongiovanni, editor of concert trade publication Pollstar, said indoor shows are more lucrative than stadiums as overhead is lower and groups can charge higher prices to patrons who prefer more comfortable surroundings.
Three of the highest-grossing North American tours of all time were undertaken in stadiums by the Stones, including the top-ranked 1994 ``Voodoo Lounge'' road show, which grossed $121.2 million. Bongiovanni expected the 2002 tour to be the biggest of the year assuming the Stones play enough dates.
This year, veteran acts such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the Billy Joel-Elton John pairing and Paul McCartney have enjoyed strong ticket sales.
NOT AN ANNIVERSARY TOUR
The Stones last toured in 1997-1999, playing their last show in the German city of Cologne in June. Since then, singer Mick Jagger has issued a solo record and produced a movie, the new World War II thriller ``Enigma.'' Guitarist Ron Wood and drummer Charlie Watts have also released albums, while guitarist Keith Richards has been tinkering in his basement studio, and attending movie premieres and tennis matches.
The tour will coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Stones' first public performance -- but don't call it a 40th anniversary tour. Stones officials noted that the lineup at the group's first show, July 12, 1962 in London's Marquee Club, was slightly different and that Watts did not join until 1963.
The Rolling Stones are not expected to release a new studio album to coincide with the tour. Instead, they will reportedly issue a retrospective with a handful of new tracks. Officials at their Virgin Records label -- a unit of Britain's EMI Group Plc -- referred calls to Curtis, who declined comment.
Sources, however, said privately held ABKCO Records, which controls the copyrights from the Stones' 1960s heyday, planned to reissue digitally remastered and repackaged versions of their early albums in both the American and long-deleted U.K. formats.
Grand tour announcements in New York are a tradition for the Rolling Stones. In 1975, they brought traffic to a standstill by playing ``Brown Sugar'' from the back of a truck. In 1989, they detailed that year's tour during a sweaty news conference from a train in Grand Central Station.
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COMMENTS:
Concert ticket sales are up (while CD sales are DOWN!)... Hmmmm, maybe the general public has to choose between buying a CD by "Flavor of The Day" or going to see a classic performer in concert. Maybe a "little" connection there?!
It will be interesting to see what the "latest" ABKCO releases sound like this time. Mono & Stereo? Better (lower) generation tapes hopefully!
We shall see what we shall see!
Rolling Stones to Announce New Tour Next Tuesday
Updated 5:53 PM ET May 2, 2002
By Dean Goodman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Rolling Stones plan to drop in from the sky next week to announce their first tour in three years, a U.S. government official said on Thursday.
The veteran British rockers will commandeer a blimp and cruise into Van Cortlandt Park, New York City's third largest park, in the northwestern Bronx, on Tuesday at about 12:45 p.m. EDT. The site's wide open spaces, used for football and cricket matches, make it a practical landing area.
An official at the Federal Aviation Administration told Reuters that Stones operatives had sought permission ``and we're trying to accommodate that request,'' although he did not think there would be a problem. Stones publicist Fran Curtis declined to comment about the blimp plan as did city park officials.
Similarly, details of the North American tour are being kept under wraps. Unconfirmed speculation has focused on a tour of indoor arenas in the fall. Gary Bongiovanni, editor of concert trade publication Pollstar, said indoor shows are more lucrative than stadiums as overhead is lower and groups can charge higher prices to patrons who prefer more comfortable surroundings.
Three of the highest-grossing North American tours of all time were undertaken in stadiums by the Stones, including the top-ranked 1994 ``Voodoo Lounge'' road show, which grossed $121.2 million. Bongiovanni expected the 2002 tour to be the biggest of the year assuming the Stones play enough dates.
This year, veteran acts such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the Billy Joel-Elton John pairing and Paul McCartney have enjoyed strong ticket sales.
NOT AN ANNIVERSARY TOUR
The Stones last toured in 1997-1999, playing their last show in the German city of Cologne in June. Since then, singer Mick Jagger has issued a solo record and produced a movie, the new World War II thriller ``Enigma.'' Guitarist Ron Wood and drummer Charlie Watts have also released albums, while guitarist Keith Richards has been tinkering in his basement studio, and attending movie premieres and tennis matches.
The tour will coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Stones' first public performance -- but don't call it a 40th anniversary tour. Stones officials noted that the lineup at the group's first show, July 12, 1962 in London's Marquee Club, was slightly different and that Watts did not join until 1963.
The Rolling Stones are not expected to release a new studio album to coincide with the tour. Instead, they will reportedly issue a retrospective with a handful of new tracks. Officials at their Virgin Records label -- a unit of Britain's EMI Group Plc -- referred calls to Curtis, who declined comment.
Sources, however, said privately held ABKCO Records, which controls the copyrights from the Stones' 1960s heyday, planned to reissue digitally remastered and repackaged versions of their early albums in both the American and long-deleted U.K. formats.
Grand tour announcements in New York are a tradition for the Rolling Stones. In 1975, they brought traffic to a standstill by playing ``Brown Sugar'' from the back of a truck. In 1989, they detailed that year's tour during a sweaty news conference from a train in Grand Central Station.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENTS:
Concert ticket sales are up (while CD sales are DOWN!)... Hmmmm, maybe the general public has to choose between buying a CD by "Flavor of The Day" or going to see a classic performer in concert. Maybe a "little" connection there?!
It will be interesting to see what the "latest" ABKCO releases sound like this time. Mono & Stereo? Better (lower) generation tapes hopefully!
We shall see what we shall see!