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Stones tour probably won't roll to Minnesota

Despite expectation of more dates, sources say the Twin Cities likely won't make the list.

By Chris Riemenschneider

April 3, 2013 at 4:06PM

Ronnie Wood, from left, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones performing in New York. The band release information on their upcoming tour on Wednesday. (Photo by , file) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Rolling Stones played shows in New York and London in December to mark their 50th anniversary. / Photo by Charles Sykes, Invision/AP (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

More dates on the Rolling Stones tour are expected to be announced in addition to the nine shows confirmed today, but it looks as if Mick and the boys have no plans of starting anything up in Minnesota.

Concert industry sources say a Twin Cities date on the so-called 50 & Counting Tour is not currently being considered, despite the fact that tour promoter AEG Live operates Target Center in Minneapolis and Target Field is two blocks away and has yet to see a rock concert in its fourth season of operation. That leaves the May 28 show at United Center in Chicago as the nearest stop for Minnesotans.

According to Billboard, the Stones will add nine more dates in addition to the nine already announced. That might just mean they intend to tack on a second show in each of the cities announced today, for which the itinerary provides plenty of room. Here are all the dates issued today, for those local Stones fans with air miles they were looking to use:

Early May: Los Angeles Staples Center (date dependent on NHL playoffs)
May 5: Oakland Oracle Arena
May 8: San Jose HP Pavilion
May 11: Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena
May 15: Anaheim Honda Center
May 25: Toronto Air Canada Centre
May 28: Chicago United Center
June 12: Boston TD North Garden
June 18: Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center

Tickets to the (first?) Chicago gig go on sale to the general public April 8 at 10 a.m. through RollingStones.com, with a CitiBank pre-sale offer on April 5. As sure as "Jumping Jack Flash" being on the set list, they aren't cheap. Prices are $85, $150, $250, $450 and $600. No, that's not a misprint -- $600 is the top price. Hardcore fans might be tempted to pay even that, given the word that early-'70s guitarist Mick Taylor is expected to join the band at many of the dates.

Here's a cute little promo video the retirement-eschewing lads put together with the tour announcement.

about the writer

Chris Riemenschneider

Critic / Reporter

Chris Riemenschneider has been covering the Twin Cities music scene since 2001, long enough for Prince to shout him out during "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)." The St. Paul native authored the book "First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom" and previously worked as a music critic at the Austin American-Statesman in Texas.