Stones top city earnings table with $7.8 milllion per show

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The Rolling Stones earned an average of $7.8 million for each city they played in 2014, with average tickets costing $174.50 according to Pollstar. This was just ahead of U2 who generated $7.6 million per city and Taylor Swift at $4.7 million. Other big earners included Neil Diamond, Fleetwood Mac, Ed Sheerhan, Rush and Bette Middler. 

Rolling Stone’s Australian tour cancellation claim in dispute

L’Wren Scott’s tragic and unexpected suicide prompted the Rolling Stones to cancel a number of Australian dates and resulted in a claim against the bands $23.9 million insurance policy and Mick Jagger was "diagnosed as suffering from acute traumatic stress disorder" and advised by doctors not to perform for at least 30 days. However, underwriters have apparently argued that Scott might have been suffering from a pre-existing but undeclared mental illness at the time the insurance policy was agreed, which would, they argue, render cover in relation to her death invalid. It's emerged that the insurers have currently refused to pay out $12.7 million on the claim – resulting in a further legal claim in the London courts by the band.  However the matter has come to wider attention because of legal efforts in the US by the insurers to gain papers relating to Scott's mental health prior to her death. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, a court in Scott's home state of Utah have given underwriters permission to gather testimony and documents from her brother Randall Bambrough and that similar court filings have been made by the insurers in the federal courts in new York to gain access to documents held by Scott's former PA, the executor of her estate and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. It also appears that the underwriters are also arguing that it appeared that Jagger had not actually been personally examined by the doctor who provided the medical note and further that doctor and was not a psychiatrist. In addition, the underwriters pointed to provisions in the policy that Scott’s death by suicide by her own hand was "not beyond her control", invalidating the claim.

The Stones recently cancelled a November 8th Australian concert after lead singer Mick Jagger was diagnosed with a throat infection, promoters said. Tour promoter Frontier issued a statement on their website saying the 71-year-old Jagger was under a doctor's strict order to rest his vocal chords for the next few days to recuperate for the remainder of the tour with the band saying they were 'disappointed'.

UPDATE. The Times (15.11.14) reported that the Stone's multi million pound claim had been settled but the band said that they were "deeply upset" that confidential details were made public. 

http://www.sltrib.com/news/1794055-155/scott-jagger-stones-death-underwriters-font

Stones Storm Glastonbury, baby born!

Photo by Nick Cordes

The Rolling Stones pulled off a blinding two hour set on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, starting with Jumpin Jack Flash and ending with Satisfaction with other classics such as Paint It Black, Wild Horses, You Cant Always Get What You Want, Brown Sugar and 2000 Light Years From Home. 2.5 million watched on BBC2 and organisers said the Pyramid Stage had the biggest crowd in the history of the 43 year old event and the arena had been expanded to meet the expected demand. The Other Pyramid Stage headliners were the Arctic Monkeys and Mumford & Sons both of whom received ecstatic receptions,and headiners on other stages included Portishead, Chase & Status, Bobby Womack and The XX. Special guests included Beady Eye, Damn Albarn and FatBoy Slim. Organiser and farmer Michael Eavis said the two-hour performance - complete with fireworks and a burning phoenix on top of the stage - was worth the wait. He claimed it was his highlight of his time running the festival, which was first held in 1970.

As a treat to the 100,000 plus Pyramid crowd Mick Jagger had reworded Factory Girl as Glastonbury Girl  but a festival-going couple welcomed the arrival of their very own Glastonbury Girl on-site.  Heidi Wesson and Sean Crothers's daughter was born in the Ivy Mead medical centre centre on Worthy Farm – and they then decided to call the baby Ivy."

Hot Stones in the UK, cold Stones in the US

Despite selling out their two Hyde Park shows in London in record time, the Rolling Stones shows in the USA have failed to sell, with the Observer newspaper suggesting the the tour guarantee offered by promoters AEG may be renegotiated as ticket prices are discounted. Some fans are blaming the high US ticket prices - ranging from $170 to $635, with VIP packages at $2000, on the band's greed, and others are not prepared to travel to the limited number of shows. London prices were between £95 and £300, although some £750 UK hotel and ticket packages remain unsold according to reports. The band have also announced that they are headlining the already sold out Glastonbury Festival.

Stones fined for curfew breach

The Rolling Stones have apparently been hit with a £200,000 fine for their first show at the O2 Arena for breaching the curfew. Greenwich Council imposed the fine after the band played for an additional 35 minutes past their 10.30pm curfew. The band's spokesman Bernard Doherty said "It means a big fine - but the guys just do their thing. [And] there wasn't a janitor standing there, jangling his keys, saying "I want to go home'". Post event the O2 denied that a fine had been levied, and the matter remains unclear.

Stones NOT a sell out!

It seems a number of tickets remained unsold for last weekend's Rolling Stones concerts at London's O2 Arena - with fans shunning what many considered over priced tickets - further inflated by re-sellers and the secondary market. Primary tickets for the Virgin Live-promoted event were already pretty pricey, starting at £106 including booking fees, and going up to £1140 for a premium package but Xfm reported that at the last minute online offers dropped below the face value as touts moved to offload tickers.

Stones for O2

After massive hints from both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, The Rolling Stones have announced a number of 50th anniversary shows - two at London's O2 Arena and two at the Prudential Center near New York. Tickets for the UK shows will officially go on sale on Friday 19th October, though are available now to American Express customers. Tickets will be priced between £106 and £406 face value. The tickets were already being resold on Seatwave for up to £11,000. The shows are the first project for new global touring enterprise Virgin Live, a joint venture between the Virgin Group and the Dainty Group. It is thought the band will tour in 2013.

Stones Rolling?

All four Rolling Stones (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood) have been seen leaving Studio Guillaume Tell in Paris, possibly after recording bonus material for a forthcoming greatest hits compilation, which is set for release this year in honour of the band's 50th anniversary.

Stones in frame for London Olympics close

The Rolling Stones are a rumoured headliner for a closing concert to celebrate the 2012 London Olympic games, but in Hyde Park rather than the Olympic Stadium as it seems Mick Jagger is reluctant to cede artistic control to Danny Boyle who is in charge of the stadium ceremonies. The concert, promoted by Live Nation, is also rumoured to have Blur and Adele as possible performers. Sir Mick is keen to be involved in the Olympics in the band's 50th year, his father Joe was an Olympic rowing official in 1948, but was swayed by a negative memory from Bryan Adams who played the Vancouver Winter Olympics. 14 days of free events in Hyde Park will be 'book ended' by two 80,000 paid for concerts. The announcements come on the back of BT being confirmed as £2.5 million sponsor of the Olympics.

Live Nation told reporters "The line-up for the London Live 2012 Celebration Concerts as reported in the Evening Standard is not what we at Live Nation will be announcing soon and is based on unsubstantiated speculation".