Rolling Stones Finally Reveal North American Tour, Add Hyde Park Shows

Surprise: The Rolling Stones are going on tour.

Just kidding about the surprise part, everyone knew the Stones would tour. Everyone’s known since last year. But nobody from the band’s camp would tell us when.

But after putting up billboards all over the country earlier this week promoting the announcement of the tour, we now know the North American leg will feature nine shows in May and June.

The first show listed on the itinerary is at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, though the date for that gig is listed as TBA. Next up is an Oakland concert at the Oracle Arena on May 5, and the tour will then run through a June 18 show at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The other cities on the tour include San Jose, California; Las Vegas; Anaheim, California; Toronto; Chicago and Boston.

After that, the boys in the band will head back home to the U.K. for a previously announced appearance at the Glastonbury Festival June 29 and a newly announced performance in London’s Hyde Park on July 6.

An unnamed industry source told Rolling Stone that there are likely to be a few European dates added to the band’s schedule, but this won’t turn into a massive tour the Stones have been known for in the past.

“Are the Stones going to do anything after this? I doubt it,” said the source. “Look, anything’s possible. But it’s Mick and Keith’s show, so we don’t know.”

There have been conflicting reports about the health of Keith Richards, and the light touring schedule likely reflects what we don’t particularly like to think about when it comes to the Stones: They are a group of 70-year-olds, not the hard partying fellows from the 1960s and 70s. Except Richards, who I think at this point we can safely assume is a robot.

Rolling Stone also reports that the band is set to earn $4-5 million per show, and that top tickets will run between $500 and $650. So, you know, start saving.