Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards says the band have no intention of charging “over the bloody top” for their reunion gig tickets – even though prices range up to £950 per pass.
The band confirmed their long-anticipated 50th anniversary shows in London and New Jersey, revealing a string of access costs starting at £90 plus booking fee, making the cheapest entry £106. The price of a standard seat is £406. Once surcharges are added to the top-flight VIP hospitality package it will cost £1140.
Members of the Stones’ fan club will be offered cheaper tickets, the band have confirmed – but only standing spaces will be sold.
It’s been suggested the Stones will pocket £16m when they play London’s O2 Arena on November 25 and 26, followed by New Jersey’s Prudential Center on December 13 and 15. That could mean each of the four bandmates receiving £1m each per show.
But while he insists he wants costs to be kept low, Richards admits he doesn’t know what kind of figures that might entail.
He tells the BBC: “I haven’t looked at the figures. Numbers can get greatly exaggerated. But £16m sounds about right to us.
“I’m a bit out of the loop with showbiz – I just want to do some shows and I don’t want to charge over the bloody top.”
The guitarist is convinced there’s more to come after the Stones appear to support new greatest-hits compilation Grrr!, which also includes new track Doom and Gloom and One More Shot. But he hints that, after the anniversary project is complete, the band will bow out.
“Nobody has given us a heads-up,” says Richards, “But this band isn’t going to wind up with four shows. Next year looks like it’s on.”
They’ve been rumoured to have been booked for the 2013 Glastonbury festival. The guitarist comments: “On a good day, if the weather’s fine, that’s an interesting proposition.
“The band wants to get these four gigs under their belt, then think about next year after that. Anything is possible with this band.”
-Classic Rock Magazine
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