We're Too Old, Too Damn Old?!?

No, this is not what they looked like last go around, but give it five or six more years and this is indeed what people might be invited to see. 2011 could (should?) mark the end of touring for The Rolling Stones, but there's a lot of speculation as to what or how they might go about hitting the road. One idea has them again chugging out an uber-sized football stadium/arenas tour with the usual warhorses dusted off for the 99th time.

Keith Richards has been reportedly hinting at doing something this year with the band and is eager to tour, but a French newspaper report late last month had drummer Charlie Watts saying the time had come to finally call it a day. An Ian Stewart tribute album from a British piano player set for a March release apparently has them covering a Bob Dylan tune but there's no other word that new material or studio work would be in the offing.

However, if they were to tour, perhaps a scaled down version of the Licks tour might be in order, that is to say a three-night stand in select cities: one night in the stadium/arena and then two nights in a theatre setting where more of the older/obscure/blues material could be doled out to the diehards. Think of something like Shine A Light minus the guest appearances and it would definitely be a nice way to exit. That and perhaps capping the select cities to 15 or 20 would be best, thereby eliminating the need for them to play Balls Creek, Nova Scotia, one of the lone Maritime outposts they've yet to hit in recent years.

Granted, that would result in tickets starting somewhere around $400 or $500 for the worst seats and going up to the thousands perhaps for the prime seats. A 2200-seater like Massey Hall would probably generate the same sort of revenue as an arena show but not as much as the stadium.

Although I'm happy they decided to have another go around after Licks (mainly because I got to see them play at The Phoenix, one of 220 ticket holders for the preview club gig), that tour might have been the best way to say good bye. As it stands now, they should revert back to the elder blues material that first made them famous, something that their influences are still doing well into their 70s, 80s and 90s.

That or back to back nights of Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed performed in their entirety! Well, one can dream can't they?