Ian Billen wrote on Feb 9
th, 2012 at 9:13pm:
In 1997 I heard that The Stones booked The Horseshoe stadium in Columbus for that September. I didn't even believe it at the time. I knew people who worked for The School and it had leaked out. In 2004 we already had solid word, even blurbs from Don Was that The Stones were together writing. In 94 we knew they were working on an album at this time. Stadiums would have to be booked already. A promoter would more than likely be selected for such an event... etc. etc. I realize that kina stuff is kept on the very own down / real hush-hush.... but usually there is a blurb from someone of something leaks out. My only point is that so far... no word on any of that kina stuff has leaked to any of us (besides the juicy Jam session info you gave us in which we are grateful... now give us some more juice... hehe)-
Ian
Did you hear about the Columbus date seven months before it happened, though?
Probably not. You may have heard gossip about a venue (not uncommon as its usually not that hard to guess what venues would be used on a stadium tour - its a bit like me saying "I heard they'll play Wembley Stadium in 2013") but I doubt you knew the date very far in advance. For every show we hear about that works out, there's probably more rumoured shows that never take place. Everyone seems to forget about those!
Columbus was also at the start of the tour in late September or early October - just six or seven weeks after the tour was confirmed on 18th August. I'd imagine that venue had been reserved by the spring or early summer.
As for '94. It was no secret they were working on an album. It was a big story where I live in July 1993 for the simple reason that they were recording in Dublin. On Mick's 50th birthday, it was a front page story that he had spent it recording in Ireland. So, there was NO surprise that the Stones would tour in 1994. As I've said, you're hearing less now for the simple reason that the band arent working on a new record. In 2004, we knew as early as summer 2004 that they were working on songs for a new record, so there was no doubt that they were going to tour in 2005.
I've heard more detail in the last two days about a 2012 Stones tour than I've heard in the last two years combined. Some of it highly implausible (The 'leaked' European dates for September 2012 that I mentioned earlier) but some regarding US shows around the same time which have a lot more validity. Its a bizarre state of desperation when people arent just complaining that they havent heard enough confirmed info by a certain date but that they havent heard enough rumours.
Did you ever think that maybe the Stones organisation are just better now at keeping things under wraps? People DO get into trouble for leaking info when they're not supposed to. A lot of stuff at the minute comes with the 'dont post this' disclaimer.
There are usually quite valid reasons for not posting dates too early - and no one in their right mind should be booking flights based on a rumoured concert date.
We'll know when we need to know.
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