thanks Byron Ward
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June 28, 2013 1:07 PM

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are both approaching their big seven-ohs. Charlie Watts is already a septuagenarian (yep, actually a word), and Ron Wood is in his late 60s. So, with the Rolling Stones having completed their 50 & Counting Tour of the U.S. Monday night (June 26) in Washington, D.C., we wondered, could this be the last time the Stones will tour big? Just how long are they planning on going with this “and counting” bit?


Radio.com went to the show Monday, and before the show started, we asked some of the fans what they thought: Are the Stones going to retire or keep touring?

Photo Credit: Maria Ives


Above: The Biciocchi sisters, Lea and Angela, were attending their first Stones concert; they said that it was now or never. “I believe they’ll retire,” Lea said. “I just feel like, at their age, this will be the last time.” The ladies noted that they were hoping to hear “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Paint It Black,” “Brown Sugar,” “Gimme Shelter” and “(I Can’t Got No) Satisfaction.”

Photo Credit: Maria Ives


Above: Sisters Alexandra and Katie KaFararke were also seeing the Stones for the first time. Alexandra took her last final of the semester at the North Carolina State earlier in the day, picked up her younger sister, and drove north to D.C. “It’s my first time seeing the Stones,” Katie said. “Our family loves classic rock, so I kind of got brought up with it.” She wanted to hear “19th Nervous Breakdown,” which, unfortunately didn’t make the setlist. Is this the last time? “I hope not!”

Photo Credit: Maria Ives


Above: The Floyd family (Julie, Megan and Michael) have seen the Stones a number of times. Megan’s first show was on the 1997/1998 Bridges To Babylon Tour: “I missed school for the show!” Michael’s first time was in the 1978 on the Some Girls tour. “They played the whole album, which they hadn’t released yet!” So, will this be the last time? “No! What else are they going to do?” (Oh, I don’t know, roll around in a pile of money every night just because they can?)


Above: Sean and Brianne Kelly dismissed out of hand that this might be the end of the line for the Stones. “HELL no,” Sean said. “They’re gonna do a whole European tour,” he pleaded, after their three scheduled U.K. dates including Glastonbury this weekend.

Photo Credit: Maria Ives


Above: Jennifer Dunham took her young son to the show. “I’ve been a fan since I was a teenager,” she said. However, this was her first show. Why hadn’t she seen them in the past? “Money!” Are they going to retire after the tour? “That’s up to them.” Thanks Jennifer!!!



Above: Rich Kenee took his daughter Emma to the show. He’s been going to see the Stones since 1989′s Steel Wheels; her since 2005′s A Bigger Bang (she’s wearing a shirt from that tour). Will this be the last time? “I hope not!” she said.

Photo Credit: Maria Ives


Above: Sisters Emily and Kelsey Brannan and their friend Lee Millstone were in the midst of a rather rocking week.  They were just back from Delaware’s Firefly Festival, which ended the night before and featured headlining sets by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Emily (center) said, “I think it’s gonna be their last tour, Mick’s gonna turn 70 in July! If it’s not gonna be their last one, we’re going to the next one too!” Her sister added, “We’ve been fans since birth. Our dad was a huge fan. Our uncle has traveled all over the world to see them, but this is our first time seeing them. The last time they toured in this area, I was in high school!” Lee reasons, “50 is a good number to go out on.”

Photo Credit: Maria Ives


Above: Chris and Nikki Hamby took their kids, EJ and CJ, to the show. Nikki and Chris both say yes on the retirement question. Nikki reasons, “The way Mick runs around every night, can he still keep doing that after 70?”

Jagger turns 70 on July 26, less than two weeks after the Stones’ final scheduled show, at London’s Hyde Park on July 13. The band has made no official comment about their future after that show, but based on their recent performances, time does seem to be on the legendary band’s side, at least for now.

(All photos by Maria Ives for Radio.com)

A $650-$2400 evening for this family of 4...
...before the obligatory visit to the merch booth, for the kids, of course

Gazza wrote on Jul 2^nd, 2013 at 7:48pm:


They are a bit notorious in the DC social circles...

Joey! --- the gals will be attending The Monkey
Puzzle, this coming saturday!!

I would like to party with the Biciocchi's. [/quote]

Any man with a pulse would want to!

Nice read.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robasghar/2013/06/28/what-rock-god-robert-plant-can-...

If 50's good 60's a whole lot better...retirement is for quitters

How many of you perverts are doing a search on the web of those two?

This pervert certainly is....looks like they are close to Philly too...

Plant was always #4 in Zep talent wise anyways. He is doing what he wants so good for him not sure why the writer took shots at the Stones but hell it's trendy I suppose when you charge $600 a ducat.

Have a break. Tour some Euro spots (if anyone in Europe has any money that is) then come to Oz for summer and bugger off. Don't want a new record. Just tour here.

Side-stepping the sprayed strumpetry of the 'iocchi-coochies (above), must I be the first to note the elegant lithe sensuality of the Brannan gal (Emily?)(above)?

Still don't understrand why they don't just do a residency in a couple of cities and let the fans come to them. Less travel for the band. More time to rehearse different songs.

sweetcharmedlife wrote on Jul 9^th, 2013 at 12:02pm:



Simple answer. Their tickets are too expensive to make residencies practical. They cant sell out a single arena show at current prices without having to resort to firesales and various gimmicks. So theyre not going to be able to do that for longer runs in the same city.

This tour was probably seen as a test run for something along those lines. Not enough people bought tickets at the prices that they and AEG were counting on. They can do that sort of thing when theyre playing one city per continent like last year but not when its spread across about ten or eleven cities.

And at the prices the Stones charge, the advantage for them is that less fans have the money to attend multiple shows, so there's less expectancy to mix up the setlists.