The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour

The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour
Concert tour name	A Bigger Bang Tour
Artist	The Rolling Stones
Album	A Bigger Bang
Start date	2005-08-21
End date	2007-08-09
Number of shows	147

The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour was a worldwide concert tour by The Rolling Stones in support of their studio album A Bigger Bang (album), spanning North America, Europe, South America, Australia, Asia, and Africa. The tour featured large stadium and arena dates, elaborate stage production, a mixture of classic hits and new material, and became one of the highest-grossing tours in history, influencing touring standards and the band's public profile. It reunited the band's core lineup around Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and Charlie Watts while involving an extensive crew and several guest performers.

Background and Announcement

The tour was announced after the release of A Bigger Bang (album), with promotional activity involving Columbia Records, Virgin Records, and media appearances on programs such as Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Good Morning America. The announcement followed prior Rolling Stones tours including the Voodoo Lounge Tour, Bridges to Babylon Tour, and the No Security Tour era, and leveraged the band's catalog represented by Decca Records and Rolling Stones Records. Managers and promoters such as Michael Cohl, Andrew Loog Oldham (historic association), and companies like AEG Live and Live Nation played roles in routing and ticketing, coordinating with venue operators at locations like Madison Square Garden and Wembley Stadium.

Tour Itinerary and Venues

Routing covered major markets including dates in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, Toronto, São Paulo, Buenos Aires, London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Johannesburg, Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. Venues ranged from Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park to Hyde Park and the Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti. The tour comprised multiple legs that crossed continents; routing decisions involved negotiations with municipalities, arena operators, and international festivals such as Montreux Jazz Festival and open-air events in Buenos Aires. Ticketing partnerships with entities like Ticketmaster and regional promoters influenced seating maps and VIP packages sold through fan clubs affiliated with the band's official site and legacy back catalogue holders such as ABKCO Records.

Concert Production and Setlist

Production designs were overseen by long-term collaborators including stage designers and lighting directors who previously worked on iconic tours such as the Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour. The stage featured a long catwalk, large LED screens, pyrotechnics, and a mobile B-stage used at select shows in Toronto and Chicago. Setlists typically mixed songs from A Bigger Bang (album) like "Streets of Love" with classics such as "Start Me Up", "Gimme Shelter", "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "Sympathy for the Devil", "Brown Sugar", and "Satisfaction". Guest appearances included musicians associated with Buddy Guy, Sheryl Crow, and horn sections from The Memphis Horns at certain dates. Musical directors, touring musicians, and sound engineers adapted arrangements to large stadium acoustics using consoles by manufacturers like Meyer Sound and L-Acoustics.

Reception and Commercial Performance

Critical response came from publications including Rolling Stone (magazine), The New York Times, The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, and NME, with reviews noting the band's stamina and the production scale. Commercially, the tour set revenue records tracked by trade publications such as Billboard (magazine) and industry analysts at Pollstar, ultimately becoming one of the highest-grossing tours at the time alongside tours by U2 and Madonna. Box office grosses and ticket sales were subject to reporting by promoters like Live Nation Entertainment and financial coverage in outlets including The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times. The tour's merchandising extended through partnerships with retailers and licensing firms handling memorabilia and live recording releases.

Notable Events and Incidents

Noteworthy moments included special festival appearances, surprise guest collaborations with artists linked to Eric Clapton, Elton John, and Beyoncé at various benefit events and televised specials. Political and logistical controversies arose in some markets over permits and curfew enforcement by city authorities such as the City of New York and local councils in London. Health incidents affected dates when Mick Jagger and Keith Richards managed physical strains; the tour also followed the broader context of rock tours impacted by global events like the 2005 London bombings and local weather disruptions. Legal disputes over ticket scalping and secondary markets involved lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny from bodies including consumer protection agencies.

Personnel and Supporting Acts

The core band personnel were Mick Jagger (lead vocals), Keith Richards (guitar), Ronnie Wood (guitar), and Charlie Watts (drums), supported by touring musicians such as Darryl Jones (bass), Chuck Leavell (keyboards), and horn and backing vocal contingents drawn from the session networks of The Memphis Horns and backing vocalists who had worked with Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner. Opening acts and supporting performers included artists like Alicia Keys, John Mayer, Sheryl Crow, The Strokes, Interpol, Keane, Patti Smith, and regional headliners selected by local promoters. Tour management involved production managers, tour accountants, security teams, and stage crews coordinated with agencies such as IAV GmbH and sound suppliers.

Legacy and Impact on The Rolling Stones' Career

The tour reinforced The Rolling Stones' status as a global live act and influenced subsequent touring strategies adopted by artists including Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, and U2. Financial success impacted the band's catalog valuations managed by rights holders such as Universal Music Group and private equity interests in music catalogs. Live recordings and concert films stemming from the tour contributed to the Stones' discography and audiovisual archive alongside milestones like the Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! and Some Girls Live in Texas releases. The tour's scale and production set benchmarks for stadium rock presentations, informed venue design trends, and shaped negotiations between legacy acts and promoters for future residencies and festival headlining slots.

Category:The Rolling Stones concert tours