Rolling Stones 50th anniversary tour

It’s the swinging 60s all over again! The Rolling Stones are finally returning to the stage, kicking off on a tour in honor of their 50th anniversary as a band.

However, there are only four dates booked as of now. Two of them are in London, which were reportedly sold out only hours after they were released, and two will be at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. this Dec. 13 and 15. But don’t worry, fans, Keith Richards spilled to CNN that the band regularly begins a tour with only a few dates, but once they start rolling they can’t stop. More stops will hopefully be added later on.  

And hopefully they add them soon, because this will be one for the history books.

Former band members Mick Taylor and Bill Wyman are expected to make special appearances. In addition, Richards further hinted to CNN that the second night might have some added surprises, including guests such as Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. However, he said these are only possibilities.

If you can’t make it to this show, it will be available on pay-per-view for those who wish to view from home. I expect many will, as ticket prices are absurdly high. The best tickets out there are currently $800, and I can only imagine what they will be going for on alternative sites such as StubHub. 

Hopefully the Stones will play “Doom and Gloom,” their newest single that will be released on Nov. 12 on their latest greatest-hits album, “GRRR!.” But just because they put out a new single does not mean Jagger and Richards are going to hit the recording studio once again. Apparently, this is was a Jagger-solo demo that the band helped finalize. In fact, even the beginning riffs of the song are played by Jagger, who rarely plays guitar. 

From the sounds of “Doom and Gloom,” the aging band has not lost its touch and remains in the know on today’s socio-political issues, which are evidentially heard in the song. You don’t hear music like this today. The Rolling Stones know how to bring rock and roll back. And thank goodness for that. This tour has been in the works for almost a year, as many members were on the fence, particularly Mick Jagger.

Jagger’s sole condition to pursue this tour was an apology from long-time musical partner Keith Richards. There has been bad blood ever since Richards’ 2011 memoir, “Life,” tore Mick Jagger apart with a stream of insults. 

That was one condition. Another was that the band must remain sober and clean long enough to ensure they could make it through a full tour.

If you are a big enough fan that this round of shows can’t fulfill your Rolling Stones 50th anniversary celebrations, then perhaps you should tune into HBO’s new documentary “Crossfire Hurricanes,” airing Nov. 15. The film, which is less than two hours, manages to illustrate the band’s history from the earliest days at the Marquee Club to the present.

So check out the Rolling Stones this winter, and if you are interested, The Who, Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney are also planning winter tours.