{"id":420627,"date":"2026-01-18T05:53:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-18T05:53:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/420627\/"},"modified":"2026-01-18T05:53:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-18T05:53:15","slug":"the-rolling-stones-pirate-ship-runs-aground-we-probably-wont-get-to-see-them-perform-live-again-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/420627\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rolling Stones\u2019 pirate ship runs aground: \u2018We probably won\u2019t get to see them perform live again\u2019 | Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Rolling Stones\u2019 tenacious longevity<\/a> seemed unbreakable. Even the old adage that used to spur people to spend money on a ticket \u2014 \u201cYou have to go see them, because they might not do any more concerts\u201d \u2014 had been banished. There came a point when everyone knew it wasn\u2019t their last show; that the machine of the greatest rock and roll band in history would keep chugging along. <\/p>\n

But something changed when the band\u2019s plans for a European tour in 2026 were canceled. Officially, no reason was given\u2026 although some media outlets are certain that Keith Richards jumped ship from the Stones. Arthritis is being mentioned, although the guitarist has suffered from it for many years. In interviews, he has pointed out that this condition has forced him to play differently and has, in a way, even improved him as an instrumentalist. Or perhaps it\u2019s just that the ordeal of facing four months away from home, traveling extensively (albeit with all the creature comforts, and with physiotherapists and doctors available 24-hours-a-day) and slinging a guitar for two hours a night is no longer worth it for him.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no reason to worry about Richards\u2019 health, as he\u2019s recently been seen in clubs playing the guitar. However, these performances were brief. <\/p>\n

The Rolling Stones last performed in Spain on June 1, 2022. All the reviews described it as a great show<\/a>, with the band (now without drummer Charlie Watts, who passed away in August 2021) in good form, despite the fact that Jagger and Richards were 78-years-old at the time. Ronnie Wood turned 75 that day. <\/p>\n

The opening act at Atl\u00e9tico Madrid\u2019s stadium was Sidonie, a Spanish indie rock band. Their singer, Marc Ros, recalls that night for EL PA\u00cdS: \u201cWe were forbidden from watching the soundcheck, but we ignored the ban. It was a unique opportunity to see our idols up close, so we weren\u2019t going to miss it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSuddenly, a limousine pulls up to the stage and Ronnie Wood gets out; then another [limo] appears with Mick Jagger. And, finally, Keith Richards [shows up]: he needs help getting up the ramp. [At first], you see an old man\u2026 but then he starts rehearsing Tumbling Dice and his guitar sounds incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the concert,\u201d Ros continues, \u201cin front of 45,000 people, that elderly man transforms and puts on a sensational show. I saw Keith in top form. If that turns out to be the Stones\u2019 last concert in Spain, I think it was a great send-off.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Rolling Stones, performing on June 1, 2022 at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, in what is their last concert in Spain.Claudio Alvarez <\/p>\n

From now on, a range of scenarios is opening up \u2014 not all of them welcome to fans. The big question is whether The Rolling Stones are finished as a live band. This would be a perfectly logical possibility, given that they\u2019ve been touring since the 1960s. The group has outdone itself, including in Spain<\/a>: they\u2019ve performed in the country 23 times since their debut in Barcelona, back in 1976. That concert at the Plaza de Toros Monumental was organized by Gay Mercader, the most important promoter in Spain. <\/p>\n

Mercader has managed the most Spanish tours for the British group and has a close relationship with Richards. \u201cI think the Stones, [as a live band], are probably finished. Keith has had joint problems for a long time. I remember, 20 years ago, I saw that his knuckles were deformed. I asked him: \u2018Doesn\u2019t it hurt when you play?\u2019 He answered \u2018no.\u2019 But the latest information I have tells me that he\u2019s not in the physical condition to do a tour,\u201d Mercader explains, in a conversation with EL PA\u00cdS.<\/p>\n

The promoter offers a conclusive piece of information: \u201cWhat also happens is that, when musicians are 75 or older, you can\u2019t find an insurance company that will cover these concerts that generate so many millions [of dollars]. So, if a date is cancelled due to illness\u2026\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u00a0Keith Richards performing Chuck Berry’s Christmas classic ‘Run Rudolph Run,’ in New York City on November 5, 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Javier Cosmen Concejo, an expert on The Rolling Stones, who has authored a couple of books about the band, believes it\u2019s unlikely that the British group will ever play in a stadium again. \u201cI think it\u2019s quite improbable. Information coming from his inner circle indicates that Richards\u2019 decision is firm.\u201d <\/p>\n

Still, nothing has stopped the guitarist until now. He was addicted to heroin for a decade; the police were hot on his heels during those years, claiming that they were \u201csetting an example by putting a famous musician \u2014 who played degenerate rock and roll \u2014 in jail.\u201d Then, he had a well-known accident in 2006, when he fell out of a tree (not a coconut tree, as was reported): he suffered a head injury that caused blood clots that could only be removed with delicate surgery. Mick Jagger\u2019s health problems<\/a> also forced the cancellation of several concerts in 2019, as he had to be treated for heart issues.<\/p>\n

Some fans \u2014 having seen many of the band\u2019s concerts \u2014 are actually relieved by the possibility that they won\u2019t be performing anymore. These are the music lovers who, for some time now, have been considering that perhaps there comes a point when you have to stop going to see your idols. This is because the concerts are repetitive and, naturally, with the passing years, the decline in abilities takes its toll. <\/p>\n

Cosmen is one of these fans: \u201cWhen I saw them in 2007, I said, \u2018No more.\u2019 But the next tour, there I was again. The decision to perform without Charlie Watts already seemed a bit immoral to me. The Stones have been touring for a long time and have barely changed their setlist. Their last concerts weren\u2019t very motivating, to be honest,\u201d he sighs.\u201cOn the positive side, there\u2019s almost a social aspect, which [comes from] seeing someone older demonstrate tremendous vitality. In that sense, they\u2019re an example.\u201d <\/p>\n

Marc Ros, the singer from Sidonie, who has played for the Stones\u2019 audience, points to those sentimental feelings, which are surely what the group seeks (beyond money) with the tours: \u201cIt\u2019s that the Stones\u2019 audience makes you feel young, even if you\u2019re 80-years-old.\u201d<\/p>\n

The image of Keith Richards on the giant screens with the band playing during a concert in July 2024 in Los Angeles.Gilbert Flores (Variety via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

There are alternatives to seeing the creators of (I Can\u2019t Get No) Satisfaction in large stadiums that fans don\u2019t even want to hear about. For instance, a Rolling Stones without Keith Richards<\/a>. Let\u2019s remember that, throughout their six decades of existence, the band lost members, yet nothing stopped them. In the early years, pianist Ian Stewart left \u201cbecause he didn\u2019t have the right look\u201d; in 1969, the band fired the already-difficult Brian Jones, who died a few months after being dismissed; in 1974, Mick Taylor quit to recover from his hard drug addiction and because he was hurt that his contributions to the songs weren\u2019t credited; in 1993, Bill Wyman left, tired of the long tours; and, in 2023, they made the decision to continue after the death of the great Charlie Watts. <\/p>\n

Now, it doesn\u2019t seem realistic that Mick Jagger would go on tour without his longtime friend. And even less so now that the two bandleaders have learned to tolerate each other, even when they subtly throw barbs. This is quite unlike the 1980s, when their disagreements nearly broke up the band. What Jagger could do is perform solo, without The Rolling Stones brand. It worked in the 1980s, but back then, there was a feud between him and Richards, and the lead vocalist also had solo albums to promote in concert. This time around, that\u2019s not the case.<\/p>\n

In a recent article in Rolling Stone magazine<\/a>, music critic Andy Greene considers the possibility of the band doing a residency in Las Vegas, an option that has worked in recent years for U2<\/a>, Adele and the Eagles. \u201cA Rolling Stones Sphere residency would be a major cultural event that would attract fans from all over the world, no matter how much they charged for tickets. Many fans would take out a second mortgage on their homes just to see this show, especially if there were no others,\u201d argues Greene. <\/p>\n

Keith Richards with his partner, Patti Hansen, before entering the 50th Anniversary party of the ‘Saturday Night Live’ show, in February 2025.NBC (Theo Wargo\/NBC via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Mercader, the promoter, believes the band only tours when they\u2019re at 100%: \u201cThey set the bar very high. They don\u2019t play concerts just for the sake of it. They don\u2019t perform for money, but because they enjoy it. Their standards are very high. [When I] was their promoter in Spain, [I saw] them rehearse before playing. By that, I mean, they rehearsed almost the entire concert. With such a level of commitment, they can\u2019t afford to tarnish their image if they\u2019re not in top form. They have such high personal pride that they wouldn\u2019t tolerate playing regular concerts.\u201d So, will we see Richards on stage more often? \u201cKeith will continue to collaborate live with other musicians, because music isn\u2019t over for him. But touring might be,\u201d Mercader acknowledges. <\/p>\n

Cosmen, who has written extensively about the band, believes that the Stones will still continue, just in a different sense: \u201cI find it much more interesting that they release albums with new material, rather than watch them play old songs live.\u201d Indeed, this possibility seems quite close. <\/p>\n

Andrew Watt, the producer of the band\u2019s latest and highly commendable album, Hackney Diamonds<\/a> (2023), has indicated that they\u2019ve already recorded 15 new tracks. And Ronnie Wood has confirmed this. It\u2019s possible that the tour they were planning for 2026 would have been accompanied by the newly-released album, or at least some of its songs. <\/p>\n

Despite their age and health setbacks, it seems certain that The Rolling Stones aren\u2019t calling it quits anytime soon.<\/p>\n

Sign up for our weekly newsletter<\/a> to get more English-language news coverage from EL PA\u00cdS USA Edition<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Rolling Stones\u2019 tenacious longevity seemed unbreakable. Even the old adage that used to spur people to spend…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":420628,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[64,63,134,96603,23945,136,1771,36486],"class_list":{"0":"post-420627","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-music","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-entertainment","11":"tag-keith-richards","12":"tag-mick-jagger","13":"tag-music","14":"tag-rock","15":"tag-the-rolling-stones"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420627","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=420627"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420627\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/420628"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=420627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=420627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=420627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}