ROLLING STONES TICKETS ON SALE AUG. 28
BY STEVE MARINUCCI
MERCURY NEWS
Published Aug. 21, 2006
The Rolling Stones return to the Bay Area at 6:45 p.m. Nov. 5 at McAfee Coliseum, 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland, as part of the American encore of their ''A Bigger Bang'' tour, it was announced today by promoter Live Nation. Van Morrison will open the show.
Tickets, priced at $60, $99 and $150, go on sale at 10 a.m. Aug. 28 at www.ticketmaster.com and local Ticketmaster outlets, www.livenation.com or by calling (408) 998-8497, (510) 625-8497 or (415) 421-8497. A $20 student discount is available online at the $99 level. There is a four-ticket limit in the first 10 rows, and a two-ticket limit in all other locations. All ticket sales include a membership in the group's Web site www.rollingstones.com. The new shows will include a b-stage to bring the fans closer to the music.
''We're very excited about coming back to the U.S. and Canada,'' said Mick Jagger in a statement released by the band. ''Most of the shows are going to be on the big stadium stage with fans in the balconies behind us. We're going to play many cities we didn't get to before and also return to some of our favorite places. There is plenty of time for rehearsals and to be able to make some set changes. We'll have a variety of material ready so we can keep it fresh.''
In a nod to band mate Keith Richards, who sustained a head injury in April that later required surgery, he added, ''Keith's fine, his head's better, he's playing well and enjoying himself so we're all looking forward to this leg of the tour.''
The seemingly unstoppable Richards, in the same statement said, ''I'm feeling great and can't wait to get there. We're going to have the b-stage to get that very close thing happening with the band and the fans.''
The tour will feature big name guest stars opening for the group. Van Morrison opens for the group in Oakland and Vancouver, the Dave Matthews Band in Seattle and El Paso and Kanye West at the tour opener in Boston, East Rutherford, N.J., and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The Stones last played in the Bay Area Nov. 5-6, 2005, at SBC Park, since renamed AT&T Park. They've played in Oakland several times over the years. Their 1969 show at the Coliseum became a bootleg album called ''Live 'R Than You'll Ever Be'' that became well known among Stones fans for its sound quality and passionate performance.
