First Rolling Stones tickets move quickly, more on-sales set

Four decades into their rock-and-roll career, The Rolling Stones are still proving to be one of the top draws in the concert industry.

According to the band's official website, tickets for the group's upcoming tour went on sale in six markets over the weekend, and all available tickets sold out "in a matter of a few hours."

Sellouts were logged in Boston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Calgary and Washington, DC. A second show at Boston's Fenway Park was added and sold out as well. [Editor's Note: Contrary to the statement issued Monday (5/16), tickets were still on the market Tuesday morning (5/17) for The Rolling Stones' Oct. 17 performance in Miami.]

Additional Stones on-sales are set for the coming weekend. A Friday (5/20) on-sale is planned for Charlottesville, VA, and Saturday (5/21) on-sales are planned in Minneapolis; Chicago; Hartford, CT; Detroit; Pittsburgh; Hershey, PA; Tampa; and San Diego.

Tickets for San Francisco and Anaheim, CA, go on sale Sunday (5/22), while tickets for shows in Philadelphia and East Rutherford, NJ, go on sale Monday (5/23). The full itinerary is below.

The first leg of the Stones' 2005/2006 tour opens Aug. 21 in Boston. The jaunt wraps up Dec. 1 in Houston, and about 35 shows are confirmed so far. Additional North American shows are in the works for early 2006.

Like the Stones' 2002/2003 "Licks" tour, the upcoming jaunt will visit a mix of stadiums, arenas and clubs. But unlike that tour--which visited fewer than 20 North American cities--the band generally will not play different-sized venues in the same market.

Besides North America, the trek is expected touch down in Mexico, South America and The Far East (possibly including the band's first-ever performances in mainland China). The outing will end in Europe during the summer of 2006.