The Rolling Stones have confirmed their first live shows for five years with four gigs, including two nights in London.
There had been speculation for weeks that veteran rockers Sir Mick Jagger, 69, Keith Richards, 68, Charlie Watts, 71, and Ronnie Wood, 65, would announce shows in London to mark their 50th anniversary year. On Monday morning, frontman Mick confirmed to Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans that the band would play a small number of shows this year before a longer series of dates.
In a video message, the group said: "Soon we'll be back on stage playing for you in two cities that know how to rock and roll."
And the group went on to confirm online they would play a pair of shows at London's O2 Arena, on November 25 and 29, as well as two concerts at the Prudential Centre in Newark, New Jersey. Keith Richards added: "Sorry to keep you all hanging around but the waiting is over. I've always said the best place for rock and roll is on the stage and the same is true for the Stones. I'm here with Mick, Charlie and Ronnie and everything is rocking.
See you very soon!" The Stones last played live during their A Bigger Bang tour which wound up in 2007.
Sir Mick, who called the Radio 2 breakfast show, suggested on Monday morning that the announced dates would be a teaser for a full series of shows. "It's not going to be a long tour, the first bit anyway. It's going to be a few gigs," he said. There have also been rumours the foursome are being lined up to play Glastonbury Festival next year.
