Rolling Stones reap top concert revenues

The Rolling Stones kept gathering steam and money, as Billboard.com crowned it the Number 1 touring band in the world for the first half of 2006.

Billboard.com, the leading voice of the music business, reported thatthe band's A Bigger Bang Tour grossed $147.3 million US for the period ending mid-May.The total includes the band's 45 shows.

Michael Cohl, the Stone's current concert producer, said the band's Australian leg was better than it's ever been before."It's kind of astounding when it keeps improving 43 years later," Cohl told Billboard.

The band's leading status is even more remarkable considering the tour was suspended for more than a month when guitarist Keith Richards had to undergo surgery in New Zealand after experiencing a head injury at a resort in Fiji in late April.

Conflicting news reports said Richards had a concussion after he fell out of a tree or fell while riding a personal watercraft.

Richards was discharged in early May and the Stones resumed the tour in Barcelona May 27. Meanwhile, guitarist Ron Wood checked into a rehabilitation clinic in mid-June for alcohol abuse. Wood's sojourn did not affect the tour's concert dates.

The Irish band U2 followed the Stoneson the Billboard charts, at $73 million.

U2 has also had to suspend its tour of the Pacific Rim because of a family illness. Shows scheduled forMarch and April have been postponed until November and December.

Rounding out the list are:

• Bon Jovi ($65 million).
• Billy Joel ($47.4 million).
• Cirque du Soleil's Delirium ($38.7 million).

The report said music concerts were experiencing a boost with attendance up 5.4 per cent in the first half of 2006 compared to the same period in 2005. Worldwide revenues had climbed by13.3 per cent.