Stones break own concert sales record

In a banner year for North American concert ticket sales, the Rolling Stones broke their own record to stroll through the highest-grossing tour of all time.

The Stones sold $162 million US in tickets to 1.2 million fans in the A Bigger Bang tour in 2005. The tour included stops in Moncton, Toronto, Ottawa, New York and Miami. The Stones had set the previous record for a single tour with the Voodoo Lounge tour in 1994, which grossed $121 million US.

North American concerts generated $3.1 billion US in 2005, an 11 per cent increase from $2.8 billion US in 2004, according to industry trade magazine Pollstar.

The increased take reflects higher ticket prices and the influence of high-profile tours by artists such as U2, Paul McCartney, Celine Dion and the Stones.

In a year that saw the free Live 8 concerts, the average ticket price rose to $57 US from $52.39 US in 2004, Pollstar reported.The number of tickets sold fell to 36.1 million in the top 100 concert tours, compared with 37.6 million in 2004 and 38.7 million in 2003.

The relentless rise in ticket prices combined with the decline in the number of tickets sold was "a little disconcerting," Gary Bongiovanni, editor ofPollstar, told Reuters.

Promoters say ticket prices are being forced higher because the artists are demanding more money, but artists say promoters are offering more lucrative deals to encourage touring. With CD sales plunging, touring is a more reliable source of income, according to some performers.

Irish rockers U2 had the second-highest grossing tour in 2005, pulling in $138.9 million US from 1.4 million fans. U2 played 78 shows in North America, compared with 42 performances by the Stones.

Canadian pop singer Celine Dion was third on the list with $81.3 million US, thanks to her exclusive engagement at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, where she performed155 times.

Paul McCartney pulled in $77.3 million US in his 2005 tour, which included a hook-up to the international space station,and the Eagleshad thefifth-largest tour, earning $76.8 million US.