- Music
- 02 Mar 06
The fate of the proposed Rolling Stones' Irish date remained shrouded in uncertainty today.
However, Hot Press has learned that it is unlikely to take place, as planned, in the Phoenix Park, with the Stones apparently cooling on their original choice of venue.
The news comes against a background where the Stones tour has run into a series of difficulties. There were clashes between police and fans on February 23, at the second of the band's three gigs in the Monumental football stadium, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the police firing rubber bullets and water canons. Dozens were arrested.
Meanwhile, the band have announced four UK dates, opening with a Wembley Stadium show on Sun 20 Aug. However, even this remains uncertain with a rash of cancellations at the home of English football already in train, as a result of delays in finishing the stadium.
"The Bon Jovi gig, which was meant to open the new stadium has had to be blown out," one leading UK agent revealed to Hot Press, "and the Take That shows are also a victim of the delay. In fact the whole situation at Wembley is farcical. One hundred electricians walked off the site last week, and some of the guys working on the project are beginning to wonder will they ever get it finished. It's not funny what's happening down there at all. The whole thing could end up going bust."
There is currently speculation that five Robbie Williams shows (lined up from September 14 to 19) may be in jeopardy – which would place the Stones' date under an even bigger cloud. What is clear, however, is that a London date will take precedence if there is a clash with a proposed Dublin date.
The other Stones dates confirmed so far are Glasgow, Hampden Park (Fri 25 Aug), Sheffield, Don Valley Stadium (Sun 27 Aug) and Cardiff, Millennium Stadium (Tue 29 Aug). But nothing is definite for Ireland...