Rolling Stones bypass Australia

Bypassing Oz: Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones at the 02 Arena in 2012. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images

THE Rolling Stones have announced dates for their 50th anniversary world tour - and have bypassed Australia.

The tour starts in Los Angeles in May and will tour the US through until June.

The Stones will also play the Glastonbury Festival in the UK on June 29, before a show in London's Hyde Park on July 6.

The Hyde Park show will see Melbourne band the Temper Trap open for the Stones on a bill that also includes the Vaccines and Gary Clark Jnr.

The gig marks 44 years since the Stones played a pivotal show in Hyde Park in 1969, two days after the death of founding member Brian Jones. The Hyde Park show was also the first gig for guitarist Mick Taylor.

Taylor abruptly cancelled his Australian tour, due to start next week, citing illness. However Taylor, who was in the band until 1974, has been announced as a special guest on the Stones' new tour.

Australian fans hoping for a tour will be disappointed - the Stones played shows in the UK and US as recently as late last year.

But the band may announce further dates - including possible Australian shows - after their UK and US performances.

In a statement, frontman Mick Jagger said the extra dates were added so the band could continue to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

"We did a few shows in London and New York last year... and had such a good time that we thought... let's do some more," Jagger said.

"It's a good show. Lots of the classic stuff everyone wants to hear... with a few little gems tucked in here and there. The stage is shaped like lips and goes off into the venue so I get to run around in the crowd. It's great fun to be able to get that close to the audience."

Last year at the launch of their documentary Crossfire Hurricane Jagger said the band had plans to tour Australia.

Their last visit here was 2006.
 

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