The Licks Tour: Critics praised the deep cuts but slammed the price tag

By 2002, the Rolling Stones were 40 years into their career, and the “Licks Tour” (supporting the Forty Licks compilation) was their chance to prove they could still surprise. Critics largely applauded the setlist diversity — the band leaned into rarities like “Ventilator Blues,” “Hand of Fate,” and “Moon Is Up,” a refreshing shift from the greatest-hits-heavy shows of the ’90s. Reviewers called it a “fan’s dream” and noted that the tour’s four stage configurations (arena, theater, club, and stadium) let them tailor sets to each room.

But the love wasn’t unanimous. Ticket prices — some topping $350 before fees, among the highest in rock history at the time — drew sharp criticism. The New York Times and The Guardian both questioned whether any 60-year-old band was worth that kind of cash, and reviews often mentioned Mick Jagger’s increasingly choreographed moves as a