Why the 1994 Voodoo Lounge Tour Became the Year's Biggest, and the Secret B-Stage for Intimate Encores

The Rolling Stones’ 1994 Voodoo Lounge tour pulled in $320 million, making it the highest-grossing tour of the year. They hadn’t toured since 1990’s Steel Wheels, and the massive stadium production with pyrotechnics, a 180-foot stage, and a full horn section was a spectacle that sold out nearly everywhere.

But the real genius was the B-stage—a smaller, separate platform erected in the middle of the arena floor, reachable only by a bridge from the main stage. For the second encore, Keith Richard would perform first, then the band would gather there for stripped-down, quiet numbers like “Shine a Light” and “Moon Is Up.” It turned a colossus into a club gig for ten minutes, giving the audience something no Stones tour had tried before.