The band are effectively free agents and with their 50th anniversary looming in 2012, speculation is mounting that Messrs Jagger, Richards, Watts and Wood are looking to bring their long career to a close in style with what could be their final tour.

The band holds the record for the most profitable tour ever with the A Bigger Bang outing grossing more than $550m (?353m). Those numbers make The Stones the ultimate act for promoters to work with and while ...