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The Rolling Stones Launch the Voodoo Lounge Tour with Grand NYC Arrival
Big comeback in 1994? Please—The Rolling Stones never really leave, they just wait until the hype is worth their time. What followed wasn’t just another tour cycle, but a reminder that scale, spectacle, and reinvention were still very much their game. With a refreshed lineup and plenty to prove, they flipped skepticism into fuel and turned anticipation into a global event. The result? A massive cultural moment that reasserted their dominance, shattered expectations, and proved—once again—that writing them off is basically a tradition that never ages well.
May 3, 1994: The Stones make a grand entrance in New York City, arriving by the presidential yacht Honey Fitz at Pier 60 for a high-profile press conference to unveil their 1994–1995 Voodoo Lounge World Tour. The setting matches the scale of the announcement—big, confident, and unmistakably Stones. Alongside the tour reveal, they confirm that bassist Darryl Jones and keyboardist Chuck Leavell will be joining them onstage, signaling a refreshed lineup and the start of a new era as they gear up to hit the road once again.
Mick: “We’ve done it by land and we’ve done it by train… I hate that thing where you say it’s the last tour and beg for sympathy, like if you don’t come, you never see them again. I’m not going to say it’s the last tour. I think it’s a mistake to say that.”
The Rolling Stones Ignite Excitement at 1994 Voodoo Lounge Launch
The Stones’ Voodoo Lounge Tourpress conference in 1994 was a significant event for both the band and their fans. In fact the tour marked the first time the Stones had hit the road in five years following their Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle toursin 1989-1990. The press conference likely generated a lot of anticipation and excitement among fans eager to see the legendary rock band back in action.
During the conference the band members fielded questions from journalists about the upcoming tour, the setlist, any new music they were working on, and various other topics of interest to both the media and fans. It also served as the official introduction of bassist Darryl Jones, who would step in for the late Bill Wyman, and keyboardist Chuck Leavell as part of the touring lineup—both of whom would go on to become mainstays in the Stones’ live performances. This momentous occasion not only set the tone for what would become a massive world tour but also symbolized a fresh chapter in the band’s history.
Darryl Jones on getting the job: “I tried not to get too attached to the outcome. After we did the record, Mick said he thought I did a good job, and Keith said he’d like to have me hang around again. But I didn’t really get the word, officially, on the tour until a couple of months ago.”
Global Buzz and Lasting Impact: The Voodoo Lounge Tour Takes Off
Given the Stones’ legendary status and unmatched showmanship, the 1994 Voodoo Lounge Tourpress conference drew massive media attention and fanfare worldwide. Their dramatic arrival by yacht only added to the spectacle, reaffirming the band’s flair for larger-than-life moments. As the band discussed tour details the excitement rippled through the music industry.
The tour itself proved to be a historic triumph, reaching millions of fans across the globe and becoming one of the highest-grossing tours of the decade. It reaffirmed the Stones’ dominance as a touring force and underscored their enduring influence on rock and roll culture. Financially it pulled in a massive $320 million, knocking Pink Floyd’s Division Bell Tour off the top spot as the highest-grossing tour ever at the time. Of course, records like that don’t last forever, and a few tours have since passed it—but it still stands as one of the band’s biggest money-makers, ranking third overall behind their even bigger A Bigger Bang and No Filter tours.
Mick Jagger (1994): “There were lots of hacks out there who said we couldn’t do it anymore. But maybe what they meant was they couldn’t do it anymore. Anyway, once we started playing, all that died down. You can talk about it and talk about it – but, once we’re onstage, the question is answered.”
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