Rolling Stones fans pay £12 for Paris show

Keeping promises: the Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones played one of their promised “secret” warm-up shows in Paris last night, ahead of their multi-million-pound anniversary shows.

Just 350 fans got the chance to see Mick Jagger and co test their mettle after five years of inactivity.

And tickets cost just €15 (£12, $20) – a far cry from prices at their upcoming anniversary shows. It’s thought the Stones will be paid a total of £16m for four shows, two in London and two in New York. That’s £1m per band member per show, with “not over the bloody top” tickets costing up to £1140.

Frontman Jagger told the crowd in north-east Paris’ Trabendo Club: “I can’t believe we’re all still standing up – you’d think by now one or two of us would be sitting down. But we’re not.”

The Stones played for 80 minutes, starting the show with Route 66 and performing new track Doom and Gloom among their classics.

A queue began forming outside sole ticket vendor Virgin Megastore Paris on Wednesday night – 14 hours before the show was announced via Twitter. The passes sold out in minutes. No form of photography or recording was allowed during the performance.

The band have hinted further warm-up shows may take place.

Meanwhile, Jagger has confirmed he’s signed up as producer for a biopic about James Brown. The singer says: “It’s a great honour to be involved with a project as rich as the story of the legendary James Brown. He was a mesmerising performer with a fascinating life.”