Stones Rescheduling Australia/NZ

A statement from the company, headed by Michael Gudinski, said, “At this very sad time we would like to reassure Rolling Stones fans and ticket holders that every effort is currently being made to reschedule the postponed Australia and New Zealand dates for October/November 2014.”

The seven shows March 19 to April 5 sold more than 150,000 tickets.

Scalpers were demanding up to A$12,000 ($10,840) for a single ticket for the Perth show, which was to have kicked off the tour.

The shows were postponed after the sudden death of Mick Jagger’s girlfriend L’Wren Scott.

October would also mean that the Rolling Stones could keep their appointment to play the reopening of the Adelaide Oval. It was reported that Jagger, a passionate cricket fan, was keen to play the well-known cricket grounds, initially set for March 22.

However, the grounds are not available until the Australian Football League season, which begins March 29, ends in late September.

The Stones would still be the first band to perform on the grounds.

Jagger was holed up in his Perth Hyatt Hotel room, reportedly under medical supervision, until March 20 when the band left Australia in its jet.

In the meantime, drummer Adelaide Oval slipped into a Perth’s Ellington Jazz Club March 19 and performed some numbers with Stones saxophonist and keyboardist Tim Ries, who had played there two nights earlier with Stones backup singer Bernard Fowler.

Watts slipped in unannounced through the back door of the packed-out 135-capacity club, sat in a quiet corner table and received a rapturous welcome when Ries invited him up on stage.