Rolling Stones postpone 15 tour dates

The Rolling Stones on Wednesday postponed the first 15 dates of their European tour as guitarist Keith Richards recovers from a head injury. Stones publicist LD Communications said the European leg of the band's "A Bigger Bang" tour, which had been due to start Friday in Barcelona , Spain , would now begin in July at a venue and city to be announced.

Photo: Rolling Stones postpone 15 tour dates

Rolling Stones postpone 15 tour dates

It said the rescheduled dates would be announced in the next few days. The postponed gigs were scheduled for Barcelona and Madrid, Spain; Brussels, Belgium; Paris, France; Bergen, Norway; Horsens, Denmark; Goteborg, Sweden; St. Petersburg, Russia; Brno, Czech Republic; Warsaw, Poland; Vienna, Austria; Milan, Italy; Athens, Greece; and Zagreb, Croatia.

The postponement of the two Paris shows on June 3 and July 2 was announced Tuesday by French organizers. Richards, 62, was injured April 27 in Fiji . News reports variously claimed that he fell out of a palm tree or from a jet ski. Richards later had surgery in Auckland , New Zealand , to relieve pressure in his head. The Stones' official fan Web site said in a statement Monday that Richards had returned to the United States , where he lives, and "is feeling great, happy to be home and looking forward to getting back on the road with the Rolling Stones next month, reports the AP.

N.U.