Maybe in January...Patti Smith or Liz Phair...as natural to open, IMHO, Buddy Guy....

Buddy Guy is a good idea. Perhaps Robert Cray.

But my pick is Van Halen. They did it once before. Van Halen is also around for quite a long time. It rocks!

Buddy Guy was honestly a yawner when he opened for them at the United Center. I liked Mustang Sally but that was about it...

Honestly I haven't seen a good opener for them in Chicago on recent tours, with the exception of Chrissie Hynde... Blues Traveler, the GooDolls, Buddy Guy, Lenny Kravitz, etc... didn't like any of them, really...

Chrissie Hynde on the 40 Licks Tour was the best opener on recent Chicago tours, IMO.

Don't laugh but on Lix I saw No Doubt open for them and I thought they were perfetc for it. Not too big to want ot take over the arena and piss off the crowd, they still did their own commercial set of disposable solid hits one after another.
In R&R hierarchy the opening gig for the Stones has got to be one of the most cherished slots. But IMO it's a thankless job. I would hate that gig. Thing is that at a Stones show you got a Stonescrowd. And they are there ONLY to see the Stones. So in a way it's best to not be too demanding. better be very neutral or also very removed. By removed I mean a totally different style. I like it when they have reggae a rtists, or the Neville Bros in 81 in NO were awesome.
I think they should have @#$%& jugglers and trapeze artists come out. The damn stage sure is big enough. And no damn rock'n roll either. God dman hippie music of the devil...

Chelsea, agree with you totally about the jugglers and trapeze artists...adds to the event feeling.....a guest sopt from Circ de Soiel would be fantastic....