Even though we are still two months away from turning the calendars another year ahead, stadium and arena bands like Bon Jovi and U2 have already announced dates on respective tours that stretch into the hot days of the 2010 summer. Trying to determine which other big name bands are gearing up for an announcement is little more than speculation, but there can be a method to the madness.

Take The Rolling Stones for example. Their 2007 ‘A Bigger Bang’ tour grossed a half a billion dollars, and there are probably a half a billion reasons for the band to start a new tour next year, especially now that two full years have passed since their last show. Earlier this year, British tabloids even picked up on the rumors of a new tour and album for the band in ‘10. Retirement can’t be ruled out for the foursome, but Mick Jagger’s statements tend to do just that. “I’m sure the Rolling Stones will do more things, more records and more tours, we’ve got no plans to stop any of that really,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m sure we’ll continue.”

Boston is another face that’s been missing from the road for some time. They completed a highly successful tour with Styx in 2008, but have set this year aside for time off. In our interview with vocalist Tommy DeCarlo this summer, he stated that he would love to tour again with the band, but in the end the decision lies with band leader and guitarist extraordinaire Tom Scholz. A new album is reportedly in the works, and the next Boston tour likely hinges on its release date.

It was nearly two months ago when we reported on the likelihood of Van Halen embarking on a tour next year, thanks to a statement by Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff. It’s been quiet ever since, and the fact that the group’s official website still displays a front page update from April 2009 is a strong indicator that any future tour rumors will likely be spilled from sites other than Van-Halen.com.

German metal act Scorpions haven’t done a full tour of the United States for over five years, and rumors about such a tour next year abound. Simple speculation is the only thing that keeps them flying, but a bad economy may be the factor that is keeping the band closer to home. A package tour would likely be in order to ensure profitability, and that’s where a band like Europe might come in. They’ve also been absent from America for some time, and with an album to promote it may be tempting to give the USA another shot.

Lastly, Cinderella may finally be ready to return to the stage after three years of rest. Vocalist Tom Kiefer suffered from a vocal cord hemorrhage in 2008, which caused the band’s planned tour with Warrant, Lynch Mob and Lynam to be derailed. The possibility of a new album is also in the air.

If you know of a tour rumor, we’d love to hear it. Send information to tips@melodicrockconcerts.com