I think the Stones will do fine as a live act for a long time to come. Let's face it, what keeps them a touring entity are not diehard Stones fans who wonder if they play well or not and if they are going to play an outtake from Exile but the great majority of their audience who come to see and be entertained by a legend. To these people Keith is somewhat important too for the outlaw image but not whether he plays a lot or a little on guitar. 95% of the Stones live audience didn't mind the sound change brought about by Wyman's departure either. A Stones audience isn't too different from a Madonna audience, meaning that very few people have the recent output, but people want to hear Like a Prayer and Sympathy for the Devil. Their there for the event, not for anybody's guitar playing. The Stones' status has long transcended whether they go through the motions or play well. And there is nothing wrong with that, but it puts the importance of Keith's guitar commitment into perspective.