Start Me Up is the ultimate concert opener of all time, all bands and tours included through all times.

Amen



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No one. The studio version is it. They have never come close to it live. All the live versions sounds about the same to me. Doesn't matter which tour.

Really?

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Stoneage
No one. The studio version is it. They have never come close to it live. All the live versions sounds about the same to me. Doesn't matter which tour.

I have to agree. Interesting how some studio cuts come to life onstage, Midnight Rambler being the obvious one, while other songs just can't compare to their studio versions, IORR and Satisfaction being two glaring examples.

Not sure exactly why that is. They just don't have the same groove.

Could it be Charlie?

Start Me Up: Live in Wembley 1990 'The London Urban Jungle Night' bootleg

1981... I wish they'd play it slow and powerful again. A buddy of mine saw Hampton on DVD back in 2005. When Start Me Up came on he said "That's how it's supposed to sound!"

1989

I agree that no version of SMU are really close to the studio version, but the 89/90 live version actually hit me hard and got me seriously into the Stones. The drive is fantastic. Faster than the studio version but still Charlies backbeat and both Ronnie and Keith lay off and pauses in the gaps in the main riff giving charlie lots of space, and the tune breathes. Works very well as opposed to later when they both tend to play in between gaps too.

[www.reverbnation.com]

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DandelionPowderman
Really?

Yeah! It's kickin'!

I dig the slower versions on the btb tour as well. Keiths guitar sounds great on the 1997 PPv

If I was to pick a version from 1981 it would be the Hampton PPV version but I must support the general idea in this thread that the SW version was hugely impactful. I saw that tour on its second stop in Toronto and the excitement when those chords were first hit was palpable. In those pre Internet days, I doubt I knew that was going to be the opening number, reports from Philadelphia in the press notwithstanding.

Loved the 81 tour version - injection of new blood !!!

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treaclefingers

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Stoneage
No one. The studio version is it. They have never come close to it live. All the live versions sounds about the same to me. Doesn't matter which tour.

I have to agree. Interesting how some studio cuts come to life onstage, Midnight Rambler being the obvious one, while other songs just can't compare to their studio versions, IORR and Satisfaction being two glaring examples.

Not sure exactly why that is. They just don't have the same groove.

Could it be Charlie?

More likely the hours and hours they spend in the studio on each song getting the groove, sound, EQ, vocals, guitar interplay and everything else just right. Yeah the Stones are known as a live band but their true legacy, imo, will always be the great studio cuts they have excelled at. One reason we've never heard any songs played pre-studio recording except YCAGWYW at the RnR Circus.

As far as SMU I think it's been played to death and I cringe when I hear it played to start a concert. It's not just that I don't like the tune but that it's so predictable and "safe" to start with it. But judging from audience reaction I admit I'm probably a minority here. peace

Am I the only one who likes the 2012-14 version best?
For example the Hyde Park Version is very great
[www.youtube.com]

But on the 14 on Fire Tour it was even better, they played it a little bit slower and with more energy IMHO.

On the ABB and Licks Tour it wasn't that great, now it's much tighter.

The Flashpoint version would be my second choice, though I really don't like Charlies playing on the 89/90 Tour - it 'rolls' not so much like before or nowdays, he just played too straight ahead if you know what I mean
Also I not really like the overall sound of that tour.

On B2B/NS-Tour 98/99 it was also very good.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-02-11 23:02 by StonedRambler.

Huh.

That Hyde Park video is missing something...

On the studio version there is an extra part of the riff that never has been played live. I believe that that omission took away some of the groove.

Yikes...

Hyde Park !

everything's turning to gold

Sometimes it's not the best opener... 1:49

I listen to (and sometimes watch) the Echoplex version on the Stones' smartphone app. In the "Presented by Citi" category.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-02-12 09:21 by Title5Take1.

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Naturalust

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treaclefingers

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Stoneage
No one. The studio version is it. They have never come close to it live. All the live versions sounds about the same to me. Doesn't matter which tour.

I have to agree. Interesting how some studio cuts come to life onstage, Midnight Rambler being the obvious one, while other songs just can't compare to their studio versions, IORR and Satisfaction being two glaring examples.

Not sure exactly why that is. They just don't have the same groove.

Could it be Charlie?

More likely the hours and hours they spend in the studio on each song getting the groove, sound, EQ, vocals, guitar interplay and everything else just right. Yeah the Stones are known as a live band but their true legacy, imo, will always be the great studio cuts they have excelled at. One reason we've never heard any songs played pre-studio recording except YCAGWYW at the RnR Circus.

As far as SMU I think it's been played to death and I cringe when I hear it played to start a concert. It's not just that I don't like the tune but that it's so predictable and "safe" to start with it. But judging from audience reaction I admit I'm probably a minority here. peace

Could be we're just glad the show's starting!

But I agree, SMU I can do without hearing again live. Too many other ignored tracks that would be unbelievable to hear in it's place.

Take almost any other track on Tattoo You for instance...my preference would be Slave.

BTW, didn't they also play Brown Sugar before the studio track was done?

I love the Still Live Version. These overdubbed vocals kick my ass.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-02-12 10:02 by hockenheim95.

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Munichhilton

I guess my favorite version these days is done by The Folksmen.
Now that had punch.

Fantastic!

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GasLightStreet
Sometimes it's not the best opener... 1:49

It really sounds like there's something wrong with his guitar. It's not possible to fvck up something that much - and he does it three times in a row...

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treaclefingers

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Stoneage
No one. The studio version is it. They have never come close to it live. All the live versions sounds about the same to me. Doesn't matter which tour.

I have to agree. Interesting how some studio cuts come to life onstage, Midnight Rambler being the obvious one, while other songs just can't compare to their studio versions, IORR and Satisfaction being two glaring examples.

Not sure exactly why that is. They just don't have the same groove.

Could it be Charlie?

Quite honestly I don't care if I ever hear this song live again. Everything about it is utterly predictable.

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treaclefingers

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Stoneage
No one. The studio version is it. They have never come close to it live. All the live versions sounds about the same to me. Doesn't matter which tour.

I have to agree. Interesting how some studio cuts come to life onstage, Midnight Rambler being the obvious one, while other songs just can't compare to their studio versions, IORR and Satisfaction being two glaring examples.

Not sure exactly why that is. They just don't have the same groove.

Could it be Charlie?

I think it's because songs like Start Me Up (other examples are Monkey Man and Gimme Shelter) need a very clear, crispy, crystal sharp guitar that cuts like a knife through butter. In the studio-version you clearly hear two guitars battling against each other, with high precision stabs. And that's not how the Stones sound live. They sound murky, messy, and - on a good night - absolutely groovy. That's why - on the other hand - songs like Midnight Rambler or Tumbling Dice work so well live: they get better when played in a loose, rambling, jamming kind of way.

Three notes in the riff were never played live. I think they make the riff more powerful, combined with the slightly slower tempo.

I've tried to hightlight those notes in the beginning of this video:

The version from East Rutherford on the 1981 tour does it for me.

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matxil

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treaclefingers

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Stoneage
No one. The studio version is it. They have never come close to it live. All the live versions sounds about the same to me. Doesn't matter which tour.

I have to agree. Interesting how some studio cuts come to life onstage, Midnight Rambler being the obvious one, while other songs just can't compare to their studio versions, IORR and Satisfaction being two glaring examples.

Not sure exactly why that is. They just don't have the same groove.

Could it be Charlie?

I think it's because songs like Start Me Up (other examples are Monkey Man and Gimme Shelter) need a very clear, crispy, crystal sharp guitar that cuts like a knife through butter. In the studio-version you clearly hear two guitars battling against each other, with high precision stabs. And that's not how the Stones sound live. They sound murky, messy, and - on a good night - absolutely groovy. That's why - on the other hand - songs like Midnight Rambler or Tumbling Dice work so well live: they get better when played in a loose, rambling, jamming kind of way.

nice analysis...I think you may be onto something

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DandelionPowderman

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GasLightStreet
Sometimes it's not the best opener... 1:49

It really sounds like there's something wrong with his guitar. It's not possible to fvck up something that much - and he does it three times in a row...

Remember when people were thinking he did it on purpose, in some bizarre way of making a nod to 1969's show when they were out of tune? It's just hitting the wrong notes! And he did it for BOTH shows!

And yet amazingly on the official release...