Beatles first since I am a huge fan and never saw them. Zep second though I am not a huge fan but I never saw them. And finally the Stones though I am a huge fan but I saw them many times. Plus the 73 European tour was a bigger deal for me.

The Stones and Led Zep would do it for me; Beatles rooftop is good, but not great.

3.
I was there twice in '72. once at an arena with real good floor seats. The stadium gig I went to that summer in another city was great also, tho not so impactful as what happened at msg for me personally. It was stupendous. Just perfection in every way; all of it. We have Ladies and Gentleman for sure proof of what they were able to do night after night that summer.
I'm sure a good argument could be made for '69 but I didn't make any of those shows.

I did see Zep in their hungry awesome prime early on promoting their first LP, in fact they were warming up for The Who when I saw them, and did meet Jimmy and Robert briefly as well; I had all access pass, backstage or anywhere i wanted; it was awesome but for me nothing ever matches Stones '72 MSG.
Also I must say that Zep that night, in the early going, was twice as good, maybe more than that, than the Zep on Song Remains The Same concert film imfo.

Stones '72? It's the best rock and roll show I've ever been priviliged to witness or be some tiny speck part of...'awesome' in the venacular is too overdone these last generations of kids imo, it diminished the term when just about everything is 'awesome.' This was drop your jaw get up and dance, scream your head off, cry when appropriate because it's just so damn deep, real and fun. Laugh and scream.

Off your ass and on your feet this was the real deal.
70 minutes of perfection.
Not a firework or screen or special stage or any of the spectable crap.
Bill Wyman was awesome beyond belief. I will never quite be able to communicate that to anyone who didn't see Bill w the band in those days, especially in an enclosed enviornment.
Bill was loud and just brilliant brilliant; the earth moved, everybody got all the way there; happy endings for all. wow.
I'll never be able to fully understand a Stones fan who does not 'get' Bill. I almost feel a tad sorry for them in a way. I mean he's still there on Ladies and so much stuff; it's not like it's unavailable to experience and love for all generations since...tho live I will tell you Bill Wyman Bill Wyman Bill Wyman and stand up for him forever.
I listen to sftd from ya yas and Bill OWNS the bass on that; even as totally great and driving as K's bass part on the studio cut. Just listen to what Bill is doing ALL THE TIME thru there...it's just spectacular. it's not old memories or ancient; or nostalgia, it' a living breathing amazing thing; the movement and presence is incredible. IF there was a virtuoso in The Stones, I think Bill could edge out Taylor haha...together w K they were THE best thing ever, literally as far as I can hear....

By luck of age and place I've been lucky to see a whole hell of a lot of primo bands approaching their primo best, and AT their primo best but this Stones was in another league from all of that to me. Did I mention Bill Wyman? Don't ever forget; Gosh I wish I could describe it better....

Ironic that in very hot contention, very much so, for the 2nd best rock and roll show of any kind I've ever witnessed was Ron with Faces at Fillmore East. He'd be a Stone four or so years later; and Mac would join them on essential career-saving tours.
God I saw Nicky and Stu with the original four plus Mick T, who for me is every bit as powerful as any original full-on Rolling Stone, and made every bit the contribution of any of them on most of their most important stuff to me....
....and apparently to them too as they keep on promoting everything w it...

...wudda loved to be close to McCartney's bass amp are u kidding? that would have been great; but i did see George and Ringo at Bengla Desh and was very grateful for that. Loved every bit of that show. Also going back to the first point, there is no way I can ignore the power of Stevie Wonder's incredible set; he was peaking at the time and it's a very, very high bar imo. Wonderlove and Rolling Stones jamming together with Mick and Stevie up front dancing and jumping together on beat had us incredulous...just crazy out of this world great.
A precious gift that has lasted a life-time and on into an unknown future; but I know when rock was real; when it mattered and meant something; when it meant near everything to a huge generation of people, and also to people a little on both sides of that generation....that I was somehow given this precious gift.

well not exactly 'given' haha; i had to send in dozens of post cards to hope to win a lottery to be able to buy four tickets for 60 bucks american, and that is what happened. And they were great, great floor seats...
i'd do that again in a new york minute. and let everything else slide on by no problem. ain't no one nowhere beatin' that no ways ever. cain't be done.
the apex; the creme de la creme. A whole LOT of great stuff would happen here and there for just a little while left in the rock and roll world, at least from my perspective. We'd get all the way out of the 70's with some good stuff still hangin' in a bit, but that was it. Rock never got better than that by anybody anywhere including them imo. the best.



Edited 9 time(s). Last edit at 2017-04-14 04:34 by hopkins.

Stones.

Born in the 72! one of the best years for the Stones!

..... 3-1-2



ROCKMAN

...1-3-2

Would it change for anyone if it was Stones in 69?

Ditka.

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mulecrowe
Would it change for anyone if it was Stones in 69?

YES!

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stonehearted
Even if I were not a Beatles fan, I'd choose the rooftop concert because...

...I'd be in 1969 London!

Hmmm.... I was actually in London that day, working in an office block in Finsbury Square on the edge of the City. I knew bugger all about the event until that evening news..

2 years later I worked in the West End, not too far from Savile Row, and even saw Paul in his car, and one lunchtime wandering down to Oxford St to get John & Yoko's autographs at a book signing.

Of the three choices, I'd choose the Rooftop concert because (as others have said) it was very historic.

But, if I had one trip back in time it would be to Sunday evening 14th April 1963. That was the evening that The Beatles met The Rolling Stones at The Crawdaddy Club in Richmond and they all spent the night talking at 102 Edith Grove - that's where I'd go.

--
Captain Corella
60 Years a Fan

I choose the Beatles only because I have seen the Stones many times but only saw the Beatles twice (1965 and 1966 Shea Stadium)

Since I have already seen The Stones in 1972 from a 15th row center seat at the Denver Coliseum, and NOT being a big Zeppelin fan, I would choose The Beatles on the roof at 10 feet.

Do I know then, what I know now?

Only something like 14 people were able to actually see the Beatles playing on the rooftop. How could that not be anyone's first choice? It was the most exclusive gig ever, giving everyone who saw it an "I was there" story that can never be topped.

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tatters
Only something like 14 people were able to actually see the Beatles playing on the rooftop. How could that not be anyone's first choice? It was the most exclusive gig ever, giving everyone who saw it an "I was there" story that can never be topped.

Because most people on here are Stones-fans, first and foremost?

3-1-2.

stones first obviously.

like some beatles stuff but much of it is way overrated.

led zeppelin wouldnt interest me.

1

Stones, of course. I'm content to see "Get Back" on TV. While I love some Zeppelin tracks, I'm fine with not sustaining the hearing damage during my dotage.

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Koen
I don't get #2, what was so special about them leaning against a wall ?

ha ha -no koen,the FANS were leaning against the stage.

the fillmore had about 1200 tickets available-not 12000, 12 HUNDRED.
standing room only with a 3/12 foot stage and no barrier

these shows were early in 69 when only zep 1 was out,they unleashed zep 2 later in the year and after that were playing the 5400 capacity winterland while in san fran[late 69].

when they returned to the bay area in 1970 zep played the 50,000 seat oakland colliseum -they got real big real quick making the tiny fillmore shows a sort of holy grail of their live era,which is why i picked them.

Zep

This is a tough one. My first reaction was 3 1 2. But I never saw the Beatles, so 1 3 2, but only for that reason.

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tatters
Only something like 14 people were able to actually see the Beatles playing on the rooftop. How could that not be anyone's first choice? It was the most exclusive gig ever, giving everyone who saw it an "I was there" story that can never be topped.

And for extra credit... can anyone name a few or all of the approx. 14 people?

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2000 LYFH

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tatters
Only something like 14 people were able to actually see the Beatles playing on the rooftop. How could that not be anyone's first choice? It was the most exclusive gig ever, giving everyone who saw it an "I was there" story that can never be topped.

And for extra credit... can anyone name a few or all of the approx. 14 people?

Brian Epstein's assistant Peter Brown, Beatles roadie Mal Evans, Ringo's wife Maureen, Yoko...

So it seems in order to get in on this in crowd gathering, you'd have to set your time machine back even further and get a job in the Beatles' organization, or maybe even with Apple, to maybe get in.

How could that not be anyone's first choice?
Because they were a short-timer "boy band" who were only
in business for 5-6 years and are way over rated by too many people.


That Zep tour was hit and miss... they were booed off the stage in some cities.



In 1972-73 The Stones were awesome! Killer rock and roll. It is silly question to ask who I would see.


Someday The Stones will be in a class of their own with no one even trying to compare them to any other group.

For me,
1
2
3

These are probably my three favorite bands of all time but I would go with the Beatles first because I never saw them. Seeing them up close on a rooftop with a handful of people and actually being able to hear them would be an extraordinary experience for me.
It's tough to choose them over prime Led Zeppelin but the Beatles rooftop concert would have the slight edge.
The reason I'm placing the Rolling Stones last when I'm on a Rolling Stones forum is because I've seen them many times since 1978. I know that's not as awesome as 1972 but I already have a lot of great memories of Stones concerts, few of Zep and none for the Beatles. So, the Beatles would be the first change in the time-stream for me.

I'm afraid I would probably muck everything up though, and return to a present day where the planet is enslaved by giant ants or something.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2017-04-05 01:13 by likecats.

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HankM
How could that not be anyone's first choice?
Because they were a short-timer "boy band" who were only
in business for 5-6 years and are way over rated by too many people.


That Zep tour was hit and miss... they were booed off the stage in some cities.



In 1972-73 The Stones were awesome! Killer rock and roll. It is silly question to ask who I would see.


Someday The Stones will be in a class of their own with no one even trying to compare them to any other group.

nobody loves a good beatle bashing like i do hank because their fans are so sure they are "the greatest band ever,everyone says so" well as you have proven,not everyone.they didn't have a list of great modern day live shows which for me puts them at the bottom of my top 10.

having said that, a degree of honesty is in order-those guys could play.i picked the rooftop for them not because of it's history but because it showed what could've been.they were in the elements like an outdoor show and they kicked it.one after 909 and get back rocked and they just had billy as a backing band.
i saw paul in 76 and have a friend who saw george in 74 and he said the guy was fantastic.i've seen few people who did a better show than paul.they could've been a great live band but they didn't do it,and what could've been doesnt get it for me.

you'll have to source zep getting booed off the stage"in some cities" and their tour being "hit and miss" i'm not saying you're wrong but i've been around awhile and have never heard that.

i've heard the grand funk story in detroit and that is somewhat believable.even though it may seem laughable in 2017 grand funk railroad were said to be a great live band in their day and they were on home turf.

as for the stones being in a class of their own when it's all over,that i truly believe.i'm just willing to wait,hopefully a long time.

Zep rolled through Kansas City on that tour and between poor planning, bad organization... and some say a too drunk John Bonham... made for a bad time during the second show of a 2 show night.

here is one account-

KC Zeppelin Disaster

the first show the band struggled to make do with the borrowed equipment, they seemed frustrated they tried to do the best they could under the circumstances. In between shows the promoter failed to clear the first show people out of the hall. Many stayed. It became a solid sea of people, John Bonham stood up on the stage with a mike and said "...some of you people are sitting in seats that have already been bought!" The mess did not get resolved, it was already very late. The band went through the motions of performing a set...sort of...it became obvious to everyone things were not working the way they were supposed to. by the time it ended John Bonham was slumped over at his kit, head hanging down just one hand hitting a snare occasionally


And Led Zeppelin never even sniffed at playing in KC again.


Although I have developed a great respect for Paul McCartney in recent years, I have no affection for his earlier band. I liked them as kid... I went to their movies at Midnight showing... I still get a kick out of The Yellow Submarine... but it is my opinion that they were a lucky to be in the right place at the right time and lucked into getting some good music made... ane then they were done... like the Spice Girls and the Partridge Family.

They were short timers... a short blip on the the radar screen of music. Their concerts were mostly Justin Beiber/Backstreetboys type fans, mostly young girls screaming their heads off during 30 minutes sets.


They are fine... they are all well and good good... they have some catchy songs... but they did nothing close to what The Stones have done... and what The Stones are still doing... it is amazing.

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lem motlow
as for the stones being in a class of their own when it's all over,that i truly believe. 'm just willing to wait, hopefully a long time.

Me too

There have been times when I kind of started to write what was going to have to happen to make civilization realize how utterly spectacular The Stones are... but it is something I never want to think about... or write about.


As it is now the proof is in the pudding for me... world wide for 50 years.
That South American tour... heck all of them.... all of it... World Wide for 50 years and still going.