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JMARKO
The original poster is spot on with his assessment.

When I went to see the Stones I went to enjoy their playing and listen to them.
What I have seen and heard on this tour is once again a downgrade from the previous tours:

1. Song tempos are still mid-tempo to slow on most numbers. While Charlie still seems to play well, the songs are obviously kept at a moderate tempo.

2. Keith is missing more notes, can't sustain riffs, drops out, comes in on/with wrong notes.

I think the tempos are slowed down specifically for Keith to be able to keep up. (And, sorry, but blaming it on technology is ludicrous - no phone or camera can create the inconsistencies in his playing - especially since many times you can see it with your eyes).

The choppiness of his playing results in most of the grooves being lost, the continuity of the guitar parts gets interrupted and thrown off. Great example are the solos in Sympathy. Sometimes he hits the first two - four notes and then the next thing you hear is some fumbled half/missed notes, a pause, then he tries to find his way back in. Plays another short lick, pause, pose and smile, flutter a couple of notes that may or may not hit or fit, are hopefully in key, repeat.
Similar with his rhythm playing. He hits some of the cords, misses or half plays others, loses his place, tries to find his way back.

I am plenty familiar with Keith's playing through the years - about leaving spaces, creating tension etc. That's not what he's doing anymore. His playing has deteriorated to the point where he can't build that necessary tension in the music. The misses and drop outs instead create confusion and a jarring, disjointed, incomplete feel. The first half of Midnight Rambler is often an example of this. It wanders and meanders all over the place. Keith comes in and out with riffs that are often misplaced or cut short.

Would I rather see a half-assed approximation of Midnight Rambler instead of not at all? That's not for me. I'm all for them growing, changing, and growing old gracefully. I just don't feel like that's what they are doing or what I am seeing/hearing.

I'm not comparing him to 72, 78, 81, or even 97-2002. I'm just listening to his playing. Sure, the Stones have always pushed the envelope, been a little sloppy, rough on the edges. Part of their great appeal. But he simply can't play the parts anymore.

For some people it is about the "experience" of seeing The Stones, and these kind of details don't matter and "yay Keith!" for even still just getting up there and performing. For me, it's about the music and listening to them play. But between the tempos, Keith playing, Mick's continued reliance on Bernard to fill him out - it sometimes feels like the entire show is an effort to protect Mick's voice, and the staid setlists I don't feel the passionate desire to see my favorite band live anymore.

J

(I do agree with some of the folks who have mentioned that Ronnie is playing well these days)

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Send It To me
Just saw the Brown Sugar clip from Spielberg - and it makes me genuinely worried about dementia. I remember reading about the guitarist from AC/DC that was afflicted practicing riffs they'd played for 40 years before every show.

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keefriff99

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Send It To me
Just saw the Brown Sugar clip from Spielberg - and it makes me genuinely worried about dementia. I remember reading about the guitarist from AC/DC that was afflicted practicing riffs they'd played for 40 years before every show.

[www.youtube.com]

Not sure what you're referring to honestly...I mean, the bar is set so low these days that anything other than a complete breakdown of a song is a win, but he's playing decently here. The timing is dragging all over the place...he's lost that intuitive sense of playing the riff just perfectly in time with the beat, but he never loses the thread of the song at any point.

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JMARKO

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keefriff99

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Send It To me
Just saw the Brown Sugar clip from Spielberg - and it makes me genuinely worried about dementia. I remember reading about the guitarist from AC/DC that was afflicted practicing riffs they'd played for 40 years before every show.

[www.youtube.com]

Not sure what you're referring to honestly...I mean, the bar is set so low these days that anything other than a complete breakdown of a song is a win, but he's playing decently here. The timing is dragging all over the place...he's lost that intuitive sense of playing the riff just perfectly in time with the beat, but he never loses the thread of the song at any point.

Agree. But the whole performance seems like a struggle.

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engerling23
[www.youtube.com]

something is not right. Keith seems to be very pissed.

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laertisflash
I think it happened what Marclaff wrote on Spielberg's thread: "For me, Mick begins too early, Keith had to play an other "round around" to finish his intro".

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engerling23
[www.youtube.com]

something is not right. Keith seems to be very pissed.

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TheBlockbuster

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laertisflash
I think it happened what Marclaff wrote on Spielberg's thread: "For me, Mick begins too early, Keith had to play an other "round around" to finish his intro".

Yes Mick started to sing with Charlie's beat instead of waiting for Keith. However Mick saved the song by following Charlie since it would have been a mess otherwise.

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donvis
Watch the Blu-ray of the sticky fingers show. Watch Keith play the intro to you gotta move. He sounds pretty damn good there and that was only two years ago. The Brown sugar piece you're criticizing sounds to me like he couldn't hear himself.

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DandelionPowderman

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donvis
Watch the Blu-ray of the sticky fingers show. Watch Keith play the intro to you gotta move. He sounds pretty damn good there and that was only two years ago. The Brown sugar piece you're criticizing sounds to me like he couldn't hear himself.

Except he plays the slide licks in minor instead

It's cool anyway

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Hairball
While the "new" sax player Karl can obviously play, that solo in Brown Sugar is...not very good in comparison to the classic Bobby solos from the past.
Maybe he was also distracted by all of the tension and chaos on stage.

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engerling23
[www.youtube.com]

something is not right. Keith seems to be very pissed.

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TheBlockbuster

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Hairball
While the "new" sax player Karl can obviously play, that solo in Brown Sugar is...not very good in comparison to the classic Bobby solos from the past.
Maybe he was also distracted by all of the tension and chaos on stage.

As much as I loved Bobby Keys sound I still think it's fun to hear a new fresh improvised solo every night, Bobby played the same solo note for note every night.

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z

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DandelionPowderman

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donvis
Watch the Blu-ray of the sticky fingers show. Watch Keith play the intro to you gotta move. He sounds pretty damn good there and that was only two years ago. The Brown sugar piece you're criticizing sounds to me like he couldn't hear himself.

Except he plays the slide licks in minor instead

It's cool anyway

He played in minor in '75/6 too.

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DeanGoodman
Mick and Chuck made an instant executive decision, presumably going with Charlie's beat. A little later Ronnie walked over to Darryl to pat him on the shoulder as if "don't worry, not your fault." Keith's reaction was something you'd expect from a 5-year-old who didn't get what he wanted for Christmas. But it was fun to watch.

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TheBlockbuster

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Hairball
While the "new" sax player Karl can obviously play, that solo in Brown Sugar is...not very good in comparison to the classic Bobby solos from the past.
Maybe he was also distracted by all of the tension and chaos on stage.

As much as I loved Bobby Keys sound I still think it's fun to hear a new fresh improvised solo every night, Bobby played the same solo note for note every night.

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DandelionPowderman

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DeanGoodman
Mick and Chuck made an instant executive decision, presumably going with Charlie's beat. A little later Ronnie walked over to Darryl to pat him on the shoulder as if "don't worry, not your fault." Keith's reaction was something you'd expect from a 5-year-old who didn't get what he wanted for Christmas. But it was fun to watch.

Ronnie tried to make Charlie adjust his beat by jumping up and down to Keith's rhythm.