One more show left of the NO FILTER North American leg. Today I was thinking of previous tours. The 1972 Tour saw the Stones at the pinnacle point of their long history. They were the most famous band in the world and had a bombastic, fast sound, and also had crazy off stage antics well documented in "C*cksucker Blues."

As far as the overall sound of the 1972 Tour compared with the 1973 European Tour, (which was not as heavily publicised like the '72 tour was), which tour do you think was better? The Brussels show from '73 is in the top 5 shows they've ever done, and I personally think Mick Taylor was at his best during the '73 European Tour, so my vote goes to the 1973 European Tour.

Based on what I've heard from both tours, 1973 for me.

It is a bit unfair to compare these years because most people will propably compare Brussels 73 with the L&G Soundtrack, which has a really bad Mix. I would love to hear a proper mixed 72 Show.

I'd say "Winter Tour" 1973

1972. So pure, so raw. We need a properly mixed show from that tour to grasp it. One example: YCAGWYW. It’s usually saturated with horns in 1973, whereas it’s just the guitars in 1972. Taylor did some beautiful riffs that year that never reappeared later. Maybe he was testing or trying new things (not to get bored?). Anyway, i believe nothing has ever surpassed the 1972 rawness of YCAGWYW...

Ive always preffered 1973. Seems like they perfected the tour.

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Monsoon Ragoon
I'd say "Winter Tour" 1973

You know I completely forgot about the "Winter Tour" in '73. I think it goes along well with the '72 Tour sound.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-08-30 09:12 by JordyLicks96.

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hockenheim95
It is a bit unfair to compare these years because most people will propably compare Brussels 73 with the L&G Soundtrack, which has a really bad Mix. I would love to hear a proper mixed 72 Show.

There are plenty of other recordings from both tours on YT with soundboard quality. You can make a great case for either tour. They were still on FIRE on stage in '73. I think people often overlook the European Tour b/c '72 was in the spotlight and heavily publicised. The sound was definitely different in '73.

I often think that the '73 European Tour sounds like a cross between the '72 Tour and the '75 Tour. Mick Taylor makes it obviously sound like '72, but I think he was even better in '73. And Billy Preston gave their sound a funky twist like in '75. Again, you can make the case for either one but I gotta go with '73.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-08-30 09:13 by JordyLicks96.

We judge the 1973 tour by the Brussels bootlegs, which is exceptionally good in both performance and sound. However, not all shows were that good, with especially the Scandinavian and German shows been quite sloppy and slow. 1972 basically is fantastic from beginning (well, almost) to end, with only the Fort Worth shows as somewhat less than stellar. So I say 1972.

Mathijs

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Mathijs
We judge the 1973 tour by the Brussels bootlegs, which is exceptionally good in both performance and sound. However, not all shows were that good, with especially the Scandinavian and German shows been quite sloppy and slow. 1972 basically is fantastic from beginning (well, almost) to end, with only the Fort Worth shows as somewhat less than stellar. So I say 1972.

Mathijs

Hmmm, yeah, I don't think Vancouver (and Seattle) sounded very powerfull, but the setlist is interesting. Sort of public dress rehearsal with lots of mistakes.

maybe just maybe they peaked in 1973. It’s hard to pick one. Sugar was better in 1972. Happy was great both years and nothing beats London 1973. Can’t remember which show but Taylor lifts that song to new heights. As he would and only he could. Rambler? Brussels is heavenly but then again there’s Fort Worth 1972. The pinacle of their live years. Bye Bye was fantastic so that’s one vote for 1972. SFM was fantastic in 1973. 1972 is the intimate rock show and 1973 the explosion.

I say 1972 even it's very hard to pick one or another.

When I was younger I would have said 1973, simply because of Taylor's playing and the GHS-stuff.

More listening and access to more shows clearly shows that 1972 features a way more professional band and that most of the shows were close to perfect.

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Mathijs
We judge the 1973 tour by the Brussels bootlegs, which is exceptionally good in both performance and sound. However, not all shows were that good, with especially the Scandinavian and German shows been quite sloppy and slow. 1972 basically is fantastic from beginning (well, almost) to end, with only the Fort Worth shows as somewhat less than stellar. So I say 1972.

Mathijs

Exactly! The souvenir of the 73 tour we have (Brussel) shows the band at its very best ever but not all 73 were of the same caliber. Overall the 72 tour had a better standard of performances.
Personally I think the most disappointing 73 shows were (O irony!) on the British soil (apart from the aft. Birmingham one). Germany had some kick-ass performances in October.

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JordyLicks96
The 1972 Tour saw the Stones at the pinnacle point of their long history.

It did?

IMO their very best shows were wedged in between those two tours. Far East '73 - the Perth and Sydney shows are awesome; and tight. When a band gets everything to gel at some point during a tour. And it was just one powerhouse after another.

But between US and Europe in '72 and '73 I prefer USA. I don't know why. The setlist often became more varied once they hit Europe (in '70, '73, '76 and '82) but maybe it was the venues, the entourage, the press traveling along. The stakes were higher in the US and the Stones ALWAYS deliver under pressure.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-08-30 15:56 by Palace Revolution 2000.

Despite the many many many jewels of 1973 Overall as a whole the 1972 tour is their best.

I would say both , but Brussels to me is like the Stones on Steriods as the guitar sound is so muscular and so in your face and so powerful and I know this is going to sound corny but it truly is to my ears a guitar assault led by Keith and Mick Taylor . I love Ladies and Gentleman because of the official release DVD and I wish they would release a DVD of Brussels , of which I bet they don't have ? right ?

1973.

'72 is by far my favorite Stones tour and setlist. When I think of the Rolling Stones, the 72 era Stones is what I always think of first. Also prefer '75 to '76. B&B songs bogged down 76 for me.

I like‘73 Pacific Tour and then the 1972 tour. Nicky Hopkins and Bobby Keys played every show! The Nicaraguan Benefit Concert may be my fav because of the set list.

I like 1971 a lot too and wish one day I can somehow hear “Wild Horses” with that lineup.

1973 by miles, as I was there, in Bern, Switzerland ....

resotele

winter 73, because sound was very raw and Nicky Hopkins was still there.
And Keyes + Price...

I would vote 1972 since I saw my first show ever that year at MSG and was blown away.

The other night, I was listening to the vinyl Brussels Affair from the deluxe box (a different show than the famous bootleg) and noticing some really cheesy keyboards from Billy Preston which I could well do without. Still the intensity of the final four tunes is quite amazing, especially Keith's riffing, so maybe it's a draw between 72 and 73.

HBK

Admittedly not having heard any of the "deep" shows from either tour, it seems to me that the overall feeling is that the '72 was more consistently good while the '73 tour had higher highs but also lower lows.

I do love Brussels (and Perth '73 for that matter) but I too would love a well-mixed '72 show on my shelf.

Regardless of which one was better, something bizarre happened after the 1973 tour: they gave up.

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GasLightStreet
Regardless of which one was better, something bizarre happened after the 1973 tour: they gave up.

True. It’s weird. I love all of their 70s but I cant argue with that. It’s as if they decided not to give a damn after Taylor and just ride on. Maybe Mick chased an army of dragons.

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GasLightStreet
Regardless of which one was better, something bizarre happened after the 1973 tour: they gave up.

With Exile and those tours they peaked in several ways. Artistically they had melded Americana styles of music and filtered it through their own style and experiences, then taken it on the road and killed. In the pop culture, they were the world's greatest rock and roll band.
Where do you go from there? Especially when you have seen the down side of youthful, '60s idealism that they were going to change the world. They just decided, It's Only Rock and Roll, after all.
They were always cynical, but now their idealism disappeared. And with Taylor leaving, they lost his professionalism and artistry and didn't challenge themselves as much. Didn't Nicky Hopkins also fade away after the 1972 tour?

A matter of taste, of course, but I prefer the 1973 tour because Billy Preston played keyboards, not Nicky Hopkins. Hopkins could tickle the keys but Preston could really work them. Also Preston played organ as well as piano. Listen to the weight he brings to "Midnight Rambler" with his organ playing.