Hello. My dad - bless his heart - is still just a neophyte regarding all the wonders, possibilities and wonderful ways to waste time on the internet. In fact he only just discovered YouTube, and it was on a family visit home this past weekend he excitedly showed me a video of "Rocks Off" from the Tokyo VL show. And it got me nostaligic for some of those shows so I replayed a couple of boots and my 2 disc version of the Miami show. Some thoughts:

-It was in some ways the last good "guitar twin" tour. Though Ron and Keef really hadn't "weaved" much since the '81 tour. I felt like the guitar parts on this tour were a little regimented, like "okay this is my part and that one is yours, and don't step on my toes". But they played well. They were chugging, driving, laying down a solid foundation. Keith's solos were on, and his rhythm - always his strongest strength - is in fine form. His rhythm playing now, if you want to call it that, has devolved not much to my liking.

-Mick. Some of the laziest singing he's ever done (see "Rocks Off") and some of his finest (the Miami "Sympathy for the Devil"!!). I think that there's no doubt that he has actually gotten BETTER w/the last couple of tours - the Licks jaunt had him sounding the best he had any ANY stones tour IMO (at least, along w/the 69 tour). His renderings of "Beast of Burden" on the VL tour were always lovely, but the grit he could still infuse on the Steel Wheels tour (and didn't find again until 02-03) was gone. Some of the "shouters" he made a go at - well, I've sang with more gusto in the shower. Listen to him sing-song one like "I Go Wild" and then compare it to his growl on the lp version.

-The new songs. They didn't have a lot of impact, and at the time didn't translate incredibly well to the live stage, but they were given gamely enthusiastic performances. Some songs, like "YGMR" actually got better with later tours. (Like the song or not, you must admit that post 97 versions of that song are played with much more muscle and confidence than on the Voodoo tour). But, such as it was, the "Voodoo" album simply didn't have a song that translated as well to concert as, say from the following tour, "Out of Control" or as gripping a radio single as "Saint of Me". The song's lead single (and still my favorite track) "Love Is Strong" sounded downright lame compared to the muscular studio version, and I'd repeat that statement tenfold about "I Go Wild". Perhaps if they'd given it more of a chance, "Out of Tears" might have become another "Memory Motel" in concert. But Mick's already nervous performances of it helped it sink when he could have made it soar. It didn't help his confidence much I am sure, when the song tanked as a single. It's funny that Keith would give one of the more respectable live treatments to a VL song. "Thru and Thru" really shouldn't have worked live, but he made it anyway. Good for you Keith!

-The band's unusually loose playing here on this tour always got me. Some people might construe it as laziness - others, as confidence. Either way, the very tight yet way-too-fast playing of the "Steel Wheels" trek was a memory with this more oiled, albeit a little slack, approach to rocking. In my ears, this more laidback style was fused with more aggression on the following tour, makng for a deadly beast on some songs. Listen to the slow, menacing stomp of the 97-98 versions of "Jumping Jack Flash" and you'll see what I mean.

-The guitar sounds. A bit weak, eh? Keith was much too clean on this tour, and that coupled with Ronnie's always tinny (yet always trusty) Stratocaster sound was a bit limp. I am glad KR put some grit back into his guitar on subsequent tours.

-The song selection. Like most of the tours, same ol' same ol' most of the time. But there WERE moments. Who could forget the first time they whipped out "Monkey Man" live? Or how about the first versions (and with a keyboard for the first time) of "Heartbreaker" played since (I think) 73? And "Satisfaction" in such a modest, unassuming spot in the setlist (usually song 6 I think)? Brilliant! And Brixton Academy? Shit, don't even get me started. That still deserves a whole other thread. Anyway, variety-wise this was no Licks, but it wasn't a bad showing either.


I have my loves and my dislikes about the tour for sure, but it will always hold a place in my heart. After all, it was my first Stones tour. And it was a great tour in many ways, long before the palm trees, the rehab, etc. Those of you that remember must surely recall that Voodoo Lounge was one of the biggest events of the 90's in some ways, and it was simply a good time for all.


Anyway, there are some random thoughts I had to amuse myself. Anyone got anything to add? To agree or disagree on? Have at it!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2006-07-04 02:29 by theimposter.

Damn fine job there, Imposter!

You pretty much nail exactly how I feel about the tour. It definitely had a kind of sludgy feel about it. Granted, I only saw one show myself, but some of the boots I've seen/heard definitely make me think it was the sound for '95 as well as '94.

Question for all the Euros here - did the '95 stadium shows seem the same sound- and feel-wise, as, say, Miami?

I've heard great things about Buenos Aires on that tour, but have yet to check out the show.

Could it be that VL is shaping up to be the Goat's Head Soup of tours? Kind of strange and murky but a cult favorite anyway?

Unfortunately I saw them only once on the VL tour. In Paris. Under a pouring rain.
ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.

This is how I will always remember that tour.

C

I look at the Voodoo Lounge tour as a black hole. I've never really seen much of it, as I was only 3 years old at the time, and I never got much Voodoo Lounge bootlegs.

Hi!

I agree on everything The Imposter wrote above, I suppose. Especially the MJ vocal-part. Talk about being careful with one's voice! No risk take there. Mind, some growl, or ac the Imposter puts it "grit" in his vocals came back before the Licks tour. Out Of Control on the Bridges tour had a bit of vocal muscle. Anyway, these weak, or lazy, or more correct, careful vocal deliveries, ruines a lot of the Stripped record and vidoe for me. Things like Gimme Shelter, Rip This Joint, Not Fade Away and All Down The Line would have been so much better with a more growly, gritty and energetic kind of vocal deliveries. I mean, is there any doubt about how Jagger himself wants for instance YGMR and IGW to sound vocally? Like on the record or the lame deliveries in concert during this tour?

Still a great tour with great memories from Oslo in 1995. My second tour, after the 1990 one, which I prefer.

Lizard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I look at the Voodoo Lounge tour as a black hole.
> I've never really seen much of it, as I was only 3
> years old at the time, and I never got much Voodoo
> Lounge bootlegs.


I KNEW IT! hello, reptile.

My first Stones concert was in 1995, and I fully agree with theimposter's comments.

This was also my first tour. I remember going to my local record shop early summer 1995, and buying my first stones t shirt. It was a great occasion. Black, with the promo shot of the band on the front, with keith smoking and mick pouting. Same as always!

I only saw one show, July 11th at wembley. It was my first stones show and it blew me away. Looking back i prefer this tour to btb. perhaps because babylon seemed a bit OTT with the stage, I dont know. I loved the btb shows i went to , and in a way that tour was special, because it was the first time i went to multiple shows. Paris, 2 x wembley, sheffield and shepherds bush. That was an amazing week of rock n roll!

I love the miami dvd version of tumbling dice from voodoo lounge, and sympathy for the devil, with mick coming up from under the stage.

I cant remember if its this dvd or the btb dvd, where start me up is painfully slow. I think its btb. Also 'dice' seems to slow there.

I guess all the tours mean somthing different, we all have our special moments.

_____________________________________________________

What's your favourite flavour?...........Cherry Red!!

VL was a great tour in my opinion. I also think that VL is a great album.

it was a great tour i agree, a little heavy on the props, but still great

Great tour!

Varied setlists with a strong VL representation and everyone on their best behaviour in order to help Daryl settle in.

Impossible to fault.

It'd be nice if they came with a good imaginative opener like Not Fade Away on the current tour.
Knocked me out that...and what a superb re-working it was.

The stage design was brilliant.

You all forgot to mention the brilliant 'opening' of the show as well.

Lights down. Bo Diddley style beat starts on the drums and keeps going for almost a minute before *BANG* the guitars kick in, 'ello there's Keef, 'ello there's ronnie, oh look it's the singer...

ladies and gentlemen, they've arrived....

nikkibong Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lizard Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I look at the Voodoo Lounge tour as a black
> hole.
> > I've never really seen much of it, as I was only
> 3
> > years old at the time, and I never got much
> Voodoo
> > Lounge bootlegs.
>
>
> I KNEW IT! hello, reptile.

I've been giving hints all the time. I started by posting like this:

Really though, you must say..
Especially..
P
T
I
L
E
And so on. But no replies

But now there you are. OUR SECRET!!

I thought that I Go Wild worked really well live,at least sometimes.It showcased the guitars.The Syracuse 1994 version is great.Brand New Car was fantastic while it lasted.I think that Thru and Thru is being confused with The Worst here as Thru and Thru was only played on the Licks tour.Monkey Man and Heartbreaker were not the only surprises.Shine A Light,It's All Over Now,Connection,and the first ever live performances of Slipping Away come to mind immediately and there were some more.The tour's overall sound was superior,in my opinion,to the tour before it.

I thought V.L. Tour was the last tour before I noticed a little drop off... before they showed a little age. I thought Bridges tour just had a little less energy than V.L. They just seemed to finally age a little where I noticed it for the first time on Bridges.

"You'll be studying history and you'll be down the gym. And I'll be down the pub, probably playing pool and drinking."

Lizard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> nikkibong Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Lizard Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I look at the Voodoo Lounge tour as a black
> > hole.
> > > I've never really seen much of it, as I was
> only
> > 3
> > > years old at the time, and I never got much
> > Voodoo
> > > Lounge bootlegs.
> >
> >
> > I KNEW IT! hello, reptile.
>
> I've been giving hints all the time. I started by
> posting like this:
>
> Really though, you must say..
> Especially..
> P
> T
> I
> L
> E
> And so on. But no replies
>
> But now there you are. OUR SECRET!!


so why the change, AMPHIBIAN?

What do you reckon?

banned again?

Bingo!! You win one million doals.. enough for two Stones tickets!!

ok



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-07-04 21:11 by nikkibong.

nikkibong Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> what'd ya do this time? (you can edit it after. i
> will as well . . .)

I guess it was because I posted pictures of a handful of potatoes, a 50 year old dressed in a leather suit sniffing his armpits, two guys showing their buttcracks and an oversized clown baking an egg on a red car in the desert.

Spud Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It'd be nice if they came with a good imaginative
> opener like Not Fade Away on the current tour.
> Knocked me out that...and what a superb re-working
> it was.

Hmmmm....just a thought. Bought a DVD with the Grateful Dead in NY from 1980 - if memory serves - and had it playing in the background whilst doing other things....then all of sudden my ears perked up - wasn't that the Stones anno 1994's intro to Not Fade Away?? Lo and behold - it was Grateful Dead anno 1980's intro - very similar......hmmmmm

Right now listening to Keef and Norah Jones duetting on "Love Hurts" Ouch - brilliant!!

Mr Jimmy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> I love the miami dvd version of tumbling dice from
> voodoo lounge,

agreed completely. the BEST modern-era rendition of TD I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. (nikkibong's a HUUUUGE tumbling dice fan)

Great tour , great stage , great opener Not Fade Away also Mick's hat absolutely brilliant.

Voodoo lounge was a great show, imo, have to agree with Spud..."Not Fade Away" as the opener was just fantastic. Went to both Wembley Shows.I was fortunate to be given a tape of Voodoo lounge ('Stones'VAI Mix COMP 29.3.94) by a relative of Charlie's which has the following mixes:
You got me rockin (Mix 29)
Sparks will Fly (Mix 5)
The Worst (Mix 4)
Out of Tears (Mix 10)
New Faces (Mix 6)
I Go Wild (Mix 15)
Baby Break it Down (Mix 7)
Hole Town Prison (Mix 9)
Moon is Up (Mix 5)
The Storm (Mix 8)
Mean disposition (Mix 10)
Brand New Car (Mix 4)
Blinded by Rainbows (Mix 3)
I must get it onto a CD sometime, anbody know how to do that ?
Chris
Blinded by Rainbows (Mix 3)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-07-04 21:51 by chriseganstar.

Anyway.. nice tour overall.

Lizard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> (.,...) pictures of a
> handful of potatoes, a 50 year old dressed in a
> leather suit sniffing his armpits, two guys
> showing their buttcracks and an oversized clown
> baking an egg on a red car in the desert.


Don't forget the last awful one. I didn't understand why...I knew how it would end for you.

Erik_Snow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lizard Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > (.,...) pictures of a
> > handful of potatoes, a 50 year old dressed in a
> > leather suit sniffing his armpits, two guys
> > showing their buttcracks and an oversized clown
> > baking an egg on a red car in the desert.
>
>
> Don't forget the last awful one. I didn't
> understand why...I knew how it would end for you.

Which one was that? I seem to have forgotten.