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midimannz
“The Stones is coming, The Stones is coming”, blared out of my transistor radio, over the whole of the summer, the end of 1972. The concert for the ‘greatest rock and roll band in the world’, was set for 11 February, 1973, and tickets were priced, at a whopping, $4.90!
Exile on Main Street, the first double album the band had put out, had been played so much, I literally wore out a copy, as I had played it to death on my Pye Isotronic stereo, and bought another copy of the album, as had the previous vinyl release, Sticky Fingers which I had also worn out.
Even though the radio DJs were playing the Stones big hits, of the 60’s, and suggesting the band would play those tunes - paint it black, last time etc, at the upcoming concert, I had been collecting the overseas magazine cuttings, and reviews from the USA 1972 tour, and had a good idea, that most songs that would be played by the band were from the last two albums.

In these times, it took three months for the English magazines to arrive on our Shores, but even by Christmas 1972, the reviews of their Stateside shows they had played in June –July 1972 were amazing. I was reading stories of fans camping out at the gates, of the gig, to be the first ones in when the stadium opened. Then it was a rush, to be first in, to get the best spot – stage front. Some even slept over, on the night before, outside the venue of the gig, to be the first to get in.
All over the summer, the radio blared out, and the tension, was rising. I knew, it would be the ‘event of the year’, for me. The USA reviews, I was reading in the music magazines, were incredible. The reviewers went on, about the great guitar dueling, between Keith and Mick Taylor. Get Yer Ya Ya’s out was excellent, as a live album, and I was really looking forward to attending this show. I knew, it was going to be a killer gig. A group, of around ten of us, decided to go to the show together. We arrived, the day before, with our beer and blankets, and slept (as much as we could!) outside the gates at Western Springs Stadium.
Somehow, sleeping on the hard, ground in the cold shade, on the grass of the stadium was not the festival atmosphere I had been reading about, in the overseas magazines, and Concert books. I hardly slept at all it was so uncomfortable.
The concert was due to get underway at about 3pm, so it was going to be a very protracted, long wait in the hot summer sun of the day. I was there, with my camera, and trusty cassette recorder.
The concert finally got underway, in full glare of the summer sun. The Support act (Itambu?) did their best, but hey, I realised even then, who would ever want to come on stage, and warm up the crowd, before the mighty Mick Jagger?
It would be a very brave band, to think the crowd was even slightly interested, in their original music. Still, we clapped politely, and after they finally took away the gear, and set up the stage , we waited patiently, as New Zealanders do, for the ‘greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World to appear”
Finally, after an agonizing hour, the PA announced, ‘The Rolling Stones’ and onto the stage the band ambled. The first thing you notice about Jagger, is the huge mouth, when you see him live on stage. Brown Sugar got the concert underway, and I used up about two, or three, rolls of film in the first 30 minutes. The tape recording I made as listen to the recording now, I hear it as sloppy, out of tune in parts, vocally poor, but on the day, from the front of the stage, in 1973 – the music was magical.
A life changing moment

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midimannz
Thanks to all who are taking the time and energy to complete this. If I ever find the original cassettes (2 track mono) Is there any point further to let you know?

great job again

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midimannz
Thanks to all who are taking the time and energy to complete this. If I ever find the original cassettes (2 track mono) Is there any point further to let you know?

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falo01

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midimannz
Thanks to all who are taking the time and energy to complete this. If I ever find the original cassettes (2 track mono) Is there any point further to let you know?

if this version is a 1st gen copy I dont think there will eb a big improvement.
I get rid of all the hiss, thats no problem.
btw, the tape is running to slow, I have to speed it up (11%) to get the same
speed as the other source.

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straycat58
Falo, the other source runs fast.
Actually the correct speed is in the middel between the two sources. Best way is to compare with another show at correct speed, like Sydney.

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midimannz
Western Springs Part TWO - from cassette to Wave file - untouched or modified to you (424meg) - I will break them up into individual flac & mp3 if some of you think its good enough.

[www.megaupload.com]

Western Springs Part ONE (228 meg)

[www.megaupload.com]

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dcba
DAC's might be tweaked a bit too much but usually the speed is dead-on on boots from this label.
Anyway the gig is so bland (imo) that it won't matter much which version is the best.

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HEILOOBAAS

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dcba
DAC's might be tweaked a bit too much but usually the speed is dead-on on boots from this label.
Anyway the gig is so bland (imo) that it won't matter much which version is the best.

"Phoned in" is one way to describe it. But ask fans who were seeing the band for the first time; more than likely they were blown away. It's just people like us who have heard that set hundreds (if not thousands) of times can judge it critically.
The July 25th 1972 Madison Square Garden evening show is the perfect example. The film footage shows Mick at his very best. The boot of the show clearly shows the band exhausted and sloppy in parts.