It's my opinion that the recent Zip Code tour, is the best tour the Stones have done since the Some Girls tour. The band was tight, energetic, stripped down and sounded better than they have in years. The only tour I might put above it is the licks tour cause of all the great gems they played. Thoughts on my analysis?

In no particular order better than Zip Code imo.

GRRRRR...50 Counting/Mick Taylor.
Licks - theater/arena/stadium.
1981 -loose, sloppy, energetic.

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

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jackflash1129
It's my opinion that the recent Zip Code tour, is the best tour the Stones have done since the Some Girls tour. The band was tight, energetic, stripped down and sounded better than they have in years. The only tour I might put above it is the licks tour cause of all the great gems they played. Thoughts on my analysis?

They were better in 81/82 and 89/90. Possibly others, but definitely those 2.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-11-26 11:23 by Turner68.

I've been thinking about this lately. What is «the best» Stones show I've seen...

This tends to vary. Sometimes, I think the 1990 show (it was my first, and it was perfect) is it - other times I'd say the first O2 show in 2012, that came totally out of left field quality-wise.

But when trying to remain objective and analytical about it, I think the Voodoo Lounge tour show in Oslo in 1995 had the highest quality-playing, best setlist and the best performance/sound. Wonderful show.

Best live Stones: 1975/76

Worst live Stones: 1989/90 - Too much horns, too much keyboards, too professional. Ridiculous inflateable girls, dogs, whatever. This was the Rolling Stones Big Band dressed in horrible costumes.

Zip Code Tour: Considering their age they are very good, surprisingly good.

for me 2002-2003 and 1998-1999 were better.
i don't like a lot 1989-90 .
i put zip code together with the remaining tours

For me, every tour from 1973 to 1990 was special, because every tour was different from the one before. In 1995 I saw the last show that really thrilled me for a long time, although all the shows a I saw after 1995 were good, but not spectacular. And then Zürich 2014 totally blew my mind.

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DandelionPowderman
I've been thinking about this lately. What is «the best» Stones show I've seen...

This tends to vary. Sometimes, I think the 1990 show (it was my first, and it was perfect) is it - other times I'd say the first O2 show in 2012, that came totally out of left field quality-wise.

But when trying to remain objective and analytical about it, I think the Voodoo Lounge tour show in Oslo in 1995 had the highest quality-playing, best setlist and the best performance/sound. Wonderful show.

1990 Perfect for fans of cabaret acts.

Not so good for Rolling Stones fans.

YUPE! best tour ever

Not at all. Maybe Zip Code was better than 50 & Counting or 14 on Fire but not any other tour since 78.

Best live Stone: 1997-1998
Zip code was far better than the 2012 and 2013 tours.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-11-26 17:18 by pepganzo.

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pepganzo
Best live Stone: 1997-1998
Zip code was far better than the 2012 and 2013 tours.

Waldbuhne Berlin 2014 was the BEST show since ages... :-)

Mr.Fancyman

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vertigojoe

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DandelionPowderman
I've been thinking about this lately. What is «the best» Stones show I've seen...

This tends to vary. Sometimes, I think the 1990 show (it was my first, and it was perfect) is it - other times I'd say the first O2 show in 2012, that came totally out of left field quality-wise.

But when trying to remain objective and analytical about it, I think the Voodoo Lounge tour show in Oslo in 1995 had the highest quality-playing, best setlist and the best performance/sound. Wonderful show.

1990 Perfect for fans of cabaret acts.

Not so good for Rolling Stones fans.

I don't agree.

Keith and Mick were both performing well. In the 70s Mick's singing was sub-par (because he wasn't), and in later decades Keith's guitar playing become spotty. 1989/90 wasn't one of their greatest tours, but it's one of the tours where Mick's period of excellent singing overlapped with Keith at close to the height of his skills; superior to the Zip Code tour without a doubt.

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Turner68

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vertigojoe

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DandelionPowderman
I've been thinking about this lately. What is «the best» Stones show I've seen...

This tends to vary. Sometimes, I think the 1990 show (it was my first, and it was perfect) is it - other times I'd say the first O2 show in 2012, that came totally out of left field quality-wise.

But when trying to remain objective and analytical about it, I think the Voodoo Lounge tour show in Oslo in 1995 had the highest quality-playing, best setlist and the best performance/sound. Wonderful show.

1990 Perfect for fans of cabaret acts.

Not so good for Rolling Stones fans.

I don't agree.

Keith and Mick were both performing well. In the 70s Mick's singing was sub-par (because he wasn't), and in later decades Keith's guitar playing become spotty. 1989/90 wasn't one of their greatest tours, but it's one of the tours where Mick's period of excellent singing overlapped with Keith at close to the height of his skills; superior to the Zip Code tour without a doubt.

i agree for most part. not sure if it was better than Zip Code.

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More Hot Rocks

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Turner68

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vertigojoe

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DandelionPowderman
I've been thinking about this lately. What is «the best» Stones show I've seen...

This tends to vary. Sometimes, I think the 1990 show (it was my first, and it was perfect) is it - other times I'd say the first O2 show in 2012, that came totally out of left field quality-wise.

But when trying to remain objective and analytical about it, I think the Voodoo Lounge tour show in Oslo in 1995 had the highest quality-playing, best setlist and the best performance/sound. Wonderful show.

1990 Perfect for fans of cabaret acts.

Not so good for Rolling Stones fans.

I don't agree.

Keith and Mick were both performing well. In the 70s Mick's singing was sub-par (because he wasn't), and in later decades Keith's guitar playing become spotty. 1989/90 wasn't one of their greatest tours, but it's one of the tours where Mick's period of excellent singing overlapped with Keith at close to the height of his skills; superior to the Zip Code tour without a doubt.

i agree for most part. not sure if it was better than Zip Code.

I might be in the minority, but I feel that the slower tempo they're playing their songs at, while understandable given their age, makes them less enjoyable and less rock-n-roll than when they played those songs in the 80s and earlier. Indeed, that strikes me as another point of comparison - in the mid to late 70s (we can call them the "cocaine years") they often rushed through the songs at breakneck speed as if each one was supposed to be played like "rip this joint"; in the past 10 years they have slowed the songs way down. In 81 and 89, I feel, the tempos were what I would consider to be just right.

IMO 69/70 was by far the best period of Stones live performances ever.

Such a subjective question and difficult to answer unless you saw multiple shows on every tour since 1978.

I think they seemed consistently good on the Zip Code Tour which probably makes it near the top of the list for the tour as a whole.

I could definitely say Ronnie was the best I've seen him, and the guitar mix was loud and sweet but things like the predictable set list, Keith's reduced playing and ticket prices for good seats make me reluctant to say best tour since 1978. If they would have played all of Sticky Fingers it would probably have been a no-brainer though.

I will say it was the best Moonlight Mile since 1978.

No Security was a great tour. One of the greatest.

Bjornulf

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bv
No Security was a great tour. One of the greatest.

Yes!

I agree Bjornulf! I flew from Caracas to Miami to see them. I was very pleased with Bridges, and then read about this smaller sized tour, and I had to be there. I loved it! Great songs to their set list that I hadn't seem from them before, and a great B Stage. They were on fire! Midnight Rambler on the B stage! And Route 66 and Just My Imagination! Whew a smoking show!

81 our for me... It was the 1st time I ever saw them live - you never forget that!!
But ya zip tour they sounded & looked awesome - very impressive for grandparents..
Would have loved to see them in 75 or 78 seemed like great tours

Yeah I loved No Security too.

I am from Sydney and I have seen every tour since Voodoo Lounge. All have special memories. I will never forget the amazing atmosphere walking onto the pitch at the Sydney Cricket Griind in March 1995 and seeing the Voodoo Loinge stage. It was awesome. I saw both Sydney shows and then flew up to Brisbane for the show there.

Then two years later I discovered this website..... I remember we had one computer in my office (that had about 400 staff!!) with a dial-up internet connection and every afternoon I would join the queue to get online and I would check out the IORR website for news about the new album (Bridges to Babylon) and possible tour dates. I found a Canadian tour company called Dash tours and booked a ticket to the Edmonton show -so flew all the was from Sydney to Edmonton for the show.

Two years later I decided tha I had to see the No Security tour and so booked tickets (by landline phone, still didn't have internet at home in 1999) to the Second Boston show. When I was there I went to the fleet centre the night of the first show and bought a ticket from a scalper for a seat right behind the stage - great seats, I could hear the band talking to each other and it was also interesting because I think Charlie's monitor wasn't working and at the end of the show he was pretty angry about it!

Saw lots of great shows after that - about 8 shows in Australia on the Livks tour, which were all fantastic, as well as Wembley, Glasgow and Werchter locks shows, MSG and Giants stadium in 2005, Melbourne, Twickenham, Paris and Glasgow in 2006, Paris, Slane Castle and London in 2007, London 2012 and 2013, Lisbon and Paris 2014. I have loved every one of them and hope they play London or Europe next year!

There are a few "most expensive concert seats in 2015" lists about at the moment.

No mention of the Stones.
U2, Fleetwood Mac, Dylan (thats a suprise)....lead the way.
Oh, and one Britney Spears.

It appears there was a tour for everyone's taste in the last 37 years.
My favorite was the Licks Tour, but who cares?

Just as long as the guitar plays, let it steal your heart away

I'm gonna have to vote with bv on this one - No Security!

Seen every tour since although wasn't in the USA this year, but did see 5 14 on fire shows...

1981-1982 & 1994-1995 were better, imo.

But from what I've been hearing since the year 2000, this 2014/2015 run is definitely the best in my book.

have seen them since 1976. I am just happy they are still on the road and One of the Greatest rock n Roll Bands in the world. i dont care on which tour they were better. Stockholm 2014 was one of my dearest shows.

They still Rock !! thanks guys !

jeroen

I'm partial to the 81/82 Tour it was my 1st time seeing them live and they did not disappoint the kingdome crowd that night...

One of my favorite shows post-78 was 11/22/97, the MGM Grand show in Las Vegas on the B2B tour. I thought it was absolutely stunning.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-12-18 00:12 by Woz.

I have to agree Zip Code was hot....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-12-18 00:13 by Woz.

I would have top say that I was quite impressed (and surprised) by the performance I saw in Buffalo at the Ralph earlier this year. After having seen them in Toronto in 2013 for the 50 & Counting, my expectations were low, but I thought they gave a pretty spirited, energetic performance on July 11th. However, for me, I don't think the energy level quite matched the two shows performance-wise I caught on the Licks Tour in 2002-but then again I may be biased as I was impressed by the different set-lists that were played at various sized venues on that tour.
I may also be in the minority here, but aside from the overproduction (horns, background singers, keyboards), I thought the Stones (Mick's singing/phrasing, Keith's playing, etc) return to the stage on the 89 Steel Wheels found them polished and tight-sounding just like their records (Gimme Shelter, Ruby Tuesday, You Can't Always Get) for a change- and I liked it.