Trapped in Time

You Can’t Always Get What You Want - The Rolling Stones
10.17.73 - Brussels, Belgium

This version absolutely smokes! Pure emotion in the music and Mick’s voice alike.  This entire show is fire though, from an unfortunately very poorly represented era of live Stones.

1. Brown Sugar
2. Gimme Shelter
3. Happy
4. Tumbling Dice
5. Dancing with Mr. D
6. Angie
7. You Can’t Always Get What You Want
8. Midnight Rambler
9. Honky-Tonk Women
10. All Down The Line
11. Rip This Joint
12. Jumping Jack Flash
13. Street Fighting Man

Download the entire show here.

(via thebutterroom)

The Rolling Stones - “Dancing With Mr D.”

The follow-up to 1972’s Exile on Main St. is Goats Head Soup. While Exile might be the more seminal record, I think this one breaks more ground. In terms of the Stones, and rock music in general, the latter album signals the beginning of a new era, infused with more funk and generally more progressive instrumentation, whereas the former is perhaps the most thorough examination of the honky tonk-meets-roots rock-meets heavy blues style.

Perhaps its the nature of the album’s ballads, or the wah-wah guitar leads (from Mick Taylor rather than Richards?) Either way, there’s continuity between the two albums, but distinctive attempts at redefining the band’s sound without straying from the elements that had made them so successful. And while Sticky Fingers and Exile may ultimately be better albums, I find this one to rank right up there and be entirely overlooked by most.

Sweet Virginia - The Rolling Stones
6.24.72 - Fort Worth, TX

(via thebutterroom)

Thank you for your wine, California
Thank you for your sweet and bitter fruits
Yes, I’ve got the desert in my toenail

Great 2009 memories of this song!

Phish - “Torn and Frayed”

Phish’s Halloween show was hands down the greatest concert experience of my life. It was the most professional, soulful, and happy I think I’ve ever seen the band, and one of the greatest crowds I’d ever been part of. You could see the pride in their eyes as they played Exile On Main Street with care and respect, while still making it unique and their own.

I myself have never been more proud to be a fan of this band, especially during “Torn and Frayed.”  The lyrics just spoke to the hope and belief of Phish 3.0:

And his coat is torn and frayed,
It’s seen much better days.
Just as long as the guitar plays
Let it steal your heart away,

But the exclamation point came half way through the album with “Loving Cup,” which the band covers regularly. It was the best version they’ve ever played, and just blew away everyone.  The energy in the crowd was unreal and it carried over into the 3rd set of the night, in which we were treated to the best versions this year from some of their heavy hitters.

I’ll never, ever forget this Halloween!

The Rolling Stones (aka Phish featuring Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings) - “Loving Cup”
10.31.09 - Empire Polo Club, Indio, CA

Rolling Stones - “Wild Horses”

The Rolling Stones - “Shine A Light”

One more song from me in ‘08.  I hope 2009 shines some light on all of you.

The Rolling Stones - “Love In Vain”

Performance from the S.T.P. Tour´72 (for Stones Touring Party) aka the height of their drug use and abuse.  “Love In Vain” was originally written by Robert Johnson.  The Stones version is quite impressive if for no other reason than they took a slow, accoustic blues song and turned it into a fully arranged, electric piece that fits perfectly with the early 1970’s.  This RS lineup was Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts.  Mick Taylor absolutely kills it.

The Rolling Stones - “Lady Jane”

The Rolling Stones - “Ruby Tuesday”

“Ruby Tuesday Ride Home (Catch Your Dreams Before They Slip Away)”

3:15 in the morning, leaving Kingston Mines and heading back to Old Town, I’m in the middle of two good friends… who happen to be brothers. Their exchange over The Rolling Stones’ “Ruby Tuesday” was pure gold. Trevor is on the phone trying to get directions to some Cougar’s place (and trust me, the cougars were out in full force last night), while Sean is only worried about one thing: getting to the Old Town Ale House where - little did I know - some shenanigans with some high school gal pals would ensue.

To my left is Trevor. We lived together for a year, and have known each other since we were pretty young. To my right is Sean, Trevor’s brother. Sean’s 26, and I’ve known him since the first grade when he was our 4th grade mentor (or somethin’ like that). We’ve seen dozens of concerts together (as far east as Hampton, VA), partied at the apartment we have all - at one time or another - lived in, and somehow we managed to all meet up last night.

I canceled my flight back to Indy Thursday and was in the city, and Trevor arrived fairly late last night, while Sean lives there. It’s great when you can randomly put together pieces to a wonderful Friday night with life-long friends. I think this video captures what a great time was being had.

The Rolling Stones - “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”

One of my favorite songs.  Ever.  Especially these three lines:

“Singin’, ‘We’re gonna vent our frustration
If we don’t, we’re gonna blow a 50-amp fuse’
Sing it to me, now!”

Here’s what Jagger had to say about it: “‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ was something I just played on the acoustic guitar - one of those bedroom songs. It proved to be quite difficult to record because Charlie couldn’t play the groove and so Jimmy Miller had to play the drums. I’d also had this idea of having a choir, probably a gospel choir, on the track, but there wasn’t one around at that point. Jack Nitzsche, or somebody, said that we could get the London Bach Choir and we said, ‘That will be a laugh.’”