Search - The Rolling Stones :: Live Licks

The Stones live. Not their best but not bad either.

Timothy Hunter | The land of the free, home of the brave | 12/31/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Like a Vietnam War-era aircraft carrier still out in the waters and in full military service, the Rolling Stones seem to be set to go on playing concerts forever. This is not really as bad as it first sounds. Disc One starts off with a one-two punch of 'Brown Sugar' and 'Street Fighting Man', with the band belting off the blues-rock hits to an enthusiastic crowd. The vibe pretty much survives intact through the entire CD, although their rendition of 'Satisfaction' appears rather wooden and tired for someone who's just re-listened to the album cut. Listening to Keith Richards sing the lead vocals in 'Happy', a criminally underrated song by all means in the first place, live is a complete treat. The guest vocals in 'Honky Tonk Women' is almost worth the cost of the whole thing, as well.



The momentum keeps going for the first few songs on Disc Two, particularly with the under-rated hits 'Neighbours' and 'Rocks Off'. But listening to the members jam on 'Can't You Hear Me Knocking' gets old very fast. The rest of the CD seems to disintegrate from there, with subdued performances that seem like the songs have been played in a wooden box at four-fifth speed and then re-recorded.



All in all, the band shows their age in a very noticeable way in both CDs. The raunchy roars and riffs that you expect come across more like loud purring and chanting. The group isn't like a tiger that's lost their claws just yet, but that vibe infects a large part of the collection. I would recommend it to Stones fans and to classic rock fans in general (which probably describes the majority of Americans), but not for someone looking for just an overview of their hits or for a good example of what the Stones have done live."

Watts Is Electrifying

Mr. Richard D. Coreno | Berea, Ohio USA | 03/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The 2002/2003 Live Licks World Tour was vast in scope and set a new standard in staging concerts. Spanning 23 countries, The Rolling Stones had gigs in clubs, arenas and stadiums, with ever-changing playlists which made each date truly special.



And this 2-CD set does a good job in showcasing the power and energy witnessed by nearly 3.5 million fans. The diamonds are on the second disc, which features a variety of rarities, including Neighbors, Monkey Man and Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (with Solomon Burke).



But cutting through the clean mix is drummer Charlie Watts. His jazz-inspired patterns has defined the band's legendary sound, while being a great influence on rock-n-roll drummers for five decades. Each number is a textbook in propelling the rhythm, with the highlights being Street Fighting Man, Paint It, Black, Gimme Shelter and (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction.



Leave it to the band to encapsulate cyberspace through the CD cover. Far away eyes, indeed. This is as solid of an authorized live release in the band's discography, which dates back to 1964."

Their Best Live Release

C. S. Junker | Burien, WA USA | 05/06/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you only listen to the live discs officially released by the Stones, you'll get the idea that they are not very exciting in concert. Marginally interesting discs such as Love you Live, the aptly named Still Life, and many others have been issued with numbing regularity over the years. Even the much ballyhooed Get your Ya-Ya's Out falls far short of representing what the band sounded like at its peak.



However, the Stones are capable of blistering, astonishing performances in concert; you just have to go to the bootlegs to hear them. Back in 1969, when bootlegs began to appear, Jagger announced that the official releases would "cost less and sound better," but he was dead wrong about that. Since the band clearly took no interest in assembling or editing these albums, they're listless, bland, and dull.



However, this one rocks. For the first time, it's a two-disc set, which at least gives it time to represent what an actual concert might sound like. The first disc has the usual standards, but at least they're solid versions; and it includes, for the first time, an incendiary live version of Can't You Hear Me Knockin', which was way overdue. Disc Two is the more interesting one, as it features back catalog and cover material previously not performed live, and these versions are rock solid, making for a smooth, entertaining listen.



I never play the other live discs, but this one has a spot in one of my Stones playlists, and I appreciate it more each time I hear it. This is the only official Stones live disc you need to own."