I'd say the 78' one.  From the boots i've heard and the fact they had a great album to tour behind.

78

Well, Ronnie's playing, personally, has been all downhill since '76. But I don't think anyone would call that a great tour for the band overall...

1975 1981-1982 also 1990.

78 and 81 Wood at his best as a Stone

His best playing - Probably '75. Far from my favourite Stones tour, but he was playing really well.

Best tour with Woody as a member - 2002-03. At times (although not always) he played better than he had done in over two decades.

He was so low in the mix on the No Security tour that the Stones were effectively a one guitar band. Somehow the band pulled it off and delivered a lot of excellent shows, but it was his absolute low point when it came to waving and pointing instead of playing.

At its peak 1978 is the best Stones tour since 1973 - however, its quite an uneven tour. The KBFH recordings that we all know and love showcase the Stones on top form, but there were a few shows that were pretty ropey. And when a tour that only lasted for 25 shows has about 6 or 7 crappy performances, thats a high percentage.

However, when they were good on that tour they were incredible.


I've never cared for the '76 tour. There were stretches of the ABB tour that ran it close as seeing their nadir as a live band, but '76 saw a huge dip from the year before, with the band's drug intake having an adverse afffect on their performances more than ever before coupled with Mick's lapse into limpwristed self-parody being at it's most cringeworthy.