The Rolling Stones, “Fort Worth 1972, 2nd Show” (No Label)

Introduction / Brown Sugar / Bitch / Rocks Off / Gimme Shelter / Don’t Lie To Me / Love In Vain / Sweet Virginia / You Can’t Always Get What You Want / Tumbling Dice / Midnight Rambler / Band introductions / Bye Bye Johnny / Rip This Joint / Jumping Jack Flash / Street Fighting Man (73:31)

The Stones show, ‘Fort Worth ’72’ has been around a brace of times. Around 63 releases to be correct including Vinyl Gang’s “Fort Worth Express” (VGP 205), “Turn The Heat Up” (Bad Wizard BW6-24/25/27-72), “Ft. Worth Express” (Turd On The Run SRS-2008-1), “A Hard Shot To The Body” (Supersonic SS200016) and “Hows Your Lungs” (Stones Of Fire SOF 8002) with due respect, claimed to be a ‘stereo soundboard recording’, this tape sound much clearer than the recordings that I own so far, it’s a little longer, it’s a red hot show too! Each instrument is cleanly picked out from the maelstrom with Nicky Hopkins’ piano being the piece that pricks the ears the most.

We all know from the many, many articles that have been written about the bands shows from this era that the group were THE ones to watch – Led Zeppelin were a great ticket but we know that some of the overblown histrionics of their 30 minute ‘Stairway To Heaven’ could drag if your choice of hit was no more illegal than going over to the bar and grabbing a few pints, ensuring that your mother would smell it on your breath rather than the sweet smell of pot or having her catching you coming home, talking to the dog in tongues and gravitating towards your sisters lava lamp. No, the Stones were your dirty burger with fries rather than your 20 oz steak with trimmings – you want a salty hit and fast, you grab at that with beery hands and see a show with bitesized chunks. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Rolling Stones.

From the outset of ‘Brown Sugar’ (Wherein the audience seem to disappear from the tape as the music starts) to the final blistering ‘Street Fighting Man’, the Stones are on funky, soulful form with enough bravado on stage to fill five large arenas.

This no label release makes claims towards a virtue of this shows outing, there’s no promise of a massive upgrade but this is a newly found tape – they haven’t put it out on merit as it sounds different to, say, Halcyon’s “The Return Of The Exiles” and – while the artwork might not be as glossy and sparkly as the Halcyon release – and that does look fine – the artwork for this latest release is pretty damn good looking too. It is still incomplete however – not that you’d hear the joins – missing ‘Happy’ and ‘All Down The Line’.

If you’re looking for something 1972 for your collection, already have The Brussels Affair officially (The expensive box or the download) and are looking for something that’s a little more rough and grungy but you can still listen to without screwing up your eyes too tightly, this is the one. A keeper!