The Rolling Stones The 1969 American Tour November-7 -> December-6 69-Nov-7 Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO 69-Nov-8 Inglewood Forum Los Angeles, CA 2 shows 69-Nov-9 Alameda Co. Coliseum Oakland, CA 2 shows 69-Nov-10 Sports Arena San Diego, CA 69-Nov-11 Coliseum Phoenix, AZ 69-Nov-13 Moody Coliseum Dallas, TX 69-Nov-14 University Coliseum Auburn, AL 2 shows 69-Nov-15 Univ of Ill Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 2 shows 69-Nov-16 International Amphitheater Chicago, IL 2 shows 69-Nov-18 Ed Sullivan Show - Studio 50 New York, NY 69-Nov-24 Olympia Stadium Detroit, MI 69-Nov-25 Spectrum Sports Arena Philadelphia, PA 69-Nov-26 Civic Center Baltimore, MD 69-Nov-27 Madison Square Garden New York, NY 69-Nov-28 Madison Square Garden New York, NY 2 shows 69-Nov-29 Boston Garden Boston, MA 2 shows 69-Nov-30 International Raceway West Palm Beach, FL 69-Dec-6 Altamont Speedway Livermore, CA The 1969 London Shows 69-Dec-14 Saville Theatre London, England 2 shows 69-Dec-21 Lyceum Theatre London, England 2 shows For many Stones fans (including myself), the 1969 American Tour was the Stones' peak, though I would throw the 68-Dec-11 and 69-July-5 shows in there as well. The 1969 shows have the Stones playing at their decadent best (after the 1969 tour, drugs and Altamont began to slowly take their toll on the band, and Mick Jagger became a caricature of himself). Their playing is totally raw and stripped down, and all songs are played with a vengence. Mick Taylor is great, as is the entire band. Jagger is at his devilish best here. The 1969 shows were also the last shows the Stones performed as just the Stones. Beginning with the 1970 shows, a horn section was a permanant fixture of their shows (which to my ears, interefered greatly with the Stone's overall sound). The 1969 shows were the last time the band played Carol and I'm Free (the only time they played this song?). In 1969, there were no props, no special lighting, no special effects, no gimmicks. It was the end of the 60's, the end of an era, and the Stones' peak.