2000 onwards obviously.

i like 2000 the best. I like, sound and the concerts, some classics, the fact it was the first time it was done and the presentation

2000 or 2006.

2003 was the no distortion tour, everything sounds weak.
2005 multiple songs stuck together in one file. dumb.
2008 the mix is messed up in the early shows and ed's voice never really got going.

2000 is the gold standard, no doubt. They definitely got it right the first time.

2003 is almost as good - the Australia/Japan leg is forgettable but the US legs are brilliant (especially the shows in April and June), the band sound great and even though Ed's voice isn't quite as powerful as in 2000, it's still pretty great. The guitars also very chunky and high in the mix still.

2005 was a marked step down, the boots sound quite hollow - attributable mainly I guess to the lack of guitars in the mix, they should have been much louder and EQ'd differently (this same deficiency has continued on since 2005 for some reason). Matt's drums are also very hollow sounding, no power at all.

2006 sounds a bit fuller than 2005 but I feel they used the audience mics way too much on these boots, they sound more like great audience recordings than soundboard recordings sometimes. Now, there's nothing wrong with that but it's not personally my taste - I prefer the dry, clear sound of 2000. Guitar and drums were slightly better this year, I thought - but still not perfect.

2008 is atrocious - listening to some of these again recently, I may have been too hard on judging these shows. I think there's some great performances there but the sound is so off-kilter that it's hard to judge it without my opinion being marred. The guitars sound either too muffled or too shrill, Ed's voice needs some bass EQ'd into it badly (it's all honky mid-range on the boots), Matt's drums sound terrible and the bass is jacked way too high. The guy who mixed these fucked up royally - bring back Brett Eliason, please!...

From a mix or sound standpoint, if you think 2000 is better than 2003, get your ears checked.

2000's my favourite

2003, leg 3.

We'll never see setlists like that again.

A little off topic, and previously discussed, but anyway...do y'all think they'll ever officially release past tours? I don't know about y'all, but I'd love to get my hands on some soundboard quality 1998 cds, '96 too.

Not whole tours, maybe one or two but i doubt it.

Reminder this thread is about the best official boots not the best tours, there is a difference.

The North American 2000 boots are my favorite for mix and musical performance. The Euro boots of 2000 had almost no bass guitar which is a shame. North America 2000 was definitely improved. 2003 had more bass guitar which was awesome and those boots are pretty great, but I like the solid performances of 2000 better. The end of the last leg of 2003 is pretty badass though... Anything after 2003 I have a hard time listening to except on rare occasions. I wish that the VFC tour was bootlegged!

2000 for me. I think I might go and listen to one now. Surely a good companion for this quiet Friday night at home whilst the wiffey is away.

Spenno - your posts are always thoughtful and interesting to read. Thanks. You gotta sort out that anti-audience mic thing you got going though. One of my favourite moments in any official boot is the very start of Perth 2003 before they launch into Long Road. They come on stage to whistles and cheers and someone just yells out "Fuck Yeh!" at the top of his lungs. The boot picks it up pretty well. I think there's something in that for all of us.

I'd love a soundboard of the Santa Barbara Benefit show too - and again audience participation comes to the fore - you can't argue that the guy who picked a quiet moment to yell out "Rock out with your cock out!" adds value to even that great show.

:searches2000bootsathand:

Seattle II it is.

And Irving - how are ya? You'll always be "Julius the Doctor" to me.

It's not that I abhor audience recordings, not by any means. In fact, I've listened to a few in recent weeks (1992.04.20, 1994.03.20 & 1998.03.07, for those of you playing at home) - it's just that I expect something different when it's an official boot.

It's always going to be tough measuring up to the standard they set themselves in 2000, I guess.

Oh I'm great my man. Been a fan for a long time but had never been a member of the board until recently.
Julius the doctor? lol What?

I was desperately trying to find a youtube vid to show you, but couldn't. When Julius Erving was playing at the Spectrum the home court announcer would introduce him in full-on over-the-top mode thusly:

And now, at Small Forward, 6 foot 7 out of Massachusetts...

Joooliuuuuuus..........the DOOCTOOR....EEEEERRRRRRVVIIING!!!!!!!

When I saw your username that's the first thing I thought of.

Glad you are well.

2000, hands down. 2003 close behind. I agree with the complaint of the guitars not being mixed high enough in the later years. But in 2006 I even noticed that AT the shows.

There were more great shows on the 2000 tour but 2003's top shows were better in my opinion.

i still haven't thoroughly listened to the '05-'06 stuff yet however...

I would KILL for 1998 official boots.

I want the Spring '94 tour before all others. After that one, they can do them in whatever order they want.

I would go on a mass murder rampage across the countryside and canibalize the victims.

2003
2000
2006
2005










2008