Just wondered if he ever mentioned whether he had a favourite country to play or maybe there are some stats of the country he played the most outside of the U.S.?

Somewhere in Europe

What have you done, you fool!
You're gonna start a war!

i'd argue that the US wasn't even his favorite...probably just most convenient/profitable.

peedub said:

i'd argue that the US wasn't even his favorite...probably just most convenient/profitable.

See? See?

From what I've been exposed to on the Org, it seems to me that in contiental Europe he hit France, Netherlands, and Germany pretty hard on his touring pathway. The UK is naturally up there, as he could most readily communicate with his audiences and there's the cultural affinity of some of his pop influences and contemporaries. Canada would be a pretty quick n' easy international destination. Then there's L.A. (LOL) and south of L.A....

I actually couldn't imagine where he himself felt was favorite, but for the rest of the fans, Let the debate roll

Europe gets "weird Prince", the idiosyncrasies, the experimental stuff.
I think America is still traumatized by Purple Rain, it's almost definitive
in terms of R'n'R American Dream movie, because what happens to Prince by the end of the movie
is a self-fulfilling prophecy: he sings he's a star, and six months later, he is.

Given America has a fascination for the started-from-the-bottom-made-it-to-the-top drama,
it's no wonder that no matter what Prince could have tried afterwards,
you can't repeat such a aresonance in a national credo. Plus, there's the race layer,
Purple Rain is a movie that doesn't shy from Uptown.

I think narrowing to cities would be more appropriate:
Minneapolis, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Milan...
In the end I don't think it really mattered to him, you get incredible
live bootlegs from every tour in every country, it's a question of vibe.
Even if every country responds differently as a concert audience (Japan is an example),
I highly doubt Prince ever got a cold public. Can't you hear this woman just scream?

Of course I'm gonna be partial to Paris, because he lived here,
because Paris made the SOTT tracklist and the Special Thanks 2,
because of UTCM and Parade, because of the Lovexy Tour kick-off,
because of Le New Morning's "Just My Imagination" (The Dutch Trojan Horse's twin).
And because of the incredible heavy-metal gospel version of the aforelinkedto.

Germanegro said:

From what I've been exposed to on the Org, it seems to me that in contiental Europe he hit France, Netherlands, and Germany pretty hard on his touring pathway. The UK is naturally up there, as he could most readily communicate with his audiences and there's the cultural affinity of some of his pop influences and contemporaries. Canada would be a pretty quick n' easy international destination. Then there's L.A. (LOL) and south of L.A....

I actually couldn't imagine where he himself felt was favorite, but for the rest of the fans, Let the debate roll

He also loved Spain.

Canada, Europe

luv4u said:

Canada, Europe

Ciboire, c'te chauvin...

Europe is a continent not a country did he never mention any as specific favourites to play?

NorthC said:

Judging from the number of times he played there, it's Britain with Holland coming up second. But we're a smaller country, so there's obviously going to be fewer concerts. But for the Dortmund 88 show, tickets were sold exclusively in Holland, which makes tour Dutch shows that year. And on the Diamonds & Pearls tour, he did more shows in Rotterdam than in Paris. (Sorry, bonatoc ) He loved us and we loved him. [Edited 7/2/18 12:58pm]

Only because you're the center of Europe.
Bad tour anyway. Shut up.

Gee--I wonder if Prince ever held a show in one of the nations on the great Motherland continent of Africa? I don't know for certain whether he ever did so. I don't know what his reception there is, was, or might have been, although upon occasion of introducing his recordings to African women here in the USA, at least, its been all good! Can anyone here speak to that? I guess if he did go to an African country he'd be looking at some great travel distances that would make the cost expensive for a concert tour. Ease could play a factor in what made someplace a favorite, among other tangibels.

Germanegro said:

NorthC said:

Germanegro said:

Gee--I wonder if Prince ever held a show in one of the nations on the great Motherland continent of Africa? I don't know for certain whether he ever did so. I don't know what his reception there is, was, or might have been, although upon occasion of introducing his recordings to African women here in the USA, at least, its been all good! Can anyone here speak to that? I guess if he did go to an African country he'd be looking at some great travel distances that would make the cost expensive for a concert tour. Ease could play a factor in what made someplace a favorite, among other tangibels.

I've been to Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia and I've heard a Prince song only once, in a tourist disco. Add to that the fact that lots of people there cannot afford a concert ticket and you will see that there simply wasn't an audience for him there.

That's an interesting demographic assessment--It is not like all of the party- concert-goers out that way don't have the money to spend on attending a show, however . I haven't a clue to what his image/market penetration is, but if the African population's following is strictly limited, that would certainly be an impediment to making a visible touring arrangment! FWIW I wonder if he did any shows at all on that continent, nevertheless. It may or may not have been a development to generate media attention.

Joni !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy Bday CANADA

80tomato said:

Empress said:

80tomato said:

Joni !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy Bday CANADA

NorthC said:

NorthC said:

Judging from the number of times he played there, it's Britain with Holland coming up second. But we're a smaller country, so there's obviously going to be fewer concerts. But for the Dortmund 88 show, tickets were sold exclusively in Holland, which makes four Dutch shows that year. And on the Diamonds & Pearls tour, he did more shows in Rotterdam than in Paris. (Sorry, bonatoc ) He loved us and we loved him. [Edited 7/2/18 12:58pm] [Edited 7/2/18 13:00pm]

I nominate Holland, as he frequently toured there despite it not having a particularly large population or area. He had more top 10 hits in Holland than anywhere (if memory serves me it was slightly higher than the US) and his albums always charted especially high there. Prince seemed like to play where he knew they would be receptive, and that was certainly the case in Holland.

I would suggest London/UK, certainly in the latter part of his career. 21 Nights at the O2 in 2007, HitnRun I (and II) in 2014, the planned opening of Piano & a Microphone in 2015.

But it's all speculation.

gandorb said:

NorthC said:

Judging from the number of times he played there, it's Britain with Holland coming up second. But we're a smaller country, so there's obviously going to be fewer concerts. But for the Dortmund 88 show, tickets were sold exclusively in Holland, which makes four Dutch shows that year. And on the Diamonds & Pearls tour, he did more shows in Rotterdam than in Paris. (Sorry, bonatoc ) He loved us and we loved him. [Edited 7/2/18 12:58pm] [Edited 7/2/18 13:00pm]

I nominate Holland, as he frequently toured there despite it not having a particularly large population or area. He had more top 10 hits in Holland than anywhere (if memory serves me it was slightly higher than the US) and his albums always charted especially high there. Prince seemed like to play where he knew they would be receptive, and that was certainly the case in Holland.

Big market for him, and a very strong fanbase.
Don't we owe Per Nilsen to Never... Sorry, The Netherlands?

The one he was in that day/night.

Double post

[Edited 7/2/18 23:45pm]

Did an Excel exercise on data from princevault.com regarding tour dates/concerts outside the US.
Data from the 80's 90's 00's and 10's

So in relation to country size/population/potential market share, the Netherlands was his favorite country

And of course because of Candy Dulfer, Anna Fantastic and Loïs Lane.
Oh and because of the best ever live gig he did in the Paard van Troje (Small Club, 2nd Show That Night)