Technically speaking, Live at the Alladin is CRAP!!

I just got done watching the DVD and couldn't have been more frustrated and disappointed during the viewing. Once again, the NPG has found away to screw things up.
I put in the DVD and pressed play and could not believe how grainy and blurry and unclear the picture was. The close-ups were fuzzy and at times Prince was unrecognizable in the long shots. ( I have some bootleg VHS tapes that are clearer than this DVD). Also, the audio is only in "Dolby Digital". You know what that means? It means that what you are listening to is coming out of your left, right, and subwoofer speakers. That's it!!! I don't know about the rest of you, but I have a full home theater system and would have appreciated listening to the music in at least 5.1 Dolby Digital if not DTS.
Compared to the Rave DVD, there is no comparison. Rave was crystal clear and recorded in DTS, and when I play the DVD, my whole house rocks! It is superior to this DVD in every way.
Prince, how could you have screwed up such a gem like this DVD? The music was great, Sheila looked ageless, and you are still the greatest ever.
I just expected much more than I got...but than again I've said that frequently about your music the past 8 or 9 years.

you know, i watched a bit of rave this morning just to compare the two and yeah, i think i agree. after watching the dvd last night in the theatre i was all about it. but now, after the excitement settled down, i think i like the rave dvd better. not for performance quality or song selection, just for being an easier watch. both have shit editing but at least i can really see prince in the rave dvd.

Thanks for the support.
Didn't you want to just turn up the Live DVD and really let it ring out loud like the Rave DVD?
We got shortchanged.

Completely agree. This is a very sad waste of $15. I would rather put it toward another memorable concert experience. Why doesn't he spend the money and get professionals to do the job correctly? At least we have RAVE, i suppose.

I really wonder about Prince's thought process.

Let's take a great idea and screw it up some how. Raves song selection could have been better. The Las Vegas show setlist was much improved so let's leave off half the tracks and from what I am hearing put it out in poor digital quality.

What's next Purple Rain remastered to look worse than the analog version with outtakes from purple rain like g-spot, electric intercourse included in shortened 30 second snippets.

I recently began to get excited again due to some creative rebirth from him, but now his business sense is killing me again.

how's about a new song...

Frustration...r u a prince fan

toosoon2bme said:

anemone said:

toosoon2bme said:

The close-ups were fuzzy and at times Prince was unrecognizable in the long shots. ( I have some bootleg VHS tapes that are clearer than this DVD).

Yes, that's right! Prince has made his very own BOOTLEG of the show!! I can't wait to see if an actual bootleg will surface of this Vegas show and be better quality??

Don't give the PeePee's any ideas! You never know what sorts of deletorious editorial decisions they have up their skanky sleeves.

Seriously though, I relate to you completely with being frustrated over Prince's business decisions.

aalloca said:

The Rave video was shot at Paisley Park where I would assume all the proper equipment and experience at filming would be. The Alladin show was out on the road, it would seem Prince did it on the cheap, perhaps he just handed out a couple of digicams to his security people and told them to shoot it.

But it's still better and cheaper than a bootleg of a single shaky hand-held camera on full zoom from right at the back which ducks down behind a seat whenever a security guard walks past.

I haven't seen it yet, might pick it up today though... :O

Maybe it's because those big record company dollars are no longer behind him and he has to do what all the indie musicians have to do - the best he can, especially when you have mansions to pay for, all those bodyguards, keeping Mani happy . . .


LQ

Low budget doesn't explain cutting the set down.

But guys... I was over at NPGMC and everyone at "U Tell Us" was saying how great it is. I'm confused.

Just watched it and they're right about the video. It looks horrible. Although the disc isn't without merit, and is,in spots, quite good, the picture quality and camera work drag it down to level that's nearly unacceptable. If I wasn't already a fan and if I hadn't already been to 2 ONA shows, I'd watch this and wonder what all the fuss is about with Prince as a live act.

'1+1+1=3', 'Pass the Peas', and 'Whole Lotta Love' were highlights for me, and overall the musicianship and competence of Prince's band really shine, but it's true: the production quality of this DVD destroys any of the momentum it's able to build.

I bought the 3-disc Led Zep a month ago and watched it on my computer at work - just like I did with this one tonight - and the difference is at times painful. For one thing, the Zeppelin DVD was plenty loud and the picture was crystal clear. The fucking thing was LONG - filled with all the Led Zep anyone could want - and when I watched it, it made me sad that I'll never see Zeppelin live, but satisfied that I at least got a worthwhile taste of the experience.

With PLALV, I could NEVER get the sound up loud enough, which was often so weak I could barely hear it. The segues and the "lack of continutiy" didn't bug me like it seems to be bothering some, and I dug that he changed up the setlist from the 3CD set, but overall I can't shake the feeling - indeed the CERTAINTY - that he's capable of so much more.

Frankly, I'm getting tired of this feeling, and wondering if he needs some help. Odd, but occasionally as i was watching this, I couldn't help but think of Kevin Smith's recollection of meeting Prince ('An evening with Kevin Smith'). No wonder he couldn't make the movie Prince wanted, and oh how wish he had.

"Rave unto the Year 2000" and "Sign of the Times" have nothing to fear from this...

B-

squirrelgrease said:

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

squirrelgrease said:

But guys... I was over at NPGMC and everyone at "U Tell Us" was saying how great it is. I'm confused.

oh lawdy lawd...dont'cha know they're givin praise to the dvd, lest their thread be deleted by the Positivity Police over there?

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

squirrelgrease said:

But guys... I was over at NPGMC and everyone at "U Tell Us" was saying how great it is. I'm confused.

oh lawdy lawd...dont'cha know they're givin praise to the dvd, lest their thread be deleted by the Positivity Police over there?

squirrelgrease said:

squirrelgrease said:

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

squirrelgrease said:

But guys... I was over at NPGMC and everyone at "U Tell Us" was saying how great it is. I'm confused.

oh lawdy lawd...dont'cha know they're givin praise to the dvd, lest their thread be deleted by the Positivity Police over there?

It's actually quite sad over there. It's like friggin' Fantasy Island. "Smiles everyone... SMILES!".

squirrelgrease said:

You guys have seen Brain Candy, right? Well, I think all those sadass NPGMC positivity motherfuckers took some hardcore Gleeminox (sp), and are currently stuck in some subconscious dreamworld in which they cannot escape the memories of the first time they spilled Get Wild perfume all over their cut off butt jeans, and had to wipe it off with the sleeve of their copy of Dangerous while listening to Jughead.

KingSausage said:

I was at the screening the other night and was appalled at the poor quality of the DVD. Even my lady asked me a few times how come the picture quality was so bad!
At first I blamed the theater, but once I watched it on both my TV and computer, I realized its just bad quality.
Very disappointing considering the enormous potential this release carried with it.

I read on a few other threads about the poor transfer and I couldn't agree more! You could actually see the lines going across the screen. Has anyone else noticed that viewing it from the NPGMC site is better quality than the dvd itself??

As a long time fan (not fam!) and collector, I have to admit it was purchased grudgingly. Hopefully, next time they'll do it right.

Ok, I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO THE way it was put together or the songs he picked, BUT I am going to STAND UP FOR THE CAMERMEN AND WOMEN!!! They were not his Staff or his security, they were PROFESSIONAL CAMERAMEN THAT BELONG TO THE UNION LOCAL 6OO IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. Look up there names @ www.imdb.com and you will find MANY FEATURE Film credits to their names...including..."The Fast and the Furious" and "Cradle 2 the Grave"! Now, I do not know where their cameras came from, usually they rent them. they were video cameras and everytime they used up the film it was immediately taken and they were givin a new one.

SO LAY OFF THEM!!! AND PRINCE, HE DID IT WITH PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE..

insatiable4U said:

I just watched the disc and it wasn't THAT bad. It wasn't the best I've ever seen but I wouldn't call it unacceptable.

Why would he spend thousands and thousands of dollars on a disc that's going to get limited release to club members, a few websites and maybe a few retail outlets? If he did, he wouldn't make a dime, and that's what it's about, mostly.
He'll probably make a grip considering he didn't have to spend a lot of money on production.

I was satisfied with the DVD, and don't think it was a waste of money.

P.S.
N.E.W.S. and Expectation are good shit!!

doeineffect said:

KingSausage said:

DAYUM!!! IM out of town and haven`t got to open my DVD yet and watch it. After reading these posts I wonder if I should even get my hopes up!!! ZOINKS!!!

I feel like when certain things are done and all this negatiivity follows I dunno...but now Im scared about the DVD