Would you prefer to hear the Hits or his new album live?
Personally I would like to hear new album material as these set of concerts are about the 30th I've been to. First one was Lovesexy in Frankfurt '88. I love Purple Rain but I have probably heard it about 30 times live and so many other times recorded. I was therefore delighted to hear Planet Earth open on Saturday night. PLus as he releases another album, Planet Earth tracks probably will not be heard live again, but he will always play a few hits for those people that always want to hear them and may be at a concert for the first or second time.

Love the hits but also love so many other songs that are not hits.

These R the Days of Wild.

Likewise i think i'd prefer the new stuff or at least some new stuff along with some older songs not performed that often (if at all). But then i know all his stuff and am a bit weird!

I can fully understand why the older songs are played and i still enjoy them lots.

I guess that why the 'aftershows' are so important to weird fans - we wanna see the heavy shit and unusual material/arrangements. Whereas the casual geezer in the street wants Kiss and Raspberry Beret.

Be interesting to see if the setslists change during September.

I think it's a crying shame cuts from the last 3 albums have not been played. Just Musicology, Black Sweat, 3121 and Guitar. Occasionally he'll play a different song or 2 from the new one. Seriously..and Chelsea Ragers has yet to be played which is a shame!

IMO, I am very disappointed with the set lists. With a catalog as deep as his, you'd think he'd drop the covers and medleys. Though it is understandable as he hasn't been out there in a long long time, but still...1999, Purple Rain, Let's go Crazy, Kiss????

Definately would love new cuts... instead of all those covers. Amazes me that the last 3 albums havent really been toured properly.
[Edited 8/27/07 12:33pm]

superspaceboy said:

I would love to hear "Illusion, Coma, Pimp and Circumstance" live - I think that'd be amazing!!!

Me, I am no fairweather fan, have loved his music for the last 20+ years, love the b-sides, rarities etc, BUT I must disagree.
The new stuff - I'd rather listen to it on the cd, until I fully get to appreciate it. I am not so keen to hear it live until it has grown on me.

So i prefer the old stuff in a concert, but not necessarily the hits! For example, I would love to hear dorothy parker, lady cab driver & she's always in my hair.

francesco72 said:

I agree. I'd only want to hear Planet Earth, Guitar or The One U Wanna C from the new album. I think the mix of new and old on the tour has been good - people are just too fussy. He's also played quite a bit of 3121 over the nights so far.

I'd love to hear 'love' and 'The Word' from 3121
[Edited 8/28/07 11:05am]

The last three albums are all in my top 5 prince albums. So I would love for the new stuff to be mainly played, with a handful hits thrown in (would love When Doves Cry) - but mainly new stuff would be my ideal. I'm happy him singing anything because I love all of his music. At the end of the day, he is up there singing what he wants giving his all. His heart might not be in it as much if he just did new stuff. So I'm happy with whatever

JonnyUK said:

I not convinced. I think this time he has bowed to public opinion. I keep hearing people say play the hits. That's ok but I think he would like to play other stuff. He must be fed up of playin the same songs all the time.He wants to new stuff aswell. He may also play the hits as he wants to raise his profile a bit more and at the same time show people with the free cd at the show he can still write good tunes.

I, for one, am glad this is a hits tour. The last two major tours in the UK have been One Nite Alone (virtually all Rainbow Children stuff) and Gold (virtually all Gold Experience stuff). Loved those tours, but was thrilled to hear the old favourites.

L

Hear, hear....the last 3 albums live...Enought there to fill the 2 hours +

theartistirl said:

& I would have loved to hear Planet Earth on August 7th. It would be be a powerful live song. Chelsea Rogers would be great as would Fury. My 8 year old wanted him to play "Illusion, Pimp and circumstance". 3121 to Open and Planet Earth to close, that's my suggestion.

theartistirl said:

You have the same thought as me. 3121 sounds good as a starter. It did on Sat 18th and Planet Earth to finish. P on the piano to start if off and band join. The one I wanna C would be good song to dance to along with the other hits.

Levi said:

I should add ... I think album tours are really for the enthusiasts, and are fine for smaller tours. But if you have 21 nights x 20,000 people, there's no way it will be all enthusiasts who go. He'd not get away with playing all new stuff on this occasion.

L

i love to see him perform MR GOODNIGHT in a smaller venue, maybe like the indigo..that would be HOT!

purplewisdom said:

Oh now that would be fantastic... what a sexy tune!

Would love it if he did "Insatiable", "The Greatest Romance That's Ever Been Sold" and "Adore" up close and personal in the Indigo.. Oh I can but dream!

I can't believe he hasn't done The One U Wanna C live yet....

francesco72 said:

Oooo me too

This tour had to be his Greatest Hits otherwise he would not have packed them in for 21 nights. I would imagine that his next tour, hopefully it will happen, will see him perform more new material. The enthusiasts will have to patient. Just hope that his future tours will include the option of attending the soundcheck as per ONA in 2002.

Levi said:

Levi said:

by the time prince got 2 europe with the ona shows, it was mostly the rare songs with a few more hits..purple rain 4 example was hardly played during the US dates but was in most of the shows in europe.

the gold xperience tour was just what it was supposed 2 b, no more hits ..this is the new music ...and a concept he needs 2 go back 2 and drop the hits once and 4 all ..

living off a past glory is a shame 4 someone of prince's incredible music calabiur.and by reading some of the responses on this thread, i'm glad i'm not alone in this feeling

september 22nd is fast aproaching y'all

Levi said:

i 4 one am not a strong fan on planet earth but lets take the numbers u gave about 21 nites and 20,000 folks

every night 20,000 copies of planet earth have been distributed x 21 nihgts equals 420,000 copies of that album not 2 mention the 3 million distributed in the UK Mail newspaper

so ur saying that 420,000 people that have new music in their hands can't withstand hearing a show that is mainly new music?

It has to be hits, as the new album is a very average effort.

L4OATheOriginal said:

Yeah ... coz the majority of them won't have heard the album until they get home.

Levi said:

the album was out a month prior 2 the concerts

I can't wait 2 hear the new album. I have been told I will receive a copy upon exiting the o2 arena.

So I don't mind hearing hits, such as Purple Rain, Lets Go Crazy, Take Me With U, The Beautiful Ones and When Doves Cry. It's almost like they were made 2 go 2gether.
[Edited 9/11/07 8:52am]

L4OATheOriginal said:

I know, but I suspect (could be wrong) that the non-enthusiasts who are at the concerts probably dind't know about, or didn't bother about the free release in the sunday paper. There wouldn't have been any left for the casual fans anyway, coz orgers each bought an average of 6 copies

Don't get me wrong ... I am an enthusiast, and so whatever he plays is fine by me. But in reality, there will be a lot of casual fans there, who want to hear the hits. He's done plenty of tours aimed at the life-long hard-core. I don't grudge the others the chance to hear these fantastic hits live. After all, it was because of these hits that we all got into his stuff to begin with.

L

Levi said:

there has only been one tour aimed at the hardcore and that was the ONA tour. so by ur accounts, because the casual enthusiast isn't hip 2 the new material, we all should b continually in this time warp of the 80's and purple rain material?

do u know how many causual enthusiasts asked if prince had done any new music since 84 after the superbowl?

not my fault that they can't keep up. and we shouldn't have 2 suffer becuase of it. ever since the emancipation album, his shows have focused more on past material than current. where as prior 2 emancipation it was more of the new than the old. in this day and age of technology and what not, there r countless ways 2 hear the old stuff. i became a fan in 84 and have heard and seen prior tours, doesn't upset me that i wasn't there 2 1st hear them cause it's about the music in the end. the only thing that would make me want 2 c prince live now as oppose 2 then, is seeing the symbol stage in person. that's y i'm praying this time he keeps 2 his word that this will b the last time the hits r played. sept 22nd is the day i will celebrate.

quote]
I agree. I'd only want to hear Planet Earth, Guitar or The One U Wanna C from the new album. I think the mix of new and old on the tour has been good - people are just too fussy. He's also played quite a bit of 3121 over the nights so far.[/quote]

Yeah they are the best 3 from the new album for sure. I love guitar (but as a guitarist myself guess im just biased).

Cant believe Gold hasnt been played yet either. That would make a great opener.