I've listened to the piano and mic tour show, and frankly, I really didn't have a desire to hear another show. I'm sure it would be amazing to see live with the crowd and all but for me it doesn't translate to a fun listening experience. I hope they don't release this tour as the first posthumous release because for anyone besides his most hardcore fans, I don't think the public would take to it. I don't think it would generate a whole new fan base. I think Prince was at his best when he was electric, playing guitar with a horn section.

What did you think of the Piano and a mic tour? For example, do you find yourself jonesing to listen to a show over and over again? Or was it more a cool thing that he tried it? I'm sorry, I'm just not loving the shows I've heard. I find them dare I say it, almost boring. Please help me or tell me which show I need to listen to because I'm not too impressed with what I've heard.

I'm used to being blown away by a Prince show, and this one didn't do that for me. Or maybe I'm just upset that he's gone. I don't know. It just sounds so somber.

Me.

Prince + Piano + MIC = some of the best purple goodness one could ever experience live.

That is about as intimate as it could get for fans.

[Edited 6/9/16 5:48am]

leadline said:

Prince + Piano + MIC = some of the best purple goodness one could ever experience live.

That is about as intimate as it could get for fans.

[Edited 6/9/16 5:48am]

I completely agree with this statement! The show was fantastic and seeing Prince perform live is always a treat. I was thrilled to see him perform A Case of U. I had never heard him do this live before. He put on a great show in Toronto and the fact that he died one month later made me all the more grateful that I saw this show. And, to the original poster of this thread, who gives a rats ass what the general public would think if the dvd was released? Prince never did and neither do his life-long fans!

[Edited 6/9/16 5:53am]

leadline said:

Prince + Piano + MIC = some of the best purple goodness one could ever experience live.

That is about as intimate as it could get for fans.

[Edited 6/9/16 5:48am]

First, let me say that I didn't attend any Piano/Mic concert live, so I can't talk of direct experience.

As a concept, from what I listened in those months, I tend to agree that it wasn't that great.

Yes, he revisited many old and precious tunes, but not ever the renditions were up to my expectation.

Anyway, as I said first, it is probably a concert "you have to be there" to fully enjoy and feel.

donnyenglish said:

No recording does it justice. You had to be there.

.

It's probably the most intimate shows Prince has ever done, so I suspect this is the truth. I remember when the first recordings came out and many were saying how incredible it was...but I had thought they were just OK. It was a neat tour in the sense he's never done anything like it before.

.

Maybe a soundboard recording or pro video would give a better feeling of the show?

PurpleColossus said:

donnyenglish said:

No recording does it justice. You had to be there.

.

It's probably the most intimate shows Prince has ever done, so I suspect this is the truth. I remember when the first recordings came out and many were saying how incredible it was...but I had thought they were just OK. It was a neat tour in the sense he's never done anything like it before.

.

Maybe a soundboard recording or pro video would give a better feeling of the show?

Surely a better recording would do that, unless of course these were just OK to you because you think he should have sang and played the songs better.

leadline said:

PurpleColossus said:

.

It's probably the most intimate shows Prince has ever done, so I suspect this is the truth. I remember when the first recordings came out and many were saying how incredible it was...but I had thought they were just OK. It was a neat tour in the sense he's never done anything like it before.

.

Maybe a soundboard recording or pro video would give a better feeling of the show?

Surely a better recording would do that, unless of course these were just OK to you because you think he should have sang and played the songs better.

.

I think he performed great as he always does, but the only a piano thing is not my cup of tea. Some fans were saying "It's his best tour he's ever done" which seemed a little silly to me. I can understand for those who actually went probably have a different impression of it though...

kapo74 said:

I just don't like piano music that much. It may have been very special to see Prince perform in a concert hall like Carré, Amsterdam. But I was in serious doubt if I would pay at least 100 €, upto 400 €, for a piano only show. I really think I wouldn't have gone to too much trouble to get tickets. I must admit that some songs were great in a piano version, but others were just more of the same. Of course the setting was intimate and sometimes he told some nice stories. I listened to several piano&mic shows, but after ten minutes I tend to quit. It's too much piano.

That is exactly the problems I am having with trying to listen to the shows. I'm sure I would have enjoyed seeing it live, but it just doesn't grab me like any other one of his tours.

Thank you so much everyone who responded.

The 2 shows that I saw were great. The boots do them no justice. The first show was the best, in my opinion. He was going through the songs in chronological order, all the while adding bits about growing up, the songs, his father, etc. It was one of the most intimate shows I saw. He obviously chose option #2 and went with the random songs format. For those that didn't particulary like the shows, I think a lot of that has to do with the sound. It's never going to be the same as actually being there.

These shows are the best I've ever seen in my life. Period.

unfortunately i missed them living in europe....but i definately would have seen them although i wasnt as enthusiastic about them when i heard them. But i guess it all depends if you were there i guess..that makes such a difference and i can imagine him performing in an intimate room on a piano would have been great.

i was at the 10pm feb 16th melbourne show.

i have never had so many emotions at any concert ive ever been to, and ive seen a lot of bands in my 46 yrs- including prince 3 times previously.

his performance was amazing, his voice soared. he was full of emotion (after hearing early that day about vanity), he was reflective, and there were moments of pure joy.

I knew id witnessed something extremely special. u could have heard a pin drop during some songs the crowd was mesmerised; applause all at the right moments, laughter and singing when called for.

i bawled during the beautiful ones and LRC gives me goosebumps EVERY TIME i hear it now ( and sometimes, like tonight, tears as well). They both evoke memories of that show.

He told a story whilst playing over the rainbow - i literally had my hand on my heart- i LOVE the wizard of oz...i never knew Prince did as well.

I sang and clapped during Raspberry Beret- standing in my box seat (im afraid of heights but if P tells u to stand u stand!)


I tried to post on social media after the show but couldnt put any proper words down. the usual post concert buzz was missing, i was very reflective- trying to piece together what id just saw.

I think I get what you are saying and yes, it was largely a "you had to be there" type of thing to fully appreciate how intimate and powerfult it was. But I still enjoy listening to recordings of those shows.