First i have to say i haven't seen the Musicology show yet.

On the one hand im realy glad he's playing sold-out arena's in the US again and i'm sure its a kick-ass show as usual. But when u compare Musicology with ONA, especially for an NPGMC-member i can not see how Musicology is gonna top ONA.
Just compare this two setlists. I just took an "average" European ONA gig. In fact as a member u got Soundcheck, show and aftershow

I sure hope he brings back the aftershows in Europe and hope for some creativity in setlists. I'm not tryin to bring down the current tour but we got this and much more in arena's already.

Musicology setlist LA 3/29/04

Musicology , Let's Go Crazy , I Would Die 4 U , Baby I'm A Star , When Doves Cry , Shhh ,
Nothing Compares 2 U , DMSR , A Love Bizarre/The Glamorous Life/I Feel For You Controversy , God , The Beautiful Ones , Insatiable , The ? Of U/The One/Fallin' , Take Me With U , Sign O' The Times , Let's Work , U Got The Look , Soul Man , Life O' The Party , Kiss , Forever In My Life , Past Midnight, On The Couch , Little Red Corvette , Sometimes It Snows In April , 7 , Purple Rain

ONA Dublin 10/10/02
SOUNDCHECK :
Sign 'O The Times, Pop Life , Tuning up with Candy and improv. work , Automatic, Shake,
Sometimes It Snows In April,Prince speaks with the NPGMC, Empty Room, The Ride, Dolphin,
Prince talks with the NPGMC , Hair 777-9311, Thank You Falletinme Be Mice Elf Again,
Days Of Wild, The Rainbow Children, Drum workout, Pop Life

SHOW :
Drum Intro, The Rainbow Children, Xenophobia, Money Don't Matter 2 Night, The Work Pt.1,
Extraordinary, Mellow, 1+1+1=3 (Incl. Housequake/D.M.S.R.), Strange Relationship, Pass The Peas, When U Were Mine, Sign 'O The Times, Take Me With U, Raspberry Beret, The Everlasting Now, Adore, I Wanna Be Your Lover, Condition Of The Heart, Diamonds & Pearls, The Beautiful Ones, Nothing Compares 2 U, The Ladder (Incl. Speech), Starfish & Coffee,
How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore ?, All The Critics Love U In Dublin, Pop Life, Anna Stesia
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold - remix (Incl. Rise Up)

Aftershow:Spirit, Dublin, Friday October 11th (am) 2002
Instrumental Jam, Joy In Repetition (Incl. Speech), Instrumental Jam - A Love Bizarre - All The Critics Love U In New York, Prince & The Band, Dolphin, Calhoun Square, Peach.

See my point?

agreed,ONA is better from a true fans perspective.

i must not be a TRUE fan, i am really looking forward to this show, i saw ONA, didnt enjoy it nearly as much as the Hit n Run tour, but thats just me i guess, maybe it was where it was played here, the ONA felt 'stuffy' to me

I think that ONA was a bit more enjoyable that Musicology...maybe I loved hearing a concert that consisted primarily of songs I'd never heard played live before, as where Musicology was pretty much a somewhat fuller version of the IHOP concert I attended in February (heh..IHOP...that's still funny, dammit!!)..Also, ONA was played in smaller, more intimate venues, as where Musicology is played in arenas. When I saw the ONA show (as well as the IHOP show a few months ago), it felt like Prince was playing for us, and with us...the Musicology concert felt a little more like Prince was playing, period, and we were watching him play...subtle difference, I know, but it could be felt by me (and perhaps others)...

At any rate, the Staples Center concert was STILL very good (and that acoustic part was a much-welcomed pleasure..)...I just prefer ONA, I think.

Yes ONA was for the true fan!

ONA wasn't in-the-round, so it was better by default unless you have crappy seats. But musically, ONA was better for the real fans, mainly because of the soundchecks and aftershows. TRC material wasn't that great, but it was still a great, fun show...a little too preachy, but still great and better than Musicology (which is great except for the in-the-round bullshit)

And of course theaters are more intimate than arenas, but if you are up front, it doesn't matter either way.....unless it is in-the-round bullshit.

In Holland he played ONA also in an Arena so i missed out on the intimate venue (xept for the aftershow) Im a big TRC fan so imho he shuoldve played that even more on ONA. I can't believe he isnt playin anything of TRC anymore. I loved The everlasting now etc. live...