On a lot of Prince's best tour threads, this tour rarely gets listed even though it's arguably his most well known tour. Is it because it's exactly that, his most well known tour, so it'd be intellectually "n00byish" to give props to this tour or is it really not that great? From watching the Syracuse Live video, the tour has to be up there with Musicology and Lovesexy but from reading reviews from the time, the critics have actually said it was gimmicky, that the sound mix was bad, and that Prince only appeared onstage for about an hour because of all the segues and costume changes. Is this all true?

it was pretty gaudy and OTT to me. it's still kinna fun to watch at times, though.

I was never at any of the shows, but even the vhs has quite of few fast forwarding moments. But I love that show. He seemed to have found his voice during that time period. I don't know if he could have pulled off "Possessed" that well during the 1999 tour. It's my favorite concert tape.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

OTT?

yeah, he did seem to find his voice during this time... i remember the first several times i heard the song "Purple Rain" -- i was tripping on his voice, trying to figure out how he sang it so well. up until this point he had always relied on his falsetto for the difficult songs.

this was a pretty good tour, i'd say much better than musicology (which was also good), but nowhere near lovesexy or sign o' the times. i like the smaller venues better, especially when he shows off his musicianship.

The tour had its moments but he tries to hard to relive the movie. I like it much better on cd then on video.

The bathtub and purple house speech is inducing.

I like that tour even though I have to fast forward through some of the clothing changes. They should have edited a lot of that dead space out. He did a horrible job with the screaming on "The Beautiful Ones" on that tape. He sounded like his throat was scratched.

ChadtheRTF said:

"Over The Top." And I agree. It was almost like a Vegas-circus show. I love my Prince and the Revolution LIVE VHS, though. It's the only unedited Prince concert that I have on tape.

ChadtheRTF said:

I'm guessing over the top?

Or outta toilet tissue?

can someone PLEASE explain what that still silhouette shot of something that looks like a Batman mask really is?

Know what I'm talking about?

Also minues the extended audience on stage finale, the Yankee Doodle solo, the Purple House/Bathtub part it'd be cool.

I have to agree with the above post, Possessed is one of the funkiest like songs he's ever put on tape!

vainandy said:

lovemachine said:

and that "who screamed! was it you?" stuff...do you know who you are? then it doesn't matter who screamed first! shut the fuckity-fuck up, prince, okay?

CapedCrusader said:

the set included a lot of "faces" -- figurines, masks, and such. what you're seeing is a closeup of one of those masks (hanging off of Bobby's drums or one of the keyboards, i forget) with a camera/editng filter-effect.

it was GREAt...but a little too "fantasy island " 4 my taste...i will always love the tour and the vibe ect...but..there was an element of "please come back down to earth prince" that i always felt about it....1999 was much more about the fans and the mpls sound ect...and the tour after it "the parade hit and run tour" was much more about "bringing things back" to more traditional SOUL man and his BADASS band values...purple rain was a litle too kiddie 4 most people that truly KNEW where prince came from pre purple rain...just my 2 cents...

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

that shit went on for like 2hrs... i went to sleep and woke up it was still on "i promise ill be good",etc,etc

he looked tired on that video to like he was about to fall over.

I thought it was entertaing and wonderful! The only problem I have with it is I am really sick of 1999 and Purple Rain...other than that yes it is up there with Lovesexy and Musicology!

it was for all the Purple Rain Movie fans, not for the true fans who bought 1999 and ATWIAD

Though not really one of my favorites,the Purple Rain tour was great for what it was at the time. Prince sang all of the songs from the album in their entirety plus major hits from the 1999 album. as well.Like most other posters said, there were times it was a little too over the top and a little too "ecectic" for my taste but lots of times you'd get surprises.

Some nights he'd get on the piano or guitar and play stripped down versions of When You Were Mine,I Wanna Be Your Lover,Dirty Mind,Free,Joni Mitchell's A Case of U or even Still Waiting. On some nights he'd do then unreleased songs like Raspberry Beret,America or 4 the Tears In Your Eyes.

At rare times Prince and the Revolution would jam to 17 Days,Head,Controversy,Possessed,the one live performance of Another Lonely Christmas and even cover When the Saints Go Marching In.Take Me With U was sometimes a brief moment on the piano and at other times a full band rocker.

On the flip side,I think the reasons that it isn't put up there in the category of the Musicology,ONA,Lovesexy,SOTT and Parade tours has to do with it's occasional poor lighting by comparison to some of the later more extravaganttours like Lovesexy and Diamonds and Pearls.Some felt it was less musically demanding compared to later tours as well.For lack of a better term it was "safe" tour featuring mostly radio friendly hits.All that weird "Who screamed" mess didn't help things either.

Also the fact that Prince has sang the core songs so much over the years that it the PR tour loses as portion of it's magic.Those outrageous out fits were a bit much on the eyes at times too. Despite all of that,like any Prince tour it was an amazing event that will be remembered as such.

It's strange that a lot of you guys dislike some of the elements from the Purple Rain tour which have become Prince trademarks. Like the strange outfits and lighting and even that "Who screamed" stuff. Some of that bathtub stuff was funny and I don't mind the Yankee Doodle solo either. i mean heck, there was some pretty eccentric stuff on the 1999 tour with Jill Jones screaming at the beginning and all of Prince's camping during "How Come U Don't Call Me." And how about the Musicology tour? What the hell was up with that whole Purple Rain dialogue segue? Prince has quirks on all his tours but they're part of what make them entertaining.

BeautifulOneJem said:

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Purle Rain live 18 minutes 24seconds, :

worn that tape out just watching the solo ova & ova & ova
& ova & ova & ova & ova & ova & ova & ova & ova

ChadtheRTF said:

This is actually one of my least favorite Prince tours.The entire production is gaudy and over-the-top.Sure,it may have looked cool in 1985,but when I watch the Syracuse video these days,it makes me cringe.The setlist is good,and there are some truly inspired moments,but the whole show is gimmicky and flamboyant.The 'SOTT' and 'Lovesexy' tours are so much better,imo.

DavidEye said:

I agree wholeheartedly. I have a few sporadic points in the vid that I love, ie. God, How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore, Purple Rain, and Possessed. Other than that I find myself skipping thru the show. And yes it does look very dated and that incarnation of the Revolution just didn't do it for me in the live setting. The SOTT and Lovesexy tours showed a level of musicianship, theatrics, and pacing that Purple Rain show just didn't have.
[Edited 5/23/05 18:52pm]

The Purple Rain Triolgy(album,movie,tour)was an amazing experience.It represents an exciting time in my life,and I will never forget it.As far as the live show,it was a good performance.I honestly enjoyed the 1999 tour more.The Purple Rain show was a little over the top at times.But it had to be over the top.Purple Rain was SO successful,everything associated with the project had to be bigger than life.Everybody and his mama were Prince fans after Purple Rain.


And as we all know,once you reach the top,there's nowhere to go but down.Thus,the beginning of the backlash.The expectations of a follow-up,Prince's problems with the paparazzi,the whole "We Are The World"situation.Anyway,the Purple Rain tour was pretty awesome,but it's not my favorite tour.