In fact, live stuff from Prince is among the best material he put out in recent years.

Small Club is a bootleg from 1988, but I'm mentioning it now because I had the first, fresh listen today. And it's BRILLIANT!

C-note (first and second edition) is the perfect closing chapter to the 3 cd set 'One Nite Alone... Live!' and 'It ain't over'. I really can't get bored listening to him jammin' on and on. Damn, I could get drunk and still beg for more live stuff.

I'm lookin' forward to getting my hands on that 'Indigo Nights' cd....

Yum!
[Edited 8/6/08 11:06am]

Live stuff is the best

luv4u said:

i listen to it so much now, i feel weird when i listen to studio recordings and don't hear the audience yellin' and stuff

I've been listening to P for 30 years and I can't believe I just bought Small Club. It's truly brilliant and P at the top of his game. The versatile guitar work, genius arrangements, diversity of sound, great band, vocals, etc. And I forgot how good Sheila is behind a drumkit. She handled the JB song like a true funkster (a song that JB usually played with two drummers!)

Listening to this performance, you're truly reminded what an American treasure Prince is. The greatest, most complex live performer ever. Listening to the brilliant concert, I could not imagine any other artist/band with his skills (Bruce-no, U2-please, JB-close but no cigar/guitar, Stevie W-missing the quirky electricity, Sly-not the muscianship).

Tame said:

jdcxc said:

Me too

geo4you said:

The 'One Nite Alone...Live!' 3 cd set U can find it on ebay, because wrecka stows don't have it anymore. It includes also the 'It ain't over' aftershow cd.

'C-note', an open soundcheck by Prince and the N.P.G. from 2003, was available via the NPG Music Club, which now is shut down. So I don't really know.

Different matter for what concerns 'Small Club', which is a bootleg recording from a Lovesexy aftershow. This one, I can't tell, otherwise, I'd be soliciting for buying bootlegs

Sophianestesia said:

ONA I have - also the piano version. I was lucky enough to burn that one to a cd before the club closed!

Unfortunately I didn't get C-note. I didn't even know it existed until recently...

Small club - hmm... Temptation!

Thanks for the info Sophi

jdcxc said:

You paid money for the Small Club?!

Don't do that...really. These things are readily available online if you know where to look. And if you don't, there are lots of generous souls out there who would be willing to trade - or even give you a copy.

Don't enrich the bootleggers.

You can find ONA-Live other places than eBay. It's on Amazon, and is actually still in some Best Buy stores.

C-Note was originally released separately to different regions. Don't quote me on which one was which, but for example some parts of America would get "C" while others might get "N", and people in Sweden might get "O", etc. We were instructed to not share our links or passwords with other members, but word quickly spread and soon everyone had all 5 elements.

It was only later in the Musicology Download store that it was offered as DRM-protected WMA files.

Anyway, those live recordings (and any of his other ones) really show his TRUE genius and talent. Album recordings capture that moment, static, forever. His live renditions evolve over time, which is great.

Yep,
Bootlegs and other uncut Live performances on whatever medium really let the man shine for what he is.

apart from the music, i enjoy his banter on his live recordings
from his Rio gigs:

"i'll make u pancakes..."

"ur about 2 get somebody pregnant...ovulation station right over here"

to me, this shows how secure he is on stage. the only other artists that were similar are the Rat Pack members

what's great about his live recordings, u can hear the same song done on a certain tour and sometimes it's the same, but it's the ones where u don't know what will happen that makes it magical

luv4u said:

Nice to se the mods promoting bootlegs!!!!

I would love to see him do 'Still would stand all time' live.

Dayclear said:

Me too! I 'm adding it to the wishlist of our wish-NO-HITS-Paris-concert in the concert forum...

eireboy34 said:

there are some official live recordings... . i'm the one promoting the bootlegs, cuz they better .

purplepolitician said:

A few of my favorite "live" bootlegs (actually studio rehearsals):

4 Those Of U On Valium
Now's The Time
Neon Rendezvous

Those first two really are my favorites, because SOTT is my favorite. That album, tour movie and boots are the best!

Se7en said:

Yes, they are

Noones mentioned Vega 2002 yet.

If you want "live" you really should get your hands on official stuff before going near boots

Purple Rain Live at Syracuse '85
cant find an image but it's definitely out there, should really be released on dvd

Sign O The Times movie


Lovesexy Live 1 & 2


Diamonds and Pearls video collection has a few nice performances


Sacrifice Of Victor - Live at Bagleys Warehouse - aftershow from '93

Undertaker


Beautiful Strange - Cafe de Paris '98

cant find a cover of pic, only ever offered through npgmc

Rave Un2 the Year 2000

Live at the Aladdin - 2002


All of these have been officially released - do a web search or go to ebay or a really good second hand store and you might get lucky.

There are literally hundreds or great bootlegs and they are addicitive as hell. I would agree that there should now be no need to purchase bootlegs. They are very widely accessible online if you have half a clue.

Those are all pretty cool, have all of them.
And yeah, I kinda surf.