Got my ONA Live yesterday. Having had chance 2 listen 2 it in full i think it is sooo sweet!

However I really wish there was slightly more crowd noise, just a little more volume 2 give it atmosphere. It has been recorded superbly and every instrument is clear. But i feel it is just a tad clinical. At the start when TRC kix in I expected 2 hear a massive roar as P took the stage but all i hear is a tiny hint of crowd noise way down in the mix. When I compare to other recordings such as LoveSexy Live (taken from the video set) the crowd really gives some atmosphere. I realise this was a much larger venue but it ust has a better 'Live' feel.

This ONA Live recording reminds me of the 'WonderBoy' bootleg, which was a great soundboard recording of a Sign 'O' the Times gig but lacked atmosphere because u can hardly hear the audience.

Now don't get me wrong i LOVE this boxset and I know i'm being fussy. I'm just wondering if any1 agrees.

I haven't listened 2 it on a decent set of cans yet so I could change my mind.

Had the same feelings. I just love the whole boxset but if it had a little more crowd noise it would be perfect.

I been to three ONA concert and every time Prince came on stage the crowd went balistic. I think it was the same in the US so it´s a pitty you can´t hear that on the set. It´s sounds like a very lame crowd on the discs.

Good point!! I noticed it too!

Just like I noticed we miss the first few bars from How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore...he usually plays the piano for a few bars and then starts singing!! In this version he starts immidiately ... strange!

I thought exactly the same about 'The Rainbow Children'. I was expecting this massive roar and it never came, and it definately lacks atmosphere because of this. In fact, the whole of the first half of TRC sounds too perfect! Especially the Darth voice, perhaps all this was over-dubbed? The guitar playing is too perfect, I'd be happier to hear more sloppier instinctive guitar wailing like I remember from the concert.

My other main criticism was the piano segment goes on too long. In the concert I attended, the band came in and did a full-on version of both Nothing Compares and The Beautiful Ones and that really helped to break up the piano segment.

I disagree !!!

I think the crown noise is at just the right level. I prefer clean soundboard recordings where u can hear every nuance of every instrument thru out the performance.

This is just my preference though...everyone is different!

Btw...how can u say the first half of the set sounds 'clinical'??? U have got 2 be kidding...!!!

metalorange said:

Indeed, the "darth" voice was much more intens at the concert than on disc, you could feel it through your body.
This one is over-dubbed...ah well nothing can be perfect.

derek said:

The set doesn't sound clinical, the sound recording does. I would just prefer it 2 be a little less, erm... perfect. The music, musicians and performances are sublime. But IMO live set's need to be just a little bit raw.

Maybe it's not live.

But his band is clinical!!! They are so tight that everything is perfect. It's exactly the feeling I had already during the show. That's what happens when you put so many great musicians on the same stage!!!

I'm with derek on this one -I much rather a perfect clean soundbard recording. To hear the audience going nuts you already have like over a dozen of bootlegs from this tour to choose -all of them being "audience recordings".

Also, did any of you checked with headphones the "Anna Stesia" audience singalong ("God is love, love God...")? ... I don't know, but I've never heard an audience sing like a choir. Mmmh... Kip Blackshire, perhaps?

ThreadBare said:

I also had the feeling that maybe it wasn't live. I still ove the set, tho'!

stymie said:

I'm glad you love it. Are there any signs of interaction between Prince and the audience (like, say, Days of Wild from Crystal Ball), or is it a straight run-through of his set with crowd sound and too-perfect singalongs (a la AnnaStesia)?

ThreadBare said:

Well...some of it seemed to have the crowd noise added to it, but with Adore...ain't no fakin' that.

Spanjeganger said:

I noticed that, too! When he did the firsr few bars, teasing the audience here in Chicago, we went absolutely nuts! I really miss that in this version.

I saw When You Where Mine live in LA and right after Renato's old school solo Prince stopped the band for like 10 sec. as the crowd went absolutly crazy...and then started up again with the guitar. On the set there is no break at all between the keyboard solo and his guitar. I think he should have kept the pause in there so people can feel the energy he puts out to the crowd.

VINCENT said:

AMEN! that is such a true statement!

I think the crowd noise is at the right level, however, I would have liked them to creep it in sooner than they do on The Rainbow Children (they wait about a minute or so, right?). The excitement of that first song gets a little lost when they wipe it away like that. For a first time listener (who didn't attend the show) it risks sounding a bit stale...

Not complaining though, it's awful damn good!!!

ThreadBare said:

There's a cool bit at the beginning of Family Name,where he's asking the members at the front,"what's your family name?"-and this girl,obviously excited says"Rebecca"in a funny enthusiastic kinda way,so Prince does the same back to her.It is very funny-but you gotta hear it-I can't explain.

---

I think I felt the same way about the crowd noise when I first listened to it. It was a little low and missed capturing some of the energy and frenzy his legendary shows create.
I was looking for the kind of crowd atmosphere mixed with great music that you can hear on live classics from Earth Wind and Fire (True Devotion?), and a few others.
But again, this is just a small criticism for what is still a SLAMMIN' box set.
[This message was edited Thu Dec 12 21:22:14 PST 2002 by blackwell1]

The only song I notice this on is Rainbow Children. And it is probably because it is the D.C. recording and Prince was probably really concerned about getting that tricked out voiceover over the top of everything.

Also:
On bootlegs there is always that annoying person in the crowd that interrupts the flow of the songs. For instance on Chicago Theater bootleg during a beautiful version of I Love U But..., Someone yells out aaoohhwah and you hear this guy laughing at it. Annoying. Can't have that.

blackwell1 said:

The reason that the recording doesn't sound like any of these other classic live recordings is because this whole recording is simply stereo soundboard straight to DAT then straight to CD (well maybe not 'straight' to CD).

Almost 100% of live recordings these days are recorded via multi track so each vocal and instrument line can be recorded & mixed separately. Don't like a certain guitar lick - mix it down, that vocal part was off-key - mix it out a la Britney.

These recordings are as is - the live band gettin it right on the night - thats why i think they sound so good. Hell...i didn't attend a show but i feel the energy from the band!!!

derek said:

Thanks, Derek. It makes more sense now.