In this month's issue of Q magazine, ONA Live got 3 stars (Which Q translate as "Good, but not to everyone's taste").

It has a gold cover and is a special 200th edition. It's a fairly short review and I unfortunately left my copy at work and won't pick it up until Monday

Maybe someone else from the UK that bought Q today could post the review here?

Don't they have a web site?

calldapplwondery83 said:

yes they do, www.qonline.co.uk
but the reviews are not published until the following months (otherwise nobody would bother buying the magazine, cuz they could get the reviews for free from the website).

It's worth reading the old Prince reviews on the site. Interesting reading indeed

I Remember when they use to Review His Stuff as soon as it dropped.I still read Q every time it arrives at the local Store.

Here's the review:

Purple funkster gets good again on live compendium.

"Ironic, given Prince's erratic form in recent years, that a box set should see him refocused. A double CD recorded in the US on the 2002 One Nite Alone tour offers esoteric (read: boring) new songs plus classic hits performed solo on piano.

CD3, subtitled 'It Ain't Over!', features further live highlights from club dates that accompanied the tour, a blistering 'Joy In Repetition' proving he's the finest guitarist of his generation. But the real treasure is a 10-track studio CD (only available via www.npgmusicclub.com) of piano-and-vocal only recordings, all live takes, including a version of Joni Mitchell's 'A Case Of U' (his spelling) and some of the best songs Prince has written in 15 years". (Reviewer - Paul Elliott)

It also says:

Burn this: 'Here On Earth'
Like this? Try this: Curtis Mayfield, 'Curtis Live'.

Q always kind of supported Prince. They wrote a great Emancipation-review at the time.

At last, someone said it !

I've bought every single issue of Q magazine for at least the last ten years but - especially after this review - am considering giving it the brush-off. What used to be quite a well-written, insightful magazine just panders to the latest 'In' band or flavour of the month these days. Or can't get over its' eternal fixation with Radiohead.

What sort of review is this?? "...some of the best songs that Prince has written in the last 15 years". How? In what way? Okay, it's a positive statement but hardly a groundbreaking critique. Lazy, lazy journalism. If I was Prince I wouldn't have even bothered sending a copy; what an utter waste.

One of the most influential, respected, talented artists of all time releases his first live set, let alone proper box set, and this is all they can write. Pathetic. Good to see the reviewer got his money's worth.

Anyway, rant over.

onenitealone said:

The problem with Q is that it wastes far too much space on articles on bands and less on reviewing music. Their reviews are way too short. Uncut is the greatest music magazine the UK has by some distance, followed by Mojo.

You're right about Q though, they're obsessed with Radiohead and you almost know what ratings they're gonna give albums before you read them. If its not a hyped up band they will never give a five star review..NEVER! It's like the only bands with great albums are the ones who have a massive industry push behind them..hmmm. Q sucks corporate ass.