Having become so cynical over the last few years with his recorded output [LF disc aside of course!] and his live tour I actually passed on the chance to see him at Hop farm!. Hoever as the Summer has worn on and as I look back at his live back catalogue and listen to many recent live, FREE, bootlegs I can only marvel at this man.

Who else tours in such high volumes, seemingly year after year. Who else changes their set lists beyond all recognition so often. Who else is crazy enough to do so many aftershows in the early hours!. Who else has so much input into the performance. Who else is shifting tickets in decent volumes in the current climate. The answer is nobody.

It is pointless comparing newer bands as they will nearly always have the need to prove themselves and the hunger to create a career. Yet even on that score prince is outdoing the youth!.

I have been critical about the ridiculous short time frame given to buy tix [=commercial sucide!] but I think LA may have taught him a painful lesson and also the sound issues are hopefully now fixed.

If you can name anyone who compares then hit me now!

.....if we can only get the bugger to now do a half decent CD!!!

[Edited 8/11/11 6:13am]

funkyhead said:

.....if we can only get the bugger to now do a half decent CD!!!

Quite.

funkyhead said:

Having become so cynical over the last few years with his recorded output [LF disc aside of course!] and his live tour I actually passed on the chance to see him at Hop farm!. Hoever as the Summer has worn on and as I look back at his live back catalogue and listen to many recent live, FREE, bootlegs I can only marvel at this man.

Who else tours in such high volumes, seemingly year after year. Who else changes their set lists beyond all recognition so often. Who else is crazy enough to do so many aftershows in the early hours!. Who else has so much input into the performance. Who else is shifting tickets in decent volumes in the current climate. The answer is nobody.

It is pointless comparing newer bands as they will nearly always have the need to prove themselves and the hunger to create a career. Yet even on that score prince is outdoing the youth!.

I have been critical about the ridiculous short time frame given to buy tix [=commercial sucide!] but I think LA may have taught him a painful lesson and also the sound issues are hopefully now fixed.

If you can name anyone who compares then hit me now!

.....if we can only get the bugger to now do a half decent CD!!!

[Edited 8/11/11 6:13am]

I can only reply to that by saying NO ONE compares 2 Prince LIVE!!!! I say that to everyone who listens long enough, when I start explaining why I think he is so unique as a live performer!!

His versatility is one thing I always point out, too. Or who else can play the guitar, bass, keyboards and even drums (when he chooses to do so, as recently in Copenhagen) live and switch around between them effortlessly??

He is also remarkable regarding his obvious ongoing passion and dedication to performing! He clearly loves what he is doing, and that is something that can surely not be said about all the other big stars who tour.

And - as you said - he is performing at a very high level every night he is on that stage!! To me, he is a sensation on stage and he far outdoes everybody else - younger or older artists!

Prince is an extraordinary live performer, but depending on your taste there are others who can match him. Catch Liam Finn next time he's in your town for a good example. Apologies if this sounds blasphemous!

sabaisabai said:

Prince is an extraordinary live performer, but depending on your taste there are others who can match him. Catch Liam Finn next time he's in your town for a good example. Apologies if this sounds blasphemous!

Why are you apologizing?

Someone elses opinion is merely that. It's not one of the ten commandments.

If you feel that there is an artist/band that is equal or better than Prince in a live (or any) setting then so be it. You are as entitled to an opinion as anyone else whether people agree with you or not.

Prince is a different kind of performer, but there are others who can compete, 1 of them is an Italiana-American from his generation

There are no other artists (that I can think of) who plays the volume of shows that Prince plays, to play regular main shows and then to go onto a club or whatever and play for another 2-3 (more) hours is (imo) quite unique in modern music.

As for input into live shows, I agree that Prince puts a huge effort into playing live, more so probably in the past, but i'm quite certain that there are many other artists/bands who put just as much input musically and otherwise into their live shows.

he really is brilliant....

there was a thread asking if janet was a 'legend'... and it seemed like people were saying 'no because while she was big from 86-98, she fell off since then"

well, the same could be said for prince too.. (yes, he is different in that he is a virtuoso, innovator, influential, pioneer etc)..

but if you just look at the charts, its sort of the same, except prince was pretty much gone after 92..

its his live act that makes him a legend, i think...

it is what has kept him relevant enough to sell so many tickets after nearly 20 years of not having a 'hit'.

Saw him recently in Dublin and I have to agree. It was by far the best gig I've ever been to, visuals, set list, crowd interaction and musicianship were all spot on.

I think he's been peerless as a live performer since 1982 !

OldFriends4Sale said:

Prince is a different kind of performer, but there are others who can compete, 1 of them is an Italiana-American from his generation

please stop the madness

Prince's performing & band conducting skills have me spoiled. I find other bands/singers boring to watch any more, even though I love their music and they're giving a good performance, it's just not nearly as 'entertaining'.

You have to actively watch/listen to Prince EVERY second or you'll miss something, where others stand, walk around or are dancing while lip-syncing...blah. His expressions, interactions with the band and audience draw you into a separate place and it's hard to come back to earth afterwards. When I leave other shows I'm thinking, 'yeah, that was good, but not nearly as much FUN as Prince'.

When I watched the Africa Channel special and saw that young girl who was at her first concert ever, I thought, 'oh, poor thing, she's 'ruined' for life now, but what a fantastic & memorable first experience!' Especially, after hearing what an awesome show that turned out to be, it will be hard for anything besides another Prince show to measure up.

[Edited 8/11/11 8:28am]

Serena said:

Prince's performing & band conducting skills have me spoiled. I find other bands/singers boring to watch any more, even though I love their music and they're giving a good performance, it's just not nearly as 'entertaining'.

You have to actively watch/listen to Prince EVERY second or you'll miss something, where others stand, walk around or are dancing while lip-syncing...blah. His expressions, interactions with the band and audience draw you into a separate place and it's hard to come back to earth afterwards. When I leave other shows I'm thinking, 'yeah, that was good, but not nearly as much FUN as Prince'.

When I watched the Africa Channel special and saw that young girl who was at her first concert ever, I thought, 'oh, poor thing, she's 'ruined' for life now, but what a fantastic & memorable first experience!' Especially, after hearing what an awesome show that turned out to be, it will be hard for anything besides another Prince show to measure up.

[Edited 8/11/11 8:28am]

Perfectly put. I actually felt like I was on a come down the week following the concert. I've never had a gig do this to me previously!

I've seen so many acts live sice 1980 that I've lost count.

Thee only 2 bands that I would even consider keeping up with Prince was Bootsy's band and Mint Condition.

Prince is in the top 5 best performers out there right now. The act that I saw this summer that totally amazed me (and I wasn't expecting) was Paul McCartney. Saw him at Wrigley a few weeks ago. The best show I've seen...since...well...Prince in 04. The guy is 69 and sounded pitch perfect (and NO it was NOT a recording)...I left wanting more and the show was 2.5 hours.

Other top live acts right now...

Bruce Springsteen

U2

Roger Waters (the Wall shows he's been doing are incredible)

I would also include White Stripes which of course is no longer...but amazing live show.

Dewrede said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Prince is a different kind of performer, but there are others who can compete, 1 of them is an Italiana-American from his generation

please stop the madness

knee jerk reactions don't work well with me

I'm a HUGE Prince fan, but like I said, all performers are different.

Different music styles and types.

Prince & Michael Jackson for example are nothing like each other.

Prince's kind of performance and arena is very much different than what Michaels was

So I never really saw the comparison

But your not going to tell me Michael Jackson (generally speaking) couldn't blow Prince out the water as a live act

I've seen live Jazz performers that kill it every time and sell out every time. I still wouldn't compare with Prince because it's a totally different venue style audience etc

What we are really dealing with is entertainers. Madonna is huge as an entertainer. I don't have to be a fan to acknowledge what is. From album sales to sold out tours she has remained constant and actually gone up. Her last tour Sticky Sweet was so huge that when it ended the 1st time, she started it up again and it sold out. And she is a grade A entertainer. Just a different kind.

^

The comaprison is ridiculous imho ;

She can't sing to safe her life , she doesn't play any instruments , doesn't write her own songs

(or hardly)

etc etc

She doesn't compete in the least , she's a talentless marketable product

Prince is genius

[Edited 8/11/11 10:07am]

funkyhead said:

Having become so cynical over the last few years with his recorded output [LF disc aside of course!] and his live tour I actually passed on the chance to see him at Hop farm!. Hoever as the Summer has worn on and as I look back at his live back catalogue and listen to many recent live, FREE, bootlegs I can only marvel at this man.

Who else tours in such high volumes, seemingly year after year. Who else changes their set lists beyond all recognition so often. Who else is crazy enough to do so many aftershows in the early hours!. Who else has so much input into the performance. Who else is shifting tickets in decent volumes in the current climate. The answer is nobody.

It is pointless comparing newer bands as they will nearly always have the need to prove themselves and the hunger to create a career. Yet even on that score prince is outdoing the youth!.

I have been critical about the ridiculous short time frame given to buy tix [=commercial sucide!] but I think LA may have taught him a painful lesson and also the sound issues are hopefully now fixed.

If you can name anyone who compares then hit me now!

.....if we can only get the bugger to now do a half decent CD!!!

[Edited 8/11/11 6:13am]

painful lesson?

i think many of us know Prince long enough to be sure he will continue to do thangs his own way, including the short-notices...that's how he does thangs

Dewrede said:

^

The comaprison is ridiculous imho ;

She can't sing to safe her life , she doesn't play any instruments , doesn't write her own songs

(or hardly)

etc etc

She doesn't compete in the least , she's a talentless marketable product

Prince is genius

Again, I'm not comparing her with Prince.

But if she was as horrible as you say, she still wouldn't be relevant in 2011 and she has remained relevant as an entertainer

She knows how to play drums and before she became "Madonna" played drums in a rock band. And she plays guitar and does pretty good. You're on a tanget, most of her songs she does write (co/write)

Get your head out of Prince's ass

Again if she had nothing she wouldn't be where she is

Prince is a genius in his own right

but uhhh so is Madonna...his peer

[Edited 8/11/11 19:33pm]

Dewrede said:

^

The comaprison is ridiculous imho ;

She can't sing to safe her life , she doesn't play any instruments , doesn't write her own songs

(or hardly)

etc etc

She doesn't compete in the least , she's a talentless marketable product

Prince is genius

and it's save not safe

slow down take a breath

When are some people gonna understand one thing?

PRINCE IS IN HIS OWN PLANET.

The fuck you gonna compare him to other people? Should they matter to you if you're a Prince fan/stam/fam/what the fuck?

Irs been like since i could remember, he is the king of live performances, even now without all the choreography.

Timmy84 said:

When are some people gonna understand one thing?

PRINCE IS IN HIS OWN PLANET.

The fuck you gonna compare him to other people? Should they matter to you if you're a Prince fan/stam/fam/what the fuck?

I don't even play Prince music with other music

It just never works for me lol When I do playlists it's always only Prince (protege) music

Because Prince is Uptown Erotic City Paisly Park 3121 etc Prince music just works best 4 me with Prince music

OldFriends4Sale said:

Timmy84 said:

When are some people gonna understand one thing?

PRINCE IS IN HIS OWN PLANET.

The fuck you gonna compare him to other people? Should they matter to you if you're a Prince fan/stam/fam/what the fuck?

I don't even play Prince music with other music

It just never works for me lol When I do playlists it's always only Prince (protege) music

Because Prince is Uptown Erotic City Paisly Park 3121 etc Prince music just works best 4 me with Prince music

Exactly. Which is why I find it funny people here wanna compare Prince to other folks when the "other folks" shouldn't BOTHER them.

[Edited 8/11/11 11:02am]

OldFriends4Sale said:

Dewrede said:

^

The comaprison is ridiculous imho ;

She can't sing to safe her life , she doesn't play any instruments , doesn't write her own songs

(or hardly)

etc etc

She doesn't compete in the least , she's a talentless marketable product

Prince is genius

and it's save not safe

slow down take a breath

i know

After having seen MJ twice I thought there´s no better shows -I was SOOOOO wrong!! No one can beat PRINCE !!!

I saw two shows by my favorite band that put Prince's 2009 concert to shame and barely trumped his 07/07/07 show. Sorry.

Prince is amazing when he's in the zone, but I've seen a few bad shows by him. When he's not in the mood, it really shows.

The thing with Madonna, like may other 'big stars' is that you get essentially a 'big predictable show'. So regardless if it's her, GAGA, Take That, U2 etc it really doesn't matter when or where you see them the show will still be more or less the same. Cetain P tours have also been very predictable i.e. Purple Rain, Lovesexy etc but this time round you just don't know what to expect.

Whatever your thoughts about his song choices are i.e. plays nothing much new etc when you add up all the parts of his 'live game' then P is without any shadow of doubt a monster performer live. Simples!

yes, I will take Paul McCartney as damn good and at 69 years of age he is simply incredible.

[Edited 8/12/11 15:19pm]