I don't know if there has been a thread on this or not, but:

Which one do you think is the best boot out of the two (as far as sound, setlist, energy etc)

My pick would be 1984 birthday show, even though I own both, it was something about hearing the 84 show for the first time.

[Edited 8/20/11 9:47am]

1984 birthday show.

Small Club is awesome for what it is, and it captures a very good aftershow in good quality. But the birthday show is a full-on main event.

The solo in JMI makes this an extremely hard choice because while the entire show of 1984 is the greatest thing ever form the purple camp, that solo is like...his greatest...

can I vote for it be a tie?

I like them both equally.

That's a tough one. I've got to go with Small Club but maybe that's because it was just such an incredible revelation when it came out in '88 or '89. But People Without, DMSR, Rave..some great stuff on there.

The soundboard birthday show just surfaced a few months ago, but you've got Our Destiny, Roadhouse, Possessed on there..

I think the Aug 3, 1983 show is better than both of them but not really available in pristine soundboard quality.

[Edited 8/20/11 12:26pm]

Small Club

Tough one indeed but Small Club gets my vote mainly for sentimental reasons, one of the first boots I got on vinyl back in the days along with Charade and a bizarre pressing of the Black Album.

1984 birthday show

I love them both.

Small Club is still a stunning recording, but I feel that the energy of the '84 Birthday Show is hard to beat.

Small Club has reached a legendary status among collectors of bootlegs, and I feel that given time the '84 Birthday Show will reach that status too one day.

Both are fantastic recordings and essential to anyone interested in Prince bootlegs.

1984 Birthday Show without a doubt.

i find the interest in these bootlegs very interesting...dont get me wrong...i have had my fair share over the years on old tapes and stuff...but i was always more interested in his unreleased studio recordings (outwith his official releases of course)...i was never that interested in his live audio recordings...i have heard his just my imagination cover..of course...and the solo is indeed amazing...but i dont think i have ever listened to the full small club recording...because..as i said...the studio recordings has always been more interesting to me....now if there was a video recording of the small club gig...then i would be very interested in that...concerts...aftershows...i want to hear and SEE it....the audio is not enough for me...

.

just on this general point....do some of you who collect all these live bootlegs....so you think that prince's real genius is in his aftershows....small gigs.. ?...is that why you collect them....?...or do you love his recorded work and are just collecting everything you can ....?....

.

thanks..

Why this obsessive need to compare?

I hate these 'vs.' threads.

vc40 said:

1984 Birthday Show without a doubt.

This. I can listen to the entire birthday show without wanting to skip one track, and also none of them are covers. Not that I don't have major love for Small Club, because I do. But the 1984 has it all over SC.

Best? I dont know, in terms of something being the "best" theres alot to consider, But my favorite between the 2 is 1984 Birthday Show without a doubt, but it could be due to the tunes themselves.

blackbob said:

i find the interest in these bootlegs very interesting...dont get me wrong...i have had my fair share over the years on old tapes and stuff...but i was always more interested in his unreleased studio recordings (outwith his official releases of course)...i was never that interested in his live audio recordings...i have heard his just my imagination cover..of course...and the solo is indeed amazing...but i dont think i have ever listened to the full small club recording...because..as i said...the studio recordings has always been more interesting to me....now if there was a video recording of the small club gig...then i would be very interested in that...concerts...aftershows...i want to hear and SEE it....the audio is not enough for me...

.

just on this general point....do some of you who collect all these live bootlegs....so you think that prince's real genius is in his aftershows....small gigs.. ?...is that why you collect them....?...or do you love his recorded work and are just collecting everything you can ....?....

.

thanks..

Both. I know that there are shows like Small Club & The Birthday Show (and many others) that will blow me away and that I will listen to as much as the albums, so, I collect everything I can looking for those shows. The majority that don't fit the bill go in the collection and don't get much play, but the GENIUS shows go in regular rotation.

vitriol said:

Why this obsessive need to compare?

I hate these 'vs.' threads.

Then why open the thread, read responses, and respond yourself?

Seems like if you hate these threads you would avoid them.

Are you a masochist?

Just funnin' with ya!

Nah! I mean there's always a sick need to 'rate' and 'compare' and 'chooose' and I don't undertand that.

THAT'S WHY I read the thread and posted on it.

vitriol said:

Nah! I mean there's always a sick need to 'rate' and 'compare' and 'chooose' and I don't undertand that.

THAT'S WHY I read the thread and posted on it.

I usually don't like them either, this one's a decent exception, IMO.

I was just messin' with ya. I actually mostly agree with you.

Small club has a GREAT first two tracks and then an awful version of Housequake... and then gets a little bit less interesting for me. But it is raw and live.

But those first two tracks... INCREDIBLE.

1984 Birthday Show as released by bootleggers with tweaking and edits is cool.

But right now, the newest version of the soundboard SOTT concert from Paris (mixed with some other shows to complete it) is STRONG. Incredible version of Housequake.

trn22 said:

... even though I own both, ...

How do you "own" something that was stolen?

Birthday show is miles ahead. Small Club is overrated. The highlights on Small Club are amongst his greatest moments, but wayyyy too much filler. The Birthday show is nonstop awesome, in it's quality, tracklist, and also its historical context.