I got my copy from NPGMC in December and really liked it when it first came out. However now that it's a couple of months old, there are a few things that when listening to it again just really dissapoint me.

IMO he would have been better doing either 1) a three CD set of all new material, or 2) a three CD set of his standard "best of" material. One or the other. ONAL suffers because it can't seem to make up it's mind. During Xenophobia he says "if you were expecting to get your Purple Rain on, you in the wrong house" and then proceeds to play his "best of" repertoire for most of the 2nd CD!

The solo piano bit during the 2nd CD is nice the first time you listen to it (as long as you know the songs) but after that, it's just another collection of songs you've heard too many times before. And not only that, you only hear half the song as well - how irritating!

& finally the second half of Xenophobia where he talks to the crowd. I'm sure it would have been fun being there, but on CD, it's just boring!

Apart from that, I enjoy the set. Now that it's a couple of months old and I've listened to it enough for now, I can confidently give it *** out of *****
[This message was edited Tue Feb 18 17:03:11 PST 2003 by toejam]

Whilst I understand your point of view, I think both your other choices would have probably alienated far more people.

I think the set is an great balance for the following reasons...

- You have have an excellent choice of new material (The Rainbow Children, Xenophobia, Extraordinary, The Everlasting Now, Other Side Of The Pillow, Family Name, Avalanche).
- You also have a variety of older songs, some of which are staple concert favourites (Take Me With You/Raspeberry Beret, When You Were Mine, Nothing Compares 2 U) and some of which are truly unexpected and memorable (Joy In Repitition, Strange Relationship, The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker).
- The piano medley is probably meant to be just that, a medley. Some songs are played in full (Adore, How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore, Anna Stesia), others are just teases (Do Me, Baby, Diamonds & Pearls, Sometimes It Snows In April)
- And if anyone's ever been to an aftershow, you can't deny we also got that funk vibe (Peach, Girls and Boys, Superfunkycalifragisexy).

Just look at the variety and quality of those songs. That said, my views are probably also biased because I don't own any bootlegs.

I would rate it differently:
CD 1 - 5 stars
CD 2 - 2.5 stars
CD 3 - 4 stars

Actually what holds up the best for me is TRC material. Program in only those songs & it is really good. But then I love TRC.

I think if it were cut down to one cd it would be killer. Oops I sound like a Warner Bros. executive.

ZAZA2 said:

Let's see:
Cd 1 = 3.0 stars
Cd 2 = 3.5 stars
Cd 3 = 2.5 stars

Anji said:

C O O L

I don't own any bootlegs either cool - again






plus - I neva had the opportunity to go to MANY concerts, so

LIVE - COME ON - I just gotta say it again - COOL



[This message was edited Tue Feb 18 18:11:17 PST 2003 by naturegirl]

toejam said:

I don't think the 2nd CD is necessarily Prince's "best of" material. Most of the major hits are not on this album at all. It's almost a collection of minor Prince hits that the casual Prince fan recognizes very well.

and people wonder where NPGMUSIC CLUB 2003 IS...HMMM

Good CD for Fans. Not a good CD for the public.

Yes, critics and fans may have been blown away, but this tour is not one that the general public is dying to hear.

With that in mind, I would actually like to have a set of greatest hits live. Better yet, a DVD would be unbeleiveable.

Just because I am a knowledgeable fan doesn't mean that I'm so uppity that I cannot appreciate hearing Purple Rain, Kiss, Lets Go Crazy, etc. You have to remember that Prince made his living and his reputation on his ability to perform these songs live. Plus, he doesn't need to release "Hit and Run 1999" He could grab Just My Imagination from Small Club, Purple Rain from Syracuse, Gett Off from Mtv, etc...

ah well...

Dauphin said:

AMEN!

I remember giving "OneNiteAlone...Live" only 2 stars out of 5, for the simple reason that I miss THE FUNK.

I partially agree with Anji ("balanced set"), except for the piano medley, much too long, but what about funk? We got 1+1+1is3, and parts of StrangeRelationship and FamilyName, but then what? And don't you "ItAin'tOver"-me! Until P releases a Musiq-free version ("everybody in the house make some noise" = = equivalent to "show me your titties-IRockTherefore"), I ain't never diggin that one.

Thinking about the Zurich concert (oct30th,2002). I mean, weren't TheWork, Shake or DaysOfWild, just to name a few, played in the US or what? And the soundcheck, oh Lord: Let'sWork, Controversy/RaveUn2, HOLY FUCK, that was something!

Anyway, in my opinion, P live is at his best when playing pure funk, and I can't find much of it in the ONALcd.
Peace.
[This message was edited Tue Feb 18 23:46:30 PST 2003 by antuco]

Antuco, I find myself completely in that funk groove on the aftershow disc. I guess we disagree on this one.

The first disc is kind of ok with me, but the second disc
doesn't have that much cool stuff. Mainly because it looks
like a whole lot on the label, but the piano medley doesn't
go anywhere.

It would have all been ok for me personally if he'd played
3 or 4 complete songs on piano and thrown in a couple of
average length new and old tracks. Stuff like

Sign o The Times
Empty Room
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man
Prince And The Band [the song]

Same thing with disc 3, it has some very cool songs on it
but the overall feel is too loose. It would have been more
cohesive if he'd omitted the Musiq part and put on another
standard, like a rocked out "Paisley Park" or "Calhoun Sq"
and "The Question Of U".

I don't really know what to think of this set, it has some
great performances, but it just stops dead in it's tracks
in too many places to make it a good listen.

ONA Live - ***1/2

It Ain't Over - **



I firmly believe this is roughly how this set will be rated by fans after the hoopla has died down and people gain a bit of perspective. There are MUCH better aftershows out there than the stuff on It Ain't Over.



.
[This message was edited Wed Feb 19 1:38:25 PST 2003 by mrdespues]

IstenSzek said:

Amen!

Anji said:

Call me weird, but these lenghty and at time monotonous jams (with two exceptions...) with barely any singing don't excite me, at least on cd. P can do much better than that.