The more i listen to this the more I just think it's sheer genius and probably the best live recording I've heard!

I love the pace, the horns, the excitement, the rawness and rudeness (Sister and Jack U Off live!), spirituality and sexuality, the energy and the atmosphere. The recording is great too with a good level of background audience noise which adds to the excitement!

Are there any other live concert recordings that come close in your opinion?

I have heard Small Club before you all mention it, this is great too, but it's more a low key intimate affair...i love the excitement of this one........

[Edited 11/19/11 8:48am]

theres miles better boots. the japanese lovesexy soundboards for a start if you like that tour. there are just so many boots, and loads of soundboards and great sounding and excellent shows covering all the tours

^

I just think this concert shows him at a real live peak and there are some great horns on there...so slick and well rehearsed but still feels spontaneous.....

what are some better video boots then if this isnt as great as i think it is?

there is NO better concert footage of prince or any other artist for that matter. genius on every level.

Is that the Dortmund one that is on video? That is not one of his better concerts.

uuhson said:

what are some better video boots then if this isnt as great as i think it is?

Aug 3, 1983 First Ave is maybe my favorite. Tokyo 1990 is another damn good one. Prince doesn't seem to hire good directors for most of his concerts unfortunately.

wtf ever

thanks for ignoring my post

[Edited 11/21/11 8:27am]

^ Thanks...I actually meant more audio recordings. I'm not talking just about technical quality, I'm really talking about the actual performance, the rawness, energy and the excitement of it.

What I love about Dortmund 88 is the above, plus the way the audience is mixed in to add to the energy of it. It just sounds to me like Prince at the height of his career....love all the instrumentation and drumbeats and Leeds' horns are exquisite...its P with one of his best ever bands...

9 September 88 is a date to remember. As a complete show this has it all.

Its hard to compare it to anything else.

bobbyperu said:

Funny thing, I was just listening to it yesterday, for the first time in ages. This was the show that made me a Prince fan! So what do I think of it now? First, the audience. They were getting wild! And yes, the horns are gorgeous.Beautiful piano playing by Prince. Good guitar work from Miko, but nothing really that P couldn't play himself. I wonder how many in the audience really picked up the good vs evil battle? On the train back from the Arnhem concert last year I spoke to a man who had been there and who had not noticed. And as good as it was, it gets a bit tiring to listen to because Prince doesn't allow you any rest. He races through his songs like a Ferrari. These days, he has relaxed and takes his time with his songs. And plays a whole lot more guitar. And I'm perfectly happy with that. Other good bootlegs? The one from the Controversy tour in New Orleans!

Agreed - listening to this year's tour I feel although great, it needs some 'horns', love the 'horns'.

I love the section in Jack U Off and how it segues to Sister...........freakin amazing

[Edited 11/20/11 5:07am]

bobbyperu said:

Good guitar work from Miko, but nothing really that P couldn't play himself.

Pricne doesn't hire guitar players to play things he can't, (although they often do) he hires them so he can sing and dance and do whatever he feels like doing on stage at that time so he doesn't HAVE to play guitar. I can't speak to Miko's creativity, but I know he can play jazz guitar in ways that Prince cannot. In other ways, who knows. He wasn't allowed much room to jam.

Possibly!

steakfinger said:

bobbyperu said:

Good guitar work from Miko, but nothing really that P couldn't play himself.

Pricne doesn't hire guitar players to play things he can't, (although they often do) he hires them so he can sing and dance and do whatever he feels like doing on stage at that time so he doesn't HAVE to play guitar. I can't speak to Miko's creativity, but I know he can play jazz guitar in ways that Prince cannot. In other ways, who knows. He wasn't allowed much room to jam.

one of miko's great strengths was that he resisted overplaying, laying down a simple groove gave prince room to improvise. rhythm players need to possess a intuitive ear for music, which miko definitely had in abundance.

bobbyperu said:

Funny thing, I was just listening to it yesterday, for the first time in ages. This was the show that made me a Prince fan! So what do I think of it now? First, the audience. They were getting wild! And yes, the horns are gorgeous.Beautiful piano playing by Prince. Good guitar work from Miko, but nothing really that P couldn't play himself. I wonder how many in the audience really picked up the good vs evil battle? On the train back from the Arnhem concert last year I spoke to a man who had been there and who had not noticed. And as good as it was, it gets a bit tiring to listen to because Prince doesn't allow you any rest. He races through his songs like a Ferrari. These days, he has relaxed and takes his time with his songs. And plays a whole lot more guitar. And I'm perfectly happy with that. Other good bootlegs? The one from the Controversy tour in New Orleans!

i went to a london show and the main reason it blew me away was the fact that prince didn't give the audience time to breath. the frenetic energy of the medleys was almost punk in it's approach. this was when eric and atlanta's playing shone through as the rest of the band played off them. having only recently became a fan before the show i wasn't totally aware of the black album saga, but i knew i was witnessing something much more profound than mere entertainment. i've never been at a gig since with such a tangible energy between performer and audience. other tours i followed i always noticed that after the show people were chatty as they left, after lovesexy we left in silence and stunned disbelief.