Seems that when the other city lights installments popped up there was endless healthy discussion/gushing, but I've seen only 1 mention of the SOTT installment so far.

I'm in the process of grabbing this right now. Anyone have it already? Is it as amazing as it looks from the flyer? All these classic shows in one spot and remastered? I've not even heard some of them as the SOTT tour wasn't one of my absolute favorites.

Here's some info for the curious:

http://main.thedigitalgarden.org/c/1765-city-lights-remastered-vol-4.html

Disc 1 encompasses the earliest documented Sign O’ The Times concert that Prince ever performed in front of an audience. It’s the classic test gig from First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, taped on 21March 1987. As bonus there are newly enhanced recordings of both songs he presented with live vocals and live guitar over a pre-recorded backing track at the MTV Music Awards on11September 1987 and also, for the first time on CD, Sheila E’s live appearance on The Tonight Show (previously hosted by Johnny Carson, here with a freshly installed Jay Leno instead) to perform Charles Parker’s Now‘s The Time and to promote the concert film Sign O’ The Times on 1 December 1987.

Disc 2 features a long gig at Rupert’s Nightclub in Golden Valley, MN, taped on 5 September 1987. The set performed contained several rare choices and cover versions, including The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker, The Sex Of It, Love And Happiness [Al Green], I Want To Take You Higher [SlyStone], I’ll Take You There [The Staple Singers] and Mother Popcorn [James Brown].

Disc 3 has the only French aftershow from that year, the classic New Morning concert from Paris, delivered on 15 June 1987 AM. Highlights to mention are the cover versions Purple House [Jimi Hendrix], I Got My Mind Made Up [Instant Funk] and Prince‘s own What Did I Do?

Disc 4 is a fresh approach at a pretty odd Prince event: an all-instrumental gig from The Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis, MN, played on 5 December 1987. Fully remastered from an amateurish fan release, this includes Eleven, Freddie Freeloader [by Miles Davis], Jack U Off and many more.

Disc 5 brings you a soundboard-recorded Strange Relationship from First Avenue, Mpls, MN, 21 March 1987 plus the longest and best-sounding soundboard recording of Prince’s Paisley Park concert with special guests Miles Davis and Joe ‘Foley’ McCreary. Auld Lang Syne is performed.

Disc 6 has a benefit gig from club U4, a tiny disco in Vienna, Austria from 29 May 1987 AM plus additional live rarities from the European leg of the Sign O’ The Times tour 1987. The U4 recording stands out for its only-ever inclusion of a live take on the outtake The Ball. Prince also presents Adore and several rather unusual incarnations of well-known compositions.

For some reason, Digital Garden's not changed the links and such to reflect that its installment 6, not 4. But that link above works.

Hey thanks Spin, and of course Digitalgardener.

Yeah definitely be grabbing this to check it out. Anyone started listening yet.....

80spfantwp said:

Hey thanks Spin, and of course Digitalgardener.

Nothing to do with me mate.

sounds amazing, have some of these on DVD so it will be great to have the audio.

Most if not all what is on this release we have already, it's really up to the individual how little or how much they believe it has been "remastered." My experience with these releases (this one included) is that Sab hype them up with a huge list of all the things they have fixed and made better, but on actual listening the sound is not that disimilar to the original recordings.

Free labels have put out excellent versions of the First Ave gig, the Paris aftershow, and The Fine Line show. The others? The new year '87 has been bootlegged to death how many times?

The one item in thic collection I was looking forward to was the Ruperts show, the original on Thunderball has a bad sound, the version on this does seem to be an improvement however, but it's still not fantastic.

I think these releases are great (if one obtains for free) for new fans or casual bootleg collectors, but for hardcores, nearly everything has been heard before, and I find these releases to be a bit of a waste of time, especially considering the large amount of cash Sab are charging for them.

Let's not forget that Sab have also plundered some free releases for inclusion on some of these volumes, a tactic that will stick in my throat forever.

If you can get this for free, go for it, I have every single Sab release, and will continue to collect future ones, but it's very rare that I listen to any of these recent releases. Sab need to come up with something new and unique to spark my interest again, but continually releasing these things from the past without any major improvement is just dull.

[Edited 3/21/12 11:34am]

TheDigitalGardener said:

continually releasing these things from the past without any major improvement is just dull.

That's all that needs to be said, nothing to add.

This release isn't an exception.....

Spinlight said:

I've not even heard some of them as the SOTT tour wasn't one of my absolute favorites.

Spinlight, I really recommend this release http://main.thedigitalgar...70687.html it's very tasty.

I still understand the purpose of having the same stuff over and over, and over again as a collectible for the sake of collecting. I didn't understand back in 86, when I considered about being obsessive collector and still don't to this day.

These days I collect dosh instead!

TheDigitalGardener said:

Most if not all what is on this release we have already, it's really up to the individual how little or how much they believe it has been "remastered." My experience with these releases (this one included) is that Sab hype them up with a huge list of all the things they have fixed and made better, but on actual listening the sound is not that disimilar to the original recordings.

Free labels have put out excellent versions of the First Ave gig, the Paris aftershow, and The Fine Line show. The others? The new year '87 has been bootlegged to death how many times?

The one item in thic collection I was looking forward to was the Ruperts show, the original on Thunderball has a bad sound, the version on this does seem to be an improvement however, but it's still not fantastic.

I think these releases are great (if one obtains for free) for new fans or casual bootleg collectors, but for hardcores, nearly everything has been heard before, and I find these releases to be a bit of a waste of time, especially considering the large amount of cash Sab are charging for them.

Let's not forget that Sab have also plundered some free releases for inclusion on some of these volumes, a tactic that will stick in my throat forever.

If you can get this for free, go for it, I have every single Sab release, and will continue to collect future ones, but it's very rare that I listen to any of these recent releases. Sab need to come up with something new and unique to spark my interest again, but continually releasing these things from the past without any major improvement is just dull.

[Edited 3/21/12 11:34am]

I don't ever buy bootlegs.

Whoever does... that's their business, but they're silly.

The merit of this release, given its free on the internet for people who are capable, is that it collects these shows together. I dunno. People nutted buttholes over the last installments so why not this one?

Spinlight said:

TheDigitalGardener said:

Most if not all what is on this release we have already, it's really up to the individual how little or how much they believe it has been "remastered." My experience with these releases (this one included) is that Sab hype them up with a huge list of all the things they have fixed and made better, but on actual listening the sound is not that disimilar to the original recordings.

Free labels have put out excellent versions of the First Ave gig, the Paris aftershow, and The Fine Line show. The others? The new year '87 has been bootlegged to death how many times?

The one item in thic collection I was looking forward to was the Ruperts show, the original on Thunderball has a bad sound, the version on this does seem to be an improvement however, but it's still not fantastic.

I think these releases are great (if one obtains for free) for new fans or casual bootleg collectors, but for hardcores, nearly everything has been heard before, and I find these releases to be a bit of a waste of time, especially considering the large amount of cash Sab are charging for them.

Let's not forget that Sab have also plundered some free releases for inclusion on some of these volumes, a tactic that will stick in my throat forever.

If you can get this for free, go for it, I have every single Sab release, and will continue to collect future ones, but it's very rare that I listen to any of these recent releases. Sab need to come up with something new and unique to spark my interest again, but continually releasing these things from the past without any major improvement is just dull.

[Edited 3/21/12 11:34am]

I don't ever buy bootlegs.

Whoever does... that's their business, but they're silly.

The merit of this release, given its free on the internet for people who are capable, is that it collects these shows together. I dunno. People nutted buttholes over the last installments so why not this one?

Do these collectors actually listen to every damn bootleg CD or is it reallly just for collecting? I see no point in collecting everything unless it's an outstanding stuff. Some people have too much time...

OzlemUcucu said:

Spinlight said:

I don't ever buy bootlegs.

Whoever does... that's their business, but they're silly.

The merit of this release, given its free on the internet for people who are capable, is that it collects these shows together. I dunno. People nutted buttholes over the last installments so why not this one?

Do these collectors actually listen to every damn bootleg CD or is it reallly just for collecting? I see no point in collecting everything unless it's an outstanding stuff. Some people have too much time...

I've tried collecting every little show, etc... Got disinterested. There's only so many times I can hear the same arrangements and performances over and over.

I prefer, as you say, to collect the outstanding stuff. Hell, I'll take several shows of the same tour if the performances are out of this world (see: Sendai, Nagoya, Dortmund Lovesexy shows). But I ain't collectin' every single release cuz not even Prince can hold my attention that long.

Spinlight said:

OzlemUcucu said:

There's only so many times I can hear the same arrangements and performances over and over. Yes, Kiss comes to mind.

But even with all the outstanding stuff you need time to listen to them, not to mention you have to be in the mood to listen to a specific song. Those people collecting all stuff are simply collectors, some probably have never listened to any stuff they been collecting for years. Nice thing to do, if you have time, but even Prince is not that worth of my time .

The DGardener collects everything, maybe he/she can tell us what the deal is. Are we missing out on anything?

[Edited 3/21/12 16:23pm]

Spinlight said:

TheDigitalGardener said:

Most if not all what is on this release we have already, it's really up to the individual how little or how much they believe it has been "remastered." My experience with these releases (this one included) is that Sab hype them up with a huge list of all the things they have fixed and made better, but on actual listening the sound is not that disimilar to the original recordings.

Free labels have put out excellent versions of the First Ave gig, the Paris aftershow, and The Fine Line show. The others? The new year '87 has been bootlegged to death how many times?

The one item in thic collection I was looking forward to was the Ruperts show, the original on Thunderball has a bad sound, the version on this does seem to be an improvement however, but it's still not fantastic.

I think these releases are great (if one obtains for free) for new fans or casual bootleg collectors, but for hardcores, nearly everything has been heard before, and I find these releases to be a bit of a waste of time, especially considering the large amount of cash Sab are charging for them.

Let's not forget that Sab have also plundered some free releases for inclusion on some of these volumes, a tactic that will stick in my throat forever.

If you can get this for free, go for it, I have every single Sab release, and will continue to collect future ones, but it's very rare that I listen to any of these recent releases. Sab need to come up with something new and unique to spark my interest again, but continually releasing these things from the past without any major improvement is just dull.

[Edited 3/21/12 11:34am]

I don't ever buy bootlegs.

Whoever does... that's their business, but they're silly.

The merit of this release, given its free on the internet for people who are capable, is that it collects these shows together. I dunno. People nutted buttholes over the last installments so why not this one?

I never really seen that much of a hype surrounding the previous volumes. Maybe I missed that. I think there was an initial WOW factor when the first couple of volumes were announced but maybe the interest in these has depleted a little. The large amount of attention that the pro shot LA show DVD gathered may have overshadowed this release somewhat.

I think also that there are perhaps a lot of people that don't know that this is out there. It may have been announced on maybe a couple of other forums? I'm not sure. I recall one thread about this release a couple of months before it's release date but the thread sank very quickly. Also, There was a long delay with this relase, if I remember correct the original release date was late December 2011, then when it did finally appear it did so with almost zero promotion, and in the wake of the LA DVD.

I dunno, i'm speculating here.

OzlemUcucu said:

Spinlight said:

The DGardener collects everything, maybe he/she can tell us what the deal is. Are we missing out on anything?

I used to, now i'm selective, especially the live shows of the last few years which are for the most part hits based, something I have little interest in unless it's a performance that somehow sets it apart from others.

TheDigitalGardener said:

Spinlight said:

I don't ever buy bootlegs.

Whoever does... that's their business, but they're silly.

The merit of this release, given its free on the internet for people who are capable, is that it collects these shows together. I dunno. People nutted buttholes over the last installments so why not this one?

I never really seen that much of a hype surrounding the previous volumes. Maybe I missed that. I think there was an initial WOW factor when the first couple of volumes were announced but maybe the interest in these has depleted a little. The large amount of attention that the pro shot LA show DVD gathered may have overshadowed this release somewhat.

I think also that there are perhaps a lot of people that don't know that this is out there. It may have been announced on maybe a couple of other forums? I'm not sure. I recall one thread about this release a couple of months before it's release date but the thread sank very quickly. Also, There was a long delay with this relase, if I remember correct the original release date was late December 2011, then when it did finally appear it did so with almost zero promotion, and in the wake of the LA DVD.

I dunno, i'm speculating here.

I'm glad you pointed out the FBG release cuz I'm snagging that one now.

The delay makes sense. I don't care much for Sabotage as they've never really put something out that is starkly improved over anything from the last 15 years, BUT I do like that this set is bundled together and easy to get for absolutely free.

After having spent a few hunnid bucks on sets in the 90s, I am thankful that I'll never pay for bloated or overwrought material again. (Don't even get me started on the argument about pressed discs...)

Spinlight said:

TheDigitalGardener said:

I never really seen that much of a hype surrounding the previous volumes. Maybe I missed that. I think there was an initial WOW factor when the first couple of volumes were announced but maybe the interest in these has depleted a little. The large amount of attention that the pro shot LA show DVD gathered may have overshadowed this release somewhat.

I think also that there are perhaps a lot of people that don't know that this is out there. It may have been announced on maybe a couple of other forums? I'm not sure. I recall one thread about this release a couple of months before it's release date but the thread sank very quickly. Also, There was a long delay with this relase, if I remember correct the original release date was late December 2011, then when it did finally appear it did so with almost zero promotion, and in the wake of the LA DVD.

I dunno, i'm speculating here.

I'm glad you pointed out the FBG release cuz I'm snagging that one now.

The delay makes sense. I don't care much for Sabotage as they've never really put something out that is starkly improved over anything from the last 15 years, BUT I do like that this set is bundled together and easy to get for absolutely free.

After having spent a few hunnid bucks on sets in the 90s, I am thankful that I'll never pay for bloated or overwrought material again. (Don't even get me started on the argument about pressed discs...)

I'm with you on the pressed disc issue, but that is another thread one day.

I too spent a lot of cash on bootlegs in the past, but when the net came along (I was quite a late convert) and it was pointed out to me how easy it was to find and obtain these things for free I never looked back. It's so easy now.

Back to this release. It is good that they are bundled together in one easy to d/load package, and as I pointed out before they are great for the more casual boot collector or person who may be new to bootlegism.

The thing that possibly grates with the more serious collector is that the majority of material on these releases is re-hash, despite Sabs "remastered" mantra. However, as you point out, they are free, at least for those that have the ability and want to seek, find and obtain them via the interwebs.

for the first time on CD, Sheila E’s live appearance on The Tonight Show (previously hosted by Johnny Carson, here with a freshly installed Jay Leno instead) to perform Charles Parker’s Now‘s The Time and to promote the concert film Sign O’ The Times on 1 December 1987.

This is totally nitpicky, but Jay Leno was a guest host, not freshly installed as the host of The Tonight Show, at that time.

I have no idea why I give a damn enough to point this out.

Anyway, her drum solo on The Tonight Show is kick ass.

I was slightly let down regarding the sound quality of this set. For the most part the previous five volumes were soundboard but this one had a fair bit of audience recordings. Yes, that is nitpicking, especially when the performances are so good, but I find it hard not to wish that the quality was a little bit better. I am far from a ravenous bootleg collector so it was great to get this and the previous sets in one easy download.

Does anyone know if the full artwork for this is available? Any of the sources I have seen only offer the front and back covers. Just to be clear I am not asking for the artwork I just want to know if it is out there.

I assume that there will be a Lovesexy set? If so that should be interesting as there are tons of great sounding recordings from that era.

rialb said:

I assume that there will be a Lovesexy set? If so that should be interesting as there are tons of great sounding recordings from that era.

The thing with the Lovesexy material is that it was Sabotage who put out those wonderful soundboard recordings of that tour anyway. There are other good Lovesexy shows out there but none are on a par with those Japanese soundboards.

Surely they would not repackage and re-sell their own material? I don't think they would think twice about such a practice.

Anyway, artwork. I don't know how many places are offering this set for download but they probably all came from the original upload which did not contain the booklet, just the covers.

OzlemUcucu said:

Spinlight said:

I don't ever buy bootlegs.

Whoever does... that's their business, but they're silly.

The merit of this release, given its free on the internet for people who are capable, is that it collects these shows together. I dunno. People nutted buttholes over the last installments so why not this one?

Do these collectors actually listen to every damn bootleg CD or is it reallly just for collecting? I see no point in collecting everything unless it's an outstanding stuff. Some people have too much time...

everyone has the same amount of time, but while you are watching American Idol and bad reality shows, they are enjoying their bootleg collection with real music.