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Reply #60 posted 05/23/14 5:01pm

mrsquirrel

funkomatic said:

blackbob said:

would you be happy to go and see stevie wonder in concert and he only did songs from conversation peace and a time 2 love albums ???... confused i bloody wouldnt for a start..i have never seen stevie in concert and if i ever get the chance...i want to hear the hits..which is the same as the majority of people who go to these arena gigs..

.

prince isnt any different from any other artist when he is playing big concerts...people come to hear the hits...especially the older hits that they identify with..it isnt rocket science...prince has done tours where he played only a few hits... "ultimate live tour"... "one nite alone tour" but they were in smaller venues..

.

The problem of your view is: it's from a consumer's perspective. An artist who relies mostly on his older work is a dead artist. A nostalgia act trying to reproduce what he's done 30 years ago over and over again. It's money for hits. A deal.

You do realise you have almost quoted verbatim from the NPGMC recordings. It's almost like you are dead inside and only spout the most recent rant that appears relevent in this context.

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Reply #61 posted 05/23/14 5:23pm

dandan

I definitely wouldn't. I don't think I'll ever get tired of the hits when they're being played live with energy, which brings me to my next point. DITCH THE FUCKING SAMPLER!!! At a Prince concert I expect him to be with a band of world class musicians playing everything live. I thought Prince has always preached the 'real music, real musicians' nonsense? A 20 minutes section of the set would like to word with you P lol

I got two sides... and they're both friends.
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Reply #62 posted 05/23/14 6:00pm

mrsquirrel

dandan said:

I definitely wouldn't. I don't think I'll ever get tired of the hits when they're being played live with energy, which brings me to my next point. DITCH THE FUCKING SAMPLER!!! At a Prince concert I expect him to be with a band of world class musicians playing everything live. I thought Prince has always preached the 'real music, real musicians' nonsense? A 20 minutes section of the set would like to word with you P lol

Well if I do have to discuss this 'til the cows come home, like all the way from India, there is only so much of a time window and only so much recordings. I for one liked it when Ida and Donna got together to even begin to play Hot Thing. And I am sure it is not based on some lesbian fantasy, more a "can you play this bass just a little downtuned".

Ah, Hot Thing. The thinking man's opposite of loud. We've all witnessed with our own ears how amplitude bends tone upwards due to a wave function of frequency enhanced by amplitude, and the off key bass of Hot Thing really did set the tone for all the later drug experiences that demand off centre tone experiences.

It's almost like Prince is testing both his band and his audience by getting people to play along with drum machine and synth sequences. Essentially the entirety of Sign O The Times.

You'll be telling us I Wanna Be Your Lover wasn't recorded next to a metronome next.

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Reply #63 posted 05/24/14 6:14am

WetDream

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mrsquirrel said:

treehouse said:

.

Yeah but not everyone is suffering from burnout like you, and other hardcore fans might be. Prince himself is probably burnt out on them, and goes autopilot (decades of singing Purple Rain has to take it's toll), so it's just a question of whatever he finds stirring at the moment providing the best show.

.

But retiring the hits altogether? Career suicide unless you're generating new fan favorites.

What is "burnout"? An opinion stitched together from a youtube montage?

From one recent Prince interview regarding Plectrum Electrum: "this is the album you listen to if you want to learn how to play guitar". That's awesome. Much like the Undertaker when P jammed with Sonny and Michael like he dint give a mezzo forte (and a girl threw up and called her mum) the current tour with 3rd Eye girl is like the bright side of honking.

As a fellow orger who can see a Chris Morris quote when I see it, isn't Prince merely wanting to pass on his rhythmic DNA and the recent tour is the 3rd Eye Tryouts?

They played Plectrum Electrum live in an Arena - it was too loud, but they... is this the first 3rd Eye Girl arena tour? Somebody help me I've run out of facts.

wink

I agree with DJJ, Funkomatic......and Mrsquirrel's ramblings like that of a drugged horse.

You see, to me, Prince still has it in him to push his new art, he has the fire inside of him to perform a challenging set and have it succeed because it is in him. He has not retired to a hits/oldies act (yet) and, as already said, doing so is a sign of a dead artist. He should not dumb himself down for the sake of folks trying to re-live their youth or folks trying to pigeonhole him. This is why Prince should retire the hits for awhile and get back on this music game for real. The february shows were hugely successful due to the refreshing nature of them. No hits, new band, fresh artist.....and what did he get? Fresh fans and a fresh outlook from critics.
He;s kind of ruining that momentum and outlook by doing these arenas full of hits.....i mean, it ain't really about 3rdeyegirl anymore either, it's about Prince and his greatest hits again (even though there has been some great new, rarer tracks played during) and this just takes a little away from the fresh brilliance built from febs gigs.....as good as these arena gigs are, i might add.

[Edited 5/24/14 6:18am]

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Reply #64 posted 05/24/14 6:24am

WetDream

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treehouse said:

WetDream said:

The rest was album tracks or rare tracks and it was way better than these recent gigs AND prince looked way more enthusiastic.

.

Yeah but not everyone is suffering from burnout like you, and other hardcore fans might be. Prince himself is probably burnt out on them, and goes autopilot (decades of singing Purple Rain has to take it's toll), so it's just a question of whatever he finds stirring at the moment providing the best show.

.

But retiring the hits altogether? Career suicide unless you're generating new fan favorites.

Burnout? I became a fan in 2007 have only seen him live 6 times and i'm 27. I just don't think it is cool for him, or right for him to be belittling himself with constant hits. I want him to challenge me. When i went to my first Prince concert, i couldn't of cared less about the hits, i wanted to hear some crazy jamming, b-sides, new song, etc.

I would of loved to have experienced The Rainbow Children/Xpectation/NEWS/C-Note/One Night Alone era....probably the last time he truly challenged his fans.

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Reply #65 posted 05/24/14 3:00pm

dJJ

Saw Robert Cray band yesterday.

And the audiance cheered when he started "Right next door".


That's just a conditioned response, because that's what they know.

The audiance also responded enthousiastic when he would do a guitar solo.

I'm really convinced that an audiance will be captured if the musicians are good and don't allow the audiance to wonder off and talk to eachother. Especially Prince and 3rd Eye Girls can generate that electrifying sound and energy that will capture everybody.


No matter if the audiance doesn't know the song.

Also, I think that by trascribing his songs, he does overcome this stalemate of pleasing or playing.

99% of my posts are ironic. Maybe this post sides with the other 1%.
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Reply #66 posted 05/24/14 3:20pm

FunkyStrange

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The thing is he doesn'thave to fully retire the hits..

Just reduce the perentage of stage time that they take up.

I think 70% non hits and 30% hits would be a decent mix. Of course the general public will whinge, but thats all people seem to do these days anyway, so what ?

Just bill it as 'Prince playing tracks from his new album' and its all covered, hardcore fans will tolerate a few hits when the majority of the setlist pleases them, but obviously generic fans would demand refunds from a show like that as in 1995..

He really should just do two nights in every city, one hits show, one show for the hardcore. Then everyone would be happy.
Hard to believe I've been on the org for over 25 years now!
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Reply #67 posted 05/24/14 3:37pm

WetDream

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FunkyStrange said:

The thing is he doesn'thave to fully retire the hits.. Just reduce the perentage of stage time that they take up. I think 70% non hits and 30% hits would be a decent mix. Of course the general public will whinge, but thats all people seem to do these days anyway, so what ? Just bill it as 'Prince playing tracks from his new album' and its all covered, hardcore fans will tolerate a few hits when the majority of the setlist pleases them, but obviously generic fans would demand refunds from a show like that as in 1995.. He really should just do two nights in every city, one hits show, one show for the hardcore. Then everyone would be happy.

The two nights thing is great. I know which one i'd be going to.

....But drastically reducing hit time is also a start. Forget the moaning ones....and to be fair, i don't think many would moan these days as back in 1995, he had a hostile image complete with "eff you!" attitude. The complaints during the One Night Alone Tour were also born from a unique circumstance. Prince was outright criticising fans that had turned up to "get their Purple Rain on".

Quite a few hitless shows of recent years, peaking at the UK's Feb shows have proven he can succeed without the hits and kick off like a new artist again. I thought that's where we were going from Feb's buzz....

I think it would do him wonders right now to be brave and cast away the hits and get on a new level.

Get this as a subject on the next Peach & Black!

DJJ, yeah, i agree....when done with pure passion, the audience will not mind....as proven.

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Reply #68 posted 05/24/14 7:17pm

TrevorAyer

i would like him to actually play the hits the way they were when they became hits .. this medley sampler set piano tease crap is so fucking stupid and he has been doing it for decades .. would it really be so hard to play his best songs the right way? the way they were when they were good?

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Reply #69 posted 05/25/14 1:48am

GeurtWalraven

The word ''hits'' speaks for itself. The songs that were hits and made him famous. So yes, he actually is committed to play the ''hits'', when playing Arena's. If it was for me he only played songs up to 1995 (The Gold Experience). Im an old-school fan. After 1995, i have no connection at all with his music, although the ''ONA'' tour is one of his best. I have to say, there's a lot more to choose from than ''Raspberry Beret'' or ''Take Me With U'', or ''Kiss''. He has a huge catlogue of songs, and still the same songs comes along. And why cover-songs? Im attending a Prince concert, , so not interested in songs from other artists. Instead he could play something ''surprising'' from his own catalogue.

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Reply #70 posted 05/25/14 7:15am

dJJ



I decided, after Antwerp and Rotterdam, that I would not go to a stadium concert of him again.

Except for special editions like NSJF.


I just get dissapointed somehow.


Tonight is an in between stadium, isn't it?

So, if I feel dissapointed, I only got myself to blame. I promised myself to not do stadiums anymore, so if don't keep my own promise, it's on me. And I'll remember it next time.




I don't know. I'll see.

Maybe it will just be a confirmation of why I should not go to stadiumconcerts. Or maybe I get into it, and will dance my ass off on the hits.


I'm open minded and wil just see how it goes.


99% of my posts are ironic. Maybe this post sides with the other 1%.
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Reply #71 posted 05/25/14 8:35am

paulludvig

databank said:

.

I have to admit that the 3EG sound and setlists have somehow renewed my interest enough for me to get a few boots and it was fun to hear more rarer material than usual in those shows, but I'd rather have them release Plectrum Electrum and make shows that are half new album, 1 quarter rare tracks from his back catalogue and 1 quarter hits and classic 70's songs.

.

It was brilliant in 94 when P played almost only new material. It was brilliant in 2002 when he oriented a whole tour around an album again. It wasn't just the setlists BTW, focusing on an album means focusing on a SOUND, and another boring thing is that no matter which version of the NPG will play DMSR or Kiss it ends-up always sounding the same to me now because there's no strong musical concept/sound behind each new tour.

Don't think there have been more rarer material with 3EG than say the NPG in 2011/12 European tours. But people seem to give 3EG a pass for some reason.

The wooh is on the one!
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Reply #72 posted 05/25/14 10:39am

antonb

why would you not play the hits? Mainly because those hits are banging tunes!

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Reply #73 posted 05/25/14 3:46pm

dJJ

Verdict:


I will go to every Prince concert. No matter if it's stadium.


Prince and the girls ROCKED!


Fantastic show. 2.5 hours, don't know why we got sweeped out so fast, but still, it was wonderful.

Amazing.


Should not have doubted them, sorry.


Absolutely brilliant show.

99% of my posts are ironic. Maybe this post sides with the other 1%.
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Reply #74 posted 05/25/14 4:32pm

Militant

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moderator

Well, the merch has all new songs written on it smile

And for me, it was definitely awesome to hear all these songs in the setlist in Birmingham.

But as long as he performs hits in a way that works well with his current band, then I don't mind. For example, the slowed down, grunge-esque reloaded version of "Let's Go Crazy" is utterly brilliant and has breathed new life into that song's presence at live shows. And certain hits I'll just never tire of no matter how they are played.

The London shows in February weren't "hits" shows. At those shows we had things like Bambi, I Like It There, Chaos & Disorder, Screwdriver, Dreamer, Colonized Mind.... And I would have to say that the Shepherd's Bush is the best Prince show I have ever seen.

But in arenas, people want the hits, and it's part-and-parcel of the experience for fans and casuals alike. If Prince tried to do an arena tour and NOT play hits, you'd get 70% of the audience just not reacting at all.... and as a fan, that'd make me anxious!

More smaller venue shows with focus on newer material would be cool, but the arena shows are cool too.

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Reply #75 posted 05/25/14 7:22pm

ilo

I enjoy the drastically reworked hits but the sampler set bores me. Either play the songs properly or not at all.
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Reply #76 posted 05/25/14 8:01pm

treehouse

WetDream said:

The february shows were hugely successful due to the refreshing nature of them. No hits, new band, fresh artist.....and what did he get? Fresh fans and a fresh outlook from critics.

.

Prince played hits in February.

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Reply #77 posted 05/25/14 8:22pm

treehouse

WetDream said:

Burnout? I became a fan in 2007 have only seen him live 6 times and i'm 27. I just don't think it is cool for him, or right for him to be belittling himself with constant hits. I want him to challenge me. When i went to my first Prince concert, i couldn't of cared less about the hits, i wanted to hear some crazy jamming, b-sides, new song, etc.

I would of loved to have experienced The Rainbow Children/Xpectation/NEWS/C-Note/One Night Alone era....probably the last time he truly challenged his fans.

.

Do you feel that away about all legendary artists touring or just Prince?

.

Count yourself lucky to see Prince playing hits (some of them the best versions he's ever done, or versions like we've never heard before AND he's playing some of the most balanced set lists he's done in ages) while he can.

.

It pays the bills, and makes people happy. How is that belittling himself? If you think that, then maybe you think Prince isn't standing by that era of material?

.

Stay with him long enough and he will do the shows that make the trainspotters wet themselves too. He's capable of tossing in a rare bit now and again at any show, for the hardcore fans but he's not touring for people like yourself, the cult base, and I think that realization might be what's at stake here. You are a fan of a pop artist, if you want to be challenged, there are plenty of challenging artists out there to learn about. The era you find interesting wasn't some artistic wild period he went through, you realize, right?

.

Also, doing small club shows, playing obscure songs, he's not making new fans like you alluded to, by doing that. If you didn't count yourself a Prince fan at the start of the week, you're not going to instantly become one when they announce a last minute show and you've got to spontaneously run to see it. The US club shows weren't easy or affordable to get in to like the UK shows. Wait, weren't the smaller UK shows problematic too? I will say the people in attendance left happy, and it may have made some fans into even bigger fans (maybe that's what you meant?). For stadiums though, I find it baffling you wouldn't want to hear the monumental classic songs that the majority of the arena audiences love.

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Reply #78 posted 05/26/14 2:37am

WetDream

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treehouse said:

WetDream said:

The february shows were hugely successful due to the refreshing nature of them. No hits, new band, fresh artist.....and what did he get? Fresh fans and a fresh outlook from critics.

.

Prince played hits in February.


Very little.....It was mostly non-hits. Militant above points out that the Shephards Bush gig had little hits and remains his fave gig.

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Reply #79 posted 05/26/14 2:59am

WetDream

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treehouse said:

WetDream said:

Burnout? I became a fan in 2007 have only seen him live 6 times and i'm 27. I just don't think it is cool for him, or right for him to be belittling himself with constant hits. I want him to challenge me. When i went to my first Prince concert, i couldn't of cared less about the hits, i wanted to hear some crazy jamming, b-sides, new song, etc.

I would of loved to have experienced The Rainbow Children/Xpectation/NEWS/C-Note/One Night Alone era....probably the last time he truly challenged his fans.

.

Do you feel that away about all legendary artists touring or just Prince?

I feel this way about any artists that still have fire in them....age doesn't matter. You mentioning it or lumping him in a category of "legendary artists" is al part of the pigeon-hole.

.

Count yourself lucky to see Prince playing hits (some of them the best versions he's ever done, or versions like we've never heard before AND he's playing some of the most balanced set lists he's done in ages) while he can.

I do count myself lucky and, once again, i have repeatedly stated that i have enjoyed these shows immensely. Sure, changing up the hits is also a great move for people like me, as i have already stated....and yes, i have also stated that i think the setlists recently have been very balanced. This all has nothing to do with my question, though.

.

It pays the bills, and makes people happy. How is that belittling himself? If you think that, then maybe you think Prince isn't standing by that era of material?

Maybe not belittling himself in the full degree, but he is not being all he can be artisically.

.

Stay with him long enough and he will do the shows that make the trainspotters wet themselves too. He's capable of tossing in a rare bit now and again at any show, for the hardcore fans but he's not touring for people like yourself, the cult base, and I think that realization might be what's at stake here. You are a fan of a pop artist, if you want to be challenged, there are plenty of challenging artists out there to learn about. The era you find interesting wasn't some artistic wild period he went through, you realize, right?

....Again, the labels. Prince is not a pop artist and never has been. He's strictly an artist. You do realise, right? This is why you see people on here being "negative" etc, because they want to see him being all that he can be. All that he is capable of. I already know a bucket full of new and older artists who still/do challenge their audience today....but that has nothing to do with anything. The Rainbow Children era wasn't an artistic, wild period? I beg to differ.

.

Also, doing small club shows, playing obscure songs, he's not making new fans like you alluded to, by doing that. If you didn't count yourself a Prince fan at the start of the week, you're not going to instantly become one when they announce a last minute show and you've got to spontaneously run to see it. The US club shows weren't easy or affordable to get in to like the UK shows. Wait, weren't the smaller UK shows problematic too? I will say the people in attendance left happy, and it may have made some fans into even bigger fans (maybe that's what you meant?). For stadiums though, I find it baffling you wouldn't want to hear the monumental classic songs that the majority of the arena audiences love.

Completely disagree. Many, many gig-goers go to see artists that play nothing, but their new album, for example, even when fans either won't know it all yet, don't have it, or it isn't as popular as older ones, but because they played with all they got and engaged with the audience, they are a hit and walk away with new fans and a pleased crowd. This was the case with Paolo Nutini the other night.
...And yes, ABSOLUTELY the feb gigs attracted hordes of new fans. The hysteria of him doing these last min, small gigs, going mental on the guitar made prince a huge number of new fans, buckets of curious students and casual gig goers were intrigued by these old-school, Hendrix like experiences going around the capitol. It was one of his biggest successes recently and he clearly knows that. It was the best follow up to 21 Nights. Lots of new fans came from this, including one very infamous one around here at the min. You couldn't be more wrong in that assessment and this is a point I and others here have been making.
Why would you find it baffling that i don't want to hear hits? I want to hear an artist grow and evolve, i find it baffling that you wouldn't prefer that.

See bolded text in quote.

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Reply #80 posted 05/26/14 3:16am

WetDream

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Militant said:

Well, the merch has all new songs written on it smile

And for me, it was definitely awesome to hear all these songs in the setlist in Birmingham.

But as long as he performs hits in a way that works well with his current band, then I don't mind. For example, the slowed down, grunge-esque reloaded version of "Let's Go Crazy" is utterly brilliant and has breathed new life into that song's presence at live shows. And certain hits I'll just never tire of no matter how they are played.

The London shows in February weren't "hits" shows. At those shows we had things like Bambi, I Like It There, Chaos & Disorder, Screwdriver, Dreamer, Colonized Mind.... And I would have to say that the Shepherd's Bush is the best Prince show I have ever seen.

But in arenas, people want the hits, and it's part-and-parcel of the experience for fans and casuals alike. If Prince tried to do an arena tour and NOT play hits, you'd get 70% of the audience just not reacting at all.... and as a fan, that'd make me anxious!

More smaller venue shows with focus on newer material would be cool, but the arena shows are cool too.


Loved that top, mate. Was gonna get it, but spending on 3 gigs in a row left me skint.
Also, i agree to the point about arenas. you make sense logically, but as i and DJJ have tried to point out, if played with all the artist had and complete engagement, he could deliver a hit show regardless of setlist. this has also been proven......but at the same time, i ain't debating this.....i'm asking what would us as individuals prefer?

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Reply #81 posted 05/26/14 4:29am

Militant

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As far as preference, I'm happy to get both, like we have done this year! Small venue, non-hits shows in Feb for the fans, arena shows in May for everyone! See, I went to the small venue shows with hardcore fans like myself and orgers, and more casual friends and family to the arenas, which is nice, because you're not just preaching to the choir! Most of the people at the small venues know damn well how amazing Prince is, the people at the arenas largely don't, so a mix of hits with some new songs thrown in too, to show off his incredible musicianship is the right way to play it. Like I said in the other thread, the version of "Nothing Compares 2 U" he did at the second show was absolutely mindblowing. Any casual fan would have been absolutely astounded at that, and because it's a song they know, it has huge impact.

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Reply #82 posted 05/26/14 5:21am

WetDream

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Militant said:

As far as preference, I'm happy to get both, like we have done this year! Small venue, non-hits shows in Feb for the fans, arena shows in May for everyone! See, I went to the small venue shows with hardcore fans like myself and orgers, and more casual friends and family to the arenas, which is nice, because you're not just preaching to the choir! Most of the people at the small venues know damn well how amazing Prince is, the people at the arenas largely don't, so a mix of hits with some new songs thrown in too, to show off his incredible musicianship is the right way to play it. Like I said in the other thread, the version of "Nothing Compares 2 U" he did at the second show was absolutely mindblowing. Any casual fan would have been absolutely astounded at that, and because it's a song they know, it has huge impact.

Yes, i agree, this makes perfect sense logically.

But still, for me, i just don't think he should be doing these Arenas for a bit. He came straight off a fresh perspective and then back to 70% hits (granted, some are with fresh arrangements)....i think, as i have hammered on about, he should get out there and become fresh again, like he did a few months ago. I understand that taking family along who may not understand Prince would be better with some hits....but, i don't think i would take the hits in that circumstance either! I would love to take my fam who would be expecting an oldies act, ready to embarrasingly sing along to 1999, but to have Prince go shitting mental with his band and jam the entire set with the occasional rare track and new song. Then i'd walk out with them like...."that's what Prince is all about....he's still fresh. Still artistically driven"....and it'll be likely that the fam would come out going "wow, didn't know he was that good of a musician!".

Still, changing up a lot of the hits to fit in some jams and extra vamps is a great move.

[Edited 5/26/14 10:54am]

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Reply #83 posted 05/26/14 10:28am

treehouse

WetDream said:

treehouse said:

.

Prince played hits in February.


Very little.....It was mostly non-hits. Militant above points out that the Shephards Bush gig had little hits and remains his fave gig.

.

He also pulled out Bambi and that kind of thing, and played more 3rd Eye material.

But the majority of the show was hits. Purple Rain, When doves Cry, Rasberry Beret, etc.

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Reply #84 posted 05/26/14 10:56am

Militant

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treehouse said:

WetDream said:


Very little.....It was mostly non-hits. Militant above points out that the Shephards Bush gig had little hits and remains his fave gig.

.

He also pulled out Bambi and that kind of thing, and played more 3rd Eye material.

But the majority of the show was hits. Purple Rain, When doves Cry, Rasberry Beret, etc.

Raspberry Beret was not played at Shepherd's Bush.

In the main portion of the set (ie not including piano/sampler sections), there were 22 songs played. Only 4 of those songs can be considered hits - LGC. ICNTTPOYM, SAIMH and Guitar. That's not a hits show, IMO.

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Reply #85 posted 05/26/14 11:15am

treehouse

WetDream said:

age doesn't matter. You mentioning it or lumping him in a category of "legendary artists" is al part of the pigeon-hole.

Maybe not belittling himself in the full degree, but he is not being all he can be artisically.

[...]

The Rainbow Children era wasn't an artistic, wild period? I beg to differ.

[....]

I want to hear an artist grow and evolve, i find it baffling that you wouldn't prefer that.

Who said anything about age? Why should any artist pretend they don't have 30 years of classic hits and reject his catalog? Would James Brown fans have wanted him to ever stop playing "It's a Man's world" or "Good Foot"?

.

What would Prince get artistically from playing a live show of new album cuts that he doesn't get from reworking old songs? You want him out there trying to shine shoes, hustling to promote new albums, for new fans. Let the man breath. You find the classic filled set lists boring, then that's on you. Trying to argue what's really best for Prince or Prince fans is silly, because most of the arena crowd that pays for Prince to be Prince just want to hear Kiss, and PR. To them Housequake is a deep cut.

.

Rainbow Children was a wild artistic period, without a doubt...FOR Prince. Follow what I'm saying? That someone at that point in his career would release Digital Garden is an artistic statement, and challenging to his audience, because he's a pop-soul artist, and in that case, he incoporated some gospel blues jazz stuff into an experimental context. Don't mistake that for thinking you're listening to Merzbow. You're not listening to challenging music, unless by challenging you mean, boring to the average listener or freaky for a pop audience. When The Beatles put out Revolution N.9 it wasn't just artistic or challenging because it was on a Beatles record. See the difference?

.

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Prince "growing and evolving"? Sorry, but he's currently playing with a Rock n' Roll band, singing songs about Rock n' Roll, and frankly, he'd be no more growing or evolving if he's playing songs off Sign of the Times, or songs off Rainbow Children. This is just about our individual preferences.

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Reply #86 posted 05/26/14 11:28am

treehouse

Militant said:

Raspberry Beret was not played at Shepherd's Bush.

In the main portion of the set (ie not including piano/sampler sections), there were 22 songs played. Only 4 of those songs can be considered hits - LGC. ICNTTPOYM, SAIMH and Guitar. That's not a hits show, IMO.

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Is this set list accurate, and helpful to jog the memory?

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/prince/2014/o2-shepherds-bush-empire-london-england-23c51833.html

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He still did the sampler and piano sections, is the point. He apparently played hits.

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He played Raspberry Beret at the next date.

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Reply #87 posted 05/26/14 2:06pm

HeatherS

Shockedelicus said:

I would not. Most people know Prince for Raspberry Beret, Little Red Corvette, Purple Rain, etc. And for good reason: they're flawless, exciting, crowd-pleasing songs. You'll be lucky to find someone outside the Org who even knows Erotic City. When he pulls out a new song, people tend to jsut want to skip it to get to something they can sing along to. It's better that he has the majority of the setlist consist of known songs, with new or rare material sprinkled throughout.

[Edited 5/18/14 15:51pm]

I agree. I love Raspberry Beret and his other popular songs. I guess I feel that he should be able to do both. He is an artist that has so much talent that it is unreal.

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Reply #88 posted 05/26/14 6:31pm

Militant

avatar

moderator

treehouse said:

Militant said:

Raspberry Beret was not played at Shepherd's Bush.

In the main portion of the set (ie not including piano/sampler sections), there were 22 songs played. Only 4 of those songs can be considered hits - LGC. ICNTTPOYM, SAIMH and Guitar. That's not a hits show, IMO.

.

Is this set list accurate, and helpful to jog the memory?

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/prince/2014/o2-shepherds-bush-empire-london-england-23c51833.html

.

He still did the sampler and piano sections, is the point. He apparently played hits.

.

He played Raspberry Beret at the next date.

Yes, it's accurate. I don't need my memory jogged - I remember that entire day vividly. It was the best gig I have ever been to.

What the setlist doesn't tell you, however, is that the sampler and piano sections combined took up not much more than 30 minutes of a 2.5 hour show. And in the other 2 hours that he performed, it was 90% not hits.

Again - not a hits show.

Contrast that with these arena shows, which all contain most of the following songs at every show : Let's Go Crazy, Take Me With U, Kiss, Raspberry Beret, U Got The Look, Nothing Compares 2 U, 1999, Little Red Corvette, Purple Rain, Guitar, Musicology..... and that's the full band set! On top of that you've got the sampler set which always contains When Doves Cry, Sign O' The Times, Housequake........

The arena shows are hits show. The February shows were not.

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Reply #89 posted 05/26/14 8:36pm

treehouse

Militant said:

The arena shows are hits show. The February shows were not.

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I respectfully disagree.

He played hits that night in February, and he played hits during the February tour.

If the OP is asking about retiring the hits, these are not examples.

They are however examples of how a balanced set mixing it up works nicely.

While not an arena, Shephard's Bush Empire isn't a club show either.

[Edited 5/26/14 20:36pm]

[Edited 5/26/14 20:37pm]

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