Clouds is a studio track, that performance was horrific, thank god it only lasted a couple of minutes. With the collar he was really channeling Franknfurter too! Marz totally saved it from then on.

udo said:

NouveauDance said:

Clouds is a studio track

Definately.

By the time it got to the chorus I just wanted the whole thing to wrap up as quickly as possible.

I think he should of kept to the 2 slots format and done a full version of Clouds then Another love.

seemed to perfunctory and abridged trying to cram all those songs in one go, which didn't allow for the songs to be fully absorbed (by the audience). especially that he had Lianne there, which may be planning to take on tour? if not that's a lost oppurtunity to use her to the fullest.

MattyJam said:

NouveauDance said:

Clouds is a studio track

Definately.

By the time it got to the chorus I just wanted the whole thing to wrap up as quickly as possible.

I think he needs a differnt band if he wants to play song like Clouds.

You guys are pretty harsh It wasn't that bad.

.

I thought clouds was cool & was surpised to hear so much from PE. Not really a fan of marz & AL, but I thought the performance was good, maybe a little rushed, but I enjoyed it.

.

SNL as a whole was sooooooo bad. There were some good parts but most of the show was terrible. Chris Rock wasn't even that good. Opening up joking about the Boston bombings was a bit much, but he sort of saved himself with a 911 joke, which isn't saying much. Although Chris seemed to be the only one on the show that knew what he was doing. Everyone else seemed to be having difficulty reading or thinking, it was just aweful to watch.

The reviews are in and no one in the press has a problem with any single part of the performance, calling it epic and saying he tore through it with panache.

Prince has so many armchair managers, you'd think it's a miracle he's been in the business for close to 40 years.

Am I the only one that CAN'T STAND watching Donna play? She just comes off so forced and contrived with all of her "rock star poses" and leg lifts. It looks completely stiff, fake and just ridiculous to me.

Aerogram said:

The reviews are in and no one in the press has a problem with any single part of the performance, calling it epic and saying he tore through it with panache.

Prince has so many armchair managers, you'd think it's a miracle he's been in the business for close to 40 years.

So when the press dog him, they're know-nothing hacks and when they praise him they're the trendsetters and opinion-makers to take note of? Okay.

It's a Prince fan discussion board, we're discussing and sharing opinions - being armchair managers is what this site is for, you're doing it yourself just like everyone else.

NouveauDance said:

Aerogram said:

The reviews are in and no one in the press has a problem with any single part of the performance, calling it epic and saying he tore through it with panache.

Prince has so many armchair managers, you'd think it's a miracle he's been in the business for close to 40 years.

So when the press dog him, they're know-nothing hacks and when they praise him they're the trendsetters and opinion-makers to take note of? Okay.

It's a Prince fan discussion board, we're discussing and sharing opinions - being armchair managers is what this site is for, you're doing it yourself just like everyone else.

Who's telling you to stop? Critique-on to your heart's content. I was noting I can't find anyone being so bitterly disappointed out there.

It seems to me that on this board that Prince can do nothing right anymore. I watched it this morning here in the uk and really enjoyed the whole performance. Yes, might not be his best live tv performance, but it was still good. And has been received very well over the media and social media, so job done. I liked clouds too live, nice to see Prince on keyboards for a change instead of guitar.Yea nothing wrong with constructive criticism,,but i think some of you are nitpicking.

The performance was neither good or bad. For me, I miss the MPLS sound. I think any credible musician/band could have played those songs on SNL and sound exactly the same. His live performances are becoming to generic, which is leading to disappointment. Yeah, he's prince...and I want him to be Prince. He's watered down the MPLS sound so much, that our ears are having a hard time excepting this new direction. Bland or not?

*

I think his former manager says it best.

*

"Alan Leeds: Sometimes less is more.
Prince on SNL - I fully realize I'm opening up a can of worms here, will probably regret saying this tomorrow, but I'm so disappointed by someone who has so much more to offer than mixed agendas that get in the way of his usually brilliant music.
I love his lifelong devotion to promoting women in rock but the appearance on SNL proved only that a girl band can play clichés, the talented Lianne La Havas can be under-utilized and Prince is no Alice Smith. In trivializing Smith's song has Prince embraced Alice's right to cover one of HIS songs? File this appearance under trying to do too much and ending up not doing much at all. Many, many years ago Prince asked me why he wasn't taken more seriously as a musician and I suggested he leave the bells and whistles home and tour in jeans and turtleneck, placing all the focus on the music. He sarcastically replied, "what? And look like you?". Back then he was probably right and I was naïve. BUT two decades later and two decades older, I would suggest the same thing. Leave the costumes and cartoon logos to the kids and give the music the mature respect it deserves. A shame..........a master lowering the bar is never fun to watch."

*

[Edited 11/2/14 5:42am]

NouveauDance said:

Aerogram said:

The reviews are in and no one in the press has a problem with any single part of the performance, calling it epic and saying he tore through it with panache.

Prince has so many armchair managers, you'd think it's a miracle he's been in the business for close to 40 years.

So when the press dog him, they're know-nothing hacks and when they praise him they're the trendsetters and opinion-makers to take note of? Okay.

It's a Prince fan discussion board, we're discussing and sharing opinions - being armchair managers is what this site is for, you're doing it yourself just like everyone else.

yes but when you say thats clouds was horrific ,well that was a stupid thing to post because it wasnt!I enjoyed it and no, I dont blindly love everything Prince does!

S3V3N said:

It's much better after a second watch. Those costumes were fun. Still - that 30 second intro panning through clouds was awkward and that mic stand got in the camera's way too many times.

So now it takes muplitple watches of Prince performing live for it to get better, just like it now takes multiple listens to his new music? That really says it all, doesn't it?

S3V3N said:

It's much better after a second watch. Those costumes were fun. Still - that 30 second intro panning through clouds was awkward and that mic stand got in the camera's way too many times.

So now it takes muplitple watches of Prince performing live for it to get better, just like it now takes multiple listens to his new music? That really says it all, doesn't it?

That was a performance only those of us who already know the tunes could appreciate or understand. I liked Clouds live, once it got going. They should have played the guitar solo on it, then switched to Marz and Another Love.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

S3V3N said:

It's much better after a second watch. Those costumes were fun. Still - that 30 second intro panning through clouds was awkward and that mic stand got in the camera's way too many times.

So now it takes muplitple watches of Prince performing live for it to get better, just like it now takes multiple listens to his new music? That really says it all, doesn't it?

this was the case for THIS person. they aren't making a point about a concert or a tour vs. an 8 minute medley. i think sometimes we can extrapolate too much from a statement.

its already been said, but i'm glad it focused on new material. if it were the hits again, ppl would be pissing blood. but it wasn't and ppl are STILL pissing blood. WHY do i come to this site!!!

Aerogram said:

The reviews are in and no one in the press has a problem with any single part of the performance, calling it epic and saying he tore through it with panache.

Prince has so many armchair managers, you'd think it's a miracle he's been in the business for close to 40 years.

The press, lol? How naive. A-list doesn't get bad press unless they really do something extreme, like dangle a baby. I dare you to locate even ONE mainstream article critical of a Prince performance album, song or whatever in the last 15 years. They just parrot the general parameters of whatever press release they received.

Lame drums on Clouds. (Sorry Hannah but you need Blackwell on this song)

Funny to see Prince put the guitar back in the guitar stand. (Were The Roots watching? lol)

His afro is a hot mess. Period. The glasses were stupid. He looked like he was in a Halloween costume or an extra on the set of a Tim Burton film.

It is interesting to see him and his 'school of rock' style band of youngsters. Can he do better? Sure. But does he really care about that? I don't think so. Notice there was no mention of the 2 new albums.

La Havas has a great voice but she brings nothing to Clouds. I bet she is having fun though.

Donna appears to be skipping around the stage at times. She is like a female Ace Frehely but standing next to Prince I hardly notice her. Sorry Donna.

Still gotta love and respect Prince though for doing whatever the hell he wants. I'm glad he did not play any hits. I wonder though, would it kill him to actually check the instruments to see if they are plugged in before he takes the stage?

Funny I have never seen so many black people on SNL in my entire life. The show has reached desperate times, trying to get ratings. If there were not so much money involved, it would get cancelled just like Arsenio.

[Edited 11/2/14 6:37am]

Aerogram said:

Who's telling you to stop? Critique-on to your heart's content. I was noting I can't find anyone being so bitterly disappointed out there.

No one said you told anyone to stop, I'm just not sure why this always comes up whenever people express an opinion other than sycophantic. And as always charts and journalists are only the yardstick when they like something, when they don't they're opinion counts for nothing - funny that.

antonb said:

yes but when you say thats clouds was horrific ,well that was a stupid thing to post because it wasnt!I enjoyed it and no, I dont blindly love everything Prince does!

It's an opinion, is that not obvious?

funksterr said:

Aerogram said:

The reviews are in and no one in the press has a problem with any single part of the performance, calling it epic and saying he tore through it with panache.

Prince has so many armchair managers, you'd think it's a miracle he's been in the business for close to 40 years.

The press, lol? How naive. A-list doesn't get bad press unless they really do something extreme, like dangle a baby. I dare you to locate even ONE mainstream article critical of a Prince performance album, song or whatever in the last 15 years. They just parrot the general parameters of whatever press release they received.

In comparison to the press the contributors to this site has been heralding Princes career demise for almost 2 decades. Neither source is an accurate barometer when the same opinion is rehashed, reheated and served up ad naseum with every tour, CD, tv appearance, magazine feature etc. Being a fan of an artist doesn't make you an expert. It means you bought some CDs.

funksterr said:

That was a performance only those of us who already know the tunes could appreciate or understand. I liked Clouds live, once it got going. They should have played the guitar solo on it, then switched to Marz and Another Love.

I'm afraid that's what made it so disappointing for me. I like each of those songs a lot. On paper, it's a great set list. Unfortunately, the studio versions are much, MUCH superior to what we heard last night.