https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nude_Tour

I wonder if it was one of the MOST SUCCESSFUL concerts in 1990-1991.

Huge Success in Stadiums seem to help.

cjmc2006 said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nude_Tour

I wonder if it was one of the MOST SUCCESSFUL concerts in 1990-1991.

Huge Success in Stadiums seem to help.

Always one of my favorite tours of his, regardless of what the numbers say, all that really matters is what it means to the individual right?

[Edited 5/4/19 13:34pm]

if you recall, he did this because Graffiti Bridge was a huge financial investment that was going to lose $ + it was critically panned so his rep was in tatters.[although I thnk it made back triple what it cost to make!]

The Nude tour was a cash grab, stripped down to basics set & my God it worked well! He killed it across Europe & sold out as it was the 1st tour across Europe since the creative live peak Lovesexy tour in '88 + came off the back of the hugely successful Bat Man soundtrack.

He timed it perfectly & nailed it & made a tonne of $ [i think?!]

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

if you recall, he did this because Graffiti Bridge was a huge financial investment that was going to lose $ + it was critically panned so his rep was in tatters.[although I thnk it made back triple what it cost to make!]

The Nude tour was a cash grab, stripped down to basics set & my God it worked well! He killed it across Europe & sold out as it was the 1st tour across Europe since the creative live peak Lovesexy tour in '88 + came off the back of the hugely successful Bat Man soundtrack.

He timed it perfectly & nailed it & made a tonne of $ [i think?!]

There were brilliant moments on the tour, but also some messy moments where Prince was not really singing, and many songs were not complete renditions, an issue that plagued many of Prince's tours. Even though half of the Lovesexy shows were big medleys, the musicianship was so much better than the Nude Tour. For Nude, there was too much Rosie Gaines, too many cover songs, and even Housequake did not sound anywhere near as good as in the previous tours. Alphabet Street was a mess, and honestly he never really played that song with a decent arrangement...he should've made it sound just like the stellar album version. The tour was a success, but not bigger than the huge acts at the time. He did not "nail it" on Nude. See SOTT, Lovesexy, Parade, Musicology, ONA, and Controversy tours for Prince "nailing it." Those tours support his legacy as the greatest live performer ever. Tours like Nude, Jam Of The Year, New Power Soul, Hit N Run 2000 show him going through the motions.

And the worst thing about the Nude Tour? Other than the lack of 14 full length songs a night, was the fact that it had like one or two USA shows, that really don't count.

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

Feck knows what date of the tour you saw him on, but I saw him live twice on this tour and it was the very opposite of a man going through the motions.

yeah,he said something like "People keep saying that this movie is 'Prince's big gamble'.What gamble? I'm sitting here editing a movie that I made with someone else's money"

The movie had a budget of $7 million.....the exact same amount that Purple Rain had.

luv2tha99s said:

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

if you recall, he did this because Graffiti Bridge was a huge financial investment that was going to lose $ + it was critically panned so his rep was in tatters.[although I thnk it made back triple what it cost to make!]

The Nude tour was a cash grab, stripped down to basics set & my God it worked well! He killed it across Europe & sold out as it was the 1st tour across Europe since the creative live peak Lovesexy tour in '88 + came off the back of the hugely successful Bat Man soundtrack.

He timed it perfectly & nailed it & made a tonne of $ [i think?!]

Didnt he give an interview in RS where he said that the budget for GB was funded by outside investments?

[Edited 5/5/19 13:20pm]

stillwaiting said:

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

if you recall, he did this because Graffiti Bridge was a huge financial investment that was going to lose $ + it was critically panned so his rep was in tatters.[although I thnk it made back triple what it cost to make!]

The Nude tour was a cash grab, stripped down to basics set & my God it worked well! He killed it across Europe & sold out as it was the 1st tour across Europe since the creative live peak Lovesexy tour in '88 + came off the back of the hugely successful Bat Man soundtrack.

He timed it perfectly & nailed it & made a tonne of $ [i think?!]

There were brilliant moments on the tour, but also some messy moments where Prince was not really singing, and many songs were not complete renditions, an issue that plagued many of Prince's tours. Even though half of the Lovesexy shows were big medleys, the musicianship was so much better than the Nude Tour. For Nude, there was too much Rosie Gaines, too many cover songs, and even Housequake did not sound anywhere near as good as in the previous tours. Alphabet Street was a mess, and honestly he never really played that song with a decent arrangement...he should've made it sound just like the stellar album version. The tour was a success, but not bigger than the huge acts at the time. He did not "nail it" on Nude. See SOTT, Lovesexy, Parade, Musicology, ONA, and Controversy tours for Prince "nailing it." Those tours support his legacy as the greatest live performer ever. Tours like Nude, Jam Of The Year, New Power Soul, Hit N Run 2000 show him going through the motions.

And the worst thing about the Nude Tour? Other than the lack of 14 full length songs a night, was the fact that it had like one or two USA shows, that really don't count.

Which parts was Prince not really singing?

The Question Of U on this tour was superb...

Yes I do agree with how short some of the songs were and how the switched, how they switched from The Future right into Housequake using the same beat was kind off electic and just wasn't the same as his other Housquake performances especially from the SOTT and Lovesexy tour.

But The Nude tour is deff in one of his top tours, I would say Top 7 imo.

Which parts was Prince not really singing?

stillwaiting said:

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

if you recall, he did this because Graffiti Bridge was a huge financial investment that was going to lose $ + it was critically panned so his rep was in tatters.

.

You might wanna use a calendar and compare the tour dates with the movie's release date. Or read Neal Karlen's interview from that era, you know, the one in which Prince is shown EDITING THE MOVIE WHILE ON TOUR.

ufoclub said:

stillwaiting said:

e>

Which parts was Prince not really singing?

He was not singing full lyrics to some of the songs. He did this throughout his career. Just listen to any Nude tour bootleg and Google the lyrics.

Ah... different meaning than I thought. I thought you meant he was using prerecorded voices like he started to as backup in the mid 90’s.

Oh makes sense. I just felt awful when he was disrespectful to his songs. But he did what he thought was best. A lot of the musicians who I know who knew the bootlegs could not understand how a legend like Prince would go through the motions, but be so awesome on other tours...but that's who he was. Frustrtating on so many levels but a level of brilliance nobody else could attain.

BartVanHemelen said:

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

if you recall, he did this because Graffiti Bridge was a huge financial investment that was going to lose $ + it was critically panned so his rep was in tatters.

.

You might wanna use a calendar and compare the tour dates with the movie's release date. Or read Neal Karlen's interview from that era, you know, the one in which Prince is shown EDITING THE MOVIE WHILE ON TOUR.

IIRC the tour was put together based out of fear of the movie bombing...he knew it was an absolute turkey & was in panic mode. I might be horribly wrong on this but at the time this is waht I recall reading.

as for the tour itself it was a strange one. I caught 3 UK shows & it all seemed so rushed with really lightweight musicianship BUT my God he looked cool! Guess I was spoiled with LoveSexy being my 1st gigs!

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

if you recall, he did this because Graffiti Bridge was a huge financial investment that was going to lose $ + it was critically panned so his rep was in tatters.[although I thnk it made back triple what it cost to make!]

The Nude tour was a cash grab, stripped down to basics set & my God it worked well! He killed it across Europe & sold out as it was the 1st tour across Europe since the creative live peak Lovesexy tour in '88 + came off the back of the hugely successful Bat Man soundtrack.

He timed it perfectly & nailed it & made a tonne of $ [i think?!]

Really? I don't see that as being the case.

I always saw this as the Batman tour, being the soundtrack was so very successful.

This tour was June 1990 so it is straight off the back of Batman.

Graffiti Bridge, the album, wasn't out until August 1990 and the film wasn't out in November 1990.

darkroman said:

nextedition said:

darkroman said:

Really? I don't see that as being the case.

I always saw this as the Batman tour, being the soundtrack was so very successful.

This tour was June 1990 so it is straight off the back of Batman.

Graffiti Bridge, the album, wasn't out until August 1990 and the film wasn't out in November 1990.

Yes he even preformed Question of u, which wasnt released than

Yes for sure, but one song doesn't make the Nude Tour a promotional tour for Graffiti Bridge.

Sexy MF was performed on the Diamonds and Pearls Tour but that doesn't make that a love Symbol Tour - That was Act I (USA) and Act II (Europe).

nextedition said:

darkroman said:

Really? I don't see that as being the case.

I always saw this as the Batman tour, being the soundtrack was so very successful.

This tour was June 1990 so it is straight off the back of Batman.

Graffiti Bridge, the album, wasn't out until August 1990 and the film wasn't out in November 1990.

Yes he even preformed Question of u, which wasnt released than

great point re The Question Of U ...which then melded into The Electric Man!...an absolute highlight of the gig!

The Purple Rain Tour as seen on television (broadcast), and attending the tours from 1986, 1987 and 1988 in the flesh, the Nude Tour was actually a let-down. I was at the june 2 premiere, which was a disaster (rain). The replacement on august 5, is indeed a good concert. Also, his back-up band is not my cup of tea during teh Nude Tour, except for Michael B.

It's funny when you look at the average size attendence numbers and venus, this was really the last tour of those audience numbers... Even the Musicology tour on average and the 21 Nights tour average audience attendance doesn't really match the Nude Tour numbers...

Nude tour he was playing many shows to over 60,000... After the nude tour all his other tours were nowhere near those average audience numbers again.

feeluupp said:

It's funny when you look at the average size attendence numbers and venus, this was really the last tour of those audience numbers... Even the Musicology tour on average and the 21 Nights tour average audience attendance doesn't really match the Nude Tour numbers...

Nude tour he was playing many shows to over 60,000... After the nude tour all his other tours were nowhere near those average audience numbers again.

Based on how low ticket prices were in 1990 compared to 2004, I would think Musicology was his most profitable tour by far. From 2005 on, his mindset was schedule a show with almost no notice, and hope it sells well. He did ok, but sometimes the tickets were half price, and even tons of free ones just to make the crowd seem better. Sad someone of his stature had to resort to this. It was some bizarre obsessive compulsive fear of ticket scalping. (which for his small club shows would even be more difficult) Despite his genius, he had no idea his fans were of working age, and had lives and commitments that made show announcements less than 2 weeks before a show, or even day of show difficult to manage.

Wasn't talking about the profit, was more interested in the size attendance and venues. When you compare it to all his other tours after that, ok D&P tour had some big venues, but The Nude Tour was really kind of the "last" full tour to play those outdoor stadiums of that size, plus 60,000 type of stadium.

stillwaiting said:

feeluupp said:

It's funny when you look at the average size attendence numbers and venus, this was really the last tour of those audience numbers... Even the Musicology tour on average and the 21 Nights tour average audience attendance doesn't really match the Nude Tour numbers...

Nude tour he was playing many shows to over 60,000... After the nude tour all his other tours were nowhere near those average audience numbers again.

Based on how low ticket prices were in 1990 compared to 2004, I would think Musicology was his most profitable tour by far. From 2005 on, his mindset was schedule a show with almost no notice, and hope it sells well. He did ok, but sometimes the tickets were half price, and even tons of free ones just to make the crowd seem better. Sad someone of his stature had to resort to this. It was some bizarre obsessive compulsive fear of ticket scalping. (which for his small club shows would even be more difficult) Despite his genius, he had no idea his fans were of working age, and had lives and commitments that made show announcements less than 2 weeks before a show, or even day of show difficult to manage.

His largest show audience for the Nude Tour was 69,012... If you compare that with the Musicology tour was an average of 20,000 people a night, it was nowhere near those numbers for a single night.

It seems like he really didn't play those big venues again with those kind of numbers after The Nude Tour, was interesting when you look at the numbers of audience attendace for all his tours after The Nude Tour.

feeluupp said:

Wasn't talking about the profit, was more interested in the size attendance and venues. When you compare it to all his other tours after that, ok D&P tour had some big venues, but The Nude Tour was really kind of the "last" full tour to play those outdoor stadiums of that size, plus 60,000 type of stadium.

stillwaiting said:

Based on how low ticket prices were in 1990 compared to 2004, I would think Musicology was his most profitable tour by far. From 2005 on, his mindset was schedule a show with almost no notice, and hope it sells well. He did ok, but sometimes the tickets were half price, and even tons of free ones just to make the crowd seem better. Sad someone of his stature had to resort to this. It was some bizarre obsessive compulsive fear of ticket scalping. (which for his small club shows would even be more difficult) Despite his genius, he had no idea his fans were of working age, and had lives and commitments that made show announcements less than 2 weeks before a show, or even day of show difficult to manage.

GeurtWalraven said:

The Purple Rain Tour as seen on television (broadcast), and attending the tours from 1986, 1987 and 1988 in the flesh, the Nude Tour was actually a let-down. I was at the june 2 premiere, which was a disaster (rain). The replacement on august 5, is indeed a good concert. Also, his back-up band is not my cup of tea during teh Nude Tour, except for Michael B.

.

Who were the band members for that tour?

.

I remember the first time I saw Michael B I hated him for replacing Sheila, but eventually he became my favorite drummer by far.

.

feeluupp said:

Wasn't talking about the profit, was more interested in the size attendance and venues. When you compare it to all his other tours after that, ok D&P tour had some big venues, but The Nude Tour was really kind of the "last" full tour to play those outdoor stadiums of that size, plus 60,000 type of stadium.

It wasn't. The 1993 Act II Tour in Europe had him playing Wembley Stadium and Meadowbank in Scotland, not to mention air fields in Germany and outdoor stadiums in Spain. All easily comparable to the venue sizes in 1990.

My forst 6 Prince concerts were:

1. Parade Tour

2. Lovesexy

3. Nude Tour

4. Nude Tour

5. Nude Tour

6. Nude Tour

I have to say the first two on the list were incredible, with great bands. The Nude Tour was just good. If it was a stripped back band great, but I found the dancers (Game Boyz?) a bit too naff.

I'd have loved to see more of the '86 & '88 shows. Had tickets for SOTT in '87, but the UK shows were cancelled.

I often find tour names confusing. Nude means stripped back, I get that now, but with no internet etc, it's not an obvious connection. Like when One Nite Alone was announced, it was off the back of a Prince at the piano CD, I thought it would be Prince alone on stage, like in 2016. ONA was great though, loved the 'soundchecks' and my first aftershow. Never thought I'd get to an aftershow.

Enjoyed seeing The Revolution again in February, never realised how good Brownmark is on bass + he was leading / holding the band together.

[Edited 5/10/19 3:05am]

RE: why a greatest hits tour in stadiums?

I agree that it probably does not have anything to do with GB since it was a studio-funded film, and Prince indeed once commented that he'd made the film he wanted with "someone else's money". IDK if true but I remember reading several times that it had to do with the Lovesexy Tour losing money because too much complicated stuff on set requiring extra costs in transportation and staff, and that Prince opted for a "nude" (i.e. barebone) tour to cash in.

feeluupp said:

It's funny when you look at the average size attendence numbers and venus, this was really the last tour of those audience numbers... Even the Musicology tour on average and the 21 Nights tour average audience attendance doesn't really match the Nude Tour numbers...

Nude tour he was playing many shows to over 60,000... After the nude tour all his other tours were nowhere near those average audience numbers again.

Euro 2011 Tour:

Paris 45.000

Gdynia 85.000

Paddock Wood 30.000

Malahide 30.000

Budapest 60.000 (I was there)

Gothenburg 30.000

[Edited 5/10/19 11:43am]