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need to ask ?

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No. It lacked energy and cohesiveness. It was taped over two days, and there were long, long delays between sections taped. There are stories either here or elsewhere about it. The audience would lose energy, then be expected to be crazy after hours of waiting.

The production feels cheap, too. Granted, it was a PPV special, but put some money into it. It was really basic and pedestrian in style and aesthetic.
The sudden slow-mo moments are also haphazard and have no reason to be there.
There were also moments where it just stopped. There was no energy, no interest, no audience reaction. I'm talking "Purple House," "The Cross" (because I refuse to call it by the other JW-inspired name, which it was never going to be called despite his story).
"The Greatest Romance Ever Sold" - why the video intro? Weird.

He could have spent more time at the piano and did his usual medley of songs, but he was barely there for 2 or 3 minutes, at best.

Inserting The Time in there always feels clumsy and mismatched. Have them be the opening act, along with Clinton's stuff (which was filmed at the end of Prince's set, actually on their recording day). The dancers felt like two rogue fans crashing the stage and security just didn't bother to remove them.

The set and lighting were bargain basement.

He had such a great opportunity to do something grand and unique for 1999, yet this is what we got. A piss-poor filmed show that felt like someone trying out their new camera equipment rather than just playing music for two hours and filming it. Even the Aladdin concert was better than this. Hell, even moments from Graffiti Bridge were better than this.

He didn't even really do that much to promote the Rave album, then he suddenly wants to name the year-end special after it? Was it a high point? No. It was a missed opportunity and a 2nd rate output.

PS before I knew the pitfalls of it, I bought the original PPV airing on VHS at a local record store. They changed some edits for the official release - but they were negligible.

I watchers this with a fanatic Prince fan when it came out on dvd and we were glad it ended after watching.it really was boring to watch despite the colours and Crispness.

maybe it was to clean for Us.

I them really found out that I have to experience Prince live instead of watching these in dvd.

the 2002 dvd strenghend that opinion.

OperatingThetan said:

It has some great moments but doesn't really capture the typical brilliance of Prince's live performances. I saw Prince live numerous times, including in '98 on the New Power Soul tour, and although it's a period much maligned here, Prince and the NPG were dynamite. A recording of any of those dates would've blown the Rave ppv away. It's not about Prince's skills or the band or even the setlist, but more a lack of cohesion and fluidity, coupled with a small, muted audience... But then again hardly any of Prince's official live concert releases effectively demonstrate his prowess live or are completely satisfying.

This is all true. I never saw the NPG back then or anything but footage of them when they're actually playing shows how good they were, Rave 2000 is just showbiz nonsense, Prince was better than that.

The only thing I care about on Rave 2000 is the "She's Always In My Hair"-performance.

BlueShakooo said:

No

No, it was too much. Those days were long gone, but something about that 'private party on stage' feel I got from the 78-79 and 80s period, and the majority of people on stage were from his camp, was just so key. Rave 2000 was too much.

I tried watching it whenever it aired on PBS within the last year or so, and I had to tap out about a third of the way through

Horribly filmed. They even managed to screw up the appearance by Lenny.

SoftSkarlettLovisa said:

I actually liked this concert - a highlight in P's career in the 90s. Full of enthusiasm and ambition, with guests Morris Day and The Time, Lenny Kravitz and Rosie Gaines.

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I always kind of liked it just as one of the relatively rare commercially-released, good A/V quality concerts of his career.

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I more or less agree with a lot of what others are saying about it. I think there are a few really cool moments in it. Glad it's back in print, I think it complements the Rave In2 and Un2 well.

BlueShakooo said:

The only thing I care about on Rave 2000 is the "She's Always In My Hair"-performance.

The only part I enjoyed watching.

I liked the Lenny performance though.

But that's about it.

1999/2000 would have been the perfect time for Prince to express Roadhouse Garden Prince & the Revolution, and another Time album since he started doing some more stuff with them at the time.

It was fun at the time, but I remember even when watching it the first time is that it felt a bit lackluster.

For ALL of the guest stars on the Rave album (Gwen Stefani, Eve, Ani DiFranco, Chuck D, Sheryl Crow), strangely NONE of these people are in the concert! Imagine if Gwen Stefani or Eve had jumped up on stage with Prince?

He reverted to the safe/predicable/dull guest stars of The Time, Larry Graham and some of the Family Stone, and Rosie Gaines. The only standout guest star was Lenny Kravitz, a highlight of the whole show.

It's not a concert that I watch often. I did watch it again after Prince passed, and my wife had never seen it. She liked most of it.

Not a high point and not a low point. Just an event. As broadcast concerts go, it's not his strongest.

Not at all. At most it forces a grin at first view, but that dissapeared after a minute or so. The bliss doesn't have staying power.

"23 scriptures in a one night stand."

Bleh.

Bait post
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[Edited 12/10/19 13:55pm]

That was the weakest show I've ever seen, including local shit bands.

It was definitely a high point in his use of glitter. Damn, that man was sparkly.

People hate on it but I love it. I show this and the SoTT to curious types. Only people that don't seem to like it are the fans and the only thing I don't like about it is the lightning fast editing.

I think it's pretty great.

OperatingThetan said:

It has some great moments but doesn't really capture the typical brilliance of Prince's live performances. I saw Prince live numerous times, including in '98 on the New Power Soul tour, and although it's a period much maligned here, Prince and the NPG were dynamite. A recording of any of those dates would've blown the Rave ppv away. It's not about Prince's skills or the band or even the setlist, but more a lack of cohesion and fluidity, coupled with a small, muted audience... But then again hardly any of Prince's official live concert releases effectively demonstrate his prowess live or are completely satisfying.

Agree those NPS sets came off great live. I could have used a little less Larry, Chaka and Doug E. but, god damn, Mad and Come On from that Cafe De Paris set were insane.

coldasice said:

It was a mess. Any other Paisley show in history was better.

Remember that Glam Slam birthday gig where they were in Minneapolis, but bounced via satellite to Miami or something, and the delay in broadcast was a bit off and awkward for a second? Even that was better. Of course, the material and his fire back then was unlike anything we'd seen for a decade.

Cmon family, it was produced 20 years ago.
P was still the hottest, coolest and best talent in the music business.

Probably under limited budget by ppv mgmt tho.

Certainly, Prince made a small fortune on this program special. 💜