I've just realized that each Prince era came with a change of look but also a change of onstage energy ex : Cheeky/playful (parade), silly madman (controversy), sexy/shy (Purple rain), grown and sexy (Musicology) etc...

Which one is your favorite ?

I really enjoyed Parade, he seemed so relaxed and playful.

EDITED to add 2010-2014 as well.

[Edited 8/28/22 12:51pm]

Parade and Sign O the Times (and many more actually but SOTT is dearest to me) because that was a blast and a sight to behold, I think Lovesexy was a bit too much and over the top but also cool.
Diamonds and Pearls and Act 1 and 2 and The Ultimate Live Experience those early 90s day were awesome and full of surprises.

FrankieCoco1 said:

I’d go with the Controversy tour (e.g. the so-called ‘punk’ version of “Annie Christian”, the first play of “All The Critics Love You In New York”); LoveGalore’s spot on with 93-96 - live “Days Of Wild” is a must listen as an example; the acoustic stuff he did around 2004-7, such as ‘17 Days/Prince & The Band” plus that Webster Hall thing; also I liked 3rdeyegirl live, perhaps because I was gobsmacked listening to his his second time playing of “Electric Intercourse” at Birmingham, UK in 2014. I’ve said it before but will say it again, one of the saddest things about Prince’s passing, is knowing that I’ll not get to see him In concert again.

It's sad indeed. He did plan to perform until old age.

82, 86-88, 93-95

if i had to pick just one, 93-5. best band he ever had, best shows eva.

1981-1989 - He was growing literally song to song, measure to measure.

1993-1996 - the NPG was so hard core and the material was quality as fuck.

In general, anything before 2001 I'm down with.

Hard to choose one, but these are special to me:

SOTT - he was at his peak combining creativity AND stardom

94-95 - No hits, the amazing funk of the NPG, my fave band.

2002 - ONA Tour was amazing with that intimate/jazzy vibe.

Probably in this order:

1986-1990 Parade / SOTT / Lovesexy / Nude

1994-1995 Come / Gold Experience

2002-2004 One nite Alone / Musicology

2010-2011 2010 tour - Live 2010 / Welcome 2 America

A tough one, but for me I can only rank them as eras I personally saw a show or shows in.

1. ONA times I just felt it was his best musicianship to the material. being played

2. Musicology times he seemed very loose though pretty similar in set lists

3. Lovesexy times similar to my reasoning above, super tight band too

4. NPS era, now some equate this to Emancipation but its seperate he did some pop up shows with chaka and larry, and in this also a 1999 show in NYC that if he hung around the 3 hours he was late you got a treat.

5. Welcome to America shows, for the most part solid shows and musicianship

6. come/Gold times he only did a few shows here in NYC for this, we got some things we never heard, he played Webster Hall here IN NYC which made it a pretty cool big club gig.

7. Love Symbol times I loved these shows but somehow it all doesnt hold up now, the concept now seems very unorganized. band was tight but the tony m and all that was a huge distraction.

8. Emancipation times, I actually saw quite a few on this tour but I have to say my least favorite PRINCE shows are all on this tour, his Jones Beach show for me was my least favorite Prince show, the band seemed off, almost no new songs were being played, and the band wasnt that tight either.

My favorite was probably 94' The Park Sessions, fun stuff, followed by the Parade era.
But, I would say he hit his pinnacle of showmanship, dancer, and artist during the LoveSexy era.
And then reached the zenith of his musicanship starting during the Musicology era.

SOTT/Lovesexy

Parade

1999/Purple Rain

NPS w/Chaka & Larry

Musicology

Controversy Tour here

Houston 1981 deserves an official release on DVD!

Lovesexy. He seemed so happy and present, especially when performing the newer material.

Dirty Mind/Controversy... the rawness.

Parade (my first live show)... the 'revue' show fun, The expanded Revolution was so cool live.

SOTT (my first multiple live show experiences all over Europe), wam and unforgettable.

Then absolutely Lovesexy! It was just perfect and waaayyy over the top Prince showmanship.

Even better than PR era (imho, although My love for the Revolution is far bigger than for that 1988 band... I know.)

And later on most of his Jazz oriented Montreux shows too.

I love the Dirty Mind to 1999 stuff. Raw, dangerous, and high energy!

93-95 by a mile. Best live band he ever had. That isn't my favorite era for albums, but as a musician that band blew my mind.

Purple Rain era

SOTT era

3RDEYEGIRL era

1986-1988

1994

2010 - til death

If you are talking performances, rather than era themes, then I think the most heart felt, genuine and sheer materclass were the 3rd Eye Girl concerts.