I was just watching a couple of tapes from the so-called Hit & Run tour of '86 -- the famous birthday show in Detroit and a boot from Stockholm -- and they are both fantastic, particularly Stockholm, which features the entire gig. I wonder why this tour never gets the love from serious fans and critics that the SOTT and Lovesexy shows do. This is The Revolution at their artistic peak -- the music, featuring the best cuts from Parade, is wonderful and the playing extraordinary -- even ol' Bobby is killing. It's more inclusive of the band than any tour to that point -- Lisa is featured, Wendy is singled out, and Eric, of course, plays quite a few solos -- yet Prince never loses the focus of the show. There seems to be some lingering criticism (if you can call it that) that it was styled as a "soul revue"-type show (the image of a vested James Brown and three suited male back-up singers/dancers performing on The T.A.M.I. Show is the obvious model)... but even though it's less of a straight-ahead rock show than Purple Rain was (where the funk elements like "Possessed" and "Irresistible Bitch" actually felt like they were coming in from left field), the overall conception is much more satisfying and entertaining to watch/listen to. Prince is amazing here; his energy never flags and there are no low points whatsoever. At 28 years old, the guy is fucking bionic onstage. I can easily imagine someone attending this show in 1986 and thinking it was the best thing they ever saw, period.

If you can pick up a boot from this tour, do it. It makes me kinda sad that for whatever reason, Prince never gave his American fans two of his three best tours, when he was in his performing prime (or even lesser-tier shows like Nude and D&P, for that matter).

Total geeky fan thread, I know... but, hey, that's what we're here for.

TedW said:

You answered your own question Ted. You are absolutely right. The tour is criminally underrecognized stateside, even by fans such as myself, because we were never given the opportunity to see it.

I would have given anything to see the Parade and SOTT tours. But Prince didn't do them here, despite the fact that he had what, 4 or 5 top-40 singles and 3 top 10 singles from SOTT?

I still don't understand why he wouldn't tour here during the middle of what I call the "Golden Age" of his career.

I was blessed and seen a Hit and Run show here in Denver and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen in my life. And I've seen around 300 concerts (not just Prince) but the Revolution WAS ON that night.

namepeace said:

My understanding is that SOTT was falling down the charts because "I Could Never..." (now rightly considered a classic) was a little odd and inaccessible for Top 40 radio and Prince, over objections from management, was anxious to put a new record out instead of touring the States.

Would another three months of dates have killed ya, Prince?

namepeace said:

Namepeace, you said it again.

What do you mean??

We all love the Parade-Tour!!!

The SOTT-tour is overrated ...
there was zero space for improvisation, and nearly all songs follow the album version.
It's was a graet tour to attend ... but the bootlegs of that era aren't brilliant to listen to: they're too close to the album.

ThataintFunky said:

Well, they did play "Now's The Time"... and some of the non-SOTT tunes got new arrangements befitting the new band... but I get your point.

Lammastide said:

Yeah, P dogged us (U.S) out from 1985-1987.
[This message was edited Thu Nov 6 0:21:16 PST 2003 by sinisterpentatonic]

The Parade Tour is probably my favorite tour, just because of it's sheer funkiness! But maybe it is because I saw the SOTT and LoveSexy tours and couldn't go to the Parade tour. I'm still sick of it, lol!

If you were lucky enough to see the Parade tour then you would say its the best concert by Prince ever.

namepeace said:

You know, I never even realised that. I always feel bummed out for missing everything before Parade, but I guess I should shut the fuck up, esp since Fhunkin has got some really kewl 1980/81 live shows.

They are amazing; all them old songs played ENTIRELY, not mixed up in a medley.

And about Parade; would it not be a fun idea if NPGmc would just release some shows on DVD?
[This message was edited Thu Nov 6 0:34:01 PST 2003 by gooeythehamster]

I can easily imagine someone attending this show in 1986 and thinking it was the best thing they ever saw, period.
it's my case + I think that the Parade Birthday concert is better that the SOTT video - I hope that the entire concert (Detroit) will be officially released before we're all 90 years old...

gooeythehamster said:

What about the Paris Show,especially cuz It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night was taped that nite! Man I'd love to watch this concert (please don't let him edit and/or add cheap visual effects such as for the ONA DVD)...

DaFunkFreak said:

Funny. It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night is HEAVILY edited as featured on SOTT...

The REAL version sounds quite different, lacking all lead vocals, it was just a jam.

What about the Paris Show in my memory and an awful sound quality tape, one of the best things was a medley 17 Days + Heaven terrific!

TedW said:

I have the same show. It is amazing. It's just great to hear licks that later showed up in other songs played during the show.

gooeythehamster said:

Haven't listened to this boot in a long long time...

DaFunkFreak said:

I will never forget my first taste of Prince's editing frenzy. I first heard the album version and when I later heard the live version it is derived from I was :O

Very strange. Like hearing the unedited version of Baby I'm A Star. The intro was edited as well, because of some microphone static.

still the best thing I ever saw, although the Lovesexy show and a Wendy & Lisa show in London in 1990 both come close

I wish Prince would put together a DVD box set of say 5-10 best shows spanning his career. DVD is such a great medium, use it PLEASE!! He can sell it thru npgmc, we'd all buy it.

I wish I could've seen the Parade shows, I think they would be my favourite too. I wish my family had never moved from Sweden to Australia, then I could've seen 300 shows too!!!

mattosgood said:

Now I am all sad I cannot go to this mega expensive Family Jam...

charlottegelin said:

It is hard to pinpoint what was the best tour. Lots of things come into play; being there always helps making it more special.

To me, looking back, I think his latest tours work better for me. His music is more loose. He plays way more songs and differs sets more than he used to.

How to compare the JB on acid style of Parade with the power of Sign O The Times?
Haaard chopice to make.

gooeythehamster said:

This week-end is gonna b a Parade week-end then, and I guess I'm gonna have to get Stockholm as well!

gooeythehamster said:

me too

I don't think anyone doubts the genius of the Parade tour mate?

YODAHENDRIX said:

?

gooeythehamster said:

Yes?

YODAHENDRIX said:

If in Amsterdam, then YES!

Thing about the parade tour, compare it to the purple rain tour only a year or 2 before. It's so amazingly different! Colour, lighting, costumes, vibe. The P R show was all about rock, this was all about funk. How brave of Prince to just go off in a different direction. Most artists do pretty much the same show and same songs in the same way everytime they tour, with Prince, a good fan can tell what year and tour it was just by a photo of the band on stage!

I guess you tend to like the tour more if you like the album it goes with. I don't think Prince was ever more energetic than on the parade tour...

metalorange said:

True. He was spinning like no other time I saw him/

Your entire post rings true, btw.