“Prince and the Revolution: Live (2022 Remaster)” may very well be the best concert performance on audio featuring Prince and the Revolution. Highly recommended!
Click here to the purchase Prince and the Revolution: Live (2022 Remaster) on Amazon
BAND: Prince and the Revolution
ALBUM: LIVE (2022 Remaster)
DURATION: 20 Songs 1 Hours, 55 Minutes)
RELEASE DATE: June 3, 2022
- Let’s Go Crazy
- Delirious
- 1999
- Little Red Corvette
- Take Me With U
- Yankee Doodle
- Do Me, Baby
- Irresistible Bitch
- Possessed
- How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore
- Let’s Pretend We’re Married
- International Lover
- God
- Computer Blue
- Darling Nikki
- The Beautiful Ones
- When Doves Cry
- I Would Die 4 U
- Baby, I’m A Star
- Purple Rain
Back in March 30, 1985, Prince and the Revolution held a concert at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York.
The concert was a live concert video broadcast live throughout Europe and a few months later, the concert was released on VHS and it was released on DVD in 2017 with the release of the Deluxe Edition of “Purple Rain”.
On June 3rd, Legacy Recordings in association with NPG Records, released the concert on CD and vinyl and also Blu-ray with remastered video and audio remixed in 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos.
Needless to say, when the album was released, I purchased it immediately, because as a big fan of Prince’s music around this musical era in time, I will forever remember it as the concert that had one of the greatest live Prince performances of all time and that was the nearly 19-minute performance of “Purple Rain”.
For me, I think why I gravitate towards this live performance so many times, not because of just nostalgia, but as a person who loved the music, I felt that Prince and the Revolution was just a band that was like no other.
It was like a superhero group of musicians, you had Prince and the leader and guitarist, you had Wendy Melvoin on guitar and vocals, Lisa Coleman on Keyboards, Piano and vocals, Matt “Doctor” Fink on keyboards and vocals, Brown Mark on bass guitar and vocals and Bobby Z. on drums. (Also, a shout out to Dez Dickerson, who is known for his vocals on “1999” and “Little Red Corvette”, who left the band after becoming a born-again Christian and pursuing Christian music).
And while a few members would leave and others replaced, Prince and the Revolution created this image of a rock band through style and music until he decided that they were no longer needed, making to one of the saddest moment in my life of seeing this band that I admired, now over.
Now, it’s important to note that Prince headed to a different musical path after Prince and the Revolution, as did the members each with varying or much different success.
But as Prince unheard music has been released through Super Deluxe editions of albums, and audiophiles clamoring for HD remasters, when I saw that “Prince and the Revolution: Live (2022 remaster)” was being released digitally, I knew immediately this is the live performance that I wanted to hear.
This is the sound of Prince and the Revolution and you can compare that sound to the live performances featured on other albums of those popular early ’80s songs but this album is the definitive album to get if you loved Prince and the Revolution.
There is a passion and drive that you just can’t hear live from other Prince recordings and suffice to say, recording of this concert live is like a capturing magic in a bottle.
This live performance captures Prince and the Revolution during those “Purple Rain” times when they were in sync and Prince’s guitar playing was just mesmerizing. In fact, this is is another reason for purchasing the album is just hearing Price going off on guitar. He’s done it many times before, but as mention, during this performance, he and the band had this energy that was amazing. Seriously, compare it to other concert performances live, may it be the “Live in Ultrecht” performances included in “Sign O’ the Times (Super Deluxe Edition)” or other lives, it’s just a different energy.
Also, aside from the nearly 19-minute performance of “Purple Rain”, you also get a nearly 10-minute performance of “When Doves Cry”, a nearly 11-minute performance of “Baby I’m a Star” and for the most part, 20 tracks nearly two hours long. Also, for those who love engaging audiences that are into the performance and can hear them screaming and singing along to the music (not just the popular well-known songs but literally every song especially on “Darling Nikki”), then you’ll love this live album!
As for MC portions, you do get a few of that, especially with the fun moments in the beginning of “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore”.
And when it comes to audio recordings, the recording of this concert is one of the best I’ve heard. Considering there are many ’80s live albums in which you could barely hear an audience. This is another positive of this live concert album!
And that energy is felt throughout the whole concert that makes it so fun to listen to and definitely one of those amazing performances that you want to listen to over and over.
“Prince and the Revolution: Live (2022 Remaster)” may very well be the best concert performance on audio featuring Prince and the Revolution. Highly recommended!
Click here to the purchase Prince and the Revolution: Live (2022 Remaster) on Amazon
