Free Boot
Generation Catalog # FBG 18 Release Year 2008 CD Length 76:33 Date/Venue 1984 Rehearsal First Ave Source Soundboard Quality EX
Rating
5.0/5.0
Track Listing Rehearsal for First Avenue 1984
Birthday Show
May / June 1984
1. Gotta Shake This Feelin' 2. Noon Rendezvous 3. Free 4. Erotic City 5.
Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) 6. When Doves Cry 7. Irresistible
Bitch
Comments Fink's Comments(rates this release 5.0/5.0) This
rehearsal for the upcoming 1984 birthday show at First Avenue has previously
been circulating on numerous releases, the most obvious being 'Neon Rendezvous'
and Sabotage's 'Purple Rush Volume 1'. Sourced from an age-old tape, this
particular release runs over 6 minutes longer than any other version of the
rehearsal, which is obviously a major bonus.
The most obvious, more complete part of the rehearsal is 'Noon Rendezvous' which
lasts 18:27 (as opposed to the aforementioned releases which fade the song out
at 14:30), however there is also some transitional chatting and Prince
instructing the band between songs which doesn't appear on other releases - all
in all quite an interesting new version of a much-loved rehearsal. Unfortunately
to my ears the quality of the soundboard recording is slightly lacking in
comparison to the Sabotage release with some audible hiss throughout the opening
'Gotta Shake This Feelin', along with a few other minor niggles throughout. The
recording is slightly muddy in parts, and whilst I'd still happily rate this as
an EX soundboard, it's just missing the clarity which the Sabotage release has
overall. Still, that doesn't detract in any way from what is one of the best
releases of 2008 so far. The rehearsal itself is one of the better from the era
with some phenomenal guitar-work throughout. The opening 'Gotta Shake This
Feelin' features a line from 'Another Lonely Christmas', although it's shortness
really can't be classed as a performance of the song, and is basically the
extended First Avenue 83 instrumental performance (complete with guitar work
dropped on the released recording) with a repeated phrase of "Gotta shake this
feeling, baby" maxed out to 12:40. This is followed by Prince's version of
Sheila E's 'Noon Rendezvous' which appears to go into '17 Days', however the
recording ends abruptly. A pretty straightforward 'Free' is followed by an
excellent extended 'Erotic City', this time incorporating 'All The Critics Love
U In New York', however on Prince's "All The Critics" cue, the recording ends
momentarily, so we only get a few bars of the song - again, I've left it off the
tracklisting as only a few seconds are audible. The highlight of the rehearsal
are the following 'Something In The Water' and 'When Doves Cry' - 'Something In
The Water' for being an astonishing near-14 minute jam with ferocious guitar,
and 'When Doves Cry' for containing some inspired screaming (check it out at
8:47 into the song).
Any time an old rehearsal is given a new lease of life is worthy of applause,
however when that rehearsal is released in more it's complete form, it really is
something to be very, very thankful for. Excellent rehearsal, excellent content,
excellent performance and excellent quality recording. A release which should be
vying for the title of "Best Of 2008".