Uptown Live (4DF) 2CD

Uptown Live 2CD

4DaFunk
Catalog # 4DF 064-065
Release Year 2009
2CD Length 62:29 / 48:37
Date/Venue Met Center, Bloomington 7th March 1982
Source Audience Recordings
Quality VG / EX

Rating 4.75/5.0

Track Listing
Controversy Tour
Met Center, Bloomington 7th March 1982
Disc 1
1. The Second Coming 2. Uptown 3. Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? 4. When You Were Mine 5. I Wanna Be Your Lover 6. Head 7. Annie Christian 8. Dirty Mind 9. Do Me, Baby 10. Controversy

Disc 2
1. Let's Work 2. Jack U Off 3. Private Joy

Controversy Tour - Met Center, Bloomington : 7th March 1982 (Soundboard Recording EX)
4. The Second Coming 5. Uptown 6. Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? 7. When You Were Mine 8. Head

Comments
Fink's Comments (rates this release 4.75/5.0)
There are few things which continue to surprise me, however recordings of this nature appearing decades after the fact is one of the the more pleasant surprises in life. An audience recording of the hometown stop and vying for pole position as the lengthiest recording of the Controversy tour. By today's standards the recording is distinctly average, however for an audience recording from 1982 this is a very decent effort and not to be dismissed. Yes, it's very heavy, sounds dated and there is some shrill background noise, but the concert itself is loud and clear, there is minimal crowd noise, and it appears to be complete with no serious flaws. Talking of flaws, there are some tape-chews on the opening 'The Second Coming', however the majority are reserved for this opening intro alone and don't plague the recording. Other than these extremely minor glitches, and the overall heaviness of the recording, this is an impressive and highly enjoyable recording of an excellent show from the latter stage of the tour. The mid-section includes an 11 minute 'Head' with extended guitar masturbation, followed by a phenomenally funky, fast-paced, riotous 'Annie Christian' - always a pleasure to hear live - in turn followed by 'Dirty Mind' which includes both a bass solo and a synth/keyboard solo during the instrumental breakdown.

The length of the show is explained by the closing two song duo of 'Jack U Off', and the less frequently performed 'Private Joy'. The release then ends with the previously circulating soundboard tracks from the same show, however the quality of these really is superb and is head-and-shoulders better than anything available thus far with minimal surface noise and much more depth - so much so that Prince's spoken intro prior to 'Head' ("This next song is about moral decay" - which, ironically wasn't said at the show itself and has been added afterwards) was almost inaudible on any other release until now. Overall this is a decent release, although understandably the audience recording from 1982 may not to everyone's tastes. Don't expect a pristine, stellar recording and enjoy it for what it is - which is an endearing, funky show recorded over 25 years ago. Me? Eye love it!