Prince And The Revolution

★★★★ Prince And The Revolution: Live LEGACY. CD/DL/LP

March 30, 1985 show in Syracuse, NY, gets a polish. Originally broadcast live via satellite in Europe, then released on VHS later in ’85, this 20-song set was effectively Prince’s superstar coming-out party: “My name is Prince and I’ve come to play with you,” he lasciviously declares at the outset. Remixed from the original two-inch master tapes for maximum punch and separation, this triple-vinyl/ Dolby Atmos reissue sounds great and further reveals the era-oddness of Prince’s blending of ’80s drum machine funk with late-’60s heavy rock. The Revolution are characteristically well-drilled, but there’s real improvisation in balance with the military tightness of the band, and the material expands and contracts to Prince’s cues. In this live setting, Take Me With U sounds more like energised country rock, The Beautiful Ones is rendered with screaming emotion and Purple Rain is stretched out to a staggering 18 minutes.