7-7-7 (FBG) 3CD

7-7-7 3CD

Free Boot Generation
Catalog # FBG 10
Release Year 2007
3CD Length 70:21 / 58:56 / 71:37
Date/Venue Target Center, Minneapolis 7th July 2007
Source Audience Recordings
Quality EX- / EX

Rating 4.5/5.0

Track Listing
Disc 1
Target Center, Minneapolis 7th July 2007
1. Intro 2. Purple Rain 3. Take Me With U 4. Guitar 5. Shhh 6. Musicology 7. Prince And The Band 8. Play That Funky Music 9. Let's Go 10. Satisfied 11. What A Wonderful World (instrumental) 12. Little Red Corvette 13. Raspberry Beret 14. The One U Wanna C 15. Sometimes It Snows In April

Disc 2
1. 7 2. Come Together 3. Do Me, Baby 4. I Wanna Be Your Lover 5. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore 6. Diamonds And Pearls 7. Cream 8. U Got The LOOK 9. If I Was Your Girlfriend 10. Black Sweat 11. Kiss 12. Let's Go Crazy 13. A Love Bizarre 14. Crazy (including One Nation Under A Groove) 15. Nothing Compares 2 U 16. The Glamorous Life

Disc 3
07/07/07 Minneapolis Aftershow - First Avenue, Minneapolis : 8th July 2007 (am)
1. 3121 (including Alexander's Ragtime Band - Music! Music! Music! - The Entertainer - Tom's Diner) 2. Girls And Boys (including Cutie Pie) 3. I Feel For You 4. Controversy 5. Beggin' Woman Blues - Satisfied 6. Down By The Riverside (instrumental) - All Blues 7. Gotta Broken Heart Again 8. Love Is A Losing Game 9. Love Changes 10. Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again) 11. Hair 12. Sing A Simple Song 13. Everyday People 14. Alphabet St.

Comments
Fink's Comments (rates this release 4.5/5.0)
The main Target Center concert was previously circulating on the 'Hotter Than July' release, and whilst that was a decent recording, it was lacking and deserving of a VG+ rating. Thankfully this release, sourced from a completely different audience recording, is vastly superior and whilst it has it's own minor problems, it's of a very high standard.

A minor audience level aside, the main gripe I have with this recording is a number of audience members searching for their seats for a good 10 minute portion of the show - ironically it's during the more sedate "guitar" section so they are annoyingly audible. Other than that, and perhaps Prince's vocals sounding slightly distant, I have no complaints and this is a very respectable release indeed. Featuring both Wendy and Sheila E, this is a rather special show seemingly serving as a warm-up to the (at the time) upcoming London August/September 2007 dates. As with the opening London show on 1st August, we begin with 'Purple Rain' and follow familiar ground for a large chunk of the opening half of the show - save for a performance of The Cars 'Let's Go'. The "guitar" section features Wendy and includes a rare performance of the (at the time) unreleased 'The One U Wanna C'. The keyboard section of the show begins and includes what sounds suspiciously like the opening bars to 'Anna Stesia' before Prince calls in the band on 'Do Me, Baby' followed by an admittedly very funky 'I Wanna Be Your Lover'. Again, back to familiarity up until 'A Love Bizarre' with Sheila E and a very rare performance of 'The Glamorous Life' to close.

The aftershow was uncirculating up until this release, so for most it will be the main attraction and it's a surprising excellent recording. Superior to the main concert's recording it has depth, clarity and an intimacy not found in a large arena - and a pleasantly low audience level throughout makes this one of the better recordings of 2007. The majority of the show matches the excellence of the recording and outwith a slight nosedive during the mid-section of the show, it's a sheer joy to listen to. Beginning with an extended 10 minute hard-edged '3121' featuring some inspired guitar, it moves onto a more normal 'Girls And Boys'. 'Satisfied' contains a portion of the at-the-time-unreleased 'Beggin Woman Blues' over the backing of 'Satisfied' before he ends with a portion of the song proper. Nosedive #1 comes in the form of 'Down By The Riverside', but the show picks up again for an impressive 'Gotta Broken Heart Again'. Nosedive #2 follows with Shelby taking center stage for 'Love Is A Losing Game' and 'Love Changes' and even Prince's spirited guitar on 'Love Is A Losing Game' can't rescue it. But who's this coming to save the day...Larry Graham! Normally this would be the nail in the coffin for the show, but thankfully his input (on the mic at least) is very minimal and admittedly the Sly covers which follow (albeit they are very abridged versions) benefit from Larry Graham's presence with a quick run-through of 'Hair', 'Sing A Simple Song' and 'Everyday People'. Ending abruptly for legal reasons, Sheila E grabs a quick percussion solo before Prince returns to say goodbye. Overall this is an excellent release on many levels.

An improved source recording is always welcome, and whilst the Target Center show may not be the most interesting, the appearance by Wendy makes it rather special. Content of the aftershow aside, the quality of the recording is the real attraction of Disc 3, and probably the entire release. For Disc 3 alone this release is worthwhile and very welcome.