Prince was known as the consummate live performer, so it’s perhaps appropriate that the latest release from his estate is a remastered recording of his iconic Syracuse, New York gig from 30 March, 1985.
Filmed at the Carrier Dome during the Purple Rain tour, and featuring Prince’s band The Revolution, the gig was broadcast live via satellite, and has now been remixed from the original 2-inch multitrack master reels.
This work was done by Chris James, Prince’s late-career engineer, who recently discovered the source audio in Prince’s famous Paisley Park vault.
Prince and The Revolution: Live will be available as both a 3-LP set and a 2-CD/Blu-ray bundle. The film has been digitally enhanced for the Blu-ray, which offers selectable stereo, 5.1 surround and Dolby Atmos audio mixes.
As a further bonus, the companion album will also be made available on music streaming services in spatial audio/Dolby Atmos, a first for a Prince release.
For the superfans, there’s also a limited-edition Collector’s Edition that will be available exclusively from the official Prince Store. Shipping in a luxe foil box, this will contain a 3-LP set of coloured vinyl (purple, red and gold discs), two CDs, the Blu-ray and a 44-page book. This features previously unreleased photos from the Purple Rain tour, along with new liner notes from all five members of The Revolution and a limited-run poster.
“Listening back to that Syracuse show, I’m like, wow, we sound like a freight train just coming out of nowhere,” says The Revolution’s BrownMark. “That was powerful. I’ve been to a lot of concerts, and I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Prince and the Revolution: Live will be released on 3 June 2022, and is available for pre-order now. Show-opening song Let’s Go Crazy has been released today.
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