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For this post, we’ve assembled a collection of must-hear Prince bootlegs. All of them, save one, were professionally recorded. These shows took place early in Prince’s career (pre-Purple Rain), when he was young, hungry and had something to prove.

The Omni, Atlanta, March 8, 1980: The earliest live Prince recording in circulation, and one of the best sounding shows included here. At the time, he was touring with Rick James, opening for the Super Freak. Prince was supporting his self-titled second album, and this was his second ever tour.

Due to Mixcloud settings the audio can only be forwarded, so you won’t be able to rewind.

The Ritz, New York City, March 22, 1981: From the Dirty Mind tour. Included in the set is an unreleased song, “Broken.” The bootleg has some filler before and after the show, which starts at 3:46 and ends at 59:35.

The Summit, Houston, December 20, 1981: The first of two shows here from the Controversy era. On this tour, a tape of an otherwise unavailable studio cut called “The Second Coming” played before the band hit the stage.

First Avenue, Minneapolis, March 8, 1982: This was an unannounced gig. It’s a loose and relaxed show, played for a hometown audience. The bootleg is sourced from a very listenable audience tape.

First Avenue, Minneapolis, August 3, 1983: This is perhaps the most celebrated concert Prince ever played. A benefit for the Minnesota Dance Theatre, it took place at the same club that would be featured in Purple Rain. Five songs from the Purple Rain album and film (both nearly a year away) premiered at this show. Recordings of three numbers—“I Would Die 4 U,” “Baby I’m a Star” and “Purple Rain”—were taken from the gig, though they were subsequently modified in the studio. The song “Electric Intercourse” went unreleased in any form for decades; a version was included on the deluxe edition of Purple Rain. There’s also a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You.”

This was guitarist Wendy Melvoin’s first concert with the band, which would soon be known the world over as Prince and the Revolution.

Part of the fun in listening to this performance is to hear how the audience reacts to the now classic Purple Rain material. At the conclusion of opener “Let’s Go Crazy,” the audience literally does just that after hearing the song for the very first time. The show ends with “D.M.S.R.” and a closing vamp, which is followed by a rehearsal for the gig.

The recording is a bit rough during the first minute, but generally sounds good after that.

Video of the New York City, Houston and Minneapolis 1983 shows also circulate. When Prince video of this sort pops up it tends to disappear faster than his live audio recordings do, but the Ritz performance is currently online. Try your luck here or here.

This post was inspired by the new book, Prince: 50 Essential Bootlegs. Author Hamish Whitta gives each live recording its own chapter, providing historical perspective and in-depth analysis as to why they are deemed “essential.” All of the concerts featured here are included, and the book will inspire readers to search for more. Get your copy of Prince: 50 Essential Bootlegs on Amazon.