Paris 17 November 1999

 Sadly this week Cynthia Robinson, formerly of Sly and the Family Stone, passed away. Sly is a certifiable genius, but to get where he wanted to go he needed a great band. And just as Prince had the Revolution to help him achieve greatness, Sly had his band Sly and the Family Stone featuring Cynthia Robinson on trumpet. Cynthia also played in Graham Central Station, and naturally enough played with Larry Graham and Prince late in the 1990s. 1998/1999 isn’t something I delve into too often, there is plenty of material coming from Prince, but I feel that he is regrouping and finding his way toward the next step in his evolution. He does indulge himself by playing with some of his heroes, and this brings us to where we are today, a gig from Le Bataclan Paris, with Prince playing with Larry Graham, Cynthia Robinson, and Jerry Martini, all former members of Sly and the Family Stone as well as Graham Central Station. As a rule, shows from this era generally don’t fill me with excitement, there isn’t much happening in Prince's world in 1999, however, I can’t deny that the setlist looks inviting, and I know Prince greatly enjoys playing with Larry Graham. Having Cynthia Robinson playing is something I look forward to hearing and a fitting way to remember her wonderful life. 

17 November 1999, Le Bataclan, Paris 

Things get off to a great start with a brief drum solo from Prince. The quality of the recording is surprisingly good, and Prince’s playing sounds light and playful. I know many people, myself included, like to hear him on various instruments and I always crave more whenever I hear him play drums, bass, keyboard, or whatever. The drum solo is only a cameo and after a minute he picks up his guitar for a series of runs as the crowd chant “Let’s go” – a la “Let’s Go Crazy.” After this light-hearted introduction, the funk comes on thick with the band vamping on Doing It To Death. Prince knows how to funk, and his guitar sound is all over this one. Again the band is still feeling their way into the show, and the groove only runs for a couple of minutes, but Prince has signaled his intentions, this is going to be one funky gig. 

My summation proves correct as the horn section begins to play and Prince starts singing “Bustin’ Loose.” Initially, it’s Prince and the horns that we hear most, the rest of the band has their moment later in the song as Prince leads us through a series of tempo changes as the song both speeds up and slows down. Kathy J plays a solo, and its leads rather nicely into another change as things slow again and Prince chants and sings. The whole song is saturated in funk, Prince’s vocals, the horns, and the rhythm section, all of it locked on the groove. As the song plays through I can almost feel the walls shaking and the sweat of the show. 

Things sound promising as Prince calls for the keyboards to be turned up, and the guitar to be “turned way up.”  The introduction of Larry Graham gives us “The Jam.” Larry does a great spoken introduction, and the song sounds sharp right from the beginning. Perhaps I have listened to too many poor recordings of this song, this one seems to sparkle in comparison. Normally I am effusive in my praise of Morris Hayes, but I can’t hear his performance on this one, and it's Mike Scott’s guitar break that kicks things off in great style for me. The NPG horns sound equally good, although I start to tune out later as Kip Blackshire sings, and Kirk Johnson plays a drum solo. The party mood is restored to my house as Larry plays and the crowd begins to chant and sing. 

 

“Everyday People” sounds much funkier too, with some of its pop sparkle initially replaced with a deeper groove and funk. Sure, it still sounds like pure sunshine as Larry sings, but the intro has a groove to it, and I do like that Larry does his best to reclaim it from the Toyota advertising. The horns are turned up mid-song before a trombone solo takes us off in a new direction. My mouth opens as there is a fantastic bass solo that pops along before a choppy guitar furthers the sound in this direction. It’s all tied together by some great guitar and bass work, and there is a tightness to this band’s playing that I hadn’t expected. They looked like a random selection of players, but upon hearing them I can see that they are a well-drilled band. 

I have to admit, I don’t know “Eye’magettin’” very well (Sorry, I refuse to type in Princebonics). I enjoy it immensely on this recording, with lots of bass and crowd interaction. The rest of the band takes a back seat for this one, it’s most definitely about Larry and his bass playing, and the man certainly does live up to his reputation. The song twists and turns a couple of times, and it keeps me guessing about what might come next. This is the early highlight of the show for me, and I hope there’s more like this later on. The sheering guitar sound at the end puts an exclamation mark on it, and I nod in appreciation. 

We stay with Larry Graham, and after Prince fights some feedback, it’s the crowd themselves that begins to sing “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)” The band plays and the crowd instinctively sing-along for some time as Prince gets the sound right on stage. There are problems with feedback, as well as Morris Hayes's organ being absent/low in the mix. Things immediately improve, and it’s quite noticeable as I hear the organ properly for the first time.  The delivery of the song is almost casual, you can hear the familiarity of the song both with the band and the audience. There is some nice back and forth with the crowd, and it’s very much an ensemble piece, with every member playing their part, including some tight horn work. 

Prince takes his time next with a speech to the crowd. His sentiments are well placed and admire him using his position to say something. It does distract me from the music, so I find myself waiting until it’s over and we can get back to the show. 

I am rewarded with an uplifting rendition of “Purple House”. This has been played plenty of times over the years, yet this one sounds a lot better than a lot of other bootlegs I have heard. There is a nice fat organ sound behind Prince as he plays early on, and then later in the song, Larry’s bass underpins it while he lets fly on his guitar. His solo is strong and loud, he plays cleanly during the verses, but the guitar is very rock sounding for his solos. There may be better renditions of Purple House out there, but for now, this is one of my favorites. Prince stays with the guitar for a further minute after the song finishes and delivers a minute of fantastic guitar shredding. I thought he sounded good during Purple House, but this cameo of a performance is more than its equal, and a nice addendum to the song. 

“Kiss” has a very long introduction, with Prince singing a bass line as the drum begins. It’s not immediately recognizable as “Kiss,” and Prince takes some time to get some dancers up as the organ and guitar groove. A further surprise as there is a long bass intro while the band works up a head of steam. Finally, there is a release as Mike Scott hits the guitar riff, and the song emerges from the jam. The rest of the song is almost a disappointment after the build-up we had, and it follows a fairly standard script from here on in. 

The following song is “Gett Off,” and it’s a shadow of its former self, a lot of the power of the original is gone, and apart from that electrifying guitar riff, it sounds like a much more relaxed groove. I would dismiss it, but the guitar riff and accompanying solo are just too good, and I can’t turn away even for a second. The last half of the song is buried under Prince's guitar sound, and a highlight is as he holds a quivering note for some time before plunging into more guitar pyrotechnics. 

 

I almost laugh as “Gett Off (Housestyle)” begins. It is night and day compared to the guitar sound we have just heard, and there is plenty of horn all over it before Mike Scott plays a feather-light solo that gains power as it goes on. There is a fun sound to it all, and it’s hard not to smile as I listen to it, even though under normal circumstances the thought of “Gett Off (Housestyle)” would make me cringe. 

A couple of horn blasts signal the beginning of “Talkin’ Loud And Saying Nothing.” In a clever symmetry, the show is ending as it began with some James Brown and Graham Central Station. Prince can be heard on the microphone, but for me, this song is all about the band and their strength in playing together. Typically for this part of a show, things become a jam, and Prince throws a couple of songs into the mix as well as giving individual band members a chance to play. 

The bass of Larry plays us right into “Release Yourself,” which skips along at a good pace. There are the horns propelling us forward, as well as the organ of Morris Hayes and some quick guitar licks that underpin the whole thing. The standouts for me are Larry’s bass early on, and a tambourine break that seemly appears out of nowhere. A lot is going on, and instruments and sounds seem to be coming from every direction – there is no mistaking that this is the last song and the band is throwing everything into it. It’s a frenetic end to the show, and I almost feel tired by the time it’s over. A final word from Prince reminds people to be careful and to love God and it finally comes to a close. 

This is the second of the three Bataclan shows that I will be listening to, and although completely different from the others, it’s still just as every bit enjoyable. Prince and Larry are undoubtedly the key attraction here, but the rest of the band prove their worth and it’s a complete performance in my view. On paper 1999 may appear a weak year for Prince shows, yet this one shows us otherwise. A fun show at a fantastic venue, with some of Prince’s (and mine) funk heroes, this one I can safely recommend to all. 

Rest in peace Cynthia, thanks for the music. 

London 15 November 1999

 With the recent reissue of Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic and all the subsequent talk of the era, the time has come for me to dip my toe back into the waters of bootlegs from this period. Prince did not honor Rave with a full-scale tour, instead, promotional duties fell heavily on a round of TV appearances and a handful of one-off shows. All of these are of course well documented, and for today’s bootleg, I have elected to listen to the show from London on November 15th. This is his first concert post-release of Rave, although the show contains very little material from that album. However, it is a good audience recording and I do have a natural affinity for a lot of the music that we hear through the course of this one-off show. While I am often mystified but Prince’s choices and his stance on which music he will promote, I always enjoy the live performance, no matter what he plays -and so it is in this case. 

15th November 1999, Mermaid Theatre, London 

Out of the silence comes a guitar-drenched “Let’s Go Crazy,” which immediately appeals to my inner rocker. There is no breakdown or audience participation, it comes to us frayed at the edges and ragged with its bare electric sound tearing the song down and building it again from the ground up. The fact that it comes to us in a rush adds to this impulsive and hurly-burly feeling, Prince plunging us into the future with this blistering two-minute rendition. 

The fiery start is tempered by a smoldering “She’s Always In My Hair,” the grit of Prince’s guitar still colors the recording but here it becomes a scalpel in his hand, his notes crisp and clean and cutting sharply across the recording, drawing appreciative cheers from the audience. The concert still hasn’t become an immersive experience, the quality just isn’t quite good enough to suck me into the moment, but the first two songs of the bootleg are certainly of a high standard and with an intensity, I hadn’t expected from this era. 

 

This trio of guitar-based songs is rounded out by “U Got The Look,” a song that doesn’t quite have the same driving intensity as the previous songs, although it too comes with an inflamed guitar break that does its best to unleash the song from the pop genre to which it is consigned. It never quite achieves what I hope for though, it is too firmly rooted in the pop magnificence of Sign O The Times, and despite Prince’s furious playing it remains rooted in the ’80s and never becomes the timeless classic we all want it to be. 

The next song comes as a pure groove, over a loop Prince delivers lines of several songs, although it remains rather directionless and never quite settles on one or another. It could have been a back catalog clearing medley, but remains uninteresting in its pure blandness and failure to commit. This meander does finally find a focus as Prince swings it into a short rendition of “Kiss.” It slips and slides as required in the first minute, but it gains a beating heart with other people coming to the microphone during the breakdown. It is only a small section of the song but captures the live experience better than anything heard in the preceding few minutes and makes it all worthwhile. 

I am overjoyed to hear Prince’s guitar howl and shriek in the opening minute of “Gett Off.” Its almighty sound stands proud as it rises out of the groove, and it soon becomes apparent that this will be the song, five minutes of Prince playing loud and proud, no storm or flurry of notes, instead, his striking bold sound that soars and swoops, yet remain granite-like in its heavy intent. Prince is playing with purpose, this is no flight of fancy, his guitar solo crafted rather than driven by pure inspiration. 

 

“Gett Off (Housestyle)” cannot be compared to the previous rendition, there is again plenty of guitar work but this time it is Mike Scott playing in all his finery, his guitar work lacy and intricate as opposed to Prince’s previously architectural-like structure. The appearance of the horn section signals a new direction for the concert, we are coming to a fuller sound as Prince draws from his wider palette of funk-infused jams. 

These jams are best exemplified with his take on “Talkin’ Loud And Sayin’ Nothing,” a horn-driven groove that sweeps up elements of “Sex Machine,” and “It’s Alright,” as it sprawls across the next ten minutes. There are several treasures unearthed through this jam, the piano is early to draw my attention, along with a dedicated flurry of horns, before Larry Graham’s bass appears front and center and continues to dominate the scene. It is typically Larry Graham, there is no mistaking his style and it lifts the song again as the band turns their full attention on “It’s Alright.” While it is not as vital as some of the other songs of the night, it perhaps best represents Prince and the band at this stage of his career as they take on these familiar tunes and spruce them up with their unique sound. 

The steady hand of Prince guides the band into a sunset groove that on the back of guitar work reveals itself to be “Purple House.” I am a fan of the concept more than the realization of the song, Prince’s guitar not burning with the intensity I desire, while his surrounding players detract from the song rather than add to it. That’s not to say there is anything bad in the performance, but it doesn’t measure up to Prince’s material earlier in the set, nor does he lift the song beyond its well-known roots. There are the prerequisite wail and shrieks from Prince’s instrument, but it is apropos of nothing as it flounders in its sound rather than taking the song to new horizons. 

 

There is very little to distinguish “The Jam,” from the earlier “Talkin’ Loud And Sayin’ Nothing,” they both spring from the same fertile ground and provide the band a chance to stretch out with the heavy bass of Larry Graham underpinning proceedings. As such it adds little to the concert, indeed it is almost unnecessary given what we have already heard. On a positive note, I always enjoy the contribution of Morris Hayes, no matter how many times I hear him, and again he is a highlight of “The Jam” for me. Mike Scott on guitar is also noteworthy, but the rest of the song I could take or leave. Mostly leave. 

We finally get a Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic song in the form of “The Greatest Romance That’s Every Been Sold,” although by now we are approaching the end of the concert. It is a classy performance and one can hear that it is of the modern era in comparison to all that has come before. It is mature and fits well with the late 90’s R’n’B, Prince seemingly drawing inspiration from the current music scene of the time. What I enjoy most is his vocal performance, the band plays in the shadows of his performance and I find myself cocooned in his vocals as the song flows easily through the speakers. As the lead single of the album, it was promoted through a series of TV performances, which makes it all the more disappointing that it disappeared from live concerts within eighteen months of its first appearance. Hearing it at this show only strengthens this feeling, and as I sit back and enjoy the performance I only wish there were more of this kind in circulation. 

 

The instrumental version that follows is exquisite, especially as the clarinet weaves its way in and out of the music, making for a hypnotic few minutes. I am snapped out of this dream-like trance by a thoughtful trombone solo that surprises and delights in equal measure. I had previously thought the song leaned heavily on the vocals, yet this instrumental version makes me realize just how important and intricate the music is behind Prince. 

From the other end of the Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic scale we next have an impertinent rendition of “Baby Knows,” a song that is enhanced by a snotty upstart of a solo provided by Prince, it may only be a few seconds of guitar work but it ignites the song and briefly steals it from the hands of the horn section who otherwise have their fingerprints all over it. 

A guitar-driven groove propels the concert towards the ultimate number, Prince’s instrument grunting and choking in his hands, a wild dog pulling to be free. Prince never unleashes this guitar fury, the guitar snarls and threatens, but never breaks into the untamed wildness as I expect, wish, and pray. 

There is finally a release, in name and nature, with the final “Release Yourself,” a song pulled directly from Larry Graham’s back catalog. After a quick turnaround, the full band, horns included, leap upon the jam, led by the good Larry Graham. The mix is a little uneven, the bootleg remaining very good but showing its limitations at this stage as the vocals come to us at different levels. The energy and enthusiasm are undeniable, a circus of sound cascading around my headphones as all the band members via for attention seemingly all at once. It is Prince that I strain to hear the most, but he is too clever and too well embedded in the band to stand out. He may well have been a superstar of supernova proportions, but he knew his place in the band, and even as he contributes his solo he stays well within the confines of what else is heard on the tape. 

 

The is one final twist in the tale of this bootleg, as the music ends and the room reverts to chatter, one of the audience can be heard asking “was that Beck on the right of the stage?” It may or may not be, one certainly can’t distinguish him on the recording, and there is equally confusion among the audience as to whether or not it was him. The matter is never resolved, and it is a curious end to what has been an uneven concert. It was a concert I wanted to like a lot, especially in light of the recent reissues, but the show was too uneven for me to get a proper handle on. The audience recording was good, at times very good, but I found overall Prince resting too much on past glories and other people’s songs. Equally disappointing was the lack of songs from the Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic, the opportunity to get some of this music out into the light of day and road-test it to a critical audience. As such, this remains a good listen, but never reaches the heights of many of the other bootlegs in circulation, a curio that I am unlikely to revisit. 

Minneapolis 6 September 1999

 1999 is an odd year in the world of Prince. No tour this year, just a steady stream of one-off shows and appearances. Prince was well off my radar at this stage, I had grown weary of his output, and found it lacked the excitement and creativity that I previously enjoyed. But looking at my recordings I see that I do need to have a dig and look at something from this era. I have chosen a recording of his appearance at the Mill City festival. The setlist looks slightly interesting, and with Larry Graham in the band, the stage is now set for the next change in his life and music. 

Mill City Festival 6 September 1999 Minneapolis 

The lone notes of Prince’s guitar begin the recording. His tone is unmistakable, and there is a nice minute of just his playing alone. The beat begins as the guitar whines its final note, and I am immediately enthused as “Sign Of the Time” starts. The sound of his guitar playing at the beginning adds a lot to it, and my excitement. His playing through the whole song is great, very nice and fiery. It’s a good contrast to Prince's vocal, which is suitably detached. This song works great live, and I am surprised it doesn’t get played more often. As the title track of one of his most critically recognized albums I feel it should get a little more love. For all the great lyrics in this song, and the fantastic beat, it is the guitar that dominates in this live version, especially later in the song, before it finishes very sharply. This was a great start to the recording. 

Another Sign Of The Times song follows, as the steady drumbeat of “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man” begins. Prince takes his time to thank the city and festival and then brings out Larry Graham to the stage. He tells us that he has a few surprises lined up later, and then comments on the crowd. It’s a good minute and a half before he starts playing on his guitar, then after a brief moment the band jumps in and the song starts properly. What I enjoy about this one, is I can hear the organ very well, and it helps fill out what is a somewhat thin recording. Prince seems to understand what the main attraction of the song is, and after a brief verse, he jumps straight to the guitar break. It’s sounding good, but nothing great or off the wall here. I enjoy it much more when the band falls silent and Prince draws out a longer more mournful guitar break. He never returns to the song and it ends with him playing guitar like this. 

There is a small break again between songs as Prince delivers a spiritual message. It’s well-intentioned, and leads us appropriately enough into “The Christ.” Although I don’t like the fact that Prince is trying to rewrite his history, I do respect his beliefs and admire that he is prepared to stand by his convictions. However, this song will always be ‘The Cross’ to me. It seems that it would be impossible to play a version of this that I wouldn’t like, but here it comes close. Larry Graham sings the second verse, and although I love his voice – love, love – here it sounds out of place to me. Prince’s vocals sound a little messed up when he returns for the next verse. I am not sure I can blame the quality of the recording for this, it sounds like he is ad-libbing at the mic, buts it’s not very clear, and sounds a little amateurish. He does serve up another guitar break, but again it’s nothing spectacular and is a little truncated. 

 

“Thank you very much hometown,” Prince says before the keyboard intro of “Let's Go Crazy” begins. The guitar sound here is fairly neutered, and the song has lost the power it had during the Purple Rain era. This is a pretty standard run-through of the song, it has a couple of verses cut, and even the guitar breaks fail to lift it to anything special. I thought it might have picked up when Prince played his last guitar howl, but even this is a damp squib. 

“She’s Always in My Hair” is a dead-set classic, and its appearance next raises my interest considerably. Both the guitar and the keys via for my attention, before Prince closes the deal with “Can I play my guitar?” The guitar break is everything I could ask for, and although not stratospheric, it’s exactly what I need. The song seems to be very short, only the first verse and chorus are played before the guitar break, and the song ends immediately after the guitar solo. Short and sweet as they say, I could have done with a little more for this one. 

Keeping with the rock theme the next song played is “U Got The Look.” It has good energy and simmers along nicely. The setlist so far has been crowd-pleasing, and heavy on guitar songs from his most popular albums. “U Got The Look” has a very clean sound to it. Sure, there is some nice throaty guitar, but it still sounds well-polished throughout. I was wondering if they would do something different with it, but it’s very much as heard on the album. It is enjoyable, but nothing to write home about, or indeed to write a blog about. 

I was wondering where Prince was going next, as over a steady beat he addresses the crowd, and especially the ladies in the audience. It all becomes clear when he says “Ladies, do you know how to kiss?” There is a brief moment of sampler and scratching before the very familiar guitar line of “Kiss” begins. There is some sampling and horns in the song, but they fail to add anything to it, and if anything they detract from its minimalist charm. There is an interesting moment when the band stop and just Prince and the crowd sing. OK, so interesting might be an overstatement, but it is a nice variation in the song that wasn’t doing much for me. 

The scream at the beginning of “Gett Off” has me reaching for my phone to check my messages (I have the scream as my ringtone), but it’s the real deal and the recording takes a more interesting turn. The song takes a long time to begin and is much more of a jam. There is a lot of interaction between Prince and the crowd. There is a few sounds and sample thrown into the mix and keeps me listening trying to catch them all. Prince's vocal delivery is very laid back, and smooth sounding. He sings rather than speaks the lyrics, and it’s very enjoyable. There is a low-key guitar break before some funky chanting “Come And Dance With Me” This is very cool, and funky before things heat up. There is an upswing in tempo and the band begins singing “I Like Funky Music.” The beat has a Latin feel to it, and Prince introduces Maceo Parker to the crowd. Maceo delivers immediately and delivers a fast and funky sax solo. Prince begins to sing “I like funky music” and I have to agree, I do too! The song continues in this vein for some time, and I enjoy every second of it. From here on it’s very much a funk jam, with Prince directing the band and Maceo, there are a few minutes of stabs, funky rhythms, and percussion breaks. 

Things stay on the same track as the band slip into “Talking Loud and Saying Nothing.” Here the horns come to the fore. I was just thinking how good they were sounding when Prince calls them out, and they do a fantastic break. I am not a horn guy, but this is very good, and I enjoy it immensely. Prince is again directing things and the band is tight right through. I can hear some calls, and I am sure if I could see it he would be directing things with his hands and movements. 

Without pause we get “Let’s Work,” and it’s nice and horny -with horns that is. They pump it up a lot, and it's one of Prince’s songs that I find works well with real horns playing over it. Prince’s vocal is sounding good as ever, and it has a bit of pop to it. This song got me moving, it was sounding great. I was expecting it to go for longer, but just as it is beginning to groove the band transitions into “Delirious.” 

“Delirious” also gains from having live horns played over it. Not a favorite of mine, I find this recording quite refreshing with the horns playing on it. There is even a horn solo, which I presume is Maceo, and that too is awesome. “Delirious” is always a slight song, and here it slips by very quickly, but well worth the listen. There is an instrumental section that plays it out, featuring some guitar work- but it’s neither here nor there and doesn’t add anything. 

Next, there is a short pause when Prince engages the crowd. There’s a bit of “You don’t love me… You love Larry Graham, but you don’t love me”. The crowd responds as you might expect, and then after half a minute of this, there is another break. 

The beat then resumes, and Prince tells the crowd that his new single “The Greatest Romance Ever Sold” is on sale next month. No surprise as he next begins to talk of record companies and being free. He then sings a smooth version of “Everyday Is A Winding Road.” It's nice enough sounding, but it is not very distinctive until the chorus, then it picks up a lot. There is a nice organ in the background, and Prince is singing nice and strong. The whole song gets stronger and stronger as it goes on, and after Prince acknowledges that it was written by Sheryl Crow the band moves into a long groove with it. Well, not too long, it finishes up just a minute after this, but it is enjoyable as it lasts. 

The seductive beat of “Love Thy Will be Done” draws me in slowly but surely. Prince delivers a spiritual message for a couple of minutes over the beat, but this time it seems to work well. Then when he does begin to sing over the same beat, it is not “Love Thy Will Be Done,” but ”Do Unto Others.” It has a nice groove to it, and my head is quickly bobbing. There are plenty of organs and Prince sings with Larry Graham. 

 

I am feeling it, and then it gets even better as Prince sings “Sometimes I feel Like A Motherless Child.” It’s very much a favorite of mine from the period, and Prince delivers it with plenty of heart and passion on the recording. His singing sounds like he is pouring himself into it. There is then a trombone solo, which doesn’t derail the song at all, and it brings a lot of color to it. The band then returns to singing “Do Unto Others,” while Prince busies himself on the guitar. There are plenty of squeals and wailing, all the while that steady beat keeps plugging away underneath. There is a false ending, but just as I think it's done Prince comes back on board with his guitar, and there are another couple of minutes of him blasting out another solo. He is warmed up by this stage, and the whole thing sounds great. The song ends quickly after, but it’s already made an impression on me- I will be coming back to this one. 

Prince begins “Prettyman” by telling the crowd that he wrote it for Morris Day, but it was so funky he decided to keep it for himself. He then goes on to do a spoken intro, speaking the lyrics until the band gets on board after a minute. It is indeed funky, and Maceo is all over this one. After Prince's intro, I can imagine Morris singing this one, but Prince is equally adept at delivering such lyrics. There is a lot of character as he sings, and the lyrics are hilarious. Things get very funky when Prince calls for Maceo to blow his horn. As you might expect, Maceo more than delivers. All in all, it’s the funkiest song of the show. 

The band jumps straight into “Purple Rain” after this, and initially, it’s a little jarring after the funkfest we have just heard. But there is a nice long intro which gives me plenty of time to calm down and sit back to enjoy it. And it is very enjoyable. Not one of the great versions, but Prince gives the song plenty of room to breathe, and during the introduction, he introduces his new guitar, Hibibi, and then treats us to a minute of nice guitar noodling before we get to the meat of the song. Some nice low-key horns are playing in the song, and it adds a little bit of sharpness and stops it from becoming just like any other version. There are also some nice lyric changes from Prince, nothing too much, but again it keeps me listening. When Prince unleashes Habibi on us for the guitar finale it's well worth the wait. He plays the standard solo, but the guitar has a fantastic tone to it, and even though I have heard it plenty, this one still manages to excite me. The reprise has more of the saxophone – I am assuming it's Maceo, and it takes the song to another level. By the fade out I am pretty happy that this one is more interesting than a lot of versions of “Purple Rain” out there. 

I had forgotten about the song “Come On,” until it came on. I enjoy the live versions of this one far more than what’s on record, so even though this isn’t great it’s still an improvement. It gets the full funk treatment here, a nice long intro, with calls for hand-clapping hand waving. There isn’t too much that can be said about this recording, aside from the fact that I like it. I could well imagine this going on for a good 10-15 minutes, but it finishes surprisingly quickly after just 5 minutes. With the long intro, it didn’t leave much of the rest of the song for me to enjoy. 

A pounding beat and “oh way oh” starts us into “Baby I’m A Star.” It’s not quite how I remember it from the Purple Rain days. There are lots of horns which is good, but they do swamp the song that I know. But the song is a Trojan horse and after a minute it’s over and we are into 1999. 

1999 gets the Vegas treatment. The horns are again to the fore, and the song is treated as a fun sing-along. There is very little in the way of verses and chorus, just a lot of yelling and chanting with the crowd. It’s all very shiny and light, and somewhat showy, but I find that I don’t enjoy it too much. I can see that he is going for the party vibe but, as is the case with many of these gigs, it doesn’t translate well to the recording. There is no substitute for being there. 

The set ends with Prince being presented with a key to the city. At least I think that is what happens, it’s not overly clear. After this, there is a Larry Graham set, with Prince guesting. I am not going to write about that here- or this post will take days to read. 

I am not sure what to make of this recording. It has a good setlist, but overall comes across as a little weak. I enjoyed it overall, but Prince seems a little unsure of what he is at this time. Coming off the slave era, and moving towards the legacy era, this is a time where he doesn’t seem to have an agenda to push, musically at least. For all that, this recording is solid, it was a good diversion on a Sunday afternoon. 

Las Vegas 2 January 1999

 With not many shows played in 1999, there isn’t much to listen to from that time. My collection is thin from 1999 and consequently so is the blog. I intend to right that wrong by taking in a couple of shows from that year. I have already taken in the Mill City festival, and today I will listen to a show from the beginning of the year at Studio 54, MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas. This is from a Sabotage release, and also covers another couple of shows, but it is the show from January 2nd that interests me most. An eclectic mix of songs sees some strange bedfellows, “I Would Die 4 U” bumps up against “Get Yo Groove On,” and the show is short for a Prince show so I am hoping for something infused with plenty of energy. It looks good on paper, fingers crossed it delivers. 

2nd January 1999, Studio 54, MGM Grand Hotel Las Vegas 

We ease into the show with an easy “Push It Up.” It takes some time to make itself known, but that’s no problem at all as I enjoy it right from the start. With a steady beat and the band chanting “push it up” the funk is slowly added by the slightest guitar sound. With Prince intoning “The funk keep on rolling” he, in a couple of words, sums up the exact mood of the song, it does indeed roll. The song stays with a low roll and even as Prince sings the chorus it doesn’t rise to anything more, it stays low in the groove all the way. Things do become more lively with the introduction of “Jam Of The Year,” with the groove still locked down it’s the lyrics that raise the excitement levels and some added keys are certainly a plus. 

“Talkin Loud And Sayin Nothin” has the band changing gears and cutting into their work, with Larry Graham doing his best to get things going. Handwaving and some funky music have me feeling it, although Prince does pull things back a couple of times and break the flow. Mike Scott delivers a quick solo as the party begins in earnest with an action-packed keyboard solo following close after. It is funky and something I would normally expect later in the gig, nevertheless it gets things moving early on and sounds great. 

Rosie Gaines singing “Carwash” is perfectly in keeping with what has come before and it is seamless in setting the party vibe already set. It follows right on the heels of “Talkin Loud And Saying Nothin,” almost as a medley- the groove never stopping. It may sound dated, but it is of its time and is very 1999. 

Likewise “Let’s Work” comes after, without pause or let up. It does lack some crispness, whether it be the recording or the performance I don’t know. After years of listening to Prince bootlegs, I know that it does lack the fire and passion that was present in the performances of the song in the early eighties. 

“Delirious” also harks back to the early days and it fares better at this show than the previous Let’s Work. It still has a brightness and a bounce that carries the day, and the best moment is the brief piano solo that appears midsong bringing a smile to my face. “Rock N Roll Is Alive (And Lives In Minneapolis)” is played as an instrumental coda, leaving the song finishing on an energized high. 

  

There are plenty of great live versions of “Purple Rain” in circulation, but this is not one of them. It has a dreariness about it and sounds uninspired throughout. Even the guitar solo that is usually uplifting is instead laborious and for the first time in my life, I find myself counting the minutes until it ends. 

The gentle swells of “Little Red Corvette” restores my faith. With the guitar delicately emphasizing the rise and fall of the keyboard, it has a gentleness to it that washes against me. It is a somewhat unusual arrangement, after an extended introduction Prince sings the opening verse and chorus before Mike Scott takes the solo and the song suddenly ends. Even in this truncated form, it is still a classy few minutes and worth it just for those opening minutes alone. 

“I Would Die 4 U” sees the crowd cheering and gleefully singing along. In the next few minutes, the songs come thick and fast, and this is a fine introduction that gets the crowd involved. It’s only played very short, and as such has a brightness to it that keeps things moving as Prince quickly introduces the band with “Get Yo Groove On” before the segue into “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man.” 

 

“I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man” has a pounding beat as Prince toys with some guitar playing. A minute of teasing and the song kicks into the familiar riff as Prince sings. Of course, it’s all about the guitar, and it isn’t long before Prince dispenses with the singing and heads straight for the guitar solo. The solo isn’t as long as I want, and it slows to some interesting guitar noodling which shimmers and swirls before occasionally flickering into life. 

The intensity levels drop as Rosie Gaines takes the microphone for “Redemption Song.” It’s not a bad rendition, it’s just that it is not Prince. I try to get something out of it but it never sweeps me up. The song goes by without me feeling engaged or actively listening, it serves well as a backdrop without any demand. 

Rosie stays on the microphone for “Ain’t No Way,” and this time I am much more engaged. Her voice with the keyboards underneath, gives it a soulful nostalgic sound and I wallow in the song for several minutes, enjoying all of it. With a full warm sound, this is better than the previous “Redemption Song” and I find myself falling for Rosie all over again. 

It’s no surprise that Prince and Rosie next take on “Nothing Compares 2 U,” and this lifts the show to another level as they belt it out for maximum effect. The organ solo is the heart of the song and gives it an emotional base. It is hitting the right buttons with the audience as they actively sing through the song and give plenty of warm appreciation at the end of the song. 

I forget that “Come On” was less than a year old at this stage, and at this performance, Prince plays it in full, with plenty of loops and beats keeping it hopping. The singing comes across well on the recording, and it does have its charms. I may not like it when Doug E Fresh does his thing, but I do enjoy hearing the crowd sing and chant along with him. 

I was curious to hear “1999: The New Master” live until it started. It’s a mess, with beatboxing from Doug E. Fresh, and lots of rapping and crowd participation. Some people may like it, but for me, it’s not really what I want to hear from a Prince show. It does run for ten minutes which can make for hard listening, and I must admit late in the song I stopped paying attention as I wasn’t enjoying it in the slightest. 

The loop of “Gett Up” has me perking up, but we stay with Doug E Fresh for the first minute before Prince hits the main riff and things get started. It’s not the greatest version, but there is no denying the earworm of a hook, and the guitar has me listening intently for the couple of minutes the song plays. In the final couple of minutes, it switches to “Gett Off(housestyle),” something I wouldn’t normally like but this evening I find myself liking it despite myself, and even Rosie’s scat raises a smile. 

 

The final “Release Yourself” is where Larry Graham and Rosie Gaines shine. The song is such that it is a natural fit for them, and with Larry’s bass rumbling underneath, there is another chance for Rosie to sing. The song is yet another finale jam that runs for some time as an upbeat instrumental with plenty of organ and bass. When the singing does begin it is as with the key players each taking a part, although Rosie is easily the strongest. Despite this, Larry is recorded best on the recording, a shame as Rosie is going for it near the end even though she is quieter on the recording. It is the finale and there is no surprise as it ends with a flourish. 

I was overly optimistic when I set out to listen to this show. I knew 1999 wasn’t a great year for shows, yet I thought some of the songs would offer more. There were some good songs and moments in the show, but they weren’t strong enough to make up for the not-so-good songs. A run of shows like this and I would quickly lose interest in listening to bootlegs, luckily I know there are plenty more good shows from other years without having to dip into shows like this. An interesting enough experience, but not something I would want to do again any time soon. 

Cologne 28 December 1998 (am)

 

After dabbling in Eye record releases for the past month, it is time to return to one of the most influential and well-known labels bootlegging Prince concerts and recordings -Sabotage records. Sabotage has a long record of quality bootlegs and is highly regarded in the Prince bootleg community. With a catalog that covers the full scope of Prince’s career, not every release of a winner, but they are mostly of high quality, especially compared to a lot of other labels trading Prince material.

The concert I am listening to today comes from late 1998 and is an after-show from Cologne, Germany. Although it is also released by Dreamline, I have chosen to listen to the Sabotage release, mostly for sentimental reasons. I can’t comment on any similarities or differences between the two, I simply don’t have the time now to listen to the concert twice, but the concert itself is outstanding, and I am sure either would be adequate for those wanting to hear it.

With Larry Graham, Cynthia Robinson, Jerry Martini, Morris Hayes, Mike Scott, and Candy Dulfer in the band there is plenty of funk firepower, and if this combination of musicians fails to get you moving then I suggest the problem lies with you, rather than the music. The setlist consists of the usual suspects appearing in the late 90s – “Everyday People”, “The Jam”, “One Of Us”, and “Days Of Wild.” One could make a case for familiarity breeds contempt, but the band plays with plenty of heart, making the show fresh, even if the music is well-known to all.

28th December 1998 (am), Live Music Hall, Cologne, Germany

I am raving and drooling from the very first moments as the band carves out an insistent groove that “Days Of Wild” rolls across. The song is a powerhouse, here even more so as the band lends their full weight to the groove, pushing the song across a sprawling twenty minutes. The groove is paramount and it takes some time for “Days Of Wild” to rise out of the tight groove the band is laying down. The band is so deep down in the groove that the song almost sounds like a jam of “3121” – I half expect any moment for Prince to tell me to take my pick from the Japanese robes and sandals. As “Days Of Wild” emerges from the groove it is both Candy Dulfer and Morris Hayes who add the most to the swirling mix of sounds, they drive the first part of the song before Prince’s guitar briefly cuts through the density of the music later. However, the song ends on a downer as Prince chastises the crowd for smoking and insinuates that they won’t play on until some puts out “them funny cigarettes”. Apart from this, it is an outstanding beginning to the bootleg, and one wonders how Prince could top this.

 

The band picks back up into “Days Of Wild” for a brief coda, before steamrolling the rhythm across an equally forceful “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin). It has the same feel and intensity as “Days OF Wild,” only lightened by the horn section playing sharp and incisive, cutting easily through the dark and dense swirl. It is Larry Graham that comes to the fore during this song, and he will stay at the center of things for the next few songs.

It is a short and sweet “You Can Sing It If You Try” that follows, coming as a deep breath after the crushing intensity of the first numbers. It may be short, but it is perfectly placed in the setlist and allows the crowd to draw a collective breath before the band continues.

All is forgiven in regards to the cigarette incident, as the band plays a humorous cover of “Ole Smokey.” With Larry Graham on lead vocals, it has a depth to it, which is offset by the gleaming horn section giving it some air. It is almost throw-away to my ears, but there is just enough going on in the background to keep me listening.

The Larry Graham show continues with “Hair.” Oh boy, this one has me gasping for air as the song opens with some fantastic bass work that is fast, funky, and freaking awesome. The song is full of band contributions, but it is Larry’s bass that holds me enraptured, usually, I lose interest without Prince on the microphone, but in this case, I am enthralled from the first moment to the last.

I can still barely breathe as “Love And Happiness” bounds into view. As Larry Graham leads the crowd through the lyrics, it is the rhythm section that has me squirming and shaking in my chair.  It is incredibly infectious, both uplifting and danceable at the same moment. I was wondering how they could top the opening “Days Of Wild” – well this could be it. The funk flows effortlessly, it is almost magical the effect the music has on my body as Larry Graham and Prince conjure up a potion that delivers for nigh on nine minutes. It is a swaggering performance that never wavers from the sweaty fervor unleashed by Larry Graham in the opening stanza, an electrifying jolt that moves my body, yet paralyzes my mind in its crushing beauty and immersive electric wonder.

WOW. I still haven’t recovered from “Love And Happiness.”

Give me a minute here.

PHEW!

There is time to recover as Prince and the band build slowly into “Oye Como Va.” There is the sense that Prince is preparing to cut loose, but in the first minutes, he steadily climbs aboard this musical horse from which he will later ride. The guitar whinnies and neighs beneath his hands, while Morris Hayes offers a carrot in the form of some dark, dense organ. However, the song stays at a steady trot, never breaking into a gallop as Prince keeps the music, and his spirited guitar, on a tight rein.

Prince lets the guitar do all his singing through “A Question Of U.” The opening stanza of guitar gives way to a free-flowing minute of molten rock spewing forth from Prince’s guitar. This is one of the shortest songs of the performance, but also one of the most guitar-heavy.

The funk returns as Larry Graham resumes his place in the lineup  for a performance of his “Groove On.” It is Mike Scott’s guitar that the funk slips and slides across, his guitar almost liquid in sound as it greases the blocks of heavier music moving around him. Prince’s lead guitar is the center of attention as burns in the light, but Mike is at the heart of the song, key to everything else happening around him. Candy’s late solo is made all the funkier by the grease under her.

This feeling is maintained through the easy “Joy And Pain” that comes seamlessly straight after. Little more than rhythm and chant, it has all I need at this point.

I am immediately reminded of “Everyday People” as Prince sings “Forever In My Life,” and I understand why as the band segues into “Everyday People.” It is a perfect match with the rhythm connecting the two seamlessly. Prince holds Larry Graham in high esteem, and usually defers to him throughout “Everyday People.” In this case, Prince is far more prominent and contributes heartily to the verses and chorus himself. The song becomes a celebration of the everyman, a mood that is brought into sharp focus by the audience joining Prince for chanting and singing in the final half of the song. The “aw aw” chant is irritating on the bootleg but the “everyday” chant is far more pleasant and representative of the show in general.

 

You would expect that with this band “Release Yourself,” would be another showcase for Larry Graham, Cynthia Robinson, Jerry Martini, or maybe even Prince himself. Yet it is Morris Hayes who provides a shimmering tension to the song with his keyboard bleeding through every level of the song. The song is awash with his signature sound as the song sails across his swells and waves of organ, while other times it is his melodic style that catches the sails of the song and propels it forward. The stage may hold some legendary performers but these ten minutes belong solely to Morris Hayes and his titanic talent.

Larry Graham picks up where Morris Hayes left off, with his vocals and bass taking us naturally enough into a deep and all-encompassing “The Jam.”  There is a connection to the previous “Release Yourself” with Mr. Hayes again prominent early on before the song spins out in all directions as each band member pulls it in their own direction. There are occasions where “The Jam”  is overly long and unfocused, and while this version is long it never once falters for energy or interest. Prince and the band sound sprightly, and the song skips along at a lively pace.

Prince brings his spirituality into the show late with a reverential cover of “One Of Us.” The religious message of the song seeps out of every pore, and nowhere more so than at the point where Prince’s guitar enters with a guttural choke before its fingers curl around the song, squeezing every drop of holy blood from the music. This is reinforced as Prince is at his evangelistic best late in the song with a homily and spiritual message for all in attendance. It is an inspiring moment, and even on the bootleg one can feel the power of the moment and his words. As a climax to the show, it is perfect, and the holy spirit lingers with me for some minutes after the song and concert finish.

It is easy to overlook this bootleg. 1998 is not held in high regard when it comes to Prince concerts, and on the surface, this release doesn’t seem to offer much. I must admit, I did have my doubts when I saw the cover art. But as the saying goes – “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” There is a great concert hiding behind this facade. The look and sound may not be classic Prince, but the performance is full of enjoyable moments and some wondrous musicianship. Sabotage usually delivers when it comes to bootlegs, and this is no exception with a fine concert and tidy release complementing each other. After listening to this show I am beginning to see 1998 in a new light and may have to dig deeper into some other performances of the era.

Utrecht 24 December 1998 (am)

 The best thing about writing this blog is rediscovering recordings I had completely overlooked and underappreciated in the past. This recording from an after-show in 1998 is just such a recording. I am sure I listened to it when I first got it, but since then I don’t think I have played it at all until I was reading an online forum where people were discussing Prince predicting 9/11.  Towards the end of this show, he did sing about Bin Laden and bombs, but he far from predicts any actual events. I was very curious when I read this, so I took this one out for a listen. I was further surprised and happy to hear that Lenny Kravitz plays with Prince here, and the show itself is great. I don’t know why it is, but the Dutch always seem to get great after-show gigs. Plenty of guests and covers make this a special show. 

24 December 1998, Tivoli, Utrecht 

I have read that Lenny Kravitz plays drums on the first three tracks, my ears aren’t good enough to tell if that’s true or not, but it does have that sort of vibe to it. It is confirmed at the end of the song when Prince can be heard saying “You know who that is on the drums?” The first song of the evening is “Cissy Strut.” It is a classic start to such a show, the band builds a groove up and then Candy begins to play all over it with her sax. It doesn’t grab me by my collar and shake me around, rather it lures me in slowly. Candy plays as you might expect, and although I enjoy it my interest level jumps up several notches when I hear Prince and his guitar play. He plays in a rather high tone here, it’s got a real whine to it. Again it’s good without grabbing me at any stage. The tone is set now for the rest of the song, and Morris Hayes follows with a swirling organ solo. No surprises here, and as yet the gig has failed to ignite. There is the feeling that the band is just warming up, and the real fireworks are still to come. 

The band then begins to play “Superstition,” and it's shaping up to be funky. However after some funky keys, Prince calls “wait a minute, we didn’t write that” and the band proceeds to play another cover. 

“Chameleon” is a cover of a Herbie Hancock song, and is led by the horns, and a funky bass line. It's reasonably loose sounding, and it’s a good song to groove along to here at home. There is nothing in the way of vocals, it’s mostly the sax and I can hear the heavy keys. There is an organ running underneath, which fills the sound nicely and stops it from becoming unbalanced. I enjoy Morris Hayes organ break the most, it snakes in and out and is excellent. This is followed by some enthusiastic chanting by the crowd of ‘Go Lenny, Go Lenny” but to be honest he fails to do much. 

 

Lenny is replaced by Kirk Johnson on the drums next, and the band plays “Asswoop.” It’s again a jam, with everyone taking a turn to solo. We once again get Candy Dulfer first, before Mike Scott takes a turn to play. His guitar sounds very sharp and has a high tone to it. He only plays for a minute, and I have a whole new appreciation for him. I already appreciate Morris Hayes, and his solo that follows is an excellent one. It’s a synth solo and sounds nice and spacey to me. He gets plenty of time to play too, and it gives him a chance to warm to the task. What follows next is a nice moment as Hans Dulfer plays a break, before Prince introduces Candy Dulfer again to play. Her playing has gone up a notch since the opening couple of songs, and she is very expressive on this one. 

My interest in the recording remains high as Prince calls “Y’all want some Larry Graham?” and they begin to groove on “The Undertaker.” It’s got a great heavy groove to it with Larry and his bass, and the funk levels go up when Mike Scott plays a funky rhythm break while the crowd chants “Go Larry, go Larry” It does sound like a fun night. Mike sticks on his funky loop for the rest of the song while some interesting-sounding keyboards and effects are played over the top. With a call of “B flat,” the music changes and suddenly lightens. Then begins to play Joy and Pain and the crowd joins in effortlessly. They fall silent as again the keyboard goes all spacey, but I love it. This song is a head bobber all the way through, and it’s impossible not to feel it as well as hear it. It pauses as it may finish, but the groove picks up again, and over the same groove Prince begins to sing “I Know You Got Soul.” There is a brief pause for the piano before the organ kicks it all off again, and Prince gets the crowd clapping along. These types of songs are impossible to write about, they need to be heard and felt, and words just don’t do them justice. Prince gives Larry Graham plenty of shine as he sings “Groove On,” and follows it with some of the bass playing he is renowned for. Indescribable, how I would have loved to have been there. Prince stops the band on a dime, and they pick up straight into Hair. 

The bass is right in my face straight out of the gate. Larry plays fast and funky and with a shout of “turn his mic up!” from Prince he begins to sing “Hair.” I have heard this a few times from Prince, this one is more enjoyable in that it’s played with more conviction and enthusiasm. It has certainly sounded better and cleaner, yet I like this one for its passion. Larry is in fine voice, and Morris Hayes's organ underneath is great. There is an energy level to it that was missing earlier in the show, and for me, the show goes from good to great at this point. 

 

The show doesn’t let up as they next play Al Green’s “Love and Happiness.” Larry sings, and the song bounces along nicely. The audience gets a chance to sing along, and they are very vocal indeed. The bounce continues as the keyboards and horns play off each other. I think that is probably my favorite song played at the show, it’s got a timeless sound to it, and it’s something I will come back to again and again. It has Mike Scott playing a guitar solo encouraged by Larry Graham before a heavy groove carries us through to the end. 

I was surprised when I heard what came next, I should have expected it, yet when I heard Prince playing “Are You Gonna Go My Way” on the piano I was caught completely off guard. This is just the sort of thing I love, a well-known song played in a completely different way. The main guitar riff is played on a piano, and Lenny Kravitz joins the band again to sing his song. It sounds tight, and Lenny doesn’t sound as loose and wild as he does on the original recording. He sings in a classic rock style, but underneath the band is swinging. The guitar solo is replaced by an excellent sax solo by Candy, and it's every bit as good as the original guitar solo. The organ drives it home later in the song as an appreciative crowd claps along to the end. A great rock n roll moment in the gig. 

Prince follows this by calling to Larry to “give us The Jam”. There is a feeling of anticipation as the music builds before “The Jam” begins. It is as we have heard plenty of times over these years- Prince calling to each band member as they take their turn to solo. There is plenty of keyboard sounds all over it, but it's Mike Scott’s playing that I like the most. Larry Graham, too, is well worth the listen. At times I do feel I have heard this all before, but it’s still a lot of fun. 

After a good few minutes of cheers and clapping from the crowd the music resumes with an organ solo from Morris Hayes. It’s short and serves well as an introduction to what comes next. It’s listed as an “organ solo,” but a solo organ would be more descriptive. The notes draw out before the drums join and we start the next part of the show. 

“Mad” receives a rousing cheer from the crowd as it is played. I didn’t expect to hear this one, but I am very pleased to hear it gets an airing. The star of this for me is the guitar, it’s not right in front, but it does play some very funky riffs. The song itself isn’t quite as I remember from the recording, it’s a lot busier. Prince sings his lines in a far more relaxed manner, and the song sounds much lighter and more fun than it does in the original. I feel a little ripped off when it suddenly stops and the band segues into an instrumental of “I Want To Take You Higher.” 

“I Want To Take You Higher” is incredibly laid back, and short. It’s very much got a summer feel to it, and the crowd can be heard merrily clapping along to it. 

 

There is another quick change and the mood and tempo shift as Prince sings the “oooh oooh oh” of “Days Of Wild.” The bass builds behind him as the crowd joins him in the chant. This song is always killer, and here is no different. It opens with the chanting as the sax begins to play. The ominous sound of the bass builds, but it is undercut by a lighter sounding guitar, and when the organ joins it too has a lighter touch to it. The band sounds good, and I am left disappointed when Prince wraps it up after all that build-up and no more. 

With this band, it’s no surprise that “Days Of Wild” becomes “Thank You (falettinme be mice elf again).” You can still hear the bass and swirling organ of “Days of Wild,” but Prince enthusiastically sings Sly’s song. Prince throws in a few random lyrics, and I barely notice as I nod my head and let the music carry me. The song slows near the end as the main refrain is sung, and it ends soon after. 

“Forever In My Life?” I never saw that coming. It’s played with the full band, and like a few of the other songs here it has a good swing to it. The crowd sings along with Prince and it has a very relaxed feeling to the whole show. This is fun to hear but is far from my favorite rendition of this song. It’s only a minute and a half, and a nice lead into “Everyday People.” 

“Everyday People” is just as loved by the crowd and I can again hear them singing throughout. The first half of the song is as you might expect, with plenty of Larry, and the crowd. In the second half, the guitar can be heard strumming as the organ and horns increase in intensity. I prefer this part of the song as it becomes looser, yet the groove tightens. The horns play some nice stabs, while the guitar and piano play in and out. 

With a call of “Bring it down, just the drums” Prince begins to play some rhythm guitar which drives the groove home just right. It loops over and over and I could listen to it all night long. The organ comes on board and then pulls out again as the guitar continues on and on. The track is listed as ‘Guitar Jam’ and that is exactly what we get- it's rhythm guitar overload, and is just fabulous. Other pieces come and go, but the guitar is constant, and a joy to listen to. It was a real shame when it finally came to an end. 

There is another break next, and then after much noise from the crowd Prince returns with a proper Rock God guitar break. Playing alone he pulls a few tricks out of his guitar playing bag as he solos for a couple of minutes. Without a song or emotional center, I find it aimless and empty, there is a feeling that it’s just playing for the sake of playing. It is however to be admired and I do enjoy it for his skills. 

 

The guitar playing in the “Santana medley” that comes next is what I love the most, and is far more enjoyable. I always enjoy the Santana medley, I like how Morris Hayes gets to add his sound to the mix, as well as the fun of Princes soloing. This one, in particular, has a nice feel to it, I think being in a smaller venue adds to the enjoyment as well as the live sound of it. I can’t pinpoint what I like most in the mix for this one, to be honest, I just liked all of it, and just sat back and soaked it all in. The rumble in the second part of the song as Candy plays is a nice touch, and it’s always good to have her as a counterpoint against all the guitar work in this song. Things ease off later in the song, and it gives it just enough room to breathe. 

The steady beat and guitar line of “The Question Of U” follows, and it sounds crisp and sharp. Prince doesn’t sing, instead, his guitar does all his talking for him. The crowd obliges by clapping out the rhythm as he plays. The solo is pretty standard for “The Question Of U,” which is great, but there aren’t any surprises of twists and turns. 

The next twist comes as the squeal of “Gett Off” is heard before the guitar plays the main refrain. For a while, nothing seems to be happening as the main beat plays with occasional guitar riffs interspersed, but then the crowd begins to chant and the main lead line is played with the full band and Prince begins to sing. The crowd sings the chorus for him, and he only sings one verse and plays the guitar line again before taking a solo. 

The sound strips back again as Prince takes up the opening riff of “When You Were Mine”. It sounds like pure pop joy and is very easy to listen to. After some of the long jams, here it’s almost throw-away, and yet its well-crafted pop is more than welcome here. Instead of the final guitar break, we have Candy playing her sax again, and it’s a lot of fun to hear her on this song. 

The next song begins with Prince telling the crowd he has to go home “to America, get ready for the bomb’ before he begins to sing “Osama bin Laden getting ready to bomb”. He sings this several times, of course, he has no idea how things will play out in the future, but it is interesting to hear that he is aware of what is already happening in the world. He sings this several times for the first few minutes of the song- telling the crowd “that’s the new groove” He even sings “Osama bin Laden gettin ready to bomb, 2001”. He is of course dropping the song title “That’ll Work (2001),” rather than predicting the future. Most of the song is call-and-response with the crowd and a steady groove that has another funky guitar line. The song ends with the wail of a siren, and the show ends at this point. 

 

I really should pay more attention to some of the recordings I have. It’s a shame that I haven’t played this one more over the years, it was full of pleasant surprises. I enjoyed Lenny Kravitz far more here than I did at the Rave 2000 show, he fitted in much better with what was going on at this show. I also found Larry Graham enjoyable here and appreciated what he bought to the table. All in all a very fun show, and another one I will leave out for a while so I can give it a few more spins. 

Detroit 24 October 1998

 One thing that has struck me as I listen to these concerts out of Detroit is how Prince never stopped evolving throughout his career. I had previously lumped his late 1990s material together, but now as I revisit them I realize that he was still going through rapid changes. This week I am listening to his Detroit concert from the New Power Soul Festival, just 18 months on from the 1997  Love 4 One Another concert  I wrote of last week. The set-list contains some of the same material, but also a lot more cover versions, as well as some songs from the Newpower Soul album. It makes for an intriguing mix, and with a run time over two hours (three and a half if you listen to the full bootleg that also covers Larry Graham’s and Chaka Khan’s sets), there is plenty to digest. 

24th October 1998, Joe Louis Arena, Detroit 

This blog covers all types of recordings, so it should come as no surprise to know that again this week we are listening to an audience recording. This makes “Push It Up” the standard by which the rest of the recording lives up to, and with a bass-heavy sound and audience noise, we know where we stand. The audience is hyped from the start by Doug E Fresh letting us know who we’re here to see – “N…P..G.” It very much has the sound of a party rather than a concert, and this doesn’t help Prince's vocals and rap when he hits the stage, the party overwhelms his performance in the first moments. “Jam Of The Year” is stronger as it comes tacked onto the rear end of the opening jam, and is far more representative of the sound for the rest of the gig. 1997 also saw a similar start with a new song, but here Prince is pushing the jam further into new vistas and the audience along with it as he challenges expectations, and himself. 

“Talkin’ Loud And Sayin’ Nothing” keeps up a relentless pace, and although it doesn’t possess the best sound the bass remains to the fore, propelling the listener and the concert forward with driven energy. Prince taking flight on the piano adds to the kinetic energy and gives the song further life as he evolves it through several changes. I could do without the stops and starts he throws in, but I can’t deny that when he is funking he is funking. The final minutes are unconvincing however with Doug E Fresh failing to give us anything extra and the rest of the jam falling flat. In a song that could have been colossal, instead, Prince pulls his punches making it an uncompelling few minutes. 

 

Doug E Fresh stays to the front of our minds as he raps over “Flash Light” before giving us a fleshed-out “La-Di-Da-Di.” Fifteen years early this would have blown my little teenage mind, but in 1998 it feels like they have missed the boat, and although I enjoy it well enough it doesn’t feel like a great fit for the concert. In comparison to the concert of 18 months ago, this opening stanza is crumbling under the weight of Prince’s high standards. 

The focus returns to Prince with a short, sharp rendition of “Let’s Work,” which reminds us that Prince has his style of funk and doesn’t need to ride on the coattails of Larry Graham. My infatuation with Prince’s 1980s oeuvre colors this brighter than perhaps it deserves as Prince draws from his toolbox of Minneapolis funk and connects the song back to my teenage memories.  The concert changes direction at this point and the next few songs remain firmly with Prince and his 1980s output. 

“Delirious” is equally sprightly and lightens the recording considerably, especially with its bouncing piano line. There aren’t a lot of vocals, and the song is carried along by the oily guitar line that later ignites into a molten solo that has me temporarily forgetting about the quirkiness of “Delirious” 

This of course raises hopes that “Purple Rain” will be similarly adorned with a snarling solo, and things look promising with an opening passage that has the chords hanging with emotion. Prince’s talk to the crowd is largely incomprehensible (at least to me) but the music remains in focus as it washes back and forth behind his speech. The verses remain in the same form as his opening speech, but I hear him loud and clear for the chorus, and the all-important guitar solo is the most powerful bit of the recording as Prince burns magnesium bright in the last minutes, scorching the recording with his guitar bearing its teeth in quiet fury for the most unforgettable part of a concert that until this point has been relatively flat. 

The final howl of “Purple Rain” fades into the opening strains of “Little Red Corvette.” It loses some of its emotional baggage as it is a little quick, and the recording is slightly muddy, but Prince is playing with the opening, adding his simple yet effective guitar work to the introduction. The song is kept short, the intro making up the first minute, while the second minute is just enough time for Prince to punch out a verse, a chorus, and the quicksilver solo. 

 

“I Would Die 4 U,” gets the same treatment, the bare bones of the song are presented just enough to inflame the crowd, but not to the point of giving us the full song. The second half of the song is loaded with “Jin-Go-Lo-Ba” and “Get Yo Groove On,” both of which echo in the cavernous sound of the recording and arena. 

The next portion of the concert sees Prince playing lengthy versions, and the concert gains a lot more intensity at this point. First comes “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man,” front-end loaded with some revving guitar noise that powers the song for the next few minutes. The vocals cannot be made out well, but my ears are straining for that glorious guitar noise, and Prince delivers with an energetic and vitalized performance. The music quietens for a breakdown, and I wait patiently for Prince to reenter the fray, but the music never returns to its previous heights, and instead, we enter Prince’s spoken introduction to “The Christ” 

I can’t make out most of Prince’s speech, but it is loaded with his beliefs at the time. I’m not sure how it’s going over with the audience, but they are certainly very quiet at this point in the show. It’s a brave move by Prince, and one I admire him for, but as a listening experience on a bootleg it is beyond me and I find myself counting the minutes until the music starts again. “The Christ” has a run time of seven minutes, but the first three and a half minutes are given over to Prince’s speech, making the rest of the song barely the same amount of time. With the quality of the recording, it is only the final triumphant minute that sounds great, the rest of it suffering from a lack of energy that is sapped by the recording. 

An intense canopy of mystical sounds hangs over the introduction of “The One,” and this permeates through the rest of the song, making for one of the most interesting parts of the concert. On a better recording, this would be magical, and even on a recording as poor as this one can hear the spell Prince is weaving on stage. Eight minutes is not long enough to contain all the mists of emotions that spread through the recording, and as it finishes I am disappointed that it feels all too short, as well as lamenting again the quality of the bootleg. 

The next section is messy to listen to as Doug E Fresh returns to hype the crowd for “Courting Time” It takes some time for the song to properly start (almost four minutes in fact) and it is a relief when it does finally start with a chorus and verse to sing along with. Doug E Fresh can still be heard hyping the crowd, but with Prince on the microphone it becomes far more balanced, and a better listen than I anticipated based on the opening. 

 

“Do Me, Baby” is the last of these songs to get the full treatment, and despite the ups and downs of this concert, it still settles into its own velvety groove. It is an immersive experience as Prince dwells on the introduction, giving us plenty of time to soak in the red-light glow of one of his sexiest songs. One may not be able to understand every word that Prince sings, but there is no doubting the intent as Prince loads his vocal performance with the syrupy come-on that he is so famous for. It compares well to the same version he played on the previous tour, and again he brings some of his other seduction pieces into the song, but there is no need as “Do Me Baby ” is all we need – all day, every day. 

The screams of pleasure from the audience continue into “If I Was Your Girlfriend.” The beat is excellent here, even if I can’t hear it 100%, and it’s just as well as Prince’s vocal remains dirtied by the recording. I am happy enough with the performance in this case, but I remain frustrated by the recording. I don’t have too long to suffer through, and the final stabs are easily the strongest moments of the song. 

I am initially skeptical in regards to how the piano set might fare with a recording such as this, but it is robust, and the lack of instrumentation works in its favor. We can never quite shake the Detroit crowd, however, and they are intoxicated by the moment, especially the first minute of the song, but Prince’s work on the keyboard is strong and stands as a steel core to the songs he is playing. “Adore” is all too brief, but “The Ballad Of Dorothy Park” finds the sweet spot, and the tone and mood of the performance are perfectly pitched, the downbeat recording working to its favor again. 

I am surprised by just how fresh “Venus De Milo” comes across in this context, it has a brightness that lifts it far above the heavier sound of the tape. Paired with “Diamonds and Pearls” it becomes a glistening center to this piano interlude, a shining bright spot a the heart of what otherwise is a dense and heavy concert. 

The return to “Adore” rounds out the first half of the piano set in fine style, it doesn’t burn as bright as the previous couple of songs, but it has all the heart and emotion that one might expect, and the crowds' familiarity and expectation make Prince’s job a whole lot easier. 

As one might expect, “The Beautiful Ones” has the warmest of welcomes from the crowd, and Prince dwells on his previous glories with an abridged version that does just enough to keep the crowd satisfied. It would be nice to have the full version, but what we have here ticks all the boxes, and is a highlights package that appeases most fans. 

The loudest crowd noise on the recording comes with the opening keyboard hook of “Darling Nikki” The screams and cheers are prolonged, and loud, as Prince pauses and goads the audience to further ecstatic heights. It’s not great on the bootleg, but I get a sense of the fan's excitement to hear the song again, and I am relieved that after a couple of minutes of this frenzy Prince finally plays enough of the song that the crowd can sing a single verse. 

By 1998 Prince had well and truly reclaimed “Nothing Compares 2 U” and the audience's reaction to its appearance at this concert is just as intense as their reaction to any Prince classic. The band has returned at this stage, and asides from Prince’s vocals it is the organ swirling in thickening streams of gospel, the heartbeat of the drums, along with Prince’s carefully crafted guitar break that mark this is a great performance, even if it is diluted by the quality of the tape. 

The joyous ending of “Nothing Compares 2 U’ is matched by the equally uplifting “Take Me With U,” and “Raspberry Beret” double shot. While I am not particularly enamored by either, I do find the transition gives me life as my heart lifts for a second in its easy optimism. 

 

The encore takes some time to begin, and when it does it is with a bare drum beat and guitar line that hints at a long jam to follow. What does follow is the promised long jam, the audience chanting us into the first minute before the music opens up into “(I Like) Funky Music” featuring, of course, Larry Graham. There is a keyboard section early on that brings to mind “The War,” but this thought slips away as the band takes on a far more funk-infused performance. There is no surprise at all as Prince leads the crowd through the chant “I like funky music” at several points throughout the song, even as it stretches out beyond the ten-minute mark. The great attraction for me in this song is the interplay between Larry Graham and Prince as they weave around each other building the funk organically from the ground up. It is a master class, an aural lesson on the power of the bass in the hands of two of the greats. 

“Baby I’m A Star” sends us barreling towards a finish, although it feels too slick after the previous minutes of bass workout. It is merely the entrance to a final “1999” that carries the concert through to its conclusion. To my ears, it only highlights how far Prince had come in his career to this point, and in comparison to the music he was producing at the time it feels almost teenage in its pop sparkle and energy. It’s a welcome addition to the set, a nod to those in the audience that has followed Prince thus far, but at the same time, it is a disjointed fit to the rest of the set. Prince’s final comment in regards to Newpower Soul and Love 4 One Another brings us back to 1998 and returns us to where we started – 24th October 1998. 

The guest appearances and Purple Rain songs are unnecessary, at the heart of this concert lies some great music, and even if Prince’s vision wasn’t as bold as it had previously been there are still new flavors and textures here to enjoy. Propelled by the buoyant Detroit crowd, this poor recording is as good a place as any to dip into the Newpower Soul era.  There are better concerts in circulation, and this one serves as merely a teaser for those that want to dig further. It may not be to everyone’s taste, but for those that were there, it is a timely reminder that Prince was still a force to be reckoned with in the late 1990s.