Mobile 31 October 1997

 “Pssstt, over here”

“Who, me?”
“Yeah you – I hear you didn’t like the first show of 1997”
“Well, I must admit, it wasn’t exactly my cup of tea”
“Yeah, well try this one, you might find it more to your taste”
“Hey man, thanks. I’ll try it now”
“No problem”

31st October 1997, Mobile, Alabama

A forceful and focused “Jam Of The Year” is everything that the song wasn’t in the January 7th concert I listened to previously. With its elastic bass and deep groove, Rhonda Smith reveals herself to be one of the most important members of this iteration of the NPG, and her contribution is mighty in this opening number. Prince doesn’t linger too long on the other members of the band, and it is Rhonda who makes the greatest contribution beneath Prince’s vocals, her bass work is just as essential as what Prince is singing. A shorter and tighter version than what was heard at the start of the year and the concert is all the better for it.

Funk is the foremost driver of the opening salvo of this concert, and “Talkin’ Loud And Sayin nothin'” is in its rightful place here. Paired with an “I like funky music” chant the concert heaves and groans under the weight of the funk, only lightened by some quicksilver keyboard by Prince. This light and dark give the music a tension that holds it tightly together and keeps my ear interested throughout. An equally fast guitar solo spins the music in a new direction before it all spirals into “Let’s Work.”

I rarely mention Kirk Johnson in this blog, but it is his drum that leads the band into “Let’s Work.” Built on the back of this drum, Rhonda Smith’s bass and Morris Hayes's keyboard pull the song deep back into Prince territory. His funk of the early ’80s holds up well almost twenty years later, and this particular version could look any rendition from the 1980s in the eye. The “Rock N Roll” instrumental is a clever coda and serves well as a transition from funk to the guitar rock that will follow.

The guitar rock song in question is “Purple Rain” and the version Prince plays here is arid in the vocal delivery. However, the guitar solo is distinctly Prince. His guitar tone is unmistakable, it is pure Prince throughout. Prince’s mastery is a double-edged sword- he has the guitar tightly reined through the solo and there is no sense of danger and thrill despite the guitar soaring and falling at his will.

 

Far more emotive is “Little Red Corvette.” Prince manages to hang just a hint of youth in his delivery, and for a minute the years roll back as he sings the opening verse. The guitar break also manages to plug into this sense of youthfulness. Brisk and unhinged, it is the final flourish before the Prince swings us back into the Nineties.

I have plenty of love for the Emancipation album, and “Get Yo Groove On” manages to capture the feel of the album nicely in this live setting, making me wish we could have more of these songs appearing in concert over the years. The diversion through “Six’ is a reminder that Prince hasn’t moved as far away from his Eighties material as we might think, and is yet another clever addition to the set.

There is plenty of time to dwell on the pop magnificence of “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” It shines brilliantly at the heart of this concert, a gem that still retains its sincerity and purity after all these years. Rhonda Smith manages to rise from the mix later in the song, her bass pulling the song into deeper sonic territory. A previously unknown seam of funk is mined and I am once again enthralled by Rhonda’s contribution.

The celebration of the bass continues through “Facedown.” With Prince’s long introduction, there is plenty of time to indulge in this low-end glory. Even with the arrival of Prince’s vocals, it continues to be the bass that holds center stage, a fact accentuated by Prince’s call of “bass!” through the backend of the song. The final minutes see total capitulation to this bass groove, the bass strangling the song in its dense and furious tone.

The opening drizzle of guitar from Prince is a sleight of hand and as the “The Ride” opens up Prince slides into a deeper and more solid tone. Prince squeezes and teases the blues for the first minutes before the levee final breaks and a heavy blues solo engulfs the recording. It washes over the audience for the next few minutes, swirling ever deeper into this pool of blues, the guitar flowing easily beneath Prince’s hand.

“When You Were Mine” is another chance for Prince to indulge in guitar heroics, this time alone. The song is a demonstration of his pure songwriting ability, and his ability to lift styles from others and make them his own. As a solo performance, it is one of the most central moments of the concert and provides a minute of mindfulness amidst a concert jammed with ideas and styles.

The concert gains momentum again as a weighty version of “The Cross” lumbers into view. The lightness of “When You Were Mine” is trampled beneath the overwhelming crush and intense guitar snort that drives “The Cross” as it obliterates all that has come before. It is not as elegant or spiritual as I’ve heard elsewhere, the sheer heft of the band and performance crushing the nuance from it, leaving a solid wall of sound.

 

Also guitar-driven, “One Of Us’ is a subtle performance that carries off Prince’s spiritual convictions better than the song that precedes it. Prince’s opening speech sketches out his spirituality at the time, but the music that carries his message is more convincing. In a well-balanced performance, the music allows far more room for the message to breathe. There is a calm to the moment that was missing in “The Cross,” allowing the crowd to digest his message of love and God. Just as actions speak louder than words, so too does Prince’s music.

Prince dips into his grab bag of ballads for the “Do Me, Baby,” medley. The gold standard of this medley is “Do Me, Baby,” which is afforded an extended guitar intro from Mike Scott. Louder than the usual soft-lit sound of other introductions, it is nevertheless a fine demonstration of his abilities. In a similar vein, Rhonda Smith indulges us with a sensuous bass run that while highlighting her playing, also remains subservient to the vibe of the song. Kat Dyson is not to be forgotten, although by the time she finishes, I am itching to enter into the song proper. Prince delivers his lines as expected, each one loaded with sex and lust, but never dipping into pure caricature. He maintains this tone as he touches on the sexy part of his catalog, each song becoming sweatier in the live setting as Prince works them, and the audience, into a climax.

“Sexy M.F” doesn’t sound particularly sexy after this, and Prince enters a cartoon world for this rendition with exaggerated horn lines and vocal inflections throughout. It is a low after the previous high, although it is short.

A vital “If I Was Your Girlfriend” restores the concert. Listening to it here, one could easily forget it was 1997, so studiously does the band play the 1987 versions. “Sexy M.F.” was appreciatively brief, unfortunately so too is “If I Was Your Girlfriend.” It keeps the concert moving at a good pace, but this is one song that could have done with more airtime.

Prince slips the band for a solo jam on the piano. Riffing on “Mobile,” he slides easily into “Purple House,” a song normally associated with the guitar. This new spin on it sees a gospel sound emanating from Prince’s piano, a fact highlighted as he segues into “It’s No Secret (What God Can Do).” Prince lingers on the song, allowing his vocals to carry the load as his piano fades beneath his fingertips.

The piano medley unfurls for the next few minutes, the crowd-pleasing “The Beautiful Ones” inviting the audience into this world of piano and microphone. There is too little of the song for it to make an impact outside of this, the two minutes are just enough to lure the listener in without making it a highlight.

“Girls And Boys” adds funk to this mix. Prince stops and starts it to allow the audience to further participate, but again it’s slight and leaves one hungry for more. However, Prince does retain this piano tone for “Delirious,” and things remain upbeat and funky for the next few minutes.

 

At an almost crawl, “Darlin Nikki” slips in, leaving the crowd in raptures of delight as Prince pauses and teases like a coy schoolgirl. The song takes a long time to emerge from behind the screen of the piano hook, and when it finally does Prince teases the crowd in a moment that has to be heard. Trust me, it’ll be worth it.

After the tease of “Darlin Nikki,” the crowd never fully settles for “Diamonds And Pearls.” Prince gives us the first verse and chorus, but it isn’t as effective as other songs in the setlist.

“How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?” anchors the piano set. It also serves to reintroduce the band, and it is pleasing to see it fully fleshed out like this. The fullness of sound doesn’t dilute Prince’s tale, and the guitar break bestowed upon it late in the piece brings a sense of urgency to an otherwise ambling piece of music

The “Take Me With U” and “Raspberry Beret” combination lifts the energy of the concert after the piano set. It also drops a large slice of pop into the show, the earlier rock, and funk forgotten as the band swing upwards. It is a combined effort, no one voice or instrument is singled out. Even Prince on the microphone is no more important than any other component in the song, and this is truly a moment that belongs to the band.

A percussive introduction to “Kiss” heralds the arrival of the encores. With the crowd heavily involved in chanting from the start it is a uniquely live moment and one that translates well to the recording. The guitar riff is not revealed for some time, and when it does arrive it continues to remain secondary to the rhythm section. However, it is not the rhythm guitar that I am listening for, but the brief flame of a lead guitar that excites me as it scorches the tail end of the song.

“Gett Off” becomes the soundtrack to a dance contest, something that doesn’t translate well to an audio recording. The guitar solo by Mike Scott goes some way to appease those not at the concert. It is sharp and loud, providing a jolt to an otherwise steady groove. The house-style mix that the song finishes with is a lot of fun, although twenty years later it does feel somewhat generic.

The electrifying guitar static that opens “When Doves Cry” has aged better, and the jolt it delivers now is just as strong as it was in 1984. However, the piano riff is lost in the mix, the strength of the band overwhelming the nuances of the song as they power through it. It is a powerful version that takes the template of the original as a jumping-off point to push the full sound of it in every direction. Perhaps not one for the purists, but a fine way to wrap up the first encore.

 

The recording becomes smeared in the grease of a funk guitar that establishes the foundation of the second encore. Atop this slippery guitar, Prince balances a chant that flares momentarily before the Purpleaxxe sound settles into a groove that will eventually become “FlashLight” and “Stomp”

Prince has toyed with “Flash Light” many times over the years, and this iteration that incorporates “Stomp” works well. Prince is giving the audience funk from the past, as well as something from the present with “Stomp” being of the time. Nowadays we would call it a mash-up, and it was not unique for Prince to do this throughout his career. We could pull examples from after-shows, but he was equally adept at doing it at main shows such as this.

“Johnny” is a reminder of Prince’s lyrical range. While not as poetic as some of his other works, it does have cleverness and humor that not many other artists capture. The song itself remains true to its groove, and as always my only complaint is it’s all too short.

There is no surprise in the “Baby I’m A Star” and “1999” double punch that closes the show. Long-time party favorites of Prince, many a concert has closed with them over the years. There is no faulting Prince and his intentions here, but with the application of Nineties gloss the charm of the originals is lost. The sense of adventure is gone, replaced with a too-cool-for-school party vibe that serves the concert well even if it doesn’t serve the song. The tone of it does capture the late Nineties sound Prince was working with, and it is a neat snapshot of the time.

Lesson learned. Don’t judge a book by its cover, and don’t judge 1997 by the first concert of the year. Prince was an ever-evolving artist, both in the studio and in concert. Concerts even a few months apart can be quite different, Prince shifting songs and sound in a lifelong pursuit of excellence. I found the first concert of 1997 to be uneven and off-kilter. This concert later in the year had a natural flow and overall consistent sound. Even as Prince switched genres and instruments, the concert held together and felt as a whole. I often play the Emancipation album, but rarely the concerts of the era. This concert is a clear demonstration to me that I should be more patient and dig further into the era. I might just have to go back to my source and see what else they can recommend to me.