Chicago 17 November 2000 (am)

 This week I am digging back to a recording that I used to listen to a lot, but haven’t heard for a few years now, the show from the Cabaret Metro Chicago in 2000. It is worth the listen as Prince and the NPG play a show with the aid of a couple of guests’ appearances, namely Macy Gray and Common. The show starts with very little Prince, initially, it is Macy Gray and her band playing before Prince slowly eases his way into things. By the end of the show, however, he is fully engaged and playing just as hot as ever. It should be good to revisit this old friend, hopefully, it lives up to my memories. 

17th November (am) Cabaret Metro, Chicago 

The show starts with Macy Gray and her band playing without Prince. Common is on the mic free-styling as the band run through a jam that includes “Voodoo Chile (slight return),” “Sexy M.F.” and “D.M.S.R.” Considering Prince isn’t anywhere to be heard, it is surprisingly enjoyable and something I could easily listen to again. Of course, without Prince and the NPG playing it does lack intensity, it meanders easily in its way without ever being taxing to listen to. 

Things finally start on the Prince front as Macy sings a sweet-sounding “Forever In My Life.” I find her voice to be a good match to the song, and for the first few minutes, she makes the song her own. She’s unrushed and sings in a style that is unmistakably hers while the band quietly bubbles along behind her.  A happy cheer greets Prince as he arrives mid-song to sing his lines, and he promptly reclaims the show. As good as Macy Gray sounded, there is nothing quite like hearing Prince sing it, and when he sings his lines there is no mistaking whose song it is. 

The show moves up a notch with “The Bird.” It’s not immediately recognizable, but there is an increase in tempo and beat that signals something funkier is coming our way. With Common and Macy hyping the crowd the wave builds with the bass and organ adding momentum. That wave never crashes, and the band keeps on grooving, with the bass being the tracks that everything runs on, it sounds great on the recording and has me reaching to turn it up. I am underselling it a little, it is a fantastic jam. 

With a funky guitar and a steady beat another jam starts, this time more downbeat and easy. There are also the contrasting sounds of some bright-sounding horns, some squealing guitar, and the shine of the organ. It all comes together in a mix of sounds and colors that keeps things moving, and I am very surprised as it ends in a sudden stop after only a few minutes. 

 

Prince next tells us that Macy will sing a country song, so while the band plays a country-sounding beat she sings for a minute “baby, baby, baby”. There’s nothing to it, it is barely a minute long, but it does show the easy nature of the show, and as Prince and Macy talk it’s obvious they are just hanging out and having fun. 

The show settles as Macy sings her own “I Try” and it’s on her song that she shines. The band provides a strong skeleton for her to sing over, and as she sings it is easy to feel the warmth in her voice. I am so lost in the moment that it ends before I realize it, and a moment of horns carries us through to some heavenly guitar from Prince, playing in his clean sound as he solos around “No Woman, No Cry.” I thought Macy Gray was good, but this is even better and takes the show to another level altogether. He doesn’t play fast or make it scream, his carefully chosen notes carrying all the expression and emotion he needs. As the music rocks back and forth Macy sings lines from a few Prince songs (“Take Me With U,” “Anotherloverholenyohead,” “Adore”) but it's Prince’s guitar that holds my attention, injecting beauty and heart as it plays. As Macy sings “Take Me With U” the music increases in intensity and with the guitar still playing we reach new heights in the song, and if not for some distortion on the recording it would be an unforgettable moment. 

With Prince on guitar and playing so well, it’s only fitting that the next song should be “The Ride.” It is not as dark as sometimes heard, the groove is lighter, as is Prince playing. After an initial bluesy run, he swirls for a time, before returning to the bluesy tone. From here on Najee plays his sax for a time, bringing in a different sound to a song so familiar. Najee doesn’t get a lot of love from Prince fans, but he does a fair job and it is fun to hear him bringing something different to a song I have heard so often. Prince finally sings some lines, before he cuts loose with the guitar in the final minutes, really making it sing. Just as expressive as his singing voice, it more than lives up to the previous song, and Prince is bringing all his guitar skills out for the final part of this show. 

With a quick drum rattle, Prince turns everything up to ten for his final “Santana medley” which will close the show. As always he is on top of his game, but still provides plenty of space for the keyboards to fill out the song. There is some distortion, mostly from one of the keyboards, but for the most part, it’s a clean recording, and Prince's guitar sounds clean and strong all the way. The band chases each other around in a circle of riffs, as the intensity rises and falls. Again Najee gets a chance to contribute, his sound unusual for the “Santana medley,” yet I enjoy every moment of it. Despite being a band performance, it is Prince's final guitar solo that leaves the lasting impression, as he duels Najee blow for blow before laying the matter to rest with a scorching run that can’t be matched. I am surprised (although I shouldn’t be) by how good they sound playing off each other, and although this is far from my favorite band, they turn on a great performance that ends the show in style. 

The recording is very short, and the songs are only a few, yet it was the jams and the guest appearances that made this recording an interesting listen. Hearing Prince interact with Macy Gray and Common was a different perspective, and with them putting their twist on his songs it added something interesting and new to the show. Najee too contributed late in the show, and his sound with Prince worked well, something I hadn’t considered for an aftershow. All in all, a short but sweet aftershow and there was something for everyone in it. Far from a classic, yet worth a listen.