Paris 12 October 2009

 Prince didn’t play a great number of shows in 2009, there was no tour, only a selection of one-offs scattered throughout the year and throughout the world. The shows he did play are smooth and streamlined, and surprisingly interesting. Of the twenty or so shows played that year I have already covered almost a quarter of them in this blog. Notable shows of 2009 include his  Nokia trio of shows, his appearance at Montreux, as well as the Oscars afterparty. He also played a string of shows in Paris in October, and that is where today’s recording hails from. The show at La Cigale is fairly typical of shows of 2009/2010, a setlist peppered with hits and some not too challenging covers. The newish songs that feature are of the greatest interest, and any show that features Shhh is a show that I want to hear.  The show also runs for more than two and a half hours, so I am looking forward to losing myself in the music for the next few hours 

12th October 2009, La Cigale, Paris 

The show begins with the misleading introduction of “Purple Rain.” It does sound rich and luxurious, but there is only half a minute of intro before Prince and the band kick the show off proper with Old Skool Company. With a solid groove, the song is a better representation of what will follow, and as I listen I can feel my feet begin to shuffle and move with the music, always a good sign. Frédéric Yonnet is present, and it is his harmonica sound that elevates the song early on before, after an extended introduction, Prince begins to sing. The groove isn’t heavy, but it is insistent and keeps the song moving for the eight minutes it runs. 

 

The following “Crimson And Clover” could have been lifted from any show during this time. With the rise and fall of the music, the band pushes forward and back,  never demanding even as Prince injects his Wild Thing lyrics into the song. I find I enjoy it greatly, without being able to explain why. It doesn’t rock, it lacks any sort of sharpness or vitality, yet I find I listen to it easily and enjoy the performance of Prince and the band. Perhaps it is the clean guitar break that Prince plays that makes it all worthwhile. 

“Stand!” is uplifting, and with the band playing clean and smooth it's a feel-good song that the audience responds to, especially as they sing the chorus. The song changes towards something more interesting in the final minute, the pop subverted by some extra funk from Prince which in turn brings “Turn Me Loose” to the set-list. Prince gives a funky guitar break that underlines his funk credentials before it takes a u-turn into the pop realm again with a surprising cover of the Jackson Fives’s “I Want You Back.” The only time Prince played this, it immediately elevates the show to a more interesting status, and even more so as Shelby scats over the back half of the song. The dry sound of Prince’s horner guitar is what I focus on most, bringing more of his sound to someone else’s song. 

The following two songs are also notable for being rarities. “Dance 4 Me” has only been played once in concert in its full form, and here it is. It becomes even more interesting as Prince plays with it and stretches it out. His first guitar break is Santana-esque, while his second guitar break is full-blooded and more of his own. Naturally, I love both of them. With Shelby singing “(Not Just) Knee Deep” and Frédéric Yonnet adding harmonica, there is a feeling that anything goes, and the song has plenty of satisfying twists and turns before Prince finishes with a neatly manicured solo. 

We stay with rarities as the band play “No More Candy 4 U.” It’s a joyful romp, the band plays with a bounce and a grin, something summed up as you can hear Prince laughing on the microphone. It’s not taxing, and although light I find myself listening carefully due to its novelty value. 

 

Things change with some smoldering guitar work by Prince eventually giving way to a high-powered performance of “Shhh.” The crowd enjoys it as much as I do, they sing the verse from the first moment, leaving Prince silent for the first minute. When he does sing, it’s with a glassy smooth sound, before the crowd joins him again, singing word for word. As much as I enjoy Prince, I do find the audience singing enjoyable, they agree with me and it’s hard not to sing along with them. Prince’s initial guitar break stutters and falters, but he returns with a jagged, electrifying solo that puts his mark all over this song. 

 Like “The Jam,” “Stratus” is often used by Prince to introduce the band and allow them to solo. Here is no different, as Prince runs through the band as he has plenty of times before. I have heard this done plenty of times over his career, with Stratus and The Jam, that I don’t get the pleasure from it that I once did, and although it’s a fine performance, there is a part of me that wishes it would be over so we can move onto something sharper. 

The following jazz-infused rendition of “Girl” is much more my thing and I find it to be a lot of fun. So too does the audience and Prince, as he engages them with some encouragement to sing along. It is a quiet acoustic performance, with just a bare accompaniment of a guitar Prince sings this somewhat lost B-side. The mood of the recording changes as Prince sings and I wonder what direction the show will come next. 

“Forever In My Life” is fabulous in every way. With the stripped-back beat, Prince performs this beloved song, again accompanied every step of the way by the crowd. The guitar arrives for later verses, adding some richness to the performance and the sound. Even with the audience singing it is a showstopping performance, this is easily the highlight of the show thus far. The late twist of Shelby singing a furious “Single Ladies” is completely left field, as well as the best thing I have ever heard from her. 

Shelby J continues to rock the mic, with an equally furious “Baby Love” that has me reaching to turn it up louder. I’m not a big fan of her calls to “put your hands up”, but I am completely on board for everything else she does, and even as Prince blazes out another guitar break it is still Shelby that holds the spotlight. A beautifully strong and independent voice, she adds a harder edge to a show that is sometimes just a little too polished. 

 

There seems to be extra energy and life in “Peach,” perhaps the bonus of so few shows in the year is Prince playing with extra enthusiasm and energy. Peach certain bounces along, and the guitar breaks rocket by just as quickly. It’s not as long as other renditions in circulation, but it does provide an extra shot of adrenaline into the show. 

“Sexy Dancer” has a similar energy, it comes at a quicker pace and has plenty of singing and dancing in the mix. The audience is again singing under Prince’s command, and Frédéric Yonnet can again be heard adding his contribution to the song. The band is relaxed and having fun, something that translates into the recording, it feels just as relaxed and fun on the recording years later. The “All Day, All Night,” chants that end the song underline this and end the first part of the show on a high. 

The “All Day, All Night” chants continue for a couple of minutes until Prince returns to the stage for a slower and enchanting rendition of “I Want To Be Free.” Prince’s opening sprinkle of guitar sets the tone, before singing an impassioned take on the lyrics, suitably accompanied by Shelby, Liv, and Elisa all the way. The guitar solos come from another place altogether, a completely different feel from the lyrics and verses, nevertheless they are enjoyable and add an extra element of interest to the song. 

The next section of the show is the usual run of Sly and The Family Stone songs. “Sing A Simple Song” has an extra brightness to it that the crowd responds to. The following “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)” is equally popular with the audience, especially one woman who is close to the recording device and gives several earsplitting shrieks as the song begins. I can forgive her however as the song is indeed a great rendition that has the speakers pumping here at home. 

 

“Be Happy” is all about the band and the audience, with Prince taking a back seat on vocals the girls lead the way before the audience picks up the “All day, all night’ refrain again with great gusto. Things are shaping up to go on for some time, so it comes as a complete surprise as Prince wraps it up with his “Vegas” call. 

I wasn’t expecting too much from “7,” so I am pleasantly surprised by what we have here, a couple of minutes that are faithful to an old hit. It does segue into “Come Together,” another song that got more than its share of concert time in the late 2000s. This version is much as it is usually heard, although the speech by Prince mid-song is interesting and revealing. Talking about America he mentions that his music is no longer on the radio, and says America wants to make him a slave. I’m not sure exactly what to make of it, but it is interesting to hear. 

“Dreamer” follows on, and it is similar in style to the preceding “Come Together.”  It does gain from some louder guitar and more harmonica, but asides from that it doesn’t make much of an impression and ends before I can get a feel for it. 

I am re-enthused with hearing “The Bird,” not only does it push my nostalgic buttons, but it also sounds like a lot of fun. The crowd is feeling it as much as I am, and the guitar has plenty of funk. The final minute has me smiling as Prince speaks with a repeat effect on the microphone, which has him saying “turn this repeat off, what are you doing?” 

 

“Jungle Love” has him asking “Who wrote that” before playing a version that makes it quite clear. A short, sharp version it has plenty of punch to it, and I am surprised by how strong the guitar solo is. It may be short, but it is efficient and conveys plenty in the time it plays. 

The performance of “Glamorous Life” is one of the most satisfying parts of the show. After first taking some time to get the sound right, Prince tells the audience that he wants to live in France because it rhymes with his favorite word “dance”. The band lives up to the moment, and once again I am turning them up louder. It sounds classic, live, and fun all at the same time, and although Sheila E is missing it still manages to capture some of her sound and influence. 

“3121” returns with a steamroller of a  heavy groove that is mind-crushingly good. Ten minutes of heavy, and heavenly, funk follows- only lightened by the reappearance of the harmonica. “All Day, All Night” chants, soul claps, lyrics that hint at something dangerous, and unhinged harmonica all add to this behemoth of a song, all killer grooves, and funky rhythms. The audience does become intrusive on the recording, but I am prepared to overlook this as the song rolls on in its own unstoppable way. This is the moment where I am finally swept away by the music and I truly lose myself in the moment. 

And suddenly we are back to where it all started with the soft drizzle of an introduction to “Purple Rain.” The recording has been good until this point, but it’s now that it finally loses some of its polish with some mild distortion and crowd noise. Maybe it’s the crowd noise that ruins the levels, it is as the crowd sings that the distortion is most noticeable. As for the song itself, it’s a humdinger, with Prince electing to go with the guitar-saturated version rather than drawing out the verses he cuts straight to the chase early on. This makes the distortion of the crowd singing all the more frustrating, especially as Prince revisits the verses and sings with a whole-hearted fullness.  With the vocals and the guitar being top-notch it is a shame the recording lets it all down at this stage. Still, it is what it is, and the show ends just as good as it began. 

Another excellent show from 2009 and what is proving to be a very fruitful year for bootlegs. All the shows I have heard from 2009 are clean sounding and offer plenty to the careful listener. This one had plenty of high points, and even at two and a half hours it never let up, giving plenty until the very end. The Paris crowds are always knowledgeable and fun, and Prince acknowledges that with another outstanding show. I had doubts before I listened, I thought it may be too clean-cut, but it has proved otherwise and is a great listen. With a cold beer in hand, it has been the perfect way to end the week.