Tokyo 18 November 2002

 My Japanese odyssey continues, we are still in Tokyo where today I visited the Budokan. For me, it is a venue that I was always associated with the Cheap Trick album Cheap Trick at Budokan, an album that was played ad nauseam when I was a child. Prince has played at the venue during two tours, he did four nights there during his 1996 tour of Japan, and another two nights in 2002 during the One Night Alone tour. Perhaps in this case we should call it the two nights alone tour. I am going to take a look at one of the shows played during the ONA tour, as much as I like the 1996 concerts the shows from 2002 are more attuned to my current tastes. Not everyone is a fan of the One Night Alone tour, I find the tour is divisive between fans – it is either one you really love or one you really hate. I have yet to find many people in the middle ground. I am going to stake my claim early, it is a tour I am a big fan of, so expect the following write-up to be completely biased for the positive. 

18th November 2002, Nippon Bodukan, Tokyo 

The audience knows what to expect from the start as is the norm for the ONA shows Prince begins with a distorted voice and heavily distorted drum solo. I like it, although it has no flow to it and is little more than a minute of sound that builds anticipation for the opening “The Rainbow Children.” The unease that “The Rainbow Children” creates can be heard in the music, but as always it is kept in balance by the band and their light sound that counteracts some of Prince's unsettling vocal effects. By the time Prince sings “Tokyo!” I am fully on board and ready for this song to roll on and on. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea (and I’m aware of plenty of people who downright hate it) but I can’t deny, Prince’s guitar work is pretty sweet on the ear, and I would hope most people would listen past the lyrical delivery and instead gravitate to this mesmerizing guitar performance. I like that the song continues to strike new ground, and it keeps me fixated without ever repeating itself. 

 

If anyone in the audience was worried about what might come next, Prince reassures them with the more accessible, and eminently more pop, “Pop Life.” Prince’s voice may not be as crisp as we have come to expect, but the rest of the song shines like polished silver, the recording sparkling as Prince turns the music this way and that under the lights. Renato and his jazz touch late in the song speak to me, and I am filled with regret that I never saw this band live. 

Prince brings discomfort to the pop audience with his introduction to “Xenophobia,” and the following song challenges expectations. At the time it came across as something new and shocking, fifteen years on I know what to expect and I am more than happy with the way the music unfolds over the next ten minutes. With Maceo playing there is very little to dislike, and as the horns run back and forth Prince's message gets lost in the raw sound of the music itself. It is the last half of the song that is the most challenging, and it feels good to hear this again, something far removed from his 80’s pop sheen, here is something with grit and body, something that looks both backward and forwards at the same time, a song that contains something new every time I hear it. 

Prince can’t quite keep to his promise to challenge and test the audience. It is “Purple Rain” that follows quickly after and soon enough any questions raised by “Xenophobia” is quickly painted over in the shade of purple. The audience recording is remarkably clean, there is very little background noise aside from cheers at the appropriate moments. Should I thank the recorder or the restrained crowd, I don’t know,  but I do know it sounds very good indeed and I am more than happy with the performance of “Purple Rain” that matches it. It never ignites into the blazing wildfire it sometimes becomes, but it delivers everything that one would expect at a Prince concert, be it your first concert or your 100th. 

 

“The Work Pt 1” surprisingly fails to fire. I had such hopes. I was expecting funk by the bucket load, instead, I get a series of solos that never quite build into a much wished-for payoff. I like the music just fine, but it is a platonic relationship and never becomes an intense love affair. Prince is too fickle and the music comes and goes as it pleases without giving me the time I need. I do like the “To-k-yo, woo-hoo” chant, something I may have been guilty of singing under my breath for the last three weeks as I wander the streets of Tokyo. The inevitable dancers on stage are the last straw for me, the heart of the song belongs to the audience in the building, and not to us listening here at home. 

For me, “Mellow” is all about sound and vibe. I have very little idea what Prince is singing about, but I do love the feel of the song. This performance is cool, and “Mellow” lives up to its name, aside from the occasional burst of a horn. It is unlike anything heard thus far on the recording, and for me, it again highlights the scope of music Prince created. It wouldn’t be the first song I’d put on, but it is one that I always like when I hear it. 

The concert energy again surges with an engaging rendition of “1+1+1 is 3.” Of course, it can’t lose with Maceo adding his years of experience with an instantly funky solo. Prince may claim that he is funky, but in this case, it is Maceo who brings the funk to the party. There is a funky guitar underneath that is pure Prince, but for my money, it is the horns that make this worth hearing. Nothing is added by appending “Housequake” and “Love Rollercoaster” to the second half of the song, and they could have easily been left off in my opinion. 

The melancholy dip and swoop of Prince’s guitar bring the concert into a more traditional realm, and the performance here could have come from any show in the last twenty years. That’s no bad thing, the guitar wail calling most Prince fans to duty with its mournful call. There is a heavy influence from the band, and the flashes of jazz later in the song remind you just what configuration of the NPG this is. The final few minutes belong all to John Blackwell, and that makes this rendition well worth a listen as he kicks and stutters around the kit. 

I am pleased to find that “Strange Relationship” is just as funky as it has ever been, the band locking together in a solid squelching riff. If anything, it is aged even better, and like a fine wine, I find it strong and more flavorsome than its 1980’s incarnation. Prince in particular seems to get a real kick out of playing this song, and he pulls the audience with him with his unbridled enthusiasm. It stands far above anything else heard on the recording with its energy and pure Princeliness. 

“Pass The Peas” I am happy to take a pass on. I like Maceo, but Prince and the band don’t add anything to the song we haven’t heard before. It does give the horn section a chance to strut, but it pales compared to the previous “Strange Relationship.” Although to be fair, almost anything would pale compared to that. 

A torrent of guitar notes flies from Prince’s hands, and serves as a great introduction to “The Ride.” What is great about this show is that every song gets a full rendition and plenty of time to marinate in its own juices. Every song runs five to ten minutes, and after years of feeling short-changed by Prince medleys with these concerts, I finally feel Prince is letting us fully appreciate his music. His comment “Can I take my time” gets full approval from me. The song contains the unrestrained howl of his guitar as he finally lets it off the leash and it runs rampant for the next few minutes. It is a biting performance that snaps and chews in equal measure. 

 

As a Prince fan I fail miserably, not recognizing “Sign O’ The Times” immediately as Prince elicits to shroud the intro with his chugging guitar. The song never really settles on a style from here on in, sometimes the horns come to the fore, giving it a brighter sound, while the record scratching pulls it in another direction entirely. And then pulling in a third direction is Prince’s guitar. I would happily take any style, but to my ears, all three don’t quite gel. There is some lighter guitar later in the song, which with the horns would be a much better fit for this band. 

Ahh, the old “Take Me With U,” “Raspberry Beret” combination. Regular readers will be familiar with my feelings about this. I like sweet pop sugariness as much as anyone, but not so much now I am older and, ahem, more mature. I happily digest “Take Me With U,” but by the time Prince segues into “Raspberry Beret,” I have had my fill and am ready for something more substantial. 

“The Everlasting Now” wouldn’t be my first choice for something more substantial, but I do find it more rewarding than the previous couple of songs.  The first few minutes are a nice little appetizer as Prince gives us a taste of what’s to come with parcels of funk and chants. The main course comes with some Santanaesque guitar before the rest of the band adds their sauce of horn riffs and piano twinkle. It’s a flavorsome combination and one that I happily indulge myself in. It is Maceo who rounds out this feast of sounds, with his dessert of saxophone sprinkling chocolate sprinkles over all that has come previously. I am sold on it, and as it all comes to an end I feel well-nourished and satisfied. 

 

A short break lets me digest what we have heard so far, before the encores open with Prince at the piano. “Condition Of The Heart” is simply divine, I am beyond words as I sit and listen to it, letting Prince's music and lyrics wash over me. It does become a medley, “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” getting a line before Prince indulges us with a slightly longer “Diamonds And Pearls.” It is “Adore” that gets the most time and attention, however, with John Blackwell ever so gently adding a heartbeat to the song. The crowd sits in an enraptured silence throughout, making this recording pristine and clean for the next few minutes. 

Prince piles on all his tender ballads at this part of the show, and “The Beautiful Ones” brings a further string of heart-tugging moments. It is almost too easy listening, some of the emotional strength of the song is sapped by its easy sheen and polish. I am engaged though, even if it is not the heart-stopper it used to be. 

It is very hard to clear my feelings about “Nothing Compares 2 U.” A song I heard countless times in the 80s from Sinead O’Connor, and then hundreds of times since from Prince, it is a song I am overly familiar with. Sometimes it breaks through and gets me in a soft moment, and sometimes it passes by making barely an impression. The rendition on this recording is good, but it fails to break my jaded exterior and I find I listen to it in an almost emotionless state. 

On the other hand, “The Ladder” shoots straight for my heart and does make the emotional impact I crave.  The drums are a little too much, but Prince’s vocals and delicate piano carry the moment. It is one of the shortest songs on the recording, barely a minute and a half, but it feels real to me and sincere. 

This pleasant stroll through Prince’s piano songs is rounded out by “Starfish And Coffee” It may not be on a par with the other ballads and emotional heavyweights in the setlist, but it does keep things light. 

The final song featuring the piano is “Sometimes It Snows In April,” a song that has taken on an extra significance since Prince’s passing. This rendition is a fitting tribute, his vocals alone out front in the recording, smooth and velvety and carrying a hint of emotion that makes it all the more powerful. A moment to sit back, listen and reflect. 

“Days Of Wild” isn’t as sinister and threatening as sometimes heard, but it is still a stone-cold classic. There are better versions on this tour (see Antwerp a month earlier where I swear Prince tears the roof of the place), but it is still eminently enjoyable, and as always I find my head bobbing and without even being aware of it I am singing along with Prince. The grind and churn of the song bring several different players to the surface, Dudley D can be heard on the turn tables midsong, and it is the horns that bring a different feel to the song. The song drops intensity halfway through though, and as the bass is pumped up for the first time the recording distorts. This mars the occasion as the final few minutes become a difficult listen. The rest of the recording sounded great, making this part sound all the worse. 

This show is fairly typical of the ONA tour but is very well recorded (asides from the final “Days Of Wild.”) There is a plethora of material available from the ONA tour, I would happily listen to any one of them, but I do enjoy this concert for the  quality of the performance and the recording. The setlist doesn’t throw up anything too much in the way of excitement, but this bootleg does a nice job of capturing the standard ONA show. Very good without being essential. 

Berlin 19 October 2002

 The One Night Alone tour is one that I listen to often, and one of his best. Although not everyone enjoys the Rainbow Children album, there is no denying that it is a strong artistic statement, and a lot stronger than the albums that preceded it. The tour itself shows that Prince has a lot of faith in his new music, and plays the bulk of it throughout these shows. I enjoy the intimate feel of these concerts, and some of the set lists are great. It’s somewhat surprising that I haven’t blogged about these shows previously, but today I will address the imbalance. The show I have chosen to listen to is from the European leg and is ONA Berlin. There are a great many shows from this tour circulating so I had plenty of choices, but I had a feeling in the back of my mind that this one was one of the longer ones, and pretty darned good. Hopefully, it’s as good as I remember. 

 

19th October 2002 Berlin 

After some cheers and clapping from the audience the show opens with a digital type of sound before the steady bass line of “The Rainbow Children” is heard and the band settles into a steady beat. There is some sax work, but my ears aren’t good enough to tell you if it's Eric Leeds or Candy Dulfer, but I’m thinking it might be Candy. There are several cheers from the audience as the song continues in this vein for some minutes. Some people might be wanting Prince right from the go, but I am more than happy just to sit back and listen to this band play, it’s very classy and smooth. There is a louder cheer and I assume that Prince is onstage. That is confirmed when a few seconds later Prince is heard singing with the Darth Vader sounding effect on his voice. I don’t listen to the lyrics, so I find I quite enjoy it, and I like the different sounds it gives. The Prince voice we are accustomed to is heard a minute later when he says “are we in Berlin” before the first chorus of “Rainbow Children” The song is enhanced further when Prince says “can I play my guitar” and some nice guitar stabs are played. The guitar has a strong tone to it, and it gives the groove a bit more backbone. I like this one a lot, it’s not something I listen to a lot on the album, but I find myself returning again and again to the live version. It’s got a lot more stiffness and sharpness to it which I like. In this situation I find myself enjoying Renato Netos playing and it does add to that overall uncomfortable sound in the song, that feeling that everything is not quite settled. He does play for some time, both with an electric digital sound, and a more natural piano sound, and both are fine by me. Two keyboards are playing off each other, but once again my ears aren’t good enough to tell you which is Renato, and which is Prince. Perhaps I should have written about a DVD of this tour. The song changes direction again near the end with the electric guitar coming back. At 15 minutes it’s a great long introduction to the show. 

 

“Muse 2 The Pharaoh” is more laid back and feels like a ray of sunshine after some of the darker grooves of Rainbow Children. It’s good to hear Prince singing once again in his natural singing voice, and I find myself nodding my head along easily with the clapping of the crowd. Even the darker keyboard grooves don’t feel as dark as on the album, surprisingly this is one song that isn’t darker and heavier in concert. Prince’s message is preachy, but often I forget to listen to what he is singing, and I just follow the music. His message is very important to him, these two songs are first up and right in your face, but I don’t think the message derails the show at all. 

His comments about real music by real musicians lead us directly into “Pop Life.” I hadn’t expected this song to pop up on this tour, but like many other forgotten gems he played it regularly on this tour, and he does make it fit with his sound at that time, the keyboard solo by Renato Neto in particular is a nice bridge between his past and present sound, and listening to it I realize that it’s not anything new, I am just hearing it in a different context. The pop aspect of Pop Life is there, but the jazzy side of it also feels a little stronger in this setting. Just as I was thinking about that, Prince makes it far more explicit when he says “Life it ain’t too funky, unless it’s got that Jazz” and Candy Duffer takes a moment to play. Again it’s not too much of a stretch for the song, and it has a nice upbeat jazz ending, and Prince even throws in a little scream. 

 

Prince declares pop music is dead then the music of “Xenophobia” begins. The crowd is subdued as Prince asks them “who came to get their Purple Rain on? You at the wrong party” The horns enter and play with the heavier sounding groove before Greg Bower gets a moment to play, and although I think trombones are desperately uncool, I do enjoy it, especially when Prince gets the crowd to yell encouragement to him. John Blackwell also gets a moment to solo, and I can hear how well he is playing, but the recording doesn’t pick it up as well as I would have liked. I should imagine that it would be pretty bone-shaking if I was there, but the recording doesn’t have depth or heaviness to it. Prince prefaces his “Is it better to give or receive” speech with “who speaks English?” A wise move to check first I should think. The spoken section of the song is still enjoyable, even though I have heard it plenty of times. It never becomes grating and I like his casual interaction with the audience. Things heat up after the chat, with some guitar playing that becomes faster and more aggressive before a big drum roll takes us back into the lead line. As the song ends there is some more of Prince talking, and there is a nice moment when he asks “did you miss me?” After the applause, he quietly says “I missed you too” as the music of “Money Doesn’t Matter 2 Night” begins. 

 

I am no fan of the Diamonds and Pearls album, but I love “Money Doesn’t Matter 2 Night.” One of Prince's political songs, it manages to strike a good balance between music and lyrics. The recording isn’t brilliant, but it is good enough and I listen to it carefully. Candy Duffer gets the sax solo, and she plays it well, but always sounds slightly restrained. This band is a good match for the song, and it plays to their smooth jazz sound. And I am just pleased to hear it in the set list, it’s very much a song that needs to be played more often. The sax gets better and better through the song, and near the end, it holds a nice steady long note which brings us to an end. A great song and this is a very good version. 

 

I was listening to “A Case Of U” last week from the 1983 First Ave show, and now 20 years after that I am hearing it again. This one is different in that it’s not Prince and his guitar, its Prince and his piano. The lyrics are however just as beautiful as ever. Some of the emotion is gone in the performance, but that has been replaced with a very professional smoothness. The rest of the band play quietly behind Prince, but they are loud enough that the lyrics are no longer front and centre. The piano playing does carry more emotion so it is somewhat of a trade-off. I am not convinced that this is a better version, but I can’t deny that it does have a charm to it. It does lose me near the end with the final coda and some quirky sounds. It sabotages the emotion and goodwill that the song had earlier built up. 

Another long funk jam next with “The Work (Part 1).” It has a much more standard sort of sound to it, and to my ears sounds a lot like we hear on Musicology. It's led by Prince and the horns, and for me, it picks up when Eric Leeds begins to solo. He doesn’t play too wild or loose, but his playing is unexpected and goes in directions I can’t predict. I was going to dismiss this song as not much but a couple of minutes of Eric playing make it all worthwhile. The song drops back a notch as Prince engages the crowd and gets a couple on stage for a dance contest. As I said earlier I do enjoy that he is casual and relaxed with his interactions with the crowd, but it doesn’t always make for great listening here at home. There was a moment that made me smile when Prince tells his audience to get on the two and four, and they go on the one and three. The rest of the audience becomes involved when Prince gets them to sing “Got a lot of work to do”  There is more chat with the crowd as Prince chastises one of them for celebrating their birthday, I feel it’s a little unfair in a public situation, but it is what it is. All in all, it’s a fun song, and nice to see Prince at home on stage. 

 

“Extraordinary” is ordinary. It’s nice-sounding, but to be honest it is a Prince ballad by numbers. I like the horn lines in it, and the piano playing is good, but vocally I feel like I have heard it all before. Candy saves the day for me, with some sweet sax that takes the song up a gear. She plays for a couple of minutes before an appreciative cheer from the audience. There is then a piano solo that doesn’t reach the same heights as Candy’s playing. When we return to Prince singing he seems to have found another gear, and I enjoy him singing out far more than I did at the start of the song. 

I am far more into “Mellow” as he plays it. It engages me right from the start and holds me all the way through. I can’t remember the last time I heard this, but I think it’s something I should play more often. The band plays smoothly along, with an edge added by the bass and keys. Prince sings around it a lot, and I also find myself drifting back, again and again, to listen to the flute. Prince’s voice is alluring and I listen to him carefully even though I don’t know what he is singing about. The best part of the song is when he sings alone, and it’s a vocal highlight. A great moment in the show. 

I expected “1+1+1=3” to be an extended jam, but I didn’t expect it to be quite as good, and as long as what we have here. Clocking in at over 20 minutes it has plenty of twists and turns. There are some great moments, and also some less-than-great moments. I like the main groove of the song, and the guitar line playing under it all. It's highlighted for half a minute when the band stops and leaves the guitar playing alone before the kick drum comes back in and the song continues. Prince does sing several lines of “Housequake,” but I am never a fan of when he sings it over other songs. There is a funky moment as the crowd starts chanting “we want the funk”. The band briefly stops as the chant continues, before the pounding beat of John Blackwell brings the song back. With some more guitar, the band very briefly plays “Love Rollercoaster,” another cover I don’t have much time for, but here it is very short with no singing and much funkier for it. Later the funk guitar becomes less prevalent and a heavier groove comes from the band as Prince begins to play more lead guitar. There is a further highlight after this with some fantastic horn playing. The song then becomes just a great groove and the band stays on it. The whole thing then lurches into a deep wonderful-sounding Berlin jam. The song ends with Prince spelling out Berlin a couple of times over an ominous piano riff. What an amazing jam, and one I won’t tire of for some time. 

 

“The Ballad of Dorothy Parker” brings things down again. Without the full-on audio assault, the recording sounds thin on this one. “The Ballad of Dorothy Parker” is another song that fits in well with this band and its jazz sensibilities. It stretched out more than on the album, and after a nice piano interlude, Eric Leeds gets some time to solo before Renato comes back with another piano break. It’s inoffensive, but I never get the feeling that it’s anything more. I was hoping the band would go even further with it, but they play it relatively safe. There is a big finish with John Blackwell on the drums before a final fade, and by the end, I am thinking this is a wasted opportunity for this band to do what they do best. Of course, the recording doesn’t do it any favors so perhaps I am being overly harsh. 

I perk up when “Strollin’” begins. The evening is changing its feel as it progresses. There is a lead guitar break early on that I enjoy, and then the rest of the song is reasonably predictable. The piano break is however a nice touch, and something I hadn’t heard before. There is a sax solo that follows it, adding more color even if I don’t like it too much. I have heard much better versions of Strollin on earlier tours, and this one doesn’t compare to them. It’s nice to see it in the setlist, a shame it’s not what I expected. 

 

“Gotta Broken Heart Again” gets off to a slow start, then draws me in once Prince begins to sing. He’s on form here, his vocals are smooth and velvety until he eases back and Eric Leeds plays a gentle floating solo. Although I would say the recording is good, it is unbalanced, and that is quite apparent here as every time the drum plays it swamps all the other instruments. The best part of the song is when it is just Prince and his piano. 

Prince next does his spoken-word piece about his strange relationship with radio (I think you know where this is heading). He only speaks a few lines before the band kick into “Strange Relationship,” and I am very happy as this is one song that always sounds great live. It’s played with great gusto on this recording, and the bass and keyboards in particular are to the fore. Prince seems to derive a lot of energy from the song, and he sings with great enthusiasm. Rhonda gets her moment in the spotlight with the bass groove to end the song, and even though it sounds good, I know that live it would have been even better. I loved hearing it here, I just wish this was a soundboard. It could have gone for longer too, Prince keeps it on a tight leash here before the next song begins. 

 

Things take a guitar turn as Prince calls “Turn me up Scotty, crank this up” as his guitar intro to “When You Were Mine” begins. This song has never dated to my ears, it still has a freshness to it that is hard to ignore. Prince gives it a standard run-through, and his guitar does sound nice and crisp all the way through. His vocals aren’t as full-on as I have heard on other recordings but his guitar is what I am listening to on this one. He does play a brief solo as the song reaches the end, but it's down in the mix, and I have to listen carefully to get maximum enjoyment from it. 

The guitar is turned up to 11 for the next song as Prince rips into “Whole Lotta Love.” The opening riff is iconic and Prince more than does it justice. His falsetto is a surprisingly good suit for the song, and he unleashes some screams and yells that Robert Plant would be proud of. This performance isn’t about the song though, it’s about Prince and his guitar playing ability.  The first couple of minutes is just the entree before Prince turns his guitar up and begins to go wild. This is the solo I have been waiting for, it’s completely unhinged and wild sounding. At two minutes long it sounds much longer as a lot is going on in there, it is like being in a storm. Near the end of his solo, there is a frenzied yell from someone in the crowd who is enjoying it as much as I am. Prince himself ends the solo with a scream, before returning to singing the verses. Princes singing over the breakdown is almost as good as the solo, and a great way to segue into the next song. 

 

The next song is “Family Name,” and the transition from “Whole Lotta Love” is dark and brooding as Prince gives a spoken intro about being disconnected from his past. The music does brighten as the band and horns play more, but sadly the song is dragged down by the lyrics. However, I do manage to ignore them long enough to enjoy the music and the band. The bass-heavy finish is overworked, and my overall feeling by the end is “I’m pleased that’s over” 

“Take Me With U” is far more easygoing, and much more familiar for the crowd, I can easily hear them singing during the song. There is a little distortion on the recording, but it’s only a few seconds worth. In all fairness, I have probably heard this too many times over the years, and I am by now somewhat jaded. It is however very enjoyable, including the inevitable segue into “Raspberry Beret.” 

 

Over the opening chords, Prince again speaks to the crowd, telling them “Music is art, for it to remain that way it must ask hard questions, and that’s what we’re trying to do tonight”. It has me scratching my head, several times he has talked about asking hard questions, buts it’s hard to know what those questions are. “Raspberry Beret” is a feel-good sing-along song for the crowd, they have plenty of chances to sing through the song, and Prince does call for the house lights to be turned on, adding further to the casual atmosphere. The song ends with the crowd singing one final line, and without pause, Prince calls the next song. 

“The Everlasting Now” follows, and once again the horns are to the front. Although I am not a great fan of “The Everlasting Now,” I do find myself dancing and singing along with it. I become even more animated when Prince plays his “Santana medley” midsong. It’s only for a couple of minutes, and a great couple of minutes they are. Not only Prince and his guitar, but there is also plenty of horns and keyboards thrown into the mix as well. Prince thanks the crowd as the band plays its way back into the Everlasting now. The latter part of the song is more jam-like, and Eric Leeds has another solo. His is the last moment in the song, as he closes his solo, Prince calls “thank you and good night” 

 

Prince resumes with only a piano for company, and begins the next part of the set with an appropriate rendition of “One Night Alone.” It’s not a song I am overly familiar with, and I find myself enjoying it on this recording. The lyrics are a nice fit for the beginning of the piano set and as Prince sings “are you ready for one night alone, with me” he segues easily into “Adore.” 

For some reason, I don’t immediately recognize it, and I am kicking myself once I pick up the lyrics. “Adore” has been overplayed in my house for years, yet it is still a song that I come back to. It was such a big part of my teenage years, and I still appreciate the sentiment and feeling in it, as well as the dash of humor. I find this version a little slight, it is gentle on the piano, and Prince doesn’t push the vocals too hard. The recording is nice and clean without all the band, and the piano set is the cleanest part of the recording. Prince plays a truncated version, there is a section where he scats – skipping some verses before he brings it gently to a close with a piano flourish and a final refrain. 

 

“The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” gets quite a cheer from the crowd, and I am sure more than a few of them are disappointed when Prince sings the opening line before moving on. 

“Condition Of The Heart” really gets my pulse racing. Another long-time favorite, I am overjoyed to hear it here. Someone in the audience agrees with me, and there is an audible “Yeah!” from the crowd. He doesn’t play a full version, electing to instead sing the first verse, and then play piano for a minute or so. I can’t complain too much about it, I love what we have here, and it takes me right back. 

I could have predicted that “Diamonds and Pearls” would appear in the piano set, I just didn’t expect it to be quite as short as it is. As is his way, it only gets a brief play, it’s very nice but frustratingly short. 

For me, things get back on track with a full rendition of “The Beautiful Ones.” The band is back behind him as he plays, and it’s a shame that the recording loses Prince a shade behind the drums. I enjoy the piano and especially the singing, it’s disappointing that the drum beat comes across as just too loud in places. The horns play great, especially as a counterpoint against Prince's vocals in the latter part of the song. Prince’s vocals sound a little tired near the end of the song, then again maybe I am being too harsh on one of my favorite songs. 

 

The crowd gives an appreciative cheer to “Nothing Compares 2 U,” and then goes on to trade lines with Prince throughout the song. After the first verse/chorus Candy Dulfer comes to the fore with an exquisite sax solo, before Prince comes back for the next verse. The audience is well warmed up by this stage, and singing in a strong voice as the song comes to the end. A nice concert moment and one captured well on the recording. 

I was excited when I heard “Condition Of The Heart,” but I am even more so when I hear the beginning of “The Ladder” from the same album. This takes on more importance here, as mid-song Prince delivers a monologue that comes back to some of the themes he has already commented on earlier in the evening. The early part of the song is very faithful to what is heard on the album, then with a call of “break it down NPG” Prince begins his speech. He speaks of the troubles worldwide (pre 9/11) He urges the crowd to stop looking at the differences between people and concentrate on the similarities. He talks for some time, before ending with “Naw, I didn’t come to preach, but I gotta get that out” and then gets the crowd on board for a singalong of the chorus. It’s very uplifting, and with Eric Leeds again playing it’s a classic concert moment. 

I was thinking it would be a fantastic way to close the show, and then Prince goes on to play “Starfish And Coffee.” Although very short, it’s a very sweet song and again showcases another one of Prince's famous piano songs. 

 

“Sometimes It Snows In April” follows, and I am loving how many of these old songs Prince is pulling out. He doesn’t overplay it, with just him and the piano with the merest sound of the band behind him. His voice is as smooth as you could expect, and I just close my eyes and enjoy the moment. I am surprised that the crowd doesn’t try to sing along with the final few lines, they are respectfully silent to the end. Prince finishes the song to a round of applause, before beginning to play more on the piano. 

He begins by telling the crowd “I always say I ain’t gonna play this song, and I always end up playing it anyway. I’m just trying to move on with my life” He then speaks for another couple of lines, before playing the opening chords of “Purple Rain” on the piano. There is a quiet cheer from the crowd and then the band comes in. Although not a great version, it is still very enjoyable. As the crowd sings the chorus you can hear him beginning to work the guitar, and it’s far more audible as the second verse begins. Then with a simple “good night” he begins to solo. As much as I sometimes tire of Purple Rain, I always find something to enjoy in the solo. This one proves true to form, it manages to be as I expect, but still with a twist or turn for me to latch onto. Prince rallies the crowd with a final speech before they sing in one voice “ooohh, ooohh, ooohh” The song and the show end with Prince intoning “peace and be wild” before the final sounds of the keys and the strings à la the album recording. 

I knew there was a good reason I remembered this one – it was a long long show. Covering almost 3 CDs, it was worth the time invested in it to take a listen, my only recommendation would be don’t try and blog about it. The show was a good representation of the ONA tour, and I got a lot of enjoyment out of listening to some of the songs thrown into the setlist. This configuration of the NPG was very versatile and worked well with some of his more jazz-infused songs heard here and for that I applaud them. Even though it was a good recording rather than great, it never overly detracted from my enjoyment. It was worth every minute. 

Detroit 6 March 2002

 This week, worlds collide as my love for the ONA tour crashes headlong into the always dynamic and vibrant Detroit audience. Detroit has been a fervent supporter of all the Prince concerts to this point, and this continues today with the more challenging Rainbow Children material and ONA show. The new songs and presentation phase the audience not one bit, and from the first note to the last they provide a knowledgeable and supportive base for Prince to play to. It is also worth noting that today’s audience recording is considerably better than anything else we have heard of late, so expect today’s post to concentrate a lot less on sound quality and a lot more on performance quality. 

6th March 2002, Detroit Opera House, Detroit 

One might expect a somewhat muted reaction to “The Rainbow Children,” but the Detroit crowd let the love flow from the first minute with their passionate embrace of Prince’s new direction. The lyrics may cause some diversion among the Prince fan community, but one can’t deny that it sounds oh so good, especially the flinty guitar licks that Prince provides, giving a sharp counterpoint to the otherwise downbeat groove.  When people speak of Prince’s greatest bands this one is often left out of the conversation, but listening here it seems desperately unfair as they stretch and flow in every direction Prince needs them, creating a sound that perhaps non of his other bands could reach. 

The slide and croon of “Muse 2 The Pharaoh” has me enraptured, and with the audience providing a soft percussion of hand claps it has a natural and organic sway. This smoky atmosphere Prince creates is blown away by the stern and sententious second portion of the song, and it is only the cool breeze of Renato’s piano that reminds us of the sweeter opening of the song. 

 

“Xenophobia” picks right up where “Muse 2 The Pharaoh” left off, as Prince continues his musical sermon. His comment about “coming to get your Purple Rain on” is greeted with a cheer, but not as loud as the cheer when he says “you’ve come to the wrong place,” a reminder of just how close this Detroit crowd was to Prince, and how they had a deeper understanding of what he was trying to achieve. The horn of Maceo Parker, along with Greg Boyers's trombone, subverts this message as they swamp the recording with their full sound, and John Blackwell’s final solo is a timely reminder of just how much he contributed to Prince’s sound, and how much we still miss him. Prince pointing out Morris Day in the house surprises me, it’s not something I remember hearing before, and although it’s only a few seconds it makes for a cool moment on the bootleg. The final few minutes are where the song spins off in a new direction, and with a furious Maceo blowing up a storm, with Prince matching him on the guitar, it is a dramatic rush to the finish. 

The fragile beauty of “A Case Of U” is just as poignant here as when we first heard Prince’s cover of it back in 1983. The lyrics flow easily from him, as if they were his and his alone, and listening to the song now I can see how it is a good fit for both the concert Prince is constructing, and for this band as they bend it ever so slightly with their delicate jazz touch.  It is again the second part of the song where Prince wades deeper into unknown waters, the song by turns becoming darker, deeper, and all the more ominous. 

I don’t get as lost in the “Mellow” as Prince would like me to, it treads the same sonic territory as some of the earlier material at the show without reaching the same ethereal heights, while not touching me as much as the previous “A Case Of U.”  However, it’s not as demanding as anything else we have heard and makes for an easy listen without forcing the listener into any corners. 

 

The bootleg becomes far more like a regular concert with the appearance of ” 1+1+1 Is 3,” a song that has an insatiable groove and draws the best out of every player on stage. With the Detroit crowd providing the double-time hand clap, Maceo again enters the fray with a cameo of a solo that raises the temperature of the performance. The rest of the song lives up to the opening jam, never once does the band lift their foot off the gas as they power the song through to the finish in a shower of horn blasts, buttery funk, and laughter. 

I'm not enthused for “Love Rollercoaster,” but Prince’s final flurry of guitar work cleanses any negativity and leaves me feeling like the exercise was worthwhile. A tiny triumph that cleanses my palate before the next course. 

A soft and feathery “The Other Side Of The Pillow” lowers the energy levels in the building but keeps the crowd engaged as they provide a gentle accompaniment to Prince’s pillow talk. The song itself is almost too soft and compared to the earlier material of the evening it kills with a slow smother rather than a hammer blow. The later meanderings of the song bring the piano to the fore before it washes up to a horn solo that nicely rounds out the moment. 

The first song to look back at Prince’s past is the spruced up “Strange Relationship,” brought back for the One Night Alone tour, refreshed and refurbished it carries its funk as well as it ever has. There are other far more impassioned versions on the tour, but the song itself remains undiminished here and it shines brightly in the middle of the set. 

 

I do enjoy Maceo and “Pass The Peas” and it only suffers in that I have heard it far too often. I would have liked to hear Maceo contribute some other songs from his past, but  one can’t complain, as Prince himself says midsong “music for music lovers” 

Prince stays with his musical history lesson as he steers the band into “Sing A Simple Song.” It’s a good fit for the band as they bring their smooth yet funky style to the party. And it is a party, one can hear the crowd enjoying the moment, and Prince has chosen his cover versions well. There are some dark clouds with the guitar bringing a winter sound later in the song, before retreating and leaving us with the warm summer's funk sound. 

The next cover version in this run is The Delfonics “La,La, La Means Eye Love U.” Prince owns the song for the next few minutes with his croon holding centre stage, before the release of the “la, la, la” chorus.  It falls soft as rain, the song seemly falling from heaven. It may not be the first song that one would gravitate towards on the recording, and I am surprised by how much I find myself falling for its hidden charms. 

Rhonda Smith provides a steady lead vocal performance for Eryka Badu’s “Didn’t Cha Know.”  There’s not a lot to it, the song dissolves as Prince gives some praise to Rhonda, and it is a moment that could have become something special had it gone for longer. 

I looked forward to “When You Were Mine,” but when it comes there is too much high end, and some of the basic rock n roll feel that I associate with it is waterblastered away by the over-the-top keyboard. It is glassy and shiny, the bedrock guitar subverted by this keyboard shrill, and leaves me feeling that this could have been so much more. 

 

There is a slow burn to “Avalanche” that appeals to me, and I listen enraptured as Prince smolders through the opening verse. The embers of the song continue to flicker and glow for the next few minutes as the piano smokes its way through the final minutes. 

“Family Name” is an important part of Prince’s One Night Alone concert. It returns us to one of his key themes of the album and tour, and although it's unconventional with its opening, the following music keeps the concert on track as the band plays behind Prince’s message-heavy lyrics. Prince’s guitar picks up where his lyrics left off, a hint of spite, malice, and pure anger present as he applies the pressure with his solo. It is an uneven song as it challenges expectations, and Prince rewards the audience with another jewel from his past in the form of “Take Me With U.” Obviously it can’t compare to his new material, but it once again turns the concert into a celebration rather than a lecture. 

This spirit of celebration is maintained throughout “Raspberry Beret” as we return to a style more in tune with Prince’s previous tours. I sometimes tire of this song, but in this case, it works well in a concert that hasn’t had any pop moments, or hits, until now.  The energy levels jump up on the recording, and it’s just as well as Prince is about to unleash his full arsenal for the next song. 

 

Prince and the band turn everything up to ten for the “Santana Medley” and with Renato Neto’s keyboard going blow for blow against Prince and his guitar it becomes titanic with the music swirling into an intense storm. There is no victor, and the real winner is the listener who gets to experience this maelstrom of musical fire and fury. It is ten minutes of carnage as Prince whips me into a fervor with his take on the Santana sound, and he carries the Detroit crowd with him with the same deep intensity and forthright guitar sound. 

Again Prince builds on contrasts and adds another level of sophistication to the concert with his precisely placed piano set. The Detroit crowd is all screams and cries for “Adore,” and in fairness, to them, there isn’t a crowd in the world that wouldn’t react the same. It’s short, there are plenty of longer versions from this tour, but it doesn’t matter as for the next couple of minutes as he plays Prince holds the audience in the palm of his hand. “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” comes from a similar place, and although I love the piano sound of it, Prince only gives us the opening line before he switches things up again. 

“Free” works well with Prince’s theme of emancipation, and here it sounds glorious as the band rises behind Prince with their uplifting sound. Again, it is short, but I do like it for the time it appears. 

The next three songs stay in this shortened manner – each barely a minute as Prince ticks off a few of the boxes for his hardcore fanbase. “Starfish And Coffee” has a whiff of teenage nostalgia, while “Under The Cherry Moon” speaks to the more serious music lovers. Both are well appreciated before “Nothing Compares To U” completes this diversion through the 1980s. In later tours, Prince would choose to have other singers accompany him, here it is just his lone voice and the Detroit crowd that create an intimate moment that one feels the recording doesn’t quite do justice to. 

There is a spring in the step of Prince’s piano playing as he leads us up the musical garden path before the verse of “Girls And Boys” reveals it for what it is. Just as good as anything heard on the piano and microphone tour, this is my highlight of the piano set, my only disappointment coming with its ending after five minutes. It has a groove that I could roll on for days, and I feel cheated as Prince brings it to an end long before I am ready. 

“Venus De Milo” and “One Night Alone” are mere footnotes and it is “Sometimes It Snows In April” that returns us to a more conventional full song. It is a light version, there is no real emotional depth here, but it sounds pretty enough, and like all good art often what you experience is what you bring to it. 

And that rings true for the following “I Love U, But I Don’t Trust U Anymore,” a song I feel far more connected to as I live through Prince’s heartbreaking lyrics. It is a perfectly pitched performance, Prince emoting just enough without giving over to the drama that is already inherent in the music he is playing. 

If “I Love U But I Don’t Trust U Anymore” was Prince’s moment, then the following “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore” belongs to the Detroit crowd, at least for the first portion of the song as they are word perfect with Prince. The arrival of the full band sees them slipping back, but they are still present to the end of the song, although they can’t match Prince’s final anguished squeal. 

 

There is a bold guitar sound that sits at the heart of “Anna Stesia” and this colors the song throughout. Prince lets it cry out later in the song, and overall it is much stronger than what we know so well from Lovesexy, Prince’s vocals are full of power and punch, and the guitar drives the song into darker and unfamiliar corners. There is a final speech from Prince, you’d expect nothing less, but it is the final refrain that hits me. I have heard this song for 30 years now, but that chant of “Love is God, Love is God,” still touches me in ways I can never get used to. Prince brings it back round to his current beliefs as the crowd joins him for his “rise up” Rainbow Children chants before the band brings the curtain down with several minutes of jazz-infused groove. A fitting end for this band as they play to their strengths, and a lovely way to end the show. 

Of the Detroit bootlegs, this is one of the better ones. After a string of great concerts and poor recordings, we finally have one where the concert has a suitable recording to match. The concert offers the usual smorgasbord of music we have come to associate with the ONA tour, and it’s captured for prosperity with a worthy audience recording. ONA tour is well documented in the bootleg world, and this is another worthy addition to that catalog, the fact it comes with a passionate and knowledgeable Detroit crowd is just a bonus. Everyone has a favorite ONA concert, this is one of mine.