Rio de Janeiro 19 January 1991

 

I started this blog with the expectation that I would be listening to a lot of bootlegs that I had never given attention to. That has been great so far, but now I have swung too far in that direction and there are some universally loved bootlegs that I never have time to listen to anymore. Last week I listened to one of the classic early bootlegs, Detroit 1982, and this week I will be taking a listen to one of Prince's most famous video bootlegs in circulation – his performance at Rock In Rio 1991. 1991 is a very quiet year when it comes to live bootlegs. The Nude tour ended in August of 1990 and until the beginning of the Diamonds and Pearls tour in April 1992, there are only a dozen concerts played, leaving us with only a handful of bootlegs. This performance neatly bridges the two eras and although it is close to a Nude tour show, it does indicate the sound and style of The Diamonds And Pearl concerts that will come in the next year.

19th January 1991 (a.m.), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The quality of the video is indisputable, it goes without saying that it looks glorious from the start. The most interesting aspect of the video at the beginning is the performance of “Something Funky(In This House Comes)”. It was slated for release on Diamonds and Pearls, although it missed the final cut. One can hear how it might have fitted on there, the sound is close to several of the songs on the album, and it is led by Tony M who has the lead vocals throughout as he introduces the band. Prince cleverly uses it as an introduction to the crowd, both the band and the funk, before he makes an appearance in the final moments of the song.

The funk continues with a scratch guitar highlight for the first minute of “Let’s Go Crazy”. It initially sounds as if it could go either way between “Let’s Go Crazy” of “Controversy” before the music settles on shiny “Let’s Go Crazy” that is anchored by a keyboard swirl and horn stabs. Even with Prince's guitar asserting its authority, it is still the full sound of the band that keeps the song in this lighter pop realm. It is Michael B. who holds center court here, his drum kit providing a solid pound that we will hear plenty more of through the 1990s.

 

We have already heard “Something Funky(In This House Comes)”, and Prince introduces another song very much of the era with “Horny Pony”. It was recorded the same month as “Something Funky(In This House Comes)” so it comes as no surprise that it has the same sound and sheen to it. It is a good indicator of where Prince was at the time, but asides from that it doesn’t add much to the concert.

“Kiss” is a lot of fun, with Prince prancing and preening across the stage. This is a rendition that has been heard plenty on the Nude tour from six months previous, and anyone who has seen the Tokyo Dome performance would know what to expect. The music sounds good but is the dancing that Prince excels at in this show, and with his interaction with the Gameboyz there is a lot to hold the eye. I haven’t always championed the Gameboyz, here I find I get a lot out of their performance, perhaps it is true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. They play with good humor, dancing to “The Peter Gunn Theme” and “The Pink Panther” which is a lot more enjoyable than it looks on paper.

 

It is a surprise to see “Purple Rain” early in the setlist, although to be honest I have written that plenty of times in this blog over the years, so perhaps it’s not that much of a surprise at all. It may be the guitar that opens the song, but the real treat is Rosie who seeds the opening minutes with sprinkles of piano that brighten the denser sound of the song. Prince too brings brightness with his lead guitar along with his costume which one could only describe as ‘busy’. (In my head I can hear my father’s voice – “He’s wearing curtains”). The song lacks the gravitas of other performances, but Prince speaks of the Iraq war in the final moments and this changes the tone of the song immensely. With a chant of “Love 4 Love” opening the door on the final solo, Prince is dropping clues about what the future holds for him musically.

 

The performance of “Bambi” introduces some grittiness into the show, and for the first time on the recording, one can feel some bite and aggression in the music. Even-tempered by the keyboards and full band, Prince is still out front cutting a swath through the music with his razor-sharp guitar riffs. It’s short, but a highlight.

 

Prince continues dipping into his bag of past glories with a rousing rendition of “Take Me With U” that has both the stadium and the recording bouncing. The video seems rather limited on available shots at this point, and for the first part of the song, we alternate between only 3 camera angles. The second half is much better and the editing matches the pace of the song, giving it an impetus that was missing earlier.

 

“Shake” keeps with the energetic upbeat theme of the concert so far, and although I have never been a great fan of it on record, in this case, I find myself happily singing along. Rosie in particular stands out with her impressively solid voice making even Michael B’s drums sound weak in comparison. “Shake” becomes an extended jam as Prince works the crowd through clapping and singing for a few minutes. As is my way, I lose interest at this point, but I can’t deny it is an integral part of the concert experience.

Rosie is the center of attention for the next song “Dr. Feelgood” as Prince leaves the stage for one of his inevitable costume changes. I was an enthusiastic supporter of hers in “Shake”, but I don’t have the same feeling for “Dr. Feelgood” which to my ears is overworked and laborious. Yes, Rosie’s vocals are as powerful as ever, but the song stays firmly grounded and leaden despite her best efforts. A shame because I do love Rosie.

 

Everything changes when Prince returns to the stage and presents an angelic “Venus De Milo”. It doesn’t last too long, but it is a nice segue into “The Question Of U”, also played solo by Prince at the piano. As an instrumental, it spotlights Prince’s prowess with the piano, it hardly matters that the guitar doesn’t make an appearance, this version is just as good as the arrangement on other tours.

“Ain’t No Way” sung by Rosie Gaines would be a sensational song in a small venue, however, the concert again sags as she sings it in this situation. Her voice is magnificent, it certainly fills the stadium, but the song has no drive to it and the energy of her vocal performance seems to be swallowed up by the stadium. If I close my eyes and picture a club, it's great, when I see it at this concert it becomes a weak moment.

There are several highlights in “Nothing Compares 2 U”. Prince's vocals are pitch-perfect, and his performance is one to watch as he screeches and croons atop his piano. It is a real surprise that Rosie doesn’t sing with him, but asides from that it is a great performance that I could happily watch again and again.

 

Prince and the band rush headlong into the final furlong with the effervescent “Baby I’m A Star”.  The visuals match the frantic pace, although at times the quick editing of the video is dizzying and headache-inducing. As the song disappears beneath the chants and dancing the band shows their chops as they keep pace with Prince and his commands. I can’t fault the music, but I do find that Prince is over the top with his performance and for me, this devalues the music. Balance is restored as he takes to the piano and the Rosie belts at a passionate “Respect”. That soon becomes Sonny playing a solo on the bass, and for me, this is the best part of these final 30 minutes. Tony M has time to shine with a rendition of “Brother With A Purpose”. I normally wouldn’t mention it, but Prince tags “We Can Funk” onto the end of it and this is every bit as good as you could imagine. It is only a minute, but it banishes the previous minute of Tony M rapping from memory.

 

“Thieves In The Temple” promises so much with Prince playing solo on the piano for the first minute, but the rest of the song becomes a rush through the music as the band sacrifices the depth of the song for an uptempo beat and ’90s sheen. The final ten minutes of the concert are given over to the “Baby I’m A Star” beat as Prince works the crowd, firstly with call and response, then with dancers on stage. It is even worse than it sounds as “Jughead” gets an airing at this point. I am not the least bit negative about the band or the music, both are of the highest order, but as far as listening to a bootleg at home this part of the show leaves me cold. Even the final flurry of “Baby I’m A Star” can’t restore my enthusiasm and rather than finishing on a high I am left with the feeling of relief that it’s over.

 

This show hasn’t aged as well as others in my collection. It used to be on high rotation at my place when I was younger, but seeing it again now I realize the the show itself is incredibly patchy. There are certainly some great moments that match anything else in Prince’s catalog, but they are more than offset by some clunky moments, less than stellar songs, and a show that is high on camp and low on emotional depth. The fact that it was one of the few pro-shot shows circulating at the time has given it more credibility than perhaps it deserves. An interesting show, with some high points, but not essential. Next time I watch it there will be plenty I will be skipping through.

Madrid 22 July 1990

 

The fact that this is called the Nude tour, and not titled after any particular album, says something about what to expect from shows of this era. His album at the time, Batman, was a year previous and the Graffiti Bridge album wasn’t released until late in the tour. It’s a ‘greatest hits’ show, with just three Batman songs appearing on the setlist. In recent years this has become common for Prince, but at this time, 1990, it was a first for him and us as the listener. Today I am listening to a good quality soundboard show from Madrid in 1990. Although I am not a big fan of the setlist, the recording is a very high standard, and there are a few interesting arrangements for me to enjoy.

July 22, 1990, Madrid

The show opens with the “DAT intro.” Several songs and intros are spliced together, it sounds alright, but it doesn’t get my blood flowing like perhaps you would expect it to. There are spoken excerpts of “Party Up,” “Controversy,” “1999,” “Let's Go Crazy,” “Around The World In A Day,” and a few others, but nothing we haven’t heard before.

However, things pick up once the music begins properly. “The Future” sounds excellent, and much stronger than on the album. The low end is very solid, and Prince's vocals are muscular and well suited for the lyrical theme. I must comment on the quality of this recording, it's top-shelf. The band and music sound great, and there is just enough crowd noise to enhance the live feel to it. “The Future” is my favorite from the Batman album, and I feel many people overlook it. But like I said before, live it is excellent. There are some very nice rolls on the tom-toms at the end, before we roll into “1999.”

For me, “1999” is always a little hit or miss live. Sometimes it comes off great and other times I just don’t feel it. Luckily this recording is one where it comes off great. The beat is driving, and the band vocals are all very strong- no one is holding back anything. It is a fine choice for this early in the gig and along with “The Future” it very much puts people in the dancing mood- me included! There are no horns in the band, so it has that nice electric feel that I enjoy.

Without skipping a beat the band starts “Housequake.” It’s always played well, and here is no exception. As I said in the previous song, there is no horn section in the band, so it’s the bold keyboard stabs that fill in. I am not sure if Prince is dancing or not, I can only assume he is, but his singing is still very tight, there is not a loose moment in the song at all. There are some calls and shout-outs for the Game Boyz, I don’t know what they are doing, but at this point, I am glad I am listening and not watching this gig. Prince sings “Sexy Dancer” for a time over the beat, and it’s surprising how well it all fits.

 

“Kiss” is played very quickly. The guitar is almost none existent, and it’s the keys that do most of the work in the song. I tried hard to enjoy this arrangement, but I just couldn’t get there. Princes’ singing is good, and the band is tight, but this one just didn’t seem to have any soul. If I had to sum it up in one word it would be sterile. One redeeming feature for me was the playout section when Rosie Gaines sings “Let's Jam It.” She has one of those voices that demand to be heard, and this is our first taste of her singing tonight, and it sounds great.

There is no let-up at all as the heavy organ intro to “Purple Rain” begins. It’s a nice change to the guitar intro that we were familiar with previously. The intro doesn’t last too long, Prince starts on the verses pretty quickly. Did I say verses? Actually, it’s just a verse, a chorus and then the guitar takes over. I find that the guitar solo loses a lot of its impact with the rest of the song cut short, there is no sense of rising to the climax, and it doesn’t have the triumphant release like when he plays the whole song. It’s a shame that this is usually the default version, and has been for many years. The solo is very fine, I can’t fault it technically, but it does feel a little passionless. The song ends with Prince singing “Live for Love”, obviously a lyrical idea that floated around for some time before it became a song, before ending with one more reprise on the guitar.

Things perk up when “Take Me With U” begins. I will forever associate this song with the scene in the Purple Rain movie, and I always have a joyful feeling when I hear it. It’s not the type of Prince song I normally like, but in this case, it gets a pass. The energy levels are very good, and the song hums along. Sadly it ends before I have a chance to collect my thoughts on it.

The next song gets off to an upbeat swinging start as Prince asks the audience “Madrid, do you wanna hear the blues?” Now is when Rosie comes into her own. “Don’t Make Me Pay For His Mistakes” is a nice bluesy song that gives her plenty of opportunities to showcase her vocals. She dominates the first part of the song and makes it her own before Prince takes over with some fine blues guitar. Nicely paced, and not too heavy or showy it’s another side of his playing that I always enjoyed. Of course, it’s also a good chance for Prince to break out “If I Had A Harem.” The sound of the two songs is very similar, and if not for the lyrics I wouldn’t have noticed a difference.

 

“Alphabet St” starts very swiftly, and Prince races through the first verse before bringing it to a complete halt. After a long pause, he again races through the next verse before pausing again. This time the crowd's cheer is even louder, and with a shout of “Ok Ok!’ Prince resumes again. I love his rap in the middle of it, it’s hardly the sort of lyrics that would set the world on fire, but his delivery is a lot of fun. Even better is Rosie when she begins singing “It Takes Two” over the top of it. As you may guess, I am quite a fan of Rosie. Her voice is nice and full and adds a lot of strength to the whole concert. After Rosie, there is plenty of time for interplay between the drums and guitar, and instruments drop in and out seamlessly.

There is a change in tempo and mood when Prince takes to the piano and plays an instrumental version of “The Question Of U,” “An honest Man,” and “Under The Cherry Moon.” I had heard that Prince writes the majority of his music on the piano, and hearing him play here I can fully believe it. It’s only very short here but is a nice change from what we had in the first part of the show.

The heavy beat of “The Question Of U,” and the full band play for a more recognizable version of the song. A firm favorite for many, this is one song that has sounded great on every live recording I have heard. The beat is very strong here, but it doesn’t overwhelm the song, the guitar solo is very loud and more than compensates for the heavy beat. The guitar doesn’t get the final word however, there is some very good keyboard following it and as the beat continues there are several loud cheers from the crowd, so I am assuming Prince is doing some dancing. He then speaks for a short time, the normal pimp talk he usually comes out with, and follows this with his “Electric Man.” I have heard him play it like this many times, and it’s something I like a lot. I would like to hear him play this without it being incorporated mid-song like this, quite what else he could do with it I guess we will never know. He doesn’t rush this section at all, and it stretches out to a decent eight minutes.

 

“People call me rude, I wish we all were nude” serves as his introduction to “Controversy.” Sometimes this song is overworked, but here it is light and funky. He sings only the first few lines, and then over the same music sings the chorus of “Do Me, Baby.” Somehow it works and he gets away with it. Rosie then starts singing it, and by the way, have I mentioned how great she is? Prince also sings “D.M.S.R” and I feel slightly cheated I was hoping from the setlist it might be a fuller version. I would have said the same for “Do Me, Baby,” but fortunately, after a couple of minutes of “Controversy” he does pull it back and the band slips into “Do Me, Baby” proper.

After a suitable long and beautiful introduction Prince begins to sing. Three-quarters of the way through the show and he shows no shortness of breath or fault in his vocals. It sounds just as good as it does on record. The vocal section is short, the bulk of the song is the introduction, but that’s no bad thing at all, the song stands out as the emotional high point of the evening.

Rosie is again to the fore as she sings an Aretha Franklin cover- “Ain’t No Way.” I don’t want to again write about how good she is, but when she is playing I just want to stop writing and just sit here and listen. Maybe she does overwork some sections of the song, but overall it’s very good.

Finally, we get another Batman song, and it’s “Batdance.” Is the band playing it? I can’t tell. There are a lot of samples on this, it would be easy to just roll a tape and let Prince sing on it. The drums sound live, so I am going to presume the band is playing along to some samples (or vice versa I should say) “Batdance” is an original-sounding song, unlike almost anything else he has done. It does work live, but my only complaint would be the Game Boyz chanting over it at one stage, but it’s only very brief. By now it is apparent that the band is playing it, and they do a fantastic job of it.

 

“Partyman” gets the long chanting intro that we have seen on the long version of the video. All hail to the new King, again I guess that on stage Prince is pretty much playing out like the video. The song is lively and played as heard on record. I had to smile when I heard the line “Ladies and gentlemen, no pictures please”- not much has changed in the last 25 years! The first half of the song is sharp, but in the second half the band moves into second gear and things start getting exciting. There is a funky guitar running throughout, some rapid samples, and some furious keyboard bursts playing horns. There is only one way to end the song, and that is of course with the maniacal Joker laugh.

I didn’t expect to like “When Doves Cry,” but it was great. The beat is always going to sound fresh, and the band plays a suitably stripped-back version- something that doesn’t always happen. I like some aspects of live performances of “When Doves Cry,” there is often some great funky guitar work going on, and this one is no exception. In fact, I forget to listen to it as a whole, and the first time I found myself concentrating solely on the guitar. The bass comes on strong later in the song, and again it adds a lot to it. There are not many live arrangements of “When Doves Cry” that I like, but this is definitely one of them. The song gets a very long play out, and there is plenty happening, this one will get plenty more listens, I’m sure.

There isn’t much to “Baby I’m A Star.” It’s just an excuse to have a long jam and turn the concert into a party. The first few verses quickly give out to a long groove over which everyone gets a chance to play their bit. Even the Game Boyz get a shout-out and a chance to play some rhythm. Normally I would love this, but there isn’t too much here that gets me excited, and I know it's blaspheme but to be honest, I find some parts of it boring and repetitive. Michael B however is always excellent and is the best thing about this long playout. Rosie also is another high point, but I have already given her plenty of coverage here. This is a Prince Blog, not a Rosie blog, so I will refrain from commenting on her again. I am doing the song an injustice here, it is a lot of fun, and it’s played for those at the gig rather than those of us sitting here at home. With that in mind, I would say that if I had been there I am sure I would have been dancing my ass off. However it is uneven and the low point is when Tony M delivers some verses mid-song, despite the funkiness of the music his vocal delivery is like a lead weight to it. But then it’s all redeemed by a short burst of “We Can Funk.” It’s a shade lighter than I had heard before and is more mournful than dark. A very nice smooth delivery of a classic. The song ends on this note, but after a brief “Don’t you wanna go home?” Prince kicks back into the groove. It’s only another minute before it all comes to an end.

I am still scratching my head about these gigs. I am not sure what to make of them. This one had some great songs, and some wonderful moments, but much like the final song, it was a little uneven. I did enjoy listening to it, but I would skip some tracks if I could, unfortunately, some of the things I would skip are buried mid-song. These shows are a turning point in Prince's career, and it’s about now that I lost interest in his main concerts, and instead started listening to far more after shows. However the twists and turns in his career have me relistening to a lot of things and seeing them in a new light as the years go on, and this one certainly stands up well to a relisten.

Rotterdam 2 June 1990

 

The image of Prince at the Superbowl, back arched, guitar howling into the wind and the rain, is indelible in many people’s minds. One of the great enemies of outdoor performances is always the weather and Prince combated the elements several times throughout his career. “Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night” is the postman’s motto, and so too with Prince – the show must go on despite the conditions. There are several examples of Prince playing through the weather, but one of the more famous occasions is the opening night of the Nude tour. Rotterdam greeted Prince and his entourage not with respect, but rather with a torrential downpour during the show. Prince played on through the elements, and although this clocks in as the shortest show of the tour, it is a full setlist – perhaps trimmed of any fat to streamline the performance. The weather does little to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd, and buoyed by this the concert remains another curio in the Prince canon.

2nd June 1990, Rotterdam

There is little in the music to suggest what will unfold later in the weather, and the DAT introduction neatly crosses off a large portion of Prince’s back catalog before the concert commences properly. This is the Nude tour, and as the title suggests it is a far more stripped-back affair, both in sound and performance than the previous excesses of the 1980s. “The Future” sets the standard, built on little more than a rhythm and the rise and fall of the keyboard. The stage remains sparse, and this leaves the Game Boyz in the spotlight more than might be expected – there is simply nothing else on stage to look at. Fans have been unkind to the Game Boyz over the years, but history has treated them well, and in retrospect, they are certainly adding plenty of sparkle to an otherwise naked stage. As for “The Future” it continues to entertain while concealing the extravaganza that will follow.

 

Taking to his guitar, “1999” sounds far more aggressive than “The Future” although it rides the same rhythms. After the darker tones of the previous song, pop-centric “1999” raises spirits, even if its lyrics revolve around a nuclear armageddon. The chant of “party” and Miko’s funk guitar bury the lyrical content under a celebration of danceable pop. If the world is going to end, then what better way to go out than singing and dancing to a groove such as this.

Continuing with his ground-shaking, house-quaking party, Prince brings the ultimate party crasher song with “Housequake.” It is not as essential as the versions heard through 1987, but it is much better than the arrangements we heard in the 2000s. Prince gives a full version, and although it lacks real horns it does retain its central groove and the usual hallmarks that make the song what it is. The “Sexy Dancer” coda works well and has only gone up in my estimation since I first heard it.

Prince draws upon one of his hits to get the crowd bouncing, “Kiss.” Enlivened by the dancing of the Game Boyz, it sounds lighter than previous renditions, yet is still recognizable by its distinctive guitar riff which rests in the safe hands of Miko. Miko has always had a great feel for this song, and it slips and slides greasily beneath his fingertips, its inner funk fully released in his playing. A song that constantly evolves over the years, this version remains a close favorite behind the original in the live arena.

 

As “Kiss” slows to “Let’s Jam” the power of Rosie Gaines is revealed for the first time at the concert. It is a fine introduction, her robust vocal delivery pushing aside whatever detritus may litter the song, leaving her and her alone to dominate the stage. She does relinquish though, allowing space for some guitar intricacies to weave their own sound later in the song, the music, and groove slipping back to leave the spindling guitar sound to grow.

“Purple Rain” is always an integral part of any show, but it never seems to quite fit with the surrounding material. Such is the case here as we go from the synthetic sound of the band to the organic opening chords of “Purple Rain.” The opening chords hang in the air, previous polyester music banished before its glow before Prince plunges into his most famous song. The verses don’t get much of an airing, it is the guitar break where the song starts proper, Prince moving from the opening words of sorrow to full throat roar on his guitar. It’s not as overblown as heard elsewhere, but it does thunder and storm with the best of them, the intensity of any fifteen-minute version contained in this highly refined six-minute take.

From the same era, “Take Me With You” comes powered by a high octane Michael Bland. He drives the song far beyond its roots on the back of furious power, propelling the song to new heights in such a way that I forget all about Prince and the rest of the band. Rosie, Prince, all is lost behind the propulsive revving of Michael Bland. Little did we know at the time, but it was this heavy hitter that would power the Prince sound for the following years.

 

The noodling guitar fails to move the concert forward from here, it’s not until Prince sings the opening line of “Alphabet St” that the concert is suddenly thrown forward again. As always it’s a stop-start affair, Prince building momentum before crashing to a halt in a series of pauses that only heightens the anticipation of the audience. The final funky break finally unleashes Rosie Gaines in all her glory, and for all the fun earlier in the song this is the moment that lingers in the mind after the rest of the music has faded from memory.

The mood changes with a brief piano interlude, a delicate moment that sets the scene for “A Question Of U.” Michael Bland is there from the start before Prince invites us in on the back of the vocal performance. It is a triple threat, Prince’s guitar break cementing the song as a classic as he spins his magic out of thin air, bringing the song to life before our eyes with his deeply personal guitar work crafting an electrifying spell. Lifting “Electric Man” from Muddy Waters, Prince injects it into his own song, at once making it his own as he toys and plays with it as a coda for “A Question Of U.” The lyrics of “Thieves In The Temple” briefly flicker into view, promising more but revealing themselves to be nothing but an empty pledge.

 

Prince intones the lyrics of “Controversy” by way of an introduction to the song and it works surprisingly well. The rest of the song is a gleeful stomp through familiar material, elevating it to the same status as the more current songs in the setlist. When Rosie enters for her “Do me baby” lines all bets are off, and the song revolves around her from this point onward. No bad thing as her voice commands respect, no matter where it sits in the song, and even her simple repetition of a couple of lines is enough for her to take over the concert.

She continues to shine as Prince surrenders the concert to her rendition of “Ain’t No Way.” Aretha Franklin would be proud of her take on it, her voice resonating deeply with the material she is covering. It is only a couple of minutes of the concert, but it briefly reveals the influences behind many of these songs, and one can easily draw the line between Aretha and Rosie.

Prince reclaims the concert with his own version of “Nothing Compares 2 U.” I wait for Rosie to take over, but she remains in the background, the song instead resting between Prince and the audience. It sounds a little shaky at times, but hearing Prince taking the song back from The Family and Sinead O’Connor is a breathtaking moment no matter the context, and this version holds up to the more bombastic versions later in his career.

 

The live arrangement of “Batdance” is far more band-orientated and builds on a solid base of funky guitar. The samples from the movie are irrelevant and it’s the music of Prince that holds my attention far more than the quotes. Tony M. snaps us out of its easy groove, temporarily punching us into the now before the song settles back into its groove for the remaining minute. It’s far from a highlight of the concert, but it is historically interesting as Prince again integrates current technology into his musical palette.

“Partyman” is far more demanding of the listener, pulling us into the concert with Prince’s demand that we hail his reign. The rest of the song is a brisk run through a typical end-of-show jam with each instrument getting time to play while Prince plays ringmaster to the ever-evolving sound. It lives up to its title, Prince is the party man throughout, his sense of mischievousness present as he name-checks some of his albums, including the then-unreleased Black album.

The following “Baby I’m A Star” takes this party jam and turns it up to ten as the band tear through the song, pushing it beyond record and into the unknown with an ever-escalating jam. It’s a wild ride, and one I don’t want to get off. With a torrent of keyboard it is Dr. Fink who kicks off the jam proper, before ceding control to Prince and the Game Boyz. The song continues to undulate, rising and falling on the tide of Prince’s will before Prince pauses to apologize for the rain. From here on out there is no stopping as the band takes off, propelled throughout by the ever-forceful Michael Bland. It is a fantastic showcase for the band, and a timely reminder that Michael Bland and Levi Seacer Jr. will be key contributors for the coming years, their sound already well integrated into Prince’s music. Rosie’s final blast through “Respect” is one last reminder of how great she was, and how dominant she was in Prince’s sound throughout 1990-1992

 

Listening to this concert, one would be hard-pressed to guess the weather conditions if not for Prince’s comment near the end of the show. As it is, the show is far more lively than I remember the Nude tour being, and it is a lot of fun throughout. The concert also cements the key roles of Michael B and Rosie Gaines at the time and serves as a great introduction to their unique talents. There are better shows to come later in the tour, but for an opening night, this concert ticks all the boxes and gives the sodden audience something to celebrate. I’m just glad that I could enjoy it in the dry environs of my home rather than a wet and wild stadium back in 1990.

Saint Paul 6 May 1990

 

My own bias is showing. Anyone familiar with this blog can see that I am enamored with Prince’s mid-80s concerts, and his mid-90s rebirth as the Symbol. I was a gangly, awkward teenager through the ’80s, Prince was the brightest star in a constellation of pop stars. By the mid-90’s I was in my twenties and able to fully appreciate Prince’s metamorphosis at that time as he moved beyond the pop realm and claimed his own previously unexplored sonic territory. I was now a serious music fan, and Prince was a serious musician. Other eras hold their charms, but these two points of Prince’s career coincided with major landmarks in my own life and as such hold a special place in my heart. I have always appreciated other years in Prince’s career, but perhaps I have never given them the attention they fully deserved. I have made an effort recently to visit some of these concerts, A couple of weeks ago I took a listen to a greatest hits show from 2010, and this week I will be digging deep into a concert that serves as a warm-up for the Nude tour, a tour that I have previously glossed over. Looking at the setlists, I can see no real reason why I don’t enjoy these concerts more, perhaps it’s Prince's own antipathy, while he is fully invested in the shows they aren’t geared around a major album push at the time (these aren’t really Batman shows and Graffiti Bridge was released just a two weeks before the end of the tour), and as such for me they appear as a hotchpotch of material. However, in his defense, the material does sound good live, and as always Prince is at his very best live on stage.

6th May 1990 – Saint Paul, Minnesota

“I could tell you things to get you excited, things you never heard”
What I could tell you is that this audience recording is excellent, it is crystal clear, and if not for the audience cheering in between the songs there are moments where it is almost as good as any soundboard. I could also tell you that Prince only performed the Nude tour twice outside Europe, once at this concert and once at the Big Chick charity concert just a week previous. This recording is light years beyond that Big Chick bootleg, there is absolutely no comparison as this one shines and sparkles in a way that the Big Chick recording cannot come close to.

Forget the “DAT Intro,” there’s nothing there that hasn’t been heard before and at my age, I don’t have time to sit through a series of teases, the concert kick starts with a pounding “The Future.” It stands proud on this quality recording, Prince’s vocals flanked by towering synths and great slabs of pounding drum. It is minimalist, yet powerful, with its sense of purpose and direction building a path into the concert. It harks back to Prince’s 1999 electronic sound, all the while pointing to the future with its real drum sound that fits Prince’s “real music by real musicians” mantra.

 

There is a soft-focused warmth to “1999,” although it sounds pale in comparison to the previous song, and indeed to the album version itself. This band isn’t one to cause a revolution, and the song stays neatly tucked up in cotton wool, never threatening to break out into the party that Prince promises.

This iteration of the NPG continues to pull down the flag of the previous regime with their own version of “Housequake” that contains a lot more bounce but a little less greasy funk. It’s fun but has no hint of danger that Prince exudes in his best performances. The dip into “Sexy Dancer,” is a nice touch, but unnecessary in the face of what could be a funk monster under other circumstances.

The recording remains pristine and promises much as “Kiss” slides into view, slippery and groove-laden from the start. It’s not as busy as some arrangements that Prince has toyed with, yet Prince never strips it back as far as it is on record, there is the bass bobbing in the background on the sea swell of funk, and the extra vocals are just on the wrong side of intrusive. However it’s hard to fault on a recording as good as this, and the final coda takes me back to the 12-inch version, we are within a whisker of hearing “woman overboard,” before Rosie’s thunderous voice makes an appearance, stealing the song from the band and making the next few minutes all hers. The final minutes trickle away on the back of Prince’s cascading guitar, leaving us with a well-rounded and satisfying rendition.

As he did throughout the Nude tour, Prince gives us a heavily abridged version of “Purple Rain.” It still runs for seven minutes, but the excesses of the ’80s are trimmed from it, presenting a verse, chorus, and clipped guitar break that, although nods to all the right markers, doesn’t give the same sense of a thrilling ride that we hear elsewhere. It is bereft of the emotional core that so many cling to, and although it sounds right it leaves the arena in the same state as it found it in, as if it had never existed at all.

 

A great, jangling “Take Me With U,” rises from the arena, and immediately makes an impression with its youthful vitality. Light on record, I am constantly surprised by how much this lifts concerts when it is played, and here is no exception as the energy levels on the recording take a huge upswing. It is Prince who is mostly heard, a little disappointing as I would have loved to hear Rosie tear this up, but his final rhythmic guitar breakdown touches all my sweet spots and opens the door nicely for “Alphabet St.”

Now is the time for Rosie to shine, and although it’s Prince that leads us into the song, soon enough it is Rosie’s voice that arrives from the depths with her warm, all-encompassing timbre. It is a quick diversion as we stray further from the core of the song, but a pleasant distraction and one that I fully approve of. The to and fro with Prince and his rap only heightens the sense of power in her vocals, her voice seemingly towering over Prince’s more measured delivery.

Prince introduces “The Question Of U” and it emerges slowly from the darkness, revealing itself with its unmistakable beat and Prince’s off-kilter lyrics. It is a wispy solo that snakes from Prince’s guitar, almost scared of the light it stays low in the mix, not the least bit bold and strident as I expect. The recording has been good throughout and I can only attribute this anemic sound to the mix in the building rather than the taper. With a nod to the past, Prince gives us a gravelly rendition of Muddy Water’s “Electric Man,” turning the air electric with his own sexually charged version that while drawing from the past updates it to his own vision of the future.

 

Rather oddly “Controversy” fades in, leaving me wondering if the start of it was missed by the taper, but soon enough it is comfortably part of the concert. It is short but played as a passionate, grimy full version in comparison with some of the light and shiny renditions we hear later in Prince’s career. Rosie Gaines touches it, making it all the more interesting with her “do me baby” lines giving the song soulful ornamentation to hang off its raw-boned funk.

Rosie Gaines remains the center of the concert universe with her take on Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way.” It’s a brave cover to take on, but Rosie is worthy of the challenge and delivers a powerful rendition that fills every crack of the recording with her warmth. For a moment the concert becomes entirely Rosie’s as she temporarily has us forgetting all that has come before.

Prince covers a similar territory with his very own “Nothing Compares 2 U,” a soulful song that drips emotion from the first moment we hear Prince’s voice. Prince draws all he can from it, the song pumped up with a crying hurt at every opportunity, and Prince’s final hoarse cry seals the deal and sells the song. Not yet ready to share with others, it is only Prince on the vocals, Rosie is sidelined for now, although she will be unleashed at full power in later years.

“Batdance” is an oddball. It was unique upon its release, and live in concert it remains so. One can enjoy it well enough, but it lacks any sort of organic rawness, even the Gameboyz hype and flow fail to lift the song beyond its recorded state, although it does seem to go over with the crowd very well judging from the cheers on the recording. The funk guitar remains a highlight, the crowd singing less so.

Next on the recording is a rare surprise, the only live performance of “Scandalous” from the Nude tour. Miko’s guitar sings out, immediately marking it as a sensual performance, his playing just as emotive as Prince’s vocals, each note glistening like dew in the early morning sun. The rest of the song comes with a soft reach, Prince’s vocals rising and falling in front of a steady swell of synth. It could be too much, but the band keeps it on a finely balanced edge, the song never dipping into the synth-laden schmaltz that it could have. It’s sexy, but never once sweaty or overly romantic.

 

There is a fierce drumbeat that batters the eardrums for the opening of “Baby I’m A Star,” the recording for the first time not quite as perfect as it has been. However, the urgency of the music carries the day and buries this first beat in a collision of sound. The moment revolves around Prince, the man at the eye of the storm controlling the band with a multitude of calls and cues. There is a moment where Prince mentions the fourth-coming European tour – “We gotta get outta here, Europe is waiting,” which is greeted with howls from the crowd, adding to the easy nature Prince has between himself and his home audience. The swing and sass of the longer jam maintain this easy vibe, the groove providing a platform for Tony M’s gentle hyping of the crowd, a smooth vibe that attracts me throughout. Rosie adds some sense of gravity with her quickfire shot of “Respect,” the song giving a blistering finish as we head pall-mall to the last song.

There is no more appropriate song to finish this concert with than the eternally effervescent “Partyman.” The song dissolves rapidly into a typical Prince final jam, the beat merely a jumping-off point into a multitude of different directions, Prince offering up several different paths but never venturing down any as he keeps the song moving forward. The song ends abruptly, never building to the epic conclusion I had hoped for and the material promised, the final minute letting down what otherwise has been a superb concert, and an excellent recording.

I have regrets. I regret I didn’t listen to this recording earlier. I regret I didn’t give enough time to this era. I regret I didn’t appreciate any of this until later in life. Make no mistake, this is a sublime audience recording, and Prince playing to his home crowd only makes his performance all the more energized and heartfelt. I will not be overlooking this era again, and I guarantee that this concert will be playing more at our house in the next few weeks. I may have skipped over it in the past, but I will certainly make up for it now -you can take that as a high recommendation indeed.

St Paul 30 April 1990

 

This week was the 26th anniversary of the passing of Charles “Big Chick” Huntsberry. It is often commented on Prince’s lack of sympathy or empathy concerning former friends and employees, here we have an example of him doing something very generous for the family of Big Chick, a benefit concert just a few weeks after his passing. It’s not a remembrance show, although Prince does talk about his passing, it is a benefit show with all proceeds going to the Huntsberry family. Admittedly the recording is not of the greatest quality, but the main attraction for me is its significance as a benefit for Big Chick, as well as the live debut of songs from the Batman album, and then to top it all off the first live performance by Prince of “Nothing Compares 2 U.” Plenty there for me to enjoy, hopefully, I can overlook the rough audience recording.

 

30th April 1990, Rupert’s Nightclub, Minnesota

The recording opens with Prince speaking about Big Chick, this would be great but the recording is muffled early on and I don’t have the patience or ears to understand exactly what Prince is saying. With more time I could probably work it out better, but right now I am here for the music. It’s followed up with the “DAT intro,” which I feel ambivalent about in most circumstances. Tonight I find it quite enjoyable, and hearing all the snippets does fill me with anticipation of what might follow.

What follows is a recording dropout, and then a sharp rendition of “The Future.” “The Future” is one of those songs that I have come to gradually over the years, and even though there are a few more drops in the recording as the song plays, it does sound better as it goes. Prince's vocals are smooth sounding, and the keyboard swells fill me with warmth on this cold evening. I do have to turn it up loud to fully appreciate the music, and I do at struggle times as it crackles and pops in my ears. The show sounds good, even though it feels like I am listening through the wall, the crowd is loud and vocal and I can hear plenty of cheers.

“1999” is a crowd-pleaser, and I do like this version with it played over the same drumbeat as The Future. There is plenty of room for the band to make themselves heard, and I recognize Rosie’s voice through the noise of it all, and that always brings a smile to my face. It’s a pleasant change to hear “1999” early in the show, too often it is relegated to the party near the end of the show in recent memory.

I’m not a great fan of “Housequake” in this incarnation. It’s too plastic sounding to my ears, it has been neutered to fit in the beat of these opening songs. A lot of the smaller sounds and subtle pieces that I can hear in it are stripped out, and it’s the pounding beat and the vocals that I can hear most, although we could attribute that to the quality of the recording.

 

I knew that “Sexy Dancer” would follow, but I don’t derive any pleasure from being right. It’s very truncated, and a mere coda to the trilogy of songs that opened the show. The happy side effect of it being on this recording is now I want to dig back in the crates and give the original a spin. It’s a very good song that deserves a better airing than what it gets at this show.

My love/hate relationship with “Kiss” live follows next, and I decided to give it a good listen before I judge this one. The verdict is a solid pass, it retains the key elements of the album recording and Prince injects an element of fun into it. Another aspect that I like is that it isn’t overworked and it retains the simple charm of the original. So we are all good in the performance side of things, the downer again being the recording that drops a few seconds midsong. This is coupled with a muffled sound, so it neutralizes all the great aspects of this live performance. The magnificent Rosie Gaines is in fine voice later in the song and she delivers a big sounding “Let’s Jam,” well it would be big sounding if we were there, as once again we are let down by the recording.

“Purple Rain” has a slow sentimental sound that is purpose-built for a show like this. Prince talks about Big Chick, frustratingly I can’t make out what he is saying – but I do hear what the people near the taper are talking about- typically my luck. Prince gives us the Purple Rain ‘highlights’ version, which is an opening verse, a chorus, and then some of his trademark guitar work. I decide that I must be mellowing in my old age, a younger me would rail against this sort of thing and demand the full uncut masterpiece, but tonight I am quite content to sit and enjoy it as he plays. It’s very soothing as I sip my cup of tea and wallow in his guitar sound.

 

We stay on the Purple Rain trip as Prince breaks out “Take Me With U.” It’s all a lot of fun, and the crowd participation and energy are noticeable. It’s strange, for a song I often consider lightweight, it has something to it that people can’t help but respond to. Even here at home I am swaying and singing along.

“Alphabet St” comes next, fast and furious with the crowd becoming more enthused as the show progresses. I would have liked to hear the guitar better, on the other hand, the drums and bass are sounding better, and the recording does seem to pick them up the best.  This is the same as the live version played through the Nude tour, with the “It Takes Two” middle section with Rosie owning the microphone. Back in the early 90s I wasn’t exactly enamored by this arrangement, 25 years on and I find I get a lot of enjoyment out of it. Prince sounds energetic as he spits his lyrics, and I have nothing but good things to say about Rosie and her fantastic voice.

The live debut of “The Question Of U” is next, a song I seem to be listening to plenty of times in the last few months. This one has more guitar in the intro and I am more than happy to sit back and soak it up. There is a moment where I wonder if Prince will sing at all before he finally comes to the microphone and begins to sing his “Electric Man” lyrics. This works well for me, I liked hearing “The Question Of U” lyrics without lyrics, and the “Electric Man” lyrics, although slightly silly, have an intensity to them that works for me. I could have done with more of both songs, instead, it feels like I only get half of each which leaves me wanting more.

 

Rosie takes control next with a cover of “Ain’t No Way.” I would be deliriously happy if this was a soundboard, as it is in this form it’s still very good despite the distracting static and audience chatter. Rosie’s voice is so full and pure sounding that I can put aside these reservations and just focus on her, and for those couple of minutes, she sounds heavenly.

Prince follows this in the only way he can, with a live performance that reclaims “Nothing Compares 2 U” from Sinead O’Connor. It’s a special moment as he plays it live for the first time, and my recent memories of him singing it with Shelby J vanish as he puts his stamp on it. I close my eyes and cut out all other sounds and just focus on Prince's vocals, which are perfect. The piano break is great, and just what the song needs, it lifts it another notch and lights the leaden sound. This is the performance that brought me to this recording and it delivers.

“Batdance” sounds gloriously live, the guitar sounding particularly loud and funky. Like so many of these other songs, it is its live debut. It’s hard to know what to make of it, I would have liked to see it as much as listening to it. One thing I know for certain is I am no fan of the Gameboyz and the sound of them chanting for a short time in the middle of the song. Things get better as Prince gets the crowd to participate, I do like that until the Gameboyz reappear vocally.

After this, things change dramatically as “Scandalous” gets an airing. I am all in for this one, it sounds exactly as it should, and I am surprised by how much audience chatter there is during such a fantastic song. There is just a hint of guitar in all the keyboard swells, and that gives it a sharper sound that plays well with the lush sound and Prince's dripping vocals. Prince’s performance sounds great, sure there is a couple of dropouts in the recording, but Prince himself is marvelous throughout the whole song.

“Baby I’m A Star,” and we must be nearing the end of the show. Prince is well in his stride now, and I can feel the energy coming through the speakers at me, there is even a fantastic scream that has me excited on my side of things. The song degenerates into the jam often heard on the Nude tour with the Gameboyz providing rhythm and fun. The energy levels drop for some time in the middle of the song, and I find myself gazing into the distance for a few minutes before things swing up again later in the song. For large parts of it, I find it too ‘samey’ with not enough variation and individuality for my taste. The exception would be the piano break which I find pretty cool.

We slip into a slow jam next, which is little more than an opportunity for Tony M to encourage the crowd to “make some noise” over a quieter slow beat. Thankfully it’s only a minute before we launch back into the “Baby I’m A Star” jam.

The jam takes off at this stage, and with Rosie belting out “Respect” I am well back in my comfort zone. It's a shame she isn’t utilized more, as he does with his modern-day backing singers, she always delivers at this show, as she does with other shows from this time that I have listened to. The beat continues, and we can hear the band throwing more into the mix as the song is nearing an end.

There is a celebratory mood to the end of the show with plenty of clapping and cheering before we get a fun-filled sounding “Partyman,” complete with a long intro that sounds like it’s taken straight from the video. Despite the muffled sound, it’s hard not to enjoy this song, and I love listening to it here tonight. It starts off fun, then gets better from there with plenty of piano throughout the song giving it a jazzy sound. This jam works much better for me than the previous “Baby I’m A Star” jam, and it ends the show on a real high.

A benefit show for Big Chick, this was no morbid memorial, Prince played an enthusiastic and upbeat show, and even though it was a poor recording the performance shone through. Make no mistake, the recording was hard to listen to at times, I wouldn’t recommend this to the more casual listener, but if you have the time and inclination it’s an interesting show. The songs debuted are played with gusto, and as always they are well-rehearsed and betray no hint of being new to the band. I don’t know if I will be listening to this one again for a while, there are so many more recordings out there, but it was certainly an interesting diversion.