Tokyo 3 April 1992

 

I owe you all a large apology. I take Prince and his music far too seriously and for this I’m sorry. Yes, his music is worthy of such an investment of time and energy, but one thing that I have had to remind myself recently is that music is about emotion, feeling, and above all, fun. For all the hours I have sat and considered his music and where it fits in the cultural matrix, both my own set of cultural experiences and the wider world, at the heart of it all Prince’s music is fun and brings me pure joy when I listen to it. Sometimes I have lost sight of this fact as I listen too deeply for clues and signposts to both the past and the future, but I am constantly brought back to earth as I bang on the roof of my car and sing lustily to “Endorphinmachine” while driving to work. So with that in mind, I’m going to take a step back from listening too closely and just enjoy it for what it is rather than listening at a microscopic level.

Today I intend on enjoying a Diamonds And Pearls show, something I have rather neglected in my selective snobbery. The concerts are glossy and bright, highlighting the pop sheen of the album, and as a purist, I have disdainfully ignored them. Yet for another generation of fans, Diamonds And Pearls represents their Purple Rain, their gateway to the world of Prince. The album was hugely successful, bringing a new wave of fans eight years after the initial hysteria of Purple Rain, and the tour was a spectacle-filled showcase for the new album as well as dipping into the back catalog. So with that in mind, let’s turn it up to eleven and take a listen.

3rd April 1992. Tokyo Dome, Tokyo

The introduction music is skippable, without the visuals to back it up it is confusing and adds little to the concert. However, near the end of the introduction, Rosie Gaines is heard for the first time, and even though it’s only for a couple of lines it is worth checking out.

The first song proper is “Thunder,” a fine way to open with Prince playing new music off his new album. There is very little to be heard in the way of embellishments or enhancements, the song remaining a faithful rendition of what’s heard on record, but that’s more than good enough as the band plays with a vigor and energy that brings a smile to my face. I would have liked just a touch more punch, but I certainly can’t complain about the energy levels.

 

The school-yard pop sound of “Daddy Pop” follows a song that feels firmly rooted in the era it emerged. Just listening to it now, I am filled with nostalgic thoughts of the bright colors and endless summer days of the early 1990s, a feeling that the song seems to plug directly into. Prince loses me mid-song as it briefly pauses for his singing of “grooves and grooves,” and I am only all too happy when the groove returns and fulfills his promise. I would like to sing along with Tony M, but he’s all too fast for me, and there’s little chance of me matching his masculine bravado, so I am left merely listening as he wraps up the song.

The title track of the album and tour slows the pace of the concert, “Diamonds and Pearls” drawing Rosie Gaines into the light, her voice glistening in its surroundings, a heavenly light that lays easy on the feather bed grooves laid on by the band. Prince is still the star of the show, but at this stage, he has some serious competition beside him for my aural affections.

Six months ago I would have rolled my eyes and sighed at the appearance of “Let’s Go Crazy,” but with my new attitude, I find myself filled with excitement for its appearance. Not quite the same excitement as 1985 of course, but enough to remind me why I love this guy and his music. Previously I have been drawn to the guitar, but in this case, it is the bass guitar that has my ear, I can’t think of anything else as it walks up and down through the song. There is a tinge of funk near the end of the song, and it is a signpost of what will follow.

The funk of “Kiss” picks up the funk baton, and runs hard through its funky lines for the next four minutes. My inhibitions slip away as the song slithers into my body, and soon enough I am up and dancing, playing my computer keyboard like it’s a synthesizer – a sight you don’t want to see. If a song moves you physically it’s doing its job, and this one is working some fine magic as I listen.

 

The much-maligned “Jughead” is a lot of fun in this context, Tony M’s brief rap from “Dead On It” adding a touch of self-awareness to what could otherwise be a self-indulgent few minutes. He is neatly balanced by Rosie who once again adds some vocals that wash away some of the more shouty aspects of Tony M. I am all too happy to hear Prince’s vocal contribution to this gumbo of sounds, and his verses lead us to a bridge that straddles delicate guitar and more forceful horns. For all the different vocals and instruments, it does come across as bare-boned and one could see this getting the full treatment under different circumstances.

“Purple Rain” is out of place surrounded by these more horn-inspired and rap-filled songs, and is a throwback to a different era. Although the song is miscast, I do enjoy the opening guitar strains, however, weighed down they are by the more steady beat, as they pull and lift at the song, willing it every higher. Prince’s vocals maintain this rising tone, and the final redemption of the guitar break splits the song wide open leaving us temporarily spirited away from 1992 and back to 1985 as the song and crowd sways back and forth across its bow.

It’s tough to follow “Purple Rain,” but “Live 4 Love” is an inspired choice as it takes the loving feel of the previous few minutes and amplifies them through this crushingly intense new song. Prince introduces it with his soft “live for love” chant picking up the strands of Purple Rain’s ”oowwww, owwww” but the following beat and crackling guitar are peak 90’s in sound, and the lyrical content sees the here and now firmly in Prince’s sights. In the live context, a lot of Tony M’s lyrics are lost in the cacophony and steely sound of the music, but somehow Prince’s guitar cuts through this sound with its fury and incandescent rage. The song ends with one more angry squall of guitar before the concert collapses into a completely different genre.

From this electrifying noise comes the warm, organic sound of “Willing and Able.” It simmers quickly along on the back of some itchy and scratchy drum work. The horns and backing vocals make it the most timeless song of the concert, and of all the songs here this is the only one that has not dated and aged if we overlook Tony M’s brief appearance. His appearance adds some welcome color to the song, but he isn’t entirely necessary and the song would still be a work of art without his appearance.

There is a sweet moment as Prince offers love to Tokyo before we are swept up into the warm arms of “Nothing Compares 2 U.” Time may have aged me, but it has not aged my love of this song, and this performance is spot on in terms of the feelings it elicits. I am right back with my teenage heartbreaks as Prince and Rosie mine my pain for musical gain. I have long thought that Shelby J and Prince’s renditions were the gold standards, but I realize how wrong I am as Prince and Rosie pair up for a version that burns bright in my mind long after the last notes fade. Rosie deserves all the praise Prince gives her at the end of the song, and a whole lot more, she is truly one of a kind.

 

I have waited all night for some funk to grease my wheels, and Prince gives me plenty with his “Sexy M.F.” I would like to sing along, but my wife is in the other room, so I content myself with vigorous head nods and quickly mouthing the words. Tokyo doesn’t get into the whole singing along thing as much as I do, perhaps as the song was unreleased at this stage, but with the various solos the crowd can be heard voicing their appreciation- they haven’t been rendered totally mute by the moment.

I cannot express my joy at hearing the opening of “Thieves In The Temple,” the live version kicking just as hard as the lyrics. The darkness of the opening moments is matched by the kinetic energy of the harmonica, and the extra funk that the bass brings to it in this live arena. It isn’t quite what is heard on record, but it has its own energy and forwards propulsion that more than makes up for the unfamiliarity. Of course, the real treasure of the song lies buried in the heart of it as the music quietens for Prince’s vocal scat. With Rosie adding her talent, it becomes a moment where every word is worth hanging on to, and the moment is amplified as Prince breaks into an inflammatory few verses of “It.” All in all, it is a glorious live moment and although the song runs to six minutes it still feels all too short.

Again the pace slows with a brief instrumental of “Strollin'” serving as an introduction to the much weightier “Insatiable.” It is aptly named as I am insatiable throughout the song, no matter how much Prince gives I want more and more, each morsel leaving me hungry for more of this sexy syrup he pours over the music. With an all-enveloping warmth to his vocals, Prince draws us to the very center of his world, the music drowning us in its loving arms and the song disappearing as we sink under its spell.

The concert is up and running again with a pounding version of “Gett Off,” the drum threatening to burst the seams of the song with its relentless drive and focus. The band circles the song at first, never quite surrendering to its groove, until Prince’s scream brings everything into sharp focus and gives the song a very human heart. It doesn’t reach the same vocal heights as the preceding “Insatiable,” but it does bring sharpness back to the concert, and Prince’s shrieking guitar work is not to be denied. As the song breaks into “Gett Off (Housestyle)” new life is breathed into the concert and the fast and furious rendition gets just as much time in the sun as the album version. It’s a breakneck five minutes and is almost too much for a man of my age, but I can’t deny that is a lot of fun, a younger me would be up and dancing – if only my knees could still handle it.

 

On record “Cream” comes as a neat four-minute package, but live in concert Prince stretches it put, adding in “Chain Of Fools” as the song breaks the eight-minute mark. The opening verse and chorus are merely the jumping-off point, it is the second half of the song where all the action is, and it is notable for Prince’s patented dog bark leading into some delicious guitar work from Levi, as well as some exquisite vocals provided by Rosie. One can’t help by smile at the warmth in her voice that conceals the raw power she provides across the concert. There is light against this heavy backdrop, the horns fluttering across the music as big bumps and grinds beneath.

There is no better way to end this Prince party than with the king of all party songs -“1999.” Prince’s shout of “are you ready” reaches welcoming ears, and I am more than ready for what unfurls. Uptempo, the song soon vanishes under a dazzling string of party-infused bass, horns, and vocalizations. With the lyrics of “Baby, I’m A Star” appearing in the mix, there is no doubt that this is very much the same style as the extended jam that particular song had at the end of the Purple Rain shows. It is pleasing that Prince keeps it in the current era with “Push” driving the song forward. This medley, a mad rush to the end of the concert, isn’t quite up to the standard of other concert tours, although there is plenty here that isn’t heard elsewhere. It’s all a lot of fun, but it never amounts to much.

And so ends the first concert of the Diamonds And Pearls tour. It is far from a perfect concert, but it does bring a sense of fun and delivers the current album and a string of previous hits to a crowd that is hungry for all Prince can give, I included. It is rooted firmly in the era, and never more so than when Tony M is on the microphone. Although some of the songs have aged well, the overall feeling and production of the show have not. However, I’m not here to place the concert in context with Prince’s career, or the culture of the time, I’m just here to enjoy the music, and there is no doubt that it delivers on that front with every song brimming with fun and enthusiasm. I enjoyed it, and right now that’s all I want.

Buenos Aires 21 January 1991

 

Anyone who regularly follows this blog will know that I like things to have symmetry, and I am a completest. So with that in mind, this week I will take a listen to this festival performance from 1991. I have previously covered the Rio concert a few days previous, and Sabotage has paired that concert with this show from the Rock & Pop Festival, Buenos Aires, Argentina. This concert is for the most part the same run-through of material, the only difference being that this show is fifteen minutes shorter and is missing a couple of songs from the setlist. I feel that this works in its favor as Prince and the band rushes headlong through a setlist that I would otherwise find uninspiring.

21 January 1991. Buenos Aires, Argentina

I would like to hear a lot more of “Something Funky (This House Comes).”  It’s fun, funky, and is an energizing opening for the concert. It is also a good chance for the band to be introduced to the audience as each of their talents is highlighted. Prince often used long jams to introduce his bands, especially in later after-shows, and here it is most refreshing to see him use one of his own, upbeat and short songs to achieve the same thing. It doesn’t matter that he is hardly on the mic, Tony M and Rosie Gaines sound strong and enthused, even if the recording is less than pristine.

 

It is entirely predictable to hear “Let’s Go Crazy” next. It is one of his most well-known hits, and not only does it bring the crowd on board, but it also maintains the momentum created by the previous “Something Funky (This House Comes). That momentum is temporarily lost for the breakdown, and the show derails for a moment with this misstep. However “Kiss” restores the balance,  Prince and the band to the fore as the funk of “Kiss” puts the stamp of authority on the concert, this is now beginning to sound a lot more like a Prince show.

One of the problems I have with shows from this period is the pacing and unevenness of the setlists. “Kiss” was everything you could want from a Prince concert, but again the show hits a brick wall with the “Pink Panther” interlude and Tony M sucking all the energy out of the recording. I like Prince in that he challenges me and my expectations, but sometimes he seems to shoot himself in the foot with these oddities thrown in, and in this case, the show almost loses me during these couple of minutes

“Purple Rain” moves this further from a festival show and closer to a Prince concert with its appearance. With the audience joining from the beginning, it has the classic slow build, before Prince cuts through the emotion and music hanging in the air with some highly focused and powerful lead guitar. It stops the song from wallowing in self-indulgence and adds purpose and direction to the opening minutes that threaten to meander. It is his guitar wail that closes out the song, this time coming in an unbridled frenzy that contrasts with the highly structured show, the highlight for me being when the notes come so fast and furious that they bleed into each other, creating a torrent of noise and raw passion.

 

“Take Me With U” is a nostalgic opening to what will become a medley of Prince’s upbeat, crowd-pleasing songs. The sound isn’t great, to be honest, but the song can be heard driving along in the background, still doing what it always does. “Alphabet St.” sounds better on the recording, perhaps because it is sparser, with just Michael B and his drum and Prince’s guitar propelling the song forward. With less clutter, the song is better captured by the recording, however that can’t be said for the rest of the medley. Prince’s rap is fun, but it becomes hard to catch his words as the music speeds up. Likewise, Rosie sounds good, but who knows exactly what words she is singing as she burns through “It Takes 2.” The chanting can be heard fine, but that isn’t why I listen to bootlegs.  What saves the moment for me is some very sharp guitar work midsong. It's not intense, or loud, but a fast and intricate sound that highlights the guitar itself as much as the music that is playing.

There is a thinness to “Shake” that is the complete opposite of how I expect it to sound. On record it is full and plumb, here it is malnourished and only a shadow of its former self. I presume the performance itself isn’t to blame and it is the recording that is to blame.  Prince himself sounds enthusiastic as he encourages the crowd, and one can only assume that the crowd is fully engaged with the performance.

The concert again slows as Rosie sings “Dr. Feelgood” and it's hard not to fall in love with her a small bit as she sings. Like a flower in bloom, she opens up as the song progresses, becoming more radiant by the minute. Prince adds some spiciness to the performance with his guitar, but the moment belongs to Rosie as she seizes the microphone and the spotlight. This is the song where I temporarily forget the sound quality as I lose myself in Rosie’s voice.

 

The piano medley is brief, and again the thinness of the recording is to the fore as the piano sounds tinny and distant. This should be one of the best moments on the bootleg as Prince plays “Venus De Milo,” “Condition Of The Heart,” and “The Question Of U,” but instead it falls in step with what has been previously been heard at the concert.

The fullness returns for “Nothing Compares 2 U,” and the next few minutes are glorious as Prince delivers an inspiring performance. He draws me in with his heartfelt lyrics before the punch of the band hits me at the end of every stanza, making for a memorable rendition that delivers lingers for some minutes afterward.

There is doubt that the end of the concert is near as “Baby I’m A Star,” struts into view, pimped out and arrogant from the start. Beneath the veneer of cockiness, the song has a youthful and naive energy that makes it the perfect song for this portion of the show. The song does spiral away from the original as the Gamboyz take center stage and the original song slips further to the fringes as Rosie sings “Respect.” As good as it is, it isn’t quite what I signed up for, and I wait for something familiar from the Prince canon to cling onto.

The music slips easily into a laid-back version of “We Can Funk” that is so low-key it practically disappears into the carpet as it sinks lower and lower in the mix. “Thieves In The Temple” stays with the funk, but rises out of the floor as Prince delivers a hard-hitting and incisive version that drives the show for the next few minutes, giving an added impetus that will carry us through to the end of the concert.

 

The show ends with “Jughead,” and “Rock The House,” but it isn’t the anti-climatic finish that it sounds like. The band is in fine form as it becomes an easy jam that carries the crowd for some time. I am no great fan of either song, but there is no denying their energy, and they do serve the purpose of ending the concert with the crowd on their feet and dancing. It may not be the greatest bootleg moment, but it is a good record of what Prince and the band were doing at the time.

This is not one of the great bootlegs. The only reason I took the time to give it a listen is because of its pairing with the Rio recording, making for a nice “South American Festivals” package. The concert has no great faults, but it never once reaches any great heights. The recording is average but not bad, the setlist is OK, the performance fine, and each part of the release dong just enough to keep me listening to the end. As a completest, I am extremely happy to have this, but as a music fan, I could happily pass on it. This is Prince treading water, and the average bootleg does nothing to help that feeling. It's listenable, but there’s not a lot of fun to be found here.

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.