Detroit 1 April 1993

 

Five long years after the 1988 Lovesexy shows, Prince returned to Detroit with his Act 1 tour. The change in Prince’s music and look in that period is immense, but the unbridled love that the Detroit crowd has for Prince remains undiminished. One only has to listen to a few seconds of today’s recording to see what I mean. Both of the Detroit concerts are recorded and circulating, today I will be listening to a recording of the first night. This is for no other reason other than it is the first. Both concerts are more or less the same length (and among the longest of the tour), so it’s not like we are not missing out on anything. As with all the shows in recent weeks, this one is a rough and ready audience recording. I will try not to come hammer that point too often, but be aware this is not for the faint of heart. And so, on with the show.

1st April 1993. Fox Theatre, Detroit.

The most striking thing about the recording in the first minute is just how passionate the Detroit crowd is. At other shows, we have heard them cheering and applauding at the appropriate moments, but in this case, it is pure hysteria from the opening moments. The shrieks and screams are reminiscent of what I have seen in Beatles concerts, and although it’s tough on the ears, it does put me right in the moment, crushed there with the audience as they lose themselves in the moment. The music remains buried beneath this carnage, but I can hear enough of “My Name Is Prince” to appreciate what is happening – the crowd has every right to lose their shit as the concert becomes a whirlpool of noise, excitement, and unrestrained enthusiasm.

 

Things become slightly more orderly for “Sexy M.F.” – the audience is still all over the recording, but here Prince corrals them, with their screams and cheers coming at more opportune moments. “Sexy M.F.” has its own easy slide, and the tape delivers it to us with a steady stable recording for the next few minutes. The glossy horns, Tony M’s hype and rap, and the greasy guitar line all make for a recording that lays bare the new facets of Prince’s music. I am warming to this show already, 1993 is a weird and wonderful year in the Prince canon, and concerts such as this are a prime example of the exciting new directions he was pushing in.

A ballad three songs in, who’d have thought? “Damn U” lays the syrup on heavy, this is a song that could easily be overworked, but Prince pricks some of this lushness with his intricate piano playing that sharpens the music just when it needs it. Whatever happens in the music however becomes irrelevant as I drown myself in Prince’s buttery lyrics, the most essential ingredient in this rare delicacy of a ballad.

Some howling guitar puts an emphatic end to this, and ushers in an urgent “The Max.” Prince’s vocals carry the sense of right here and now, while the wave of music behind him sees the band pushing in the same direction. Tony M adds a heavy, macho element to proceedings, in this case, the song is a fine match for his talents. Interest ebbs for me midsong, as Prince and the band pull back from this initial intensity, it may well be another great musical moment, but the recording doesn’t give me a good sense of what is happening, and I cannot properly appreciate the music.

The opening of “The Morning Papers” highlights this same issue. I can hear Prince clearly enough, but the tape does have the slightest distortion that steals the crispness from us. It gets better for the guitar line, but Prince's vocals remain of lesser quality. Putting these issues aside for a moment, the song itself is very good, the performance is much better than the recording of it, and in particular, the horns come into their own later in the song.

 

“Peach” cuts right through any recording issues, and is the strongest song of the set (at least to listen to on the bootleg). Prince’s vocals are just as strong as his guitar playing, and the crowd is quieter here than anywhere else on the recording, all in all, making for a pleasant listening experience. It works as a great contrast to come of the other material in the setlist, this was one of Prince’s great funk bands, yet “Peach” rocks like nothing else and stands tall again all the other funk and pop material at the concert.

Yet another musical strand is pulled into the show with the appearance of “Blue Light.” An under-appreciated song on the album, in the show it works as the perfect foil to some of Prince’s more demanding material, and it easily deserves the five minutes it gets here. It's a song where I find I don’t listen too closely, rather I just lean back and let Prince's warm summer delivery envelop me.

“The Continental” is a coat of many colors, and the song comes to us fabricated from several different swatches. Its initial fury dissipates into a gentle lay in the sand as Mayte delivers her seductive list of pleasures, most of which are unfortunately lost to audience noise. “Get On Up,” “Everyone Get On Up,” and “Tighten Up,” keep this groove going as we move forward, they all play with gentleness, especially against the driven sounds of “The Continental” that started all of this, but to my ears, it is these later songs that offer the most pleasure and insight to where Prince was at this time, as well as bringing the Detroit crowd back into the show.

The not-so-gentle push and pull of the concert continued with the hip-hop-influenced “The Flow” rolling heavily over the previous few minutes. It comes as a shock to the system after the melodic ending of the previous song, and with Tony M dominating the is very little subtly in the performance. Not the best moment of the concert, and certainly not helped but the rapidly overheating recording.

 

The slow and confident swagger of “Johnny” is much better, both in terms of the quality of the recording, and the use of Tony M’s deeper roll. Prince’s rap gets the attention of the crowd, but as far as I hear it is the groove of the band that should draw the headlines, along with the decisive use of horns. Kathy J in particular is outstanding, her solo performance trembling in its deep-rooted intensity and sound. The other outstanding player is of course the Detroit crowd themselves, and once again they are integral to the performance.

It is impossible to untangle “Eye Wanna Melt With U,” “Sweet Baby,” “And God Created Women,” and “Three Chains Of Gold” from one another, they come together as a suite, beginning with Prince’s piano musings through “Eye Wanna Melt With U,” and “Sweet Baby” The opening minutes quieten the audience, Prince’s performance of “Sweet Baby” casts a spell that no one dares breaks. This strange alchemy between Prince and his piano spins the leaden recording into a golden moment, and even as it descends into crowd screams I remain enthralled by his performance. The magic of the moment permeates through the next few minutes, “And God Created Women” picking up from where it left off, and even as the music builds it is still Prince’s vocals and keyboards that remain at the heart of the matter. “Three Chains Of Gold” caps this most dramatic and theatrical part of the show, not quite as emotional as the preceding minutes, it is still a fitting end to one of Prince’s most ambitious pieces.

I do admire the Arabic intro to “7,” again Prince continues to challenge himself and the audience with new music and expectations. The merest taste of  “7” can be heard throughout, and this whets my appetite for what is to come. When “7” does appear through the swirling exotic eastern sounds, it is to the expectant cheers of approval from the Detroit crowd as they add their flavor to what is unfolding. The recording fails to live up to the moment, the bootleg is too clattered and uneven, and this is where we lose a great concert moment to a poor recording.

 

A similar fate befalls “Let’s Go Crazy,” although to be fair it is an abridged version and saturated in audience noise. It doesn’t feel like a good fit for the previous music and one wonders if even a better recording could make it any better.

The crowd is just as noisy for “Kiss” as they were for the opening song of the evening, and although I can catch the guitar and horns well enough, most of the song remains buried beneath the energized crowd. Strangely enough, this poor recording only makes me wish I could have been there as obviously the crowd is going bonkers for what one can only assume is an outstanding performance. A lot of fun can be heard, even if the music cannot.

The funk is turned up to eleven for “Irresistible Bitch,” and this time we can hear the performance, although again the crowd is with us every step of the way. Only two minutes is not long enough to get down into its groove, but it’s always nice to see a friendly face from the past.

Speaking of familiar faces of the past, “She’s Always In My Hair,” has me sitting upright and paying close attention. This is a song that still captures the imagination, even after thirty years, and although there are much better recordings of it from this tour, I still take note as Prince frames out a strong rendition of this beloved B-side. It is relatively short, at least in comparison to other renditions on the tour, but nevertheless, it still retains a heavy weight punch, and although noisy is still worthy of attention.

The same could be said of the horn-infused “When You Were Mine,” which follows hard on its heels. The crunch of Prince’s guitar is matched by the shrill addition of the horns, and with the crowd providing a wave of emotion and energy, Prince rides the song easily through the minutes it plays. It is far from perfect in sound, but I still thrill in its ragged and torn live glory.

The return to the nineties is timely, as is the return to the seductive sounds with “Insatiable” and “Scandalous.” “Insatiable” positively drips in lust and yearning, and even twenty years later, and through the filter of a raw audience recording, I can feel the heat of Prince’s performance. The horns add a thin veneer of respectability to the song, but at the heart of it is raw lust, I can feel the sweat building as I listen here at home, there is no escape as Prince lays out his seduction plan. “Scandalous” raises the stakes even higher, and judging by the audience noise, it is all too much for some of the ladies in the audience. Unfortunately, this mars the recording, and of the two seductive ballads, it is “Insatiable” that has me breathing quicker.

 

“Gett Off ” is good, very good in fact, but it is “Gett Off (housestyle) that always gets my heart racing. Fast and furious, Princes keeps his foot on the accelerator, even as he engages the audience for some signing, the momentum of the music is maintained. There is no time to dwell on what is happening, just go with the moment and enjoy it for what it is.

The inclusion of “Goldnigga” is timely, it brings us firmly back to 1993, and again grounds the concert in a slow, solid groove. Tony M rides the groove in an easy style that plays to his strengths, and I can only wish there was more of it at this show.

The sacred cow at the concert is of course “Purple Rain.” It is untouchable and expected at every show, even when it feels at odds with the other material. The rendition here is worthy enough, but it is an odd fit and feels ponderous after the previous two hours of high-energy pop, funk, and theatre. This is one for the Detroit crowd though, and their singing along with Prince’s guitar in the final minutes is a dramatic example of the bond between audience and performer. If you wanted a taste of what Prince and Detroit meant to each other, then here would be a good place to start.

One of the more interesting moments comes at the end of “Purple Rain” when Prince muses on the possibility of playing for 25 nights, something that was to come to fruition fourteen years later in London. One wonders if he carried that thought with him for those intervening years, or if it came to him again as a fresh idea in 2007.

There comes a tremendous rush with “Partyman” living every inch up to its name. With “Loose” and “Partyup” thrown into the mix it becomes an out-of-control, downhill rush towards what must surely be the end of the concert, and Prince can be heard picking up the crowd and bringing them along for this final wild ride.

“1999” serves the same purpose, although it’s not as joyful as the previous “Partyman.” The crowd is singing, and it is hard not to as Prince hits that chorus, but overall it leaves me empty, and if anything slightly melancholy for a youth that seemed to go by me all too fast. I was already a twenty-year-old punk by the time of this concert, and “1999” is a nostalgic nod back to the ever-lasting summer of my since lost childhood.

The segue into “Baby I’m A Star” is all too predictable, but it matters little as the song only cooks for a minute and a half before Prince takes it off the heat. A finale of “Push” is far more satisfying, although this too is all just part of this extended jam. Prince takes a back seat for “Push” rather it is the band that drives the groove home, with the horns leading the way with a bold and brassy spring in their step. Everything is thrown into this final hit-out, and it becomes a cacophony of sounds and instruments in the final minutes as everyone seemly wants to get a final say.  It’s not quite the ending I would choose, but it is fitting for a concert that has contained so many styles and sounds that they should all appear in this final number.

Okay, so what to make of all this? The first part of the show, which contained mostly songs off the Symbol album, was certainly a lot stronger than the second half of the show. If we put aside the audience recording, which is what it is, we are left with a passionate Detroit crowd, a dramatic and epic first half, and then a hits-filled second half that doesn’t live up to what has come before. As a bootleg, it is an interesting listen, if only we could have it in better quality, and despite the unsatisfying second part I still enjoyed what I heard throughout.  As I said at the beginning, this is not for the faint of heart, but no doubt anyone from Detroit who was there would grab this as a memento of what sounds like a hot and heavy night.

New York 26 March 1993

 

Some time ago I took a listen to a concert on the Act 1 tour; on 24th March in New York to be precise. Now here I am a couple of years later taking a look at the recently surfaced footage from the same venue just a couple of days later. The show is the same, but the new footage is very well shot, especially considering it is audience filmed. Although I am well versed in the performance Prince put on throughout the Act 1 tour, this new video has me again enthused and the quality of the filming makes it a rewarding couple of hours. I cannot speak highly enough of this new footage, the years rewound as I watched it and the concert tour seems only yesterday in my mind. It’s hard to believe it is almost 25 years ago.

 

26th March 1993 Radio City Music Hall, New York.

It is an aggressive-looking (and sounding ) Prince who takes the stage for the opening number. 24 years on, his outfit looks slightly ridiculous, yet he owns the look and comes across as a strong character rather than a figure of ridicule. “My Name Is Prince” carries this strong image and aggression, the lyrics spit hard and the music is forceful. Tony M is a good fit in this context and I find I warm to his rap and with a guitar solo from Levi Seacer the song is forceful and bold. Add the outstanding footage to the mix and we are off to a great start.

With “Sexy M.F.” the concert slows, yet it retains an intensity. This time it is Tommy Barbarella who provides a focus, his solo is long enough to be interesting without derailing the song. Levi also provides a solo, in this case, he does ‘fly’ under Prince's command, the notes taking flight from his guitar as he has his moment.

 

“Damn U”, now we’re talking. It may not have the momentum and push of the first two songs, but it stands strong in its own right with Prince lounging against the piano as he sings it provides plenty of memorable images early on. Later, Prince takes center stage as he provides a smooth lyrical delivery that is well served by the recording.

Prince puts the piano to good use for “The Max”. The music regains some intensity, and with Prince banging on the piano there is plenty of energy in the performance. However, the final few minutes are given over to Prince and Mayte posing and preening, and the music, while staying focused, loses some of its drive and energy. It’s hard to complain about this though, especially as it looks so great.

One of my favorite songs from the Symbol album has always been “The Morning Papers” and I find the performance of it here delivers all I want from it. With Prince singing and playing at the piano the song builds before Prince takes to his guitar to add some extra expression and color to the song. The guitar never reaches the expected heights, but Prince makes up for it in the following “Peach”. Prince serves up a guitar onslaught, complete with plenty of posing and preening, that makes the next few minutes a highly enjoyable and entertaining watch. These two songs leave me, and I am sure more than a few in the audience, with a big stupid grin on my face.

 

“Blue Light” is as warm as a summer's breeze, it never ignites into anything but it is a nice comedown after the guitar filled “Peach”. It is “The Continental” that has me again sitting up and taking notice, with its insistent guitar line and Prince’s forceful vocals, the song becomes an embodiment of the whole performance and evening, all that is good and great about the Symbol album is right here. And it’s not just Prince and his guitar that shines, Mayte takes her turn as the music slows and she provides some easy lines. This mellow vibe stays with us for some time as Prince pulls dancers on stage, normally I would find this unsatisfying on a recording, but the visuals are clean and easy to look at and I find it is an equally enjoyable part of the show.

The concert continues quickly at this point, “The Flow” comes and goes, it is fresh and Prince engaging with the band, before this slow for yet another personal favorite “Johnny”. As much as I love the lyrics, I find it is the solo by Levi that captures my attention. He provides sharpness to the mellow groove and stops the song from meandering as Prince talks to the audience and the dancers. He does take his place at the piano for the final minute and this heralds the next section of the show.

 

Seated at the piano, Prince presents a gentle “Sweet Baby” before offering up his pièce de résistance of the concert – “When God Created Women/3 Chains Of Gold” I still find it extraordinary every time I see it, even if it is overworked and outside anything else, Prince has ever done. It takes itself very seriously, and perhaps this is why Prince gets away with it, he is truly believing in what he is playing and presenting.

Prince gets to take a break as Mayte takes center stage for her sword dance. It may not make for the greatest of musical moments, but it is suitably weird and typical of Prince to provide something unexpected. There is no surprise as “7” follows this. Upbeat and infectious, it is strangely out of place compared to some of the other more demanding music presented at the concert. It does provide a lighter moment and Mayte on roller skates seems a completely normal event.

 

“Let's Go Crazy” is equally out of place, yet it elicits squeals of delight from the crowd as it begins. I find it jarring when songs like this appear when Prince is musically in another place, but one can understand why it must be in the setlist. Prince plays a shortened version and as provides only the briefest of guitar breaks before moving on to “Kiss”. This works better as it has another new arrangement (no surprise there) and it takes its place easily among the other music Prince is promoting at the time. With the dancers fully utilized, it again becomes a visual experience and one captured well by the taper. There is a completely natural segue into “Irresistible Bitch” that  jumps off from the guitar line. Prince’s funk tunes work best for this show, this song highlights the point as well as anything that has come previously.

 

The show becomes a whole lot more serious as Prince again picks up his guitar for a great rendition of “She’s Always In My Hair”. Of course, I am a huge admirer of this song, so any version rocks my world. This one does have an extra kick to Prince's guitar playing and I can’t take my eyes from the screen as he plays. There isn’t much to the vocals, the guitar is the main focus, and rightly so when it is at this level. The song is short but serves as a punch in the face, the concert intensifying with this performance.

“When You Were Mine” sees Prince staying with his guitar jam. The song may have its nostalgic sound, but Prince's look is anything but and he plays with a fierceness throughout. With the previous song, these are the most straightforward moments of the show and they work as the crowded stage gives way to something simpler, Prince and his guitar playing rock music.

Next comes the obvious pairing of “Insatiable” and “Scandalous”. With Prince at the piano, the show again regains a basic format, the only embellishments coming from the appearance of Mayte again on her roller skates! That’s not quite the only nod to a stage show, strings of diamonds lower from above, no doubt being recycled from the Diamond and Pearls tour. Of the two songs, I prefer “Scandalous”, but that is neither here nor there, they are both seductive and spellbinding. As Prince falls to the floor shrieking, I am completely mesmerized, this is one bootleg I will be coming back to again and again.

 

“Gett Off” doesn’t quite reach these same heights, nevertheless it is still fascinating to watch. There is plenty of Prince and Mayte dancing together, but the best moments come every time Prince's fingers flash across the fretboard. The guitar riff is hypnotic, and I am well and truly caught up in the song by the time it finishes. “Gett Off (Housestyle)” is a lot of fun, and although I can’t see the crowd, I am sure they are all on their feet. The song is ended in darkness as the band takes it to a slow groove for “Goldnigga” Not normally something I listen to, in this case, it’s only half a minute, and with Prince's creamy vocals singing the lines it does have its merits.

There is quite the sing-a-long before Prince takes the microphone for the opening lines of Purple Rain. The rendition here, although not unexpected, is surprisingly good. I have heard this thousands of times, yet Prince still holds me enraptured as he sings his signature song. It is a full version that is played and Prince gives a sincere and focused vocal performance before he resorts to his guitar. Once again I feel fully engaged with his performance and despite my ambivalent feelings about Purple Rain, I am still swept up by the moment and spectacle of it.

 

With pimp cane in hand, Prince rips through the encore of “Partyman”, he promises to tear it up, and indeed for the next few minutes, he does. It is fast and furious, a lot of the subtlety of the song is lost under the heavy and quick groove. With chants of “Party up”, Prince’s intentions for this song are abundantly clear, and the party rolls on through a wild sounding “Loose” that he tacks on to it.

The band storm through “1999”, and Prince is relentless as he and the music stay in constant motion, bringing the end of the show to a frenetic finish. Prince dances, sings, and plays guitar in a flurry of activity that makes me feel tired just watching. As the song evolves in “Baby I’m A Star” this momentum is maintained, Prince slows down but the band and music stay focused and forceful.

 

“Push” is the final song of the night, although, for the most part, it is an instrumental jam. Prince is an integral part, he plays the purple axxe through the song and it is a lot of fun to watch. With Prince interacting with the band, playing with them individually, there is plenty to hold the eye. Tony M has his moment, but this song is all about groove rather than lyrics and vocals. The show closes with a quick rap from Prince, before he and the band dance off the stage, bringing to a close what has been a phenomenal show.

 

A lot of great recordings have surfaced over the last 12 months since Prince passed away. Of the ones I have stumbled across, this is the best. Previous footage from the Act 1 shows has been circulating for some time, but none of them come close to the quality of this one. A brilliantly filmed show from one of Prince's most fascinating years, this one merits a second or third look.

New York 24 March 1993

 

I have been listening to Prince for more than 30 years now. The main reason I have stuck with him for so long without losing interest is the diverse range of shows and music available, there is always something different to listen to if I get tired of whatever I am currently listening to. In the last few weeks, I have listened to an after-show with Amy Winehouse, a tight Revolution rehearsal, as well as a stripped-back piano show. This week’s show is in many ways completely different from those recordings, we are looking at a show from the Act 1 tour of 1993, a tour that is high on spectacle and theatrics. The music couldn’t be considered ‘classic’ Prince, but it is refreshing to see him play most of the album that he was promoting at that time. A lot of the songs in this show have disappeared from his live performances nowadays, but this show is a good chance for me to revisit them and remind myself just what a fun, yet mad, period this was.

24th March 1993 Radio City Music Hall, New York.

What drew me to this show was the fact that it’s a DVD of the concert, and that is important as these shows are a treat for the eyes, and often we need to see the action on the stage as Prince and the band play out various subplots through the show. Visually it’s an exciting ride, and the music too gives me a thrill. The opening “My Name Is Prince” sets the tone for the evening well, with plenty of Prince braggadocio, strutting around the stage with a cane in hand and chain hat on. I may not be the greatest fan of the rest of the cast on stage, but I do like the guitar chopping away under it all. There is always something on stage to hold my attention, so as Tony M spits his lines I find myself looking and listening for other action on stage. The appearance of the ‘Arab Princess’ and a couple of other Arabs seems completely unconnected and over the top, yet it is perfectly of the time and these over-the-top shows.

  

“Sexy MF” has the music back to center stage, for the first part of the song anyway. I can’t fault the sound of the band or the performance at all, the song sounds great. I admit, I love looking at Mayte too, but at times it seems the music takes second place to the other shenanigans on stage and the dancers, Mayte and Prince all engage in moves and sequences. Like I said earlier, this show is all about spectacle.

Things settle down with “Damn U,” and for the first time in the show I find I can listen to Prince's voice, and the music is the priority. It’s a very 90’s looking performance with the dancers in their colorful suits and moves. The best moments for me come as Prince is alone at the microphone singing, much to the delight of the crowd who squeal in appreciation.

This show is great in that it highlights so many songs from the Symbol album, and the performance of “The Max” that comes next is a real treat. The music sounds thick and powerful, and Prince brings his best dance moves to the party. The highlight though has to be when he sits at the piano and belts out a few bars, the crowd cheer and I know that I am not the only one that feels it. Prince loses me late in the song, however, as he snaps polaroids of the band as the music softens. As he sits at the piano again for a seduction scene with Mayte I hope for more playing from him, but in this case, the piano is little more than a prop.

 

The reporter sequence is just as unnecessary here as it is on the Symbol album, the payoff here though is we get a nice rendition of “Morning Papers” with Prince playing the piano, before climbing on it for a guitar solo. The solo is a lost opportunity, he doesn’t shred the guitar, electing instead to play a very tame solo, by his standards at least. The final solo is better to my ears, although that could be because I pinned so much hope on it.

The guitar levels go up considerably next as Prince stays strapped up for “Peach.” The intro gives a good insight into what will come next, and we get some minutes of grunting/chugging guitar through the song. It’s still young and fresh sounding, and it gets a pass from me here. Prince finally releases the guitar frenzy I have been waiting for, not one of the greats but it is a lot of fun and the highlight of the show so far.

 

Then from left field, we get the reggae-infused “Blue Light.” Prince is the master of changing moods and sounds at the drop of a hat, and this is no exception. This song is not often played at my home, yet it has its place and listening here I find it very enjoyable indeed. For its lightness, it still has enough of a groove for me to lean back and enjoy. It does capture that summer feel that was Prince’s intention.

“The Continental” is great to watch and equally good to listen to. The first part of the song comes on strong and has plenty of Prince swagger and guitar sound. It’s got an intensity that the recording doesn’t capture, but I know that if I had been there it would be pulsating. I also have just as much praise for the coda, with Prince singing his “how you wanna be done” lines before Mayte takes her part of the song. This is where watching it becomes a bonus, as Prince performs plenty of lewd dance moves as Mayte sings.

Now for something I never thought I would say. Prince segues into “Everyone Get On Up” and my first thought is that I much prefer Camen Electra’s version. You might think from that comment that it is incredibly bad, but it’s not. It just comes across as lackluster, and Prince is dialing it in. The crowd singing and dancers on stage make it look like a fun time, and I am sure it is, it’s just not that great to listen to.

 

Another annoying reporter segment before we get Prince spinning into “The Flow.” I like the Prince section of the song, my attention sags when Tony M is on the microphone. The whole song gets a great lift with a trumpet solo, which makes up for some of the theatrics being performed on stage. There is an element of silliness to it all that makes me wish they would just stick to the music. I have to keep reminding myself that it’s all part of the show and the spectacle.

“Johnny” is much more the sort of thing I like, slowed down I find Tony M’s rap much better, and Prince’s lyrics always have me chuckling away to myself. It’s a nice break in the show, and the slow groove works for me at this stage of the concert. Normally I much prefer Prince to Tony M, but both of them are good here.

Prince at the piano raises my hopes for what might be coming next. What we get is Prince playing as he sings into Mayte's eyes. His lyrics cover a range of songs, and although I recognize all of them instantly I fail to pick the titles. The” And God Created Woman/ Three Chains Of Gold” is off the wall crazy, and something I could only see Prince doing. He does it supremely well here, playing at the piano as the band and the dancers carry the weight of the visuals. The scope and ambition of the Symbol album are all here with Prince giving us a sound and performance that seems equally brilliant and completely mad. And best of all, it all works in the live setting. There is plenty of theatre to match the music, and all that comes to a head as Prince plays his guitar in front of a row of performers pointing pistols at him. I don’t know if I should be saying bonkers or brilliant.

 

In any other show with a woman dancing with a sword on her head, I would say what the heck were they thinking? Instead, with this being the show it is, it all seems perfectly normal. The dance and the Arabic intro are the perfect lead into “7,” and it makes perfect sense. The song gets a great reception, having been a moderate hit only a couple of months before. The performance is lively with Prince playing and singing at the microphone. Musically it’s not too different from the version I know so well, and I do get a kick out of seeing Prince perform it with a smile on his face.

A brief break, then the encores begin with an arrangement of “Let’s Go Crazy” that is a little too ‘busy’ for my tastes. A lot is going on, and Prince and the song are lost in the noise of it all. It is a thrill to see him in the light, guitar strapped on, it’s a shame the music isn’t quite so iconic in its sound.

 

“Kiss” is also lacking that clarity of sound that I think would give it a lot more emphasis. It may be the recording or the show, but there is a sharpness that is missing from the sound of it. The performance I do find employable, especially when I sit back and watch it rather than think too much about it.

The groove slips easily into “Irresistible Bitch,” and it seems a good match for this 1993 Prince. It stands up well when compared to songs like “Sexy MF,” and I like Prince having a foil to sing to in the form of Mayte. Her sassiness is a good counter to his cocky rap, and the music gets a nice round funk sound that is timeless.

The funk doesn’t last too long, Prince goes for a guitar-driven song next with one of my favorites – “She’s Always In My Hair.” In this show where all sorts of things have been happening on stage, it’s a joy to see Prince playing something heartfelt, and seeing him pouring it into his guitar playing is fantastic. It grounds the show after some of its other flights of fancy, and I connect with Prince and the show at this point.

An interesting guitar interlude that goes for several minutes has me speculating what might be coming next, but I failed to guess at “Insatiable” and Mayte on roller skates. It’s Prince the balladeer at the piano again, and as he sings bathed in blue light I am completely drawn in. None of the distractions matter when the music is as great as this. It’s a doubleheader with “Scandalous” incorporated easily into the music. Again, it shines in the fact that there aren’t distractions to the music, Prince simplifies the show and the music is all the stronger for it.

 

The concert is getting stronger as it goes, and “Gett Off” I another solid performance. Prince and his guitar both sound great, and the crowd responds well as he segues into “Gett Off (Housestyle).” Prince does well to keep up with the music, and the crowd is part of the fun as they sing along. The band interplay is great, especially the guitar and the percussion. The biggest surprise is I expect it to go like this for some time, instead, the music suddenly slows into Goldnigga. I like the sudden change and groove, although it’s very short.

“Purple Rain” swells and floats into view next, with plenty of audience singing along before the song starts properly. The song is given plenty of time to breathe and is played quite solemnly compared to the over-the-top show we have seen previously. Prince seems invested in the song, and he not only sounds great but he looks great as he sings and plays onstage. Kneeling on stage to sing, or arched back playing guitar, he is physically playing the song and the performance is just as important as the sound. My only reservation is the guitar does sound a little thin in places, but overall it’s no big thing. The highlight of the song is the coda Prince plays after the rest of the band has stopped, just the single guitar sound before he finishes the song with one final refrain.

 

The is a final encore and a sense of inevitability as it opens with a frenetic-sounding “Partyman.” A lot of the subtleties are lost as it is pounded out and Prince puts his all into the visual performance. I can’t deny, that it's a lot of fun, and when I stop being so uptight I find that it does live up to its name.

Without pause, we quickly cut to “1999,” its uplifting synth riff a clarion call to all who want to party and have a good time. The backing singers aren’t very clear, but I can hear Prince and that all-important main riff well enough. It is just as frantic as “Partyman” before it, and before I know it we are chanting “party”. It does weary me by the end, however, my flagging spirits are lifted by the sound of “Baby I’m A Star.”

The horn section sounds very good on “Baby I’m A Star,” it’s a pity that the recording doesn’t capture them very well. Prince is well and truly showboating now, his dance moves carrying him back and forth across the stage. It’s all a lot of fun, and things get even better when he puts on the purpleaxxe to jam at the front of the stage. Of the final 10 minutes of the show, this is my favorite moment, and Prince too seems to be having a great time. Prince then plays puppet master to a couple of dancers, which I read all sorts of things into. It’s an anticlimactic ending as Prince disappears from the stage and the music comes to an end.

 

This show captures a moment in time where the show itself almost takes precedence over the music. There were certainly times in the show when I felt Prince was putting all his creative energies into the stage show rather than the music. It’s no bad thing, but in my mind, Prince is all about music, and this is my primary focus when I see these shows. The show itself is very interesting, he is certainly trying many different things, some work and some don’t, and he isn’t afraid to try something new. Although not my favorite look and sound, I still found it fascinating to watch. This is a great document of a very interesting time in his career.

Paris 12 July 1992

 For the last two weeks, I have listened to shows that most people would call great, and many consider classics. The show I will be listening to this week won’t be falling into those categories, it’s a rough audience recording of an aftershow from 1992. What makes it interesting for me is the fact that it is from 1992, a year in which there were very few after-shows, and the show itself opens with three songs from the Goldnigga album and indeed is the debut of two of these songs, "Goldnigga" and "Black M.F. In The House." That makes me curious to hear it, especially as these songs set the tone and vibe for the next few years, even if at the time we didn’t realize it. Sometimes these odd little shows can be just as enjoyable as some of the more well-known shows, and I expect to find at least a couple of interesting things about them, although I must admit I am no fan of Tony M. 

12th July 1992, Les Bain Douches, Paris 

Things start low and slow with a laid-back bass that just sounds like summer right from the start. The crowd is the first singing we hear, with a chorus of “Get up, stand up” and soon after Tony M is on the mic encouraging the crowd and chanting “Sexy M.F”, and although I don’t like him, he fails to dampen my mood with the music behind him. Things evolve to the point where I begin to recognize “Goldnigga,” a song and album I rarely listen to when with others, but a guilty pleasure when I am in the car.  This is very ‘bootleg’ sounding, with lots of audience noise and talking, it is still very enjoyable as it starts, and I can see myself playing this at a BBQ as people chat and talk over it. It’s a gentle laid back groove that runs, and Tony M stays relatively restrained on the mic while the guitar and keyboard weave in and out. It’s very much a guilty pleasure for me as I listen, and I think there is a lot of extra crowd chat as they don’t recognize the song, and it's Tony M doing all the rapping. Nobody would ever call this great, but I enjoy it as a show opener. Wait a minute – did he just say “mackadocious’?!! 

“Black M.F. In The House” also makes its live debut at this show, and it is a lot of fun, both for the band playing and me listening. Prince sounds like he is having a great old time doing the voices and lines in this song, and I smile along with him as he sings “What the hell?” at the beginning of the song. Tony M does try a little too hard, and I find his flow doesn’t come easy, he often sounds forced. His words come fast and loud, and it’s not easy to catch what he is singing about.  The guitar lines I find far more enjoyable, I love the funky guitar, while there is some lead guitar work too for those who like it loud. I feel a little guilty as I sing along (what would the neighbors think if they heard me singing “No black M.F’s in the house”?), and I imagine Prince is laughing at my expense. It is all played with a wink, and I like it as Prince calls “are you gonna play the piano or just bang on it son?” as the piano solo begins. A very fun and enjoyable song, there is a lot to like about it. 

 

We are all more familiar with “Call The Law,” and apart from Tony M it also has a couple of nice guitar breaks from Prince. There isn’t too much to the song and although I like the flow of the music, I don’t like the flow of Tony M. I find myself tuning him out, and waiting for the music and moments between his raps.  I want to like the song more, but there’s not enough to it for me, and as Tony M chants us through to the end I find myself sneaking a peek to see what the next song will be. 

It’s “Skin Tight,” although the opening is very heavy on audience noise and talk. It’s lazy sounding and lacks the tension of other versions I have heard. The music is laid back, and the lyrics are very relaxed sounding. It never grabs my attention and forces me to listen to it, instead, it bubbles away without ever breaking into something. I love a long groove, but this one doesn’t excite me, and although I like the guitar in the second part of the song the sound quality is too poor for me to properly enjoy it. 

I feel a little ripped off by “Thank You For Talkin’ To Me Africa,” it’s very short and ends with the recording picking up some audience members talking about how lucky they are to see Prince play, and how they might not get to see him again. 

“Gett Off (Housestyle)” gets things moving along very well, and it’s great to hear the audience singing along rather than talking. The guitar work is crisp and fast, and I like that it breaks down a couple of times so I can appreciate the playing. There is an ill-advised scat, but I happily listen to the music while this is going on. The keyboard runs later in the song are also notable, although like everything suffers from the quality of the recording. 

 

I am very happy when I hear “Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine,” for a start it sounds much better than anything else on the recording, and secondly, it adds a heavy dose of funk to the show.  There are some nice vocals from Prince, and some funky breaks for the guitar before the highlight for me- the organ solo. The band isn’t heavy on the groove like The J.B.’s, and they have their strengths which they play to. We get an interesting bass solo, and then Prince stops to music to do some crowd control. First, he has the crowd move back and then points up that they (the audience)  “didn’t get all dressed up to get messed up” Michael B picks the beat back up, and the band rejoins seamlessly- a testament to the quality of all Princes bands. 

Prince tackles another classic next as the band change direction with a smoky late-night sounding “Villanova Junction.” I have heard the original plenty of times, and here Prince very much plays it in his unique way. The band slips into the background as Prince and his guitar lead from the front. He plays in a couple of different ways, first with a louder sharper sounding guitar tone, and then later with a lighter and higher-sounding guitar. The guitar sounds overlap so I presume that it is Levi playing the second solo which I am enjoying. Prince plays a third break which ends the song, it’s shorter and is a nice full stop. 

And so that brings us to “Jughead.” What can I say? If I could skip this one I would. There are plenty of songs that I rarely listen to, but this is the one song that I NEVER listen to, and one I actively avoid. It sounds almost enjoyable at this show. It’s not enjoyable sitting here at home listening, but I can see that being at the show it would get the crowd moving and inject some energy. The crowd can be heard participating and there is a party vibe to proceedings. 

The last song of the show is “Step 2 The Stage.” I find there is very little for me to enjoy, the guitar loop is nice, but Tony M is the main attraction of the song, and by this stage, I am tired of his sound. On the positive side, the groove is easily enjoyable, and as well as the guitar there is also an organ groove that I always enjoy. As the winds down with Tony M singing “Goldnigga in the house” I begin to collect my final thoughts on the show. 

Despite my negativity about Tony M and the poor quality of the recording, I found that I did enjoy the show. In particular, I liked the first two-thirds of the show, and although I didn’t enjoy Tony M so much, I did really like the rest of the band. The core of members of the NPG here will be with Prince for the next few years, and already I can see how they will all play their parts. I like Michael B on the drums, and I always enjoy Tommy Barbarella along with Sonny T and Levi Seacer Jr. The core of one of my favorite NPG configurations is right there. On a better recording, I would play this more often, as it is it will always remain a curio that I pull out only on rare occasions. It was interesting enough, but I don’t feel I have to listen to it again for a good long while. 

Paris 11 July 1992

 Last week I listened to the first concert of the Diamonds and Pearls tour and found that I greatly enjoyed it. However, it was only the first concert of the tour and the band was still warming to their work. To provide some balance, this week I will visit one of the final concerts of the tour. While the opening night in Tokyo was a bare-bones affair, for the penultimate night in Paris I am hoping to see some development in the show. Perhaps new arrangements, a little more freedom, or new songs appear in the setlists. Several memorable performances had come and gone in the four months between the two concerts and what I’m hoping for is one more to add to the canon.  

11th July 1992. Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris. 

The mix of “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” sadly under-powers Rosie Gaines’s vocals. Sonically it is unrealistic to expect her voice to fill the room with every performance, and in this case, she is certainly not helped by the mix. However, “Thunder” makes up for this with its powerful drive and sense of direction. It’s loud, forceful, and an uncompromising concert opener. With a setlist following closely to the first concert of the tour, there is no surprise to what is heard but there is a remarkable amount of thrilling energy to the performance. Time on the road has not jaded the band, they once again serve a fiery dish that bodes well for the rest of the concert. 

 

“Daddy Pop” maintains this frantic start and in the concert setting, it finds its rightful place. A song that never jumped out at me on record, here it is active and bounds along with joyful energy. Prince’s music needs consideration in the live setting just as much as on record, for it is in concerts like this that Prince brings his creations to life, the music dancing and singing around him as he plays. I don’t feel as generous to Tony M as I did last week, and in this case, I would be quite happy if he didn’t appear in the final minute of the song. 

The concert settles with “Diamonds and Pearls.” The first strains of the guitar sketch out what will follow – a delicate wispy rendition of this now beloved classic. The song was not immediately accessible to me but played live, and ably back by Rosie Gaines and some sweet guitar work, Prince raises it to another level where I can properly indulge myself in the music. We have six whole minutes to wallow in this extravaganza, Prince’s final guitar note stretching out across the arena as he gently lowers us into the next song. 

Prince’s guitar remains to the fore with a sleek rendition of “Let’s Go Crazy.” It is not the version we remember from Purple Rain, nor is it as heard back in April of 1992, rather it is its own beast, shortened and sharpened by Prince. The guitar is scalpel-like with its incision and Prince’s brief spoken word heightens the sense of being in the moment. This will never be my favorite version of “Let’s Go Crazy,” but right here and now I love it. 

The use of horns greatly enhances the Diamonds and Pearls version of “Kiss.” Listening almost thirty years later one can see where Prince was heading with his mid-Nineties sound clearly signposted here. The horn section is an integral part of his new toolbox of sounds, “Kiss” taking on new tones and shades – making for a fresh revamp of an otherwise familiar song. 

 

There is little new in “Jughead.” In the four months since the April concert, it has become dated and grating and I can find little pleasure in it. Rosie Gaines rights the ship briefly, but overall I would rather it sunk out of sight. In the words of Randy Jackson- “It’s a ‘no’ from me, dawg” 

“Purple Rain” is familiar but uninspiring. Maybe it is its musical surroundings, but as much as it flexes and pushes at the edges of the highly refined show it never reaches the emotional highs the crowd desires. The bare-knuckled guitar that appears at the beginning fails to bloom into anything more, leaving the song feeling like a lost opportunity. It’s sad to see an old friend so frail and tepid, yet there is hope in the new material that follows. The final singalong goes some way toward washing away some of my ill-feeling about the song. As usual, the tail of “Purple Rain” always carries hope and redemption. 

There is a great uplift in the spirit of the concert with “Live 4 Love.” It brings with it an injection of energy and guitar work that burns with a phosphorus brightness. It ticks several boxes- its message, its sing-along quality, and its intense guitar work. All three mean it should be a classic, however, Tony M dates it with his rap. While enjoyable enough, it does pull the song back to the nineties and limits future listens. Prince’s burning guitar negates some of this negative energy, but sadly the last two minutes are beyond redemption. 

 

It is at this point that the concert differs from the Tokyo concert of April that year. First a brief interlude of Rosie singing “Lively Up Yourself” lays out the landscape for Prince and his perpetually young “Delirious” Enlivened by horns, it sounds the freshest I’ve heard for years. It is amplified by the fact the band has a chance to stretch out and give some light grease to the previous heavy funk. With the interweaving work between the horns and the band, they build a spider web of sound that spindles across the following few minutes. To hear a quality band go to their work like this is truly a pleasure, and I close my eyes and immerse myself in the experience for the length of the song. With “Willing And Able” serving as the caboose to this train of music it is beautifully rounded out and made whole. 

“Damn U” was still three months from appearing on record to the general public, but here it is in all its glory, making quite an impression on both me and the audience. Soft and sensuous, it envelops the crowd with its seductive, almost dripping, warmth. Prince draws us in with his vocals, but it is the music that holds me rapt – the horns barely punctuating the womb-like quality of the rest of the band builds around me. A good match for the concert, this song arrives at just the right moment. 

The audience are well versed on when and what to sing as “Sexy M.F.” had been released as a single the previous month. Parents may not like it but it is a lot of fun, and with the horns and crowd both providing spontaneous moments it does make for another highlight. Tommy and his solo bring further lightness and musicality, the song is so much more than some dirty words and naughty singing from the crowd. 

The highlight of the show comes next with a scorching version of “Thieves In The Temple” It rushes through my blood, the music seizing the listener from the first strains of the Arabic opening until Prince’s final howl into the dark nine minutes later. In between Prince ratchets up the song’s innate tension with a series of interludes, each a pause before another rush of musical inspiration overwhelms the listener in its inventive fury. The appearance of “It” heightens the sense that the song hides a dark heart, and as Prince indulges in his raspy scream the raw blooded emotion that flows through the song is briefly exposed. This wound is tempered by some warm bass work that eventually disintegrates in the face of some equally sharp guitar playing. If there is one song at this concert that is essential listening, this is it. 

 

A genre switch sees a brief appearance of “A Night In Tunisia.” It is well measured and well-matched with “Strollin'” but both prove to be mere tasters for “Insatiable.” Well served by the epic ballad sound with “Damn U,” Prince returns to it for “Insatiable”. It is hard to resist the temptation of Prince’s sultry vocal delivery and the almost teenage yearnings of the song. Although well-trodden ground for Prince, he knows just the right way to caress each word, each syllable, so that one can’t help but be drawn into the song. 

We return to a more robust sound with “Gett Off.” The song reeks of the lyrical content and Prince’s guitar does a far better job of sketching out the debauchery of Caligula’s court than the video clip for the song ever did. Again and again, it rings out, pulling at the pillars of decency as the song becomes a temple of indulgence and excess. As the song piles on the different genres and sounds the guitar remains a constant, bold, and strident as a clarion call at the heart of the song. Never once does it sink beneath the weight of its excess as it is held in check by Prince’s humor and a lightness of touch. Prince gives it sharp pinpricks just at the right moments to keep it grounded. 

“Gett Off(Housestyle) proves the versatility of the song, as anyone with the maxi-single and all its iterations can attest to. The song comes tumbling at us at breakneck speed. There is barely time to register all the changes as the music constantly evolves, all the while staying a slave to the underlying groove. I don’t mind so much as Tony M’s moment flies by, but I wish I had more time in the company of Rosies Gaines’s impassioned delivery. The horns continue this drive towards the future and the sense that we are rapidly approaching the end of the concert. 

 

The first encore sees the appearance of a familiar B-side – “Call The Law.” It is Tony M front and center, but the real action is Prince’s guitar playing that rises between verses. The guitar erupts whenever a crack in the music appears, and the fiery lava it delivers lifts the song far above its original B-side groove. 

The intensity of the “1999” groove matches the intensity of the guitar in “Call The Law.” Aiming for a thunderous end to the show, it doesn’t quite deliver live up to its initial intensity. With its humming energy, there is much to recommend it, but I can never quite scratch through the surface of the song, it remains soulless and aloof throughout. Both “Push” and “A Love Bizarre” appear in the medley, neither bringing the spark of divine inspiration I am listening for. Tony M, Prince, and Rosie Gaines all take a turn to rap as everything is seemingly thrown into the mix. None of it comes off as genuine and the concert finishes with a plastic and cold feel. It is a tangible disappointment as all that has come before has been wonderfully put together and a bedazzling showcase for the band and music. 

I have been a Prince fan for almost forty years. I didn’t enjoy the Diamonds and Pearls concerts the first time around, and it is very hard to change my mind after all this time. However, I have endeavored to listen to these concerts with fresh ears, at least to the best of my abilities, and I have found them to be an entertaining diversion to what I otherwise regard as ‘The Serious Stuff’. This concert delivered a variety of genre-spanning material, presented in a way to reach the maximum possible audience. This I can’t deny. I may not like all of it, but it was undeniably entertaining while containing just enough of the music I love to keep my attention until the end. Glitzy glamour doesn’t resonate with me, but its powerful funk and genre-busting catalog of Prince will always hold me enthralled. Overall, this is a solid concert without ever threatening my top ten list.