Yokohama 20 January 1996

 We have just had a lovely day at the Yokohama Triennale and I am currently overloaded by the art on display. Asides from Prince bootlegs my other great loves are traveling and art, so as you can imagine today has been a great day for me. I have enjoyed my time in Japan the last two weeks, even time with the in-laws hasn’t been as bad as I thought! We still have a couple more weeks here, we have been so busy I think I will need another holiday when I get home. In keeping with my Japanese theme, today I will be taking a listen to a concert recorded in Yokohama in 1996. It takes in the final concert of the Ultimate Live tour, and it’s a shock to me when I realize that it is more than twenty years ago now. It feels like only yesterday, and that pleases me as it must mean that the 18-year-old in me still lives on. There have been several releases of this concert over the years, but I have chosen the Zion release as it has particularly beautiful artwork, and is in-depth in its coverage of the concert itself. Not only does the recording feature the concert, but also the entire 35 minutes of preshow music (in this case the Exodus album) that is played over the PA. It’s almost too much, I doubt I will ever listen to the preshow music again – not when I have the CD readily available, but it is a nice touch and makes for an immersive experience. 

  20th January 1996, Yokohama Arena, Yokohama 

Skipping over the preshow music, it is a video medley that begins the concert. An easy enough listen, it is merely a taster of Prince’s back catalog of music and not truly representative of the show that will follow, nor of the live bootleg experience. At ten minutes long, it would be a nice mix for the car, but I am here for the live performance, and as such I find I sit through it rather impatiently. 

 

The introduction of “Prince…is dead, long live the New Power Generation” is followed by a roar of music and scream that almost has me on my feet here at home. An audience recording, it still captures the power and fervor of the moment, that rush as Prince and the band create the wall of sound that is “Endorphin Machine”. It is in itself an endorphin rush, and I feel washed away by its sound as soon as I hear it. 

The rush is short-lived, but Prince gives us something even better with the power of “Shhh” masked behind his slow vocal. The guitar break is the iron fist in the velvet glove, and even though the song is criminally short it serves to warn that the show will contain a multitude of styles all delivered straight from the heart. 

Some of the power of “Days Of Wild” is dissipated in this setting. I can’t tell if it's the Japanese audience, the size of the arena, or the mix, but whatever it is the song lacks the suffocating intensity I usually associate with it. The bass guitar solo is most welcome and for me, it easily overshadows everything else heard in the song. The bass returns to finish the song, this time with a brief “777-9311,” something that briefly has me gasping for breath.  As much as I love the “Days Of Wild,” there are much better renditions out there, and I find this one a little ho-hum. 

 

The introduction of “Now” has Mayte comparing it to “Irresistible Bitch,” “Housequake,” and “Sexy M.F.”, but as the song ignites I find it lacks the finesse of these and is about as subtle as a sledgehammer. The chorus is exciting and bold, but not the slinky dance number of the songs it was compared to. It is still fun, and I enjoy the performance even if just a little too punchy. I only wish we could see Mayte’s final dance during  “Babies Makin Babies” as the crowd chants her name, after all a Prince concert is as much a visual experience as an aural one. 

The show opened with Prince declaring “Prince is dead,” and yet here we have a Prince song, the first verse of “Anotherloverholenyohead” jammed over the top of “Race.’ I like it. I like the groove of the song, I like the lyrics, but especially I like the sound of the keyboards. They are electrifying in both sound and style, and I am transfixed by the performance I am hearing. Other songs promised more, this is one surprise package that keeps me listening to bootlegs. 

“The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” is a start-stop affair that ably demonstrates how tight the band is, but as for the overall enjoyment of the song, it does detract a little. However, I have heard “the Most Beautiful Girl In The World” enough times in my life, and I am more than content to sit back and admire this configuration of the NPG. 

 

One of the most well-known tracks from the Gold Experience follows, in the form of “Pussy Control.” It’s not as strong as it is on record, it’s a slightly different mix and the music is busy which does distract from Prince’s rapping. I expect it to come as a punch to the face, instead, it is more like a slap in the face – it’s a challenge, but not quite the out-and-out threat that it should be. 

I am much more attuned to “Letitgo.” With its low-key groove, it seduces me, and I fall in love with the interaction between Prince’s vocals and the music. It's all too easy, and I slip easily under its charms. Surrounded by some big songs, it holds its own with natural grace and beauty. 

Although it is short on the album, “Starfish And Coffee” in this context is given the royal treatment and Prince plays a regal five minutes with it. The twist comes in the tail and the song slips down a musical rabbit hole, its sound becoming suddenly darker as complexities step out of the shadows. It is in complete contrast to the first minutes, and ends with a Michael B solo – completely unexpected for a song such as “Starfish And Coffee” 

Compared to other renditions of the era, “The Cross” is almost delicate in its delivery. Prince’s guitar is a gentle lace rather than the blanket of sound it sometimes is, and there are layers of complexities early in the song. A lot of this is unpicked however once the song reaches its apex and Prince tears up all that came before with plenty of rage and howl on his guitar. As a guitar aficionado, I am in blue heaven, and as always my only complaint is that it is all too short. 

 

I think I have heard “The Jam,” almost as much as I have heard “Purple Rain” over the years. It’s hard to get too excited by it here, it is the standard run-through we have all heard before. Michael B is mighty in his contribution, although the rest of the song I could take or leave. 

Prince proclaims his love for Joan Osbourne’s “One Of Us” before serving up his take on her song. It is a great match for him, both in theme and style, and the final guitar-saturated minutes are where it becomes purely Prince as he drenches the song in his trademark sound. 

To my ears, “Do Me, Baby” has never got old, and the rendition on this bootleg is pretty standard, yet entirely mesmerizing as Prince works himself and the song up into a lather. It is not as an intense experience as I have heard on other bootlegs, but it remains an unmissable part of the show. 

The seduction and sexiness of “Do Me, Baby” becomes pure sex with the appearance of “Sexy M.F.”  Normally I am captivated by the grease of the guitar, but in this case, it is Tommy Barbarella who has my full attention with an upstart of a solo that is a livewire in its delivery. The rest performance is smooth, the only jolt coming from this solo. 

 

I am more than happy with “I Am Your Girlfriend” The recording is top-notch, and I can hear every nuance of the song as the band walks us through it. It is a classic, and deservedly so, as Prince twists up a gender-bending mix of personalities and musical styles into a drama underpinned opus. Beautifully recorded at this show, I could easily feast on this for days. 

One of the great things about listening to concerts from this Japanese tour is the appearance of “Vicki Waiting” in the setlists. Rarely played, when we do hear it on bootlegs it always sounds fresh and exciting. That feeling is heightened here by the twin keyboard attack of Morris Hayes and Tommy Barbarella,  they both bring some heavy musicality to what otherwise would be a simple pop song. 

I am tempted to skip over the “Purple Medley” as it is just as unnecessary in concert as it is on record. Hearing it only makes me yearn to go back and listen to the original songs, all of them having been done a disservice by this medley. It is dire, and a colossal waste of time. Redeeming features? None. 

Prince immediately wins me back with a sweet version of “7”. There is nothing too demanding, it never once challenges, but it does sound easy on my ears and is a thousand times better than the preceding “Purple Medley.” The song comes and goes in its own easy way, and I am deceived by the tracklisting that has it at seven minutes when in reality it is half that before it gives over to the break between encores. 

Things kick off in grand style with a smoking rendition of “Billy Jack Bitch.” I might be biased at this point, as this is one of my go-to songs on those days I need music as a prop. Prince's vocals are a little weak against the wall of music, and it is the Fishbone sample that comes across loudest on the recording, something that will rattle around in my brain for the next few days now. I have a lot of fun listening to it, although before I know it, it is over and we move quickly on. 

The show stays in this uptempo groove with a quick-fire rendition of “319.” There isn’t much to it, and just as I find myself singing along it ends. 

 

It is entirely predictable that “Gold” is the last number of the night, yet it is just as uplifting and sweepingly epic as you could want for a show closer, or even a tour closer. I may not be able to see what is happening, but I can hear it in the music, and in the audience's response, and my heart quickens with every sweep of guitar and every homily spun by Prince. It may be cheesy but it does the trick, and I am converted to the message Prince is preaching. The final whine of the guitar adds one last golden sheen to all that has come before and although it does become rough in places it stays on message with its uplifting sound and soulful howl. 

I recommend all concerts from the 1995/1996 time period. The music bristles with a revitalized energy and enthusiasm and it is hard not to be captivated by the sound of it as Prince begins his new journey, shedding his 1980s skin and persona as he strikes out in new directions. The final concert of the tour marks this as something special, and Prince delivers in concert, and on the recording, with a sparkling set delivered at maximum rock n roll velocity. There are a couple of weak moments in the concert, but the bootleg is good enough that I am more than happy to overlook the moments that drag. A worthy release of one of my favorite eras, this one can sit easily alongside any other show of the era. 

Osaka 11 January 1996

 

In this week’s show, I will be diving back into the Gold era, and a show from Prince’s Japan tour of 1996. This is a fascinating period, not just musically, but the whole drama and change surrounding him. I may not have fully understood it all at the time, but now in retrospect, I see a lot is going on, and some great shows to revisit. Having shed his ‘Prince’ persona, his music and look struck out in a bold new direction, and it’s hard for me to remember what I thought at the time, but I now know that it was something extremely brave and creative. Money and his battle with Warner Bros. may have been the motivating factor, but it ended up being so much more interesting and creative. In 1995 he steadfastly refused to play any of his back catalog, here in 1996 the first cracks are being to show and quite a few ‘Prince’ songs are on the set-list, as well as the opening music which nods to his past. By 1997 the doors to his past are reopened, with him again embracing his back catalog. It’s somewhat of a shame, and it would have been very interesting to see what would have happened if he stuck to the path that he struck out in 1995, one can only wonder. Today’s show is from Osaka in early 1996, his only tour of the year being a Japanese tour in January. The quality isn’t great, but anything that documents this era is well worth a listen.

 

11 January 1996 Osaka, Japan

My anticipation is at an all-time high as the show begins, and it more than delivers as the first words we hear from him are “Osaka, Prince is dead, long live the New Power Generation”. It thrills me just to hear it, and I know I am crossing over dangerously into FAM territory. There is the immediate nod to the past that I alluded to earlier as the synth intro of “1999” is heard, but Prince reclaims the here and now with the opening riff of “Endorphin Machine.” What a start, a blaze of guitar, lights and screams- from both Prince and the audience. It’s a lively way to open the show, and I can only think that had I had been there it all would have been overwhelming. The sound of the recording isn’t great and sometimes isn’t even good. Yet, for all its faults, it still captures the sound of the moment rather well. I may not hear the band all that well, and Prince's vocals aren’t all that clear, but I can still hear the energy and enthusiasm of the performance, and in my book that counts for a lot. And besides, if the sound isn’t good I can always just watch Mayte and her dancing, always a pleasant distraction. Prince drops a verse and chorus from the song, and shortens it considerably, he never lets up on the driving guitar sound and momentum of the song. I am surprised by how much noise he can generate from a single guitar, the NPG is doing a great job of rounding out his sound and giving him a fat sound to play against.

 

With Prince still working his guitar, we are straight into the next song, which is the excellent “Shhh.” The band is on the money for this one, as is Prince. His vocals sound just like they do on record, and if this was a soundboard recording I am sure we would hear much better just how good he is sounding. It’s disappointing he cuts this song short too, after a verse he does play a great solo, and then suddenly cuts it short as the grind of “Days Of Wild” begins.

I always think of this as an after-show song, which is a folly as it always sounds great, even in the bigger concerts. The recording isn’t good enough to truly capture the ominous rumble of the song, but it’s easy enough for me to imagine how it would have sounded. The highlight is always when Prince says “oh by the way, I play bass guitar”. This show is no exception and we get a couple of bass breaks, the first one, and then another one later in the song as the crowd chant. Prince looks the business as he plays, and I would love to see a show where he played bass only through the whole show. He makes it look so effortless, as well as a lot of fun. The camera jumps around a bit at this point, and I kind of like it. It’s that old-fashioned sort of boot, where you know it’s not going to be great to look at, and yet you need to watch it. Some more chanting, and then the briefest of pauses before Now.

 

What I like most about “Now” is the keyboard sound. Prince’s rap doesn’t do much for me, it’s all about that organ sound for me, and I know that yet again it’s Morris Hayes giving it to me. The song is hollow sounding when he isn’t playing, it’s the chorus that has the full sound that I like. Prince implores the crowd to ‘jump up, jump up, now!”, and I don’t know if they do or not, but I know that I certainly want to. The song quietens to a groove and while Mayte plays with the audience Prince straps on his purple axe and gives us some funky keyboard sounds. For me, the song becomes much more interesting at this stage, as there is plenty of keyboard jamming for me to listen to. A few lines of “Babies Making Babies” are sung by Prince at this stage, which is pretty standard for this song. He then even goes so far as to plug in his guitar, so in the space of two songs, we have seen him play every instrument on stage, bar the drums.

 

I am loath to use the word ‘funky’ too much, but as they lurch into “Get Up (I Feel Like Being A)  Sex Machine,” that is indeed the first word that comes to mind, and rightly so. The keyboards and guitar play right up hard against each other, before easing back and Prince singing. A lot is going on, and all the instruments via for my attention. Be it Prince's guitar, his singing, or the keyboards and bass line, I want to hear it all and soak it all up. Of course, I just want to unplug my headphones and dance around the room, but that wouldn’t be much of a blog post now, would it? The song winds to a close with a minute of Prince playing alone on the guitar before the band jumps back in for a furious finish.

 

“The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” almost sounds out of place after the last few songs. That Prince can go straight from something so funky to such pure pop has never failed to amaze me, and listening now it’s hard to believe that a minute ago this guy was channeling the spirit of James Brown. The vocals are outstanding, and the only thing better is the tightness of the band, this song demonstrates how good they are, as they stop several times and then pick up right where they left off. Prince isn’t to be outdone though, and later in the song, he delivers some lovely falsetto that only he can.

In the privacy of my own home, I love “Pussy Control” (that is a sentence I never thought I’d write), but in public, I am a little more reluctant to enthuse about it. This live performance isn’t great. Prince’s rap isn’t clear, and he doesn’t shine until singing the chorus. There is some nice work for us to listen to on the keyboard, but overall the song is lacking and leaves me wishing it could have been more. I thought this would be better live, and I am not sure why it doesn’t work for me, but I suspect Prince's rap has a lot to do with it.

I like “Letitgo,” it sounds different from other songs at this show, and it always leaves me with a strange feeling that I can’t quite put my finger on, a sort of unease when I hear it. The performance here is good, and I especially appreciate Tommy Barbarella’s solo. The song has a nice pop chorus to it, but I sense something darker underneath it, and I think that is what I latch onto, and gives me an uncomfortable feeling. Prince takes time to involve the crowd with some singing before it abruptly stops and the gentle piano intro of “Starfish and Coffee” begins.

It’s great to hear this played in full, with the full band treatment. Often we get short lines of it in the piano medley, and it’s only on this Japanese tour of ’96 and the ONA tour do we get the full version. It’s a curious choice to get the full band treatment, and this is the first ‘Prince’ song of the night played, so I wonder what the thinking behind it is. I prefer the first part of the song more, the second half is free and loose, and I don’t enjoy the keyboard solo so much, but I am sure that it must be to some people's taste.

With the opening chords of “The Cross” sounding we are immediately thrown right back to the 1980s. Princes’ playing is crisp, it sounds sharp and contrasts with the keyboard sound which is also prominent. I was expecting his guitar to ramp up as the song progresses, so I am thrown when it’s the keyboard that first drives towards the climax. Order is restored when Prince does begin to work his fretboard, and it’s a joy to listen to, as well as see as he strikes a series of rock star poses. It’s not as deep and spiritual sounding, I find that it’s just as enjoyable, however, especially when I lean back and soak it all up.

 

“The Jam,” I feel I am writing about this song almost every week, it is such a part of his repertoire. I don’t tire of it tonight, as not only do we get a great solo from Morris Hayes, but we also get a very tidy solo from Tommy Barbarella, a man I often overlook. It’s great to hear the keyboard guys playing, and the song loses something as Prince calls Mayte to dance and the music takes second place. This arrangement of “The Jam” offers nothing that we haven’t heard before,  however, it serves as a good bookmark in the show and a chance for us to catch our breath and admire the skills of the individual band members.

A plodding beat and I immediately recognize “One Of Us.” I find the beat pedestrian, and the song is saved by the uplifting sound of Prince's guitar, without which there would be very little joy to be found. I prefer this cover to the original, and if I had never had of heard Joan Osborne I would swear it’s a Prince original. I do like Prince’s guitar sound in the song, but his vocals aren’t picked up by the recording very well, so I find it hard to give it too much praise. Prince does play guitar hero as the song nears the end, and this is where it picks up for me, I can hear his guitar much better than his vocals.

I didn’t know that this band and this incarnation of Prince did “Do Me, Baby,” so as the song starts I am very curious to see how it will sound. The keyboards initially sound as they did all those years ago, perhaps the sound of a swirling organ is the only difference. Prince sounds much more mature, and a lot of the vulnerability is gone. However, this is replaced by a strength and sense of showmanship that more than makes up for it. He dances and sings boldly, and although not as dangerously sexy as when he was younger, he still commands your attention.

 

“Sexy M.F.” is another surprise, and as the keyboards play their intro a funky beat begins. It’s a shame too that Prince's vocals aren’t sounding 100% on this song, and I have to again wonder if it’s his rapping. The keyboards however are wonderful, both Tommy and Morris sound great, and I like it when Prince stops singing and we can just listen to the two of them play. There are a few calls from Prince to the audience to sing with him, but the song quickly winds up and we get another song from the back catalog.

Considering that “If I Was Your Girlfriend” is such a fan favorite, it's surprising that there aren’t too many great live versions out there. I would love to be writing now that this show it sounded perfect and left a deep impression on me, unfortunately, I cannot. It's passable, again it’s as much the recording as anything else. The vocals are murky and in my opinion that is the key element in the song, and if that is lacking then the song doesn’t stand up on its own.

Wait a minute, did he just say “this song is from Batman, Vicky Waiting”? Yes indeed, and now I am very glad I chose to give this show a listen. This tour was the only tour where “Vicky Waiting” was regularly played, and it’s refreshing to hear it live. I don’t know the last time I listened to the Batman album, it would have to have been a good few years ago. Prince doesn’t play with the arrangement too much, there is a nice minute of organ solo as Prince and Mayte engage in some onstage antics, asides from that it is played straight down the line. It’s so good to hear something like this that we don’t often get live, and I find that I listen very carefully to it as it is such a rarity. Not a great song, but the show is richer for having it there.

Prince then deals with the weight of his past with a simple solution – a purple medley. As the sound of the “Batdance” song begins he tells the crowd “Is it alright if I play some Prince songs?” The start is just as on record, and with all the sounds and lights it’s initially hard to tell if they are just playing the song on the PA, or performing live. Live performance is the order of the day, and it’s kind of cool to see Prince quickly run through the songs. It’s similar to the modern-day sampler set, with the difference being it’s a full live band playing quickly to keep up.  For those of you not familiar with the “Purple Medley,” it covers “Batdance,” “When Doves Cry,” “Kiss,” “Erotic City,” “Darling Nikki,” “1999,” “Baby I’m A Star,” “Diamonds and Pearls” and “Purple Rain.” The single contains more songs, but for this show Prince closes it after a few lines of “Purple Rain.”

“7” has its Arabic prelude and being a bit different, I quite like it. It starts sounding like “Around The World In A Day” before morphing into a more Middle Eastern sound. This is a chance for Mayte to demonstrate her skills in dancing with a sword. I have always enjoyed the music, and Mayte and her dance is no bad thing either. 7 is light sounding, especially when I look back at the first half-hour of the show, nothing wrong with being light, but it does give the show some balance. It does at times sound out of place, and I think it’s in the show as much for Mayte as anything else. The drum has a great pounding sound as the song breaks for the crowd to sing, and apart from the guitar sound later in the song, this is as good as it gets for me.

 

The encore begins with “Billy Jack Bitch.” The lyrics aren’t my thing, but I love the music of it. After a long organ intro, Prince glides to the front of the stage and after thanking the audience he tells them that he is no longer Prince “that name belongs to record companies” and he believes in music. His speech goes for a minute or so, and it’s the standard lines about music and record companies. “Billy Jack Bitch” finally starts properly and there’s a good energy release. The keyboards have a good sound, as do the drums and bass. The vocals are lacking in strength and clarity, again it’s not Prince, and it’s the quality of the recording. That doesn’t prevent me from enjoying it though, and it gets better as it goes along.

As the crowd cheers, the music segues to “I Hate U” before suddenly changing to “319.” It’s all very short-lived, a verse and a chorus before we hear the NPG operator speaking and the song stops altogether. I would have liked to have heard either one of these songs in full, and it’s another Prince tease near the end of the show.

 

As “Gold” begins I know that this will be the end of the show. It has that climatic feel and is a great way to finish the show. Prince’s vocals sound better here than they did earlier in the show, and I am pleased that we are finishing on a high. Prince’s guitar sounds a little twangy later on as he sings, and I don’t know if that is the sound he is aiming for or not. In fact, the guitar seems out for most of the song, and I decide it’s not the sound he was aiming for. However the solo sounds well enough, and it’s enough for me to overlook the earlier issues. The song ends with him playing shoulder to shoulder with Tommy Barbarella. It’s a strange sight, most of the show Prince has barely interacted with the band, and instead, Mayte has been his main foil on stage. He looked very much a solo performer, and at one point as I watched him I had a feeling that he looked incredibly lonely standing alone at the front of the stage. He must have been carrying a huge weight at the time, and although he and the band spent countless hours together, there is still a sense that he is alone. This was the same time that he was about to marry Mayte, so perhaps I am reading too much into it, so it’s only natural that he should be giving her so much attention instead of the rest of the band. The show ends on a high here, with the refrain echoing around for a few final times.

 

Hard to know exactly what I thought of this show. Sure, I really liked it, but then again I like most shows I listen to.  The show itself is an interesting snapshot of what was happening at the time. Prince was only a month from marrying Mayte, and with the return of Prince songs to the setlist, the end of the war with Warners is signposted. I liked that this show was a bridge between two eras of Prince. We had all the classic Gold era songs in there, the dense funk of “Days Of Wild” for example, as well as some interesting selections from his Prince days. I particularly enjoyed hearing “Vicky Waiting,” as well as “Starfish And Coffee.” A curious show, but one I would recommend if you don’t mind an audience recording.

Paisley Park 9 September 1995

 The final show I want to cover from 1995 is the second show from September 9th at Paisley Park. After playing an early morning concert, Prince returned in the evening to play a completely different set and one that closely resembles what is heard during the Japan tour just a few months later in early 1996. This is a concert that presents the bulk of the Gold album, only a couple of Come songs make the setlist along with two NPG songs. Serving as a nice run-through of what will be a main concert setlist, this is Prince and the band playing a much more structured show than the previous two I have written of and is a good introduction to what we will hear in Japan in 1996. 

9th September 1995, Paisley Park 

I have never been completely sold on “Purple Medley,” but as an opening, it does give us a good feel of the quality of this audience recording. The recording is full-blooded, with the bass coming through solid without ever overwhelming everything else or distorting. Despite any reservations I have about the medley, I do find it does move along quickly and it is a simple gift to those that have followed Prince throughout his career. 

With the shout of “Prince is dead, long live the New Power Generation,” the concert is awash in guitar grind and bathed in the sound of the Gold album as “Endorphinmachine” cleanses the bootleg of any nostalgic mists. The song is heavily abridged, after being battered by the guitar, and phasing keyboard, the song collapses under its own furious weight, leaving the blitzkreiging guitar of Prince as the abiding memory. 

The fire and fury quickly vanish, but Prince gives us something every bit as titanic and intense with a poisonous version of “Shhh.” Laced with the most venomous guitar break, it too quickly dies but not before leaving an indelible mark on the concert and this listener. 

 

The show settles with “Now,” a six-minute funk battering that only suffers from a small microphone glitch from Prince early in the number. It’s easy to get caught up on the lyrics, the singing along, and jumping, but for me, the most enjoyable parts of the song belong to the NPG themselves, Michael B.’s powerhouse drumming, the twin keyboard attack, and the rubber-ball bounce of Sonny T. on bass. I often consider “Now” to be lightweight in more esteemed company, but in this case, there is plenty to admire and respect, the only disappointing aspect is that I can’t see Mayte shake her money maker. 

Morris Hayes owns “Funky Stuff.” Prince may call for various other band members to play throughout the song, but Morris Hayes's contribution is outstanding, both in his electric wonder solo piece and later in the song where his keyboard is the glue that holds it all together. The song follows a similar line to the previous “Now,” becoming an extended workout where once again I miss seeing Mayte shake her thing. The song runs out of steam later in the piece, becoming just a groove, and I find I do begin to lose interest by the end of it. 

“The Most Beautiful Girl In The World,” becomes all the more interesting as Prince breaks it down from the beginning, turning the song into an elongated speech about what they were playing and his struggles with Warner Bros. and the system. His speech about the Gold Experience is revealing and for me strikes at the crux of his problems with record labels. It is a fascinating insight and essential listening. 

 

Something is missing in “Days Of Wild,” it doesn’t have the fierceness that I have come to expect from it. The recording doesn’t sound thin, so perhaps in this case it is the performance that is lacking. I shrug it off as the pulsating bass solo unfurls, improving the moment substantially and setting off a chain reaction through the rest of the song. The bass becomes an exhilarating ride that snakes in and out of the music, giving the song a slipperiness that was previously missing, an empathetic punch of funk that elevates these few minutes above all else. 

I have heard better versions of “Pussy Control” in circulation. Princes’ vocals have the slightest distortion on them, and for me, it detracts from the song. However, the other key players are all in the place and the music hurtles forward without ever gaining any sense of intensity. There is no magic here, just a romp through a joyous celebration of feminism, albeit with a wink. 

“Letitgo” is a far gentler ride, the music is set to cruise control from the start, and with Prince’s suede vocals the song reeks of unfulfilled luxury. It is a gentle ride from start to finish, only Prince’s exclamations to the crowd break this downhill flow. The song itself is the best moment, the band rarely sticks their heads above the parapet, and the performance is faceless as the song glides by in its own way. 

 

The soft and luxurious sound is retained for the creamy “Pink Cashmere” that follows, a song that sounds far better live than on record, especially as the band dust it with the slightest sprinkling of jazz making it a far more demanding beast than the recorded version. With the soft duvet of keyboards wrapping the song up it becomes a moment of warm comfort, and is one of the least challenging moments of the concert, especially in comparison to the raw funk of Prince’s more current material. 

“Return Of The Bump Squad” emphasizes this point, although it takes a minute or two to show its true colors, Prince spends the first minutes talking with the crowd while the band, and audience, wait in anticipation. When it does kick-off, it comes as a punch to the face, the music strident and turbulent from the start with a collision of sound and funk all making for an explosive mix. The bass strikes blows throughout, while the rest of the band batter the song into submission with a relentless barrage of funky grooves and rhythms. Prince’s bass can’t be denied though, he is the star attraction throughout, and the final minute sees him giving us a brief burst of both “Hair” and “777-9311,” something that has my inner fanboy weeping with joy. 

I don’t expect too much from “Get Wild,” and I am pleasantly surprised when Prince gives a performance that keeps me engaged from start to finish. I feel a warm flush with Tommy Barbarella’s first solo that mimics the sound of a saxophone, while the long break down mid-song is kept interesting with Prince’s comments to Lenny Kravitz about rock being dead, before giving us several minutes of chanting and singing “Rock ‘n’ Roll is alive and lives in Minneapolis”  This is the first live appearance of the song, and although it nothing more than a chant, it does point to the future when the song will soon appear as a b-side to “Gold” This alone makes “Get Wild” one of the stand-out tracks of the evening, and with the NPG evolving the song through a series of wild improvisations it makes for a fascinating listen. 

 

Equally unhinged is “Race,” swinging from a long funky intro into a sample laden finale, with the Prince era “Girls And Boys” making an unscheduled appearance halfway. Again, I hadn’t expected too much from this song but found myself enjoying it just as much as anything else heard at the show. It may not but a definite full-stop on the show, but it offers a rich finish to a show that gives far more than first appearances might suggest. 

This may be the most straightforward of the Paisley Park concerts of 1995, but it offers several insights into Prince’s position at the time, and some of his best jams. Although I have heard these songs many times before, in this case, they were played with vitality and enthusiasm that remains undiminished. The audience recording is very good, and all in all, this makes for yet another great listening experience. This is another gem that not everyone is familiar with, but like all shows of the 1995 era, it is an essential part of the Prince bootleg canon. 

Paisley Park 9 September 1995 (am)

 After the glory of listening to Prince’s outstanding show of 30th August 1995 at Paisley Park, this week I return to hopefully more of the same. On September 9th, 1995 Prince played two concerts at Paisley Park, one in the early morning, and then another late night of the same day. To avoid any confusion I will write about both, one this week, and one next week. Prince played a string of concerts through August and September of 1995, but all have different setlists and offer a scope of different listening experiences. This particular performance is short but well worth a close listen as Prince and the NPG continue to strip mine a rich vein of funk throughout this year. 

9th September 1995 (am), Paisley Park 

The concert doesn’t burst into life, instead, the music strolls easily on, swaying back and forth on the easy guitar line from Prince. With a strong bass line appearing, the song blooms, revealing itself to be “Shy” in full techno color. It’s an easy glide, Prince and the band proving to be a well-oiled machine with barely a hint of friction throughout these opening minutes. It is a soft opening, and the feeling that the band is still holding their cards close to their chest, not wishing to reveal too much of the heavy funk they are renowned for. 

 

With “People Get Ready” as the following song, there is the sense that this concert is different from many of the others throughout 1995. These opening two songs come as warm comfort food, nothing is challenging or threatening as the band groove easily through the music, just a hint of soul in the air as they play. “People Get ready” is short, but it does give a nod to Prince’s soulful roots. 

“The Jam” ups the tempo considerably, while providing the band a chance to stretch out for the first time in the evening.  And stretch out they do, with every member providing a new or different idea. Even with my jaded ears, I find something to enjoy, and “The Jam” is the perfect vehicle for the band to demonstrate their unique abilities in a song that sprawls across the next few minutes. 

 

The concert is punctuated by a dark chocolate rendition of Chaka Khan's “U Got The Love” With Morris Hayes adding plenty of heavy swirl, the song is rich in sound, Prince's vocals being the sharpness that brings it all together. His guitar final guitar break cleaves through this sound and ends the song on a high note. 

The instrumental jam that follows is a slow-building structure, assembled atop a foundation of Prince's guitar work. It takes some time to rise out of the ground, but it is an architecturally designed song, with every note carefully placed and all contributing to the essence of the song. It is the most straight-sounding rock song of the evening and sketches a simple blueprint of how a rock song should be. 

 

Several songs of the evening foretell Prince’s future, the covers of Larry Graham and Chaka Khan both predict a time in the next few years when Prince will work and tour with both artists. The second Chaka Khan song of the evening is “Sweet Thing,” and although I have heard this in various guises over the years, this is one of the earliest renditions by Prince, and it veils the concert in an emotional softness once again as Prince dwells on a gentle beauty from days gone by. 

The change to Ohio Players “Heaven Must Be Like This” is barely perceptible, and never has a song title been so apt. It is gorgeous sounding, and nowhere more so than the opening keyboard runs, claimed by Prince with his comment “Don’t mind me, I’m just jamming.”  As a companion piece to “Sweet Thing,” it is a match made in heaven, and this combination is the heart and soul of the gig. 

 

“Hide The Bone” is a far better representation of where Prince and the band were at this time, although I do initially mishear it as “Ride the bone”. Michael B stakes out his territory with an unmistakable pound, while Prince contributes his usual shotgun blast of smutty lyrics, all of which brings a huge smile to my face.  Walter Chancellor Jr gives the song extra gloss with his saxophone contribution, it is just the fresh blast that the song needs and it tightens up my enjoyment immeasurable. The final minutes meander, but it provides plenty of sparkling treasures before this and is another key part of this show. 

The crushing version of “Funky Design” blows the roof of the concert and signals what to expect in the next half hour. With its suffocating groove sucking all the oxygen out of the room, there is very little room for Prince to spark up and ignite the concert, instead, he remains buried under the incessant groove and all-consuming rhythm. He does briefly flare up for a verse, but the song remains firmly in possession of the band, and again  Walter Chancellor Jr proves mighty in his contribution with his saxophone riding this wild music to the finish. 

 

The band is in full force for the “Santana Medley,” at first it is the bass and keyboards that capture my imagination with their shades and color, but eventually they give way to Prince and his forceful guitar playing that stomps all over the rest of the song. It plays to Prince's strengths, with its changing feel and swing from moments of intense guitar ecstasy, to more nuanced and soulful playing. A cover version, it still remains a treat in Prince’s setlist and is just as important to understanding the man and his music as anything else that is heard at this show. 

“The Undertaker” simmers and bubbles for the longest time before the inner heat of the song boils over with Prince’s scolding guitar break. As much as I like this relentless groove and unforgiving bass line, it is Prince’s guitar that is key, and even as  Walter Chancellor, Jr again puts his brand on it, thoughts and feelings conjured up by Prince’s guitar linger. It matches “Funky Design” for pure intensity, and is the dark heart of the performance with its depths of emotion and musicality. 

There is the sweetest of instrumental introductions appended to the beginning of “Sometimes It Snows In April” It doesn’t add anything to the moment and is nothing more than empty window dressing to a song that is already loaded with its own emotional weight. The rest of the song belongs to the audience as much as Prince, and it is they that carry the chorus while the music rises and falls, cascades and splashes behind them on the waves' keyboards that fill the tape. It’s not quite all that I had hoped it would be, but it is interesting to see a pure Prince song keeping company with a setlist of Gold-era songs. 

The concert ends as gently as it started, and it leaves me scratching my head. It is not typical of other shows of the era, the setlist is far more balanced and there is a Prince song, but it is undoubtedly just as enjoyable as the other shows I have listened to in the last few weeks. These Paisley Park concerts from 1995 are proving to be a treasure trove of different experiences, songs, and concerts. This is merely one of that run, but is just as essential as any other, and is a unique listening experience. Check it out of you can. 

Paisley Park 30 August 1995 (am)

 The 1995 Ultimate Live Tour was relatively short, and the rest of the year saw Prince play several one-off shows, in fact far more than main concerts. The last half of the year he was firmly ensconced in Paisley Park where he played most of these shows, and a good number of them have been bootlegged. This week I am listening to a short but excellent show from August of that year. It differs from the main concert I listened to last week in that there is no material here from the Gold Experience as Prince gives a performance that draws heavily from Exodus and some well-chosen cover versions. The cover versions heard at this performance are not his usual choices of “The Jam” and “Hair” and it is refreshing to hear a show from this era without those two selections. The real highlights though come from the Exodus songs, in particular, a rare performance of “Count The Days” and an incendiary performance of “Return Of The Bump Squad” that is the key to understanding what Prince and the NPG were achieving at this time 

 30th August 1995 (am) Paisley Park 

The influence of Sly and The Family Stone on Prince at this time cannot be understated. Sly’s music is regularly covered through 1995, along with a healthy selection of tunes from Larry Graham. We know that in the future Larry Graham will feature heavily in Prince’s personal life, but 1995 is the first year where we see Prince drawing overtly from Sly and Larry’s musical heritage.  The opening cover of Sly’s “M’lady” comes then as no surprise at all, but what does surprise me is how good this audience recording is. The quality is high, and although there is audience noise on the recording it is negligible. The music itself has a brightness to it, and one can sense Prince’s energy and enthusiasm bubbling away on the tape as he plays. It is the NPG who take the center court with a vibrant and buoyant rhythm section, and the spiraling uplifting keyboard work that is distinctly theirs. 

“Glam Slam Boogie” is Prince’s musical equivalent of Graham Central Station's “The Jam.” It takes on the same form as the baton is handed from player to player, each having a moment to solo and propel the song further forward. I prefer it to the “The Jam,” it is sunnier and faster moving, my feet tapping and head nodding throughout the song suggests the band has hit just the right groove for me. Prince's guitar rises twice in the performance, first with a light skipping burst, and then later with a smolder that sits lower in the mix but is no less relevant. 

 

The first real highlight of the show is the rare appearance of “Count The Days.” Performed only during 1995, this becomes a sensitive moment as Prince’s guitar plays a dainty opening before the vocal performance takes over and carries the song in rising harmonies and impassioned choruses. Prince’s voice doesn’t stand alone in this number, he is ably supported by the NPG, and for me, this is where the real treasure lies as the closeness of the band becomes the alchemy for a divine vocal performance. 

“Get freaky, let your head bob” could well be Prince’s credo at the time, and it is hard not to obey this command as “Big Fun” booms out of my speakers. It is based on the big bottom end foundation that Prince was so fond of at the time, Michael B and Sonny T rock-solid in their furrow as they lay the groundwork for the rest of the band to build the song upon. The song is pure groove, and it matters little that the vocals are inconsequential, it truly is a song where one should get freaky and let their head bob. 

 

The highlight of “Good Life” is undoubtedly Prince’s first rap. I have heard it described as lazy, it is so laid back that Prince sounds almost comatose, but it serves the song well, and this rap alone makes the whole concert worth hearing. His later raps in the song are just as fun, and I must admit I listened to this whole song with a smile on my face throughout. His comment “I got a white man on the piano” brings another smile to my lips, but again it is his rapping at the time that makes this song what it is, he may be unfairly maligned for bringing rap into his music, but it does give another color to his palette and that is what makes 1995 so interesting and essential to understanding his music. 

A triplet of cover versions keeps the concert moving quickly forward as Prince ticks several musical boxes as he shifts gears through music genres. Good old fashioned Rock N Roll gets a nod with a perky rendition of Little Richard's “The Girl Can’t Help It,” before a more thoughtful and melancholy tone descends on the concert with Prince’s finger-picked opening to “Que Sera Sera.” There is no time to let this atmospheric dust settle upon the show though as we quickly swing into an instrumental take of Aretha Franklin’s “Think.” It is an uninhibited moment of vitality that changes the complexion of the concert completely after the previous “Que Sera Sera,” but Prince has one more stylistic change to come. 

 

“I Love U In Me” has Prince crunching down through the gears to low, the band all but disappearing for the opening stanzas of the song. They emerge slowly through the gloom, adding a bright note to Prince’s delicate and low-hung vocals. The precise guitar break that Prince layers the song with comes as a real treat, it conveys far more than his vocals could express and becomes a shining moment at the heart of the song. The audience can be heard, but it adds to the moment of poignancy, and I temporarily forget that this is an audience recording as the song becomes all-enveloping. 

The jewel in the crown is a sample-heavy, infectious performance of “Return Of The Bump Squad.” It is rambunctious and incisive, the heavy funk of the NPG neatly popped with humorous and political samples. The band bulldozer through the performance, and just like “Days Of Wild” on the best nights, it crushes all in its path with a groove that overloads the system and leaves one spinning and grinning with enjoyment. This performance would make any one of my numerous “Greatest” compilations, it is one of the greatest when it comes to funk songs of the 1990s. 

 

Although it doesn’t climb the same heady heights as “Return Of The Bump Squad,” “Get Wild,” does stay with the heavy funk of the evening. To my ears, the quality of the recording drops ever so slightly at this point, but it doesn’t in any detract from the enjoyment of the performance as the band ends the concert with the type of loose jam they excelled at. It isn’t the most challenging part of the show, but there is no denying the sheer enjoyment factor that can be heard in the recording, and as a record of the NPG at the time it is the perfect summation of all their skills and abilities, and the style of music that they produced at will. 

All in all, an outstanding gig. Don’t be fooled by its length, the performance of “Return Of The Bump Squad” is absolutely devastating, and coupled with the other treats in the setlist, along with the pristine and crystalline recording, this is a show that is worthy of lavish praise and attention. There is a couple of bootlegs in the ether that cover this particular show, my recommendation would be the 4DF release -they have gone to some lengths to clean up the sound. This show was so good that I feel completely enthused for all things 1995, and in the next few weeks I will be taking a listen to other shows of the era and will hopefully unearth other similar lost treasures. 

Join me again next week as Prince continues to shower us in Gold.

Dublin 31 March 1995 (am)

 In many ways, I and my brother are complete opposites. Like most boys, when growing up we would fight constantly, sometimes coming to blows. Nowadays it is the complete opposite and I consider him to be my best friend. During our teenage years, we are different tastes in music, and we would often make mixtapes for each other trying to promote ‘our’ type of music respectively. I would often get tapes from him full of Metallica and AC/DC and in return, I would give him tapes with bands like The Cure, The Pixies, and Sonic Youth. Sometimes I would throw a Prince song on there, but it would have to be a heavy guitar-driven song to have him listen. The only music we agreed on when we were 15 years old was U2. The only time we wouldn’t squabble about who’s turn it was to use the stereo would be when one of us would play U2, it’s something we could both agree was good. This brings me to today’s show, a Prince after show from 1995 which has Bono himself singing the opening song. My brother sometimes admitted liking “The Cross,” you would think having Bono singing it as the first song would be enough for him to give the show a try. Unfortunately, the quality isn’t fantastic, and I’m not sure I could convince him to give it a try. On the other hand, I am very interested to give this a close listen, it does have some great songs from this period and it will be a nice change from a lot of the shows I have listened to recently. So I will be listening to this one with my teenage ears for me and my brother. 

31 March 1995 (am)  The Pod, Dublin 

“The Cross” is the first song we hear at the show, straight out of the box. I like it despite the rough recording. The music is delicate and alluring, and I quite like the audience noise, it lends it a certain ambiance. It is a novelty to hear Bono singing the song, but to be honest novelty value isn’t enough. Sure his singing is fine, and the song is appropriate for his style, but he doesn’t have the same depth of feeling in it as Prince does. Bono does make up some lyrics, as is his way, and as much as I admire his ability to do so I find it doesn’t add any extra value to the song. Much more noteworthy is Prince's guitar playing, and as the song increases in intensity Prince can be heard playing. It is unfortunate that as the song is increasing in intensity the recording is going the other way and becomes thin and muddy. I find myself turning it up loudly to try and catch the sound of Prince and even that is not enough. 

 

Bono departs and we get the Prince show we have been waiting for. Firstly, the briefest of “People Get Ready” (a couple of lines) and then “The Jam.” I sometimes lose interest in “The Jam,” I have heard it too often, but this time is different as it is much shorter, and the band doesn’t overplay their parts. Michael B gets a chant, and a few moments, and then Prince engages in some fretwork that quickly brings us to the next song. It’s brief, I don’t know why, but it works for me. 

We stay on a Larry Graham trip as the band groove on “I Believe In You.” That nice steady bass line and keyboard wheeze give plenty for Prince to play over. I’m not overly fond of the singing, the playing is what it is all about for me, especially the bass and guitar. Like the previous song, it’s kept relatively short (by after-show standards) and is a good song to get the crowd moving. 

“Glam Slam Boogie” ups the stakes, and over the up-tempo groove Prince plays the best guitar of the night so far. Not scorching searing solos, but a fast loose guitar that gets me excited to hear what comes next. What does come next is some crowd singing as the band swings into their work. I get a lot of pleasure out of the keyboard as it plays and I know for certain that had I been there I would be dancing my ass off. My brother would have been looking for the nearest exit. Prince tries to reclaim the song late in the piece, firstly calling to the crowd “What you singing for, I didn’t give you the cue” and then laying down some guitar work. 

The recording, although far from perfect, has improved considerably by this point, and “Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine” sounds nice and funky to my ears (well, my right ear anyway) The song doesn’t contain any surprises, I don’t need them as it’s always a pleasure to hear Prince sing “get on up” as the band gets tighter and tighter behind him. This is a great band, the more I hear them the more I appreciate them. I have been listening to them for years now, and I never get tired of this group of musicians, they are one of the best Prince bands. 

 

The bass that starts “Funky Design” has that feel to it that I love so much, it’s a shame the recording is below par. The introduction has me hooked from the start, and it’s even better as I know what’s coming. Prince spits and spins the lyrics in fine style, he sounds as if he is in the moment, and the band slithers and swirls around him. The keyboard in particular has a wonderful nasty sound, and again I don’t want to belabor the point, but it is let down by the quality of the recording. All is forgiven as Prince lifts the intensity levels and his vocals in the latter part of the song are particularly impassioned. This band always does keyboards well, and there is plenty to love in the last few minutes, and after ten minutes I am still wanting more. 

Things slow down for the first time in the evening as “Johnny” is the next song played. I always enjoy “Johnny,” the feeling is casual and it has an easy groove to it. The keyboard is once again to the fore and the hero of the song, along with my enthusiastic singing. Prince doesn’t sing much, it’s mostly a band groove, and I more than makeup for him. 

“Feel Good” is a close relative of “Johnny” and it slips easily into its groove straight after. The song isn’t too taxing, a verse, then the crowd chants the chorus and before I know it, it’s over and Prince delivers a pop hit. 

I am slightly surprised to hear “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” next, I would not have thought of it as after-show fodder. That said, I do like it in this context and it does feel on another level from everything else in the evening. It has a brighter sound and I can feel it lifting my spirits as the band play. It’s not as bass and groove-heavy as the other songs, yet I notice the keyboards still have a strong and most welcome presence. A surprising inclusion, it shows another side of Prince that I sometimes forget as I immerse myself in after shows from this era. 

 

“18 And Over” is the one song of the night that I fall in love with right from the start. It should be a guilty pleasure, but I don’t care who knows it, this is the one. Dodgy lyrics aside, it has a seductive groove, and some snaky keyboards that swirl like smoke rings and leave me with that late-night feel. I don’t feel the least bit self-conscious singing “18 and over, I want to bone ya” even though as I type it I realize how ridiculous it sounds. Prince makes a point of highlighting his “bone-ranger” line, on another night I might cringe, but today I am just enjoying it too much. 

I am happy to say that “(Lemme See Your Body) Get Loose!” maintains this funky standard, and features extra percussion from James ‘McGoo’ Gregor. It doesn’t start great, things pick up as the song goes on, and the band gets funkier sounding to me, especially that ever-present keyboard. Bustin Loose is a nice fit as a coda, there is lots of keyboard and bass to get me grooving along. This part of the show feels like a proper after-show with plenty of band and audience having a good time, no longer a series of songs but rather a great groove to move to. 

The best is yet to come, as we get a “Santana medley.” I always like these and this one is no exception. Prince's guitar sounds just right and one can hear how much he has studied Santana. The recording is too quiet for my ears, but I can still hear Prince playing with great gusto. He does pull back and let the keyboards add some lightness to the proceedings, the guitar groove is never from away though and you can hear Prince chugging away in the background before he comes to the fore again for a further solo. The next solo is the show stopper for me, I have heard it before and I find it timeless. 

 

Typically, Prince finishes the show “with a ballad” – “Get Wild.” Normally I highly rate “Get Wild,” in this case I think it’s lacking due to the recording levels, it never reaches the brain-crushing intensity that I anticipate. The song has a feeling of finality as Prince plays with the crowd and the groove for the last night. There is the expected call and response, and plenty of jumping as the band hit their straps. Fittingly it’s the keyboard riff I can hear most as the song plays, the keyboards have been outstanding all night long. The show ends with a last hurrah from the drummer and an enthusiastic “thank you” from Prince. 

This show in the scheme of things hangs in the balance. It was a good show, a great performance, and the novelty factor of having Bono guest on the first song. On the negative side, the recording didn’t do it justice. That is no slight against the taper, I am eternally grateful to anyone who dares to record a show like this for all of us to enjoy, however, the sound doesn’t serve the band well, and there are key moments and performances that I don’t hear in their full glory. This is one show that I know as a super fan I will come back to again, especially as 1994/1995 always fascinates me, I just don’t think this is the one to convince my brother though. 

Amsterdam 26 March 1995 (am)

 I don’t know what it is in the water in the Netherlands, but to me, it seems the Dutch are the maddest music fans in the world. And I am not just talking Prince here, almost any band or musician I follow, there seems to be a legion of Dutch fans following. They are all very knowledgeable and passionate, and that is further emphasized in the gig that I am listening to today. An after-show at Paradiso, Amsterdam from 1995, this is one show I would have loved to have been at. Sure, I feel that about many shows I listen to, but this one, in particular, strikes a chord with me. The crowd is very much part of the show, and listening to it I get the sense that the audience understands exactly what Prince is about at this time, and supports him all the way. The setlist, crowd, and performance are all excellent, the only item missing from my checklist is that sadly this is an audience recording- I would have loved for this to be a soundboard, but I am grateful that it even exists. As soon as I finish the time machine in the garage this is where I am heading, but until then listening to this recording is as good as it gets. 

March 26, 1995, Paradiso Amsterdam 

I did warn you the crowd is very much part of this one, and right from the start, we have them singing the “ow we ow” chant. It ends soon enough as the gentle chords of “People Get Ready” begin the show. It’s a smooth seductive sound and the soft “owww owwww” of Prince draws me right in. There is just a touch of organ underneath, and an audience-led handclap for accompaniment. It’s delicate, with the simple chords of the guitar over top, before Prince sings an opening couple of lines. And this is where it all comes to a sudden noisy stop, and the entire band jump in, and everything is turned to 11. 

 

First up we get “The Jam.” I have heard so many of these over the years, and I know exactly what to expect – Prince introducing the band and them each playing a part. Normally I have no feeling for it one way or another, but this one is excellent and has me very enthused. Although the recording is less than perfect, there is a nice squelching sound and some crisp guitar. Prince immediately gets the audience chanting “Prince is dead” and the agenda for the rest of the show is set. Mr. Hayes plays a full-sounding organ solo, predictably I think it’s much too short. Tommy Barbarella gets introduced on the piano and he also plays a nice funky electric break. Prince sounds very happy and confident, you can hear it in his voice. He introduces Mayte, I can’t hear much musically, but there is plenty of crowd noise. And speaking of the crowd, next we have them clapping a slightly more complicated beat than you might expect, but they do add to the fun of the evening. The audience is very passionate and loudly chants “Go Michael” as Michael B plays his break. There is very much a party and family feeling to this one. Last, but not least Prince gets to Sonny T, and his bass solo is even more electric sounding. The band melds together very tightly after this, and already I am ranking them as one of Prince's best bands. 

“Get Wild” follows close behind and has some nice chunky piano as it starts. The recording lets us down a little here, Prince’s voice sounds somewhat distant, but the organ and drum still sound strong. Mayte sings her piece, but to be honest I can’t make out what she is saying. There is a large cheer soon after, and I can’t even begin to guess what is happening. Things ease back somewhat after the chorus, and Prince leads the audience in “play that motherfucking bass” Again another chorus, and more cheering from the crowd. They are all over this recording like another band member. Mr. Hayes plays an organ break that swirls but still sounds as strong as could be. The song follows a similar format to the previous number, with each band member being called on to play a break. Prince encourages the audience with “We just come from London, are you as wild as them?” and then there is a brief short guitar shot from the man himself. There is a humorous moment as there is a chant of “Go Mayte, go Mayte” before Prince says “oh, you’ll just gonna run the show huh? I ain’t got nothing to do?” before he calls for Mayte to do her thing. It’s a cool moment and well received. Sonny T then proceeds to get wild himself, playing something that sounds like a whining animal. I promise it would have sounded great on a soundboard recording. The song ends with an “on the one”, before a short reprise with Michael B and the band closing it out. 

 

I find Prince’s choice to cover “Jailhouse Rock” an interesting one. After Elvis was dismissed by Public Enemy a few years earlier with “Elvis was a hero to most, but he didn’t mean shit to me” Prince’s cover seems oddly out of step with the mood of the times. Maybe he was staking a claim for the music and song himself, but it does place him outside the feelings on the street at that time. His cover itself is pretty decent, Prince does a nice rasp in his voice, and the guitars and band swing along behind, giving it a slight rockabilly edge that harkens back to some of his material in the early 80s. It’s not as much of a stretch as a cover as I may have first thought. It is only a couple of minutes long, so I don’t get too long to overthink it before a flurry of guitar leads us into the next song. 

“Zannalee” also has a swing to it, and this time the guitars are even louder with a buzz saw sound. I am not sure if the distortion is the guitar or the recording, but it doesn’t affect it too much. Again Prince’s vocal is lost a shade in the music, but the music is so good that that is irrelevant. As you might expect there is plenty of guitar work from Prince, and the band knows how to play with him, all in all, it’s a tight performance. 

This band is all about “The Undertaker.” Listening to this I understand what Prince and the NPG are trying to achieve. The song starts, but Prince delivers a speech about gun control, and then we get the song proper. The song begins with a quiet, but heavy sounding groove. The bass is sounding great, and some funky but light guitar brightens it. As Prince sings he has the audience tracking along with a sweet-sounding “Mercy” The song rumbles along in this way for some time, but it's never boring sounding. When Prince returns to sing about the undertaker I wonder which way the song will go, but very quickly it begins a long guitar solo. I can’t describe it here, but it's one I love. It’s not too fast, it’s long, and it’s got an excellent tone. I am caught off guard when the guitar solo ends and then the song a few seconds later. This is a great song that needs to be heard more often. 

 

The funk goes up several notches next when Prince hits us with “Funky Design.” This is one of Prince's heavy funk periods, and this song just oozes it. Prince does rap, but it’s not terrible. The bass and the keys create a great funk sound and it's this that I enjoy most. I get the feeling that this recording doesn’t do the song justice. The recording is average at best, but the song still manages to sound great. There is a great false end midsong, just as I was thinking it was over Prince comes back with an enthusiastic and passionate response. There is even a sizzling guitar break which never quite boils over but always hints at more. All in all, there is a lot of noise and fury, but sadly the sound is all mixed up on the recording, and I can’t quite hear all the pieces as clearly as I would like. The organ sounds strong as does the guitar, but Prince's vocals are a little distorted. 

The next song starts innocuously enough with the drumbeat and the crowd clapping along while chanting “Go Mayte” before Prince gets on the microphone with an “ooooowww pussy control” It's more laid back than on record and the intro is drawn out with some nice organ and rubbery sounding bass. Prince then stops to tell the crowd that the song is too nasty, before once again beginning the song again. As he raps his way through the verses he stays with the laid-back vibe, he is quite casual in his delivery. Even the chorus fails to raise any pulses. And this is in no way a criticism of the song, despite the recording limitations of the recording it’s still very enjoyable. The fun levels increase as the song goes along, and near the end of the song there is some great instrumentation and the crowd comes onboard with plenty of claps and singing. There is plenty of room for the organ to play a piece before Prince pulls it back with a call of “kick drum” and we get an excellent rhythm guitar break- just the sort of thing that I lap up. 

The kick drum comes at us again and Prince drives us into a brief instrumental, lead by the chant of “can’t get enough, of that funky stuff”. The action is once again up-tempo and funky as hell for this one. The piano comes to the fore with some great runs. I thought it was going to race through at this pace, but after a minute the band stops to give the crowd and few moments of chanting “can’t get enough of that funky stuff”. They come back to the song, this time with the guitar getting minute to play. It has a similar sound and style to the piano's break, and I am impressed with the band and its tightness. The instrumental runs for another couple of minutes, it’s fast-paced and has great playing. 

I hadn’t heard “Johnny” for a long time when I pulled out this recording. It’s better than I remember, the band plays slow but still has a nice swing to their sound. Once again there is no keeping the audience out of this one and there is a chant at the beginning of “N…P….G in the mother-fing house.” I love Prince's vocals, he sounds cheeky as he sings this, and it adds to the overall feeling of fun. There is a lot of personality throughout this show, and as I said before it gives me a good sense of what it would have been like to be there. The song takes in a nice organ break, followed by a mellow smoky guitar break before we return for some more keyboards. Nothing is hurried and the band sounds like they could play for days. Prince’s guitar playing is soulful and has just as much character as his singing in this song. The song ends with another keyboard solo, but it feels like it could have grooved along for hours like this. 

 

There is a pause in the music next as Prince takes his time to talk to the audience. He reminds them the new album Exodus is coming-out next week, then tells them Prince is dead, and the only ones who think he is alive are the record company. This leads to a very funny moment when the crowd breaks into a loud chant of “Fuck Warner bros”. It’s made even funnier to me by the fact that they chant it like this, rather than ‘Warner brothers’. Prince seems to take great delight in it too and asks the crowd if he could bring the president of Warner Bros next time so they can do that for him. 

“Endorphin Machine” begins with a rush, and there is no denying the energy of the guitar playing as Prince launches into it. The band plays behind with plenty of power and passion, and for the first time in the recording, I forget the quality of sound and lose myself completely in the song. I don’t often think of this band as being a rock outfit, but rock they certainly do here. After Tommy Barbarella's solo, we get a short guitar break from Prince, before the song drops a notch for his spoken break. The guitar and band are right on the money when they come back in and its intensity level carries us through the last minute of the song. An excellent performance of a keystone song of that period. 

There is plenty of guitar sound and noodling next before the Prince says “I’m hungry, is there any peaches in the house?’ There is another minute or so of talking as Prince brings a couple of audience members up on stage to dance. There is plenty of anticipation before the roar of Peach finally begins. As is expected this one is all Prince and his guitar. The opening verse is quickly dealt with and the guitar takes over. It sounds like a lot of fun, but again I am frustrated by the quality of the recording. Normally audience recordings don’t bother me too much, but this gig sounds so good I would love to hear it in better quality. The playing is fast and furious, but still, the crowd gets a moment to sing along. It’s not the funkiest of songs, but it does spectacularly close the show. The show ends, naturally enough, with the crowd chanting “ow we ow” 

As far as recordings go, this one isn’t the greatest. But if ever there was an after-show I wanted to be at, it would be this one. You can keep your Small Clubs and Le New Mornings, this is the one show from the last 30 years that I’d most want to be at. The setlist and playing are everything I could ask for, and I do get the sense that everyone in the building was on the same wavelength as Prince. Like I said at the start, as soon as my time machine is finished, this is where I’m heading.