Cologne 28 December 1998 (am)

 

After dabbling in Eye record releases for the past month, it is time to return to one of the most influential and well-known labels bootlegging Prince concerts and recordings -Sabotage records. Sabotage has a long record of quality bootlegs and is highly regarded in the Prince bootleg community. With a catalog that covers the full scope of Prince’s career, not every release of a winner, but they are mostly of high quality, especially compared to a lot of other labels trading Prince material.

The concert I am listening to today comes from late 1998 and is an after-show from Cologne, Germany. Although it is also released by Dreamline, I have chosen to listen to the Sabotage release, mostly for sentimental reasons. I can’t comment on any similarities or differences between the two, I simply don’t have the time now to listen to the concert twice, but the concert itself is outstanding, and I am sure either would be adequate for those wanting to hear it.

With Larry Graham, Cynthia Robinson, Jerry Martini, Morris Hayes, Mike Scott, and Candy Dulfer in the band there is plenty of funk firepower, and if this combination of musicians fails to get you moving then I suggest the problem lies with you, rather than the music. The setlist consists of the usual suspects appearing in the late 90s – “Everyday People”, “The Jam”, “One Of Us”, and “Days Of Wild.” One could make a case for familiarity breeds contempt, but the band plays with plenty of heart, making the show fresh, even if the music is well-known to all.

28th December 1998 (am), Live Music Hall, Cologne, Germany

I am raving and drooling from the very first moments as the band carves out an insistent groove that “Days Of Wild” rolls across. The song is a powerhouse, here even more so as the band lends their full weight to the groove, pushing the song across a sprawling twenty minutes. The groove is paramount and it takes some time for “Days Of Wild” to rise out of the tight groove the band is laying down. The band is so deep down in the groove that the song almost sounds like a jam of “3121” – I half expect any moment for Prince to tell me to take my pick from the Japanese robes and sandals. As “Days Of Wild” emerges from the groove it is both Candy Dulfer and Morris Hayes who add the most to the swirling mix of sounds, they drive the first part of the song before Prince’s guitar briefly cuts through the density of the music later. However, the song ends on a downer as Prince chastises the crowd for smoking and insinuates that they won’t play on until some puts out “them funny cigarettes”. Apart from this, it is an outstanding beginning to the bootleg, and one wonders how Prince could top this.

 

The band picks back up into “Days Of Wild” for a brief coda, before steamrolling the rhythm across an equally forceful “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin). It has the same feel and intensity as “Days OF Wild,” only lightened by the horn section playing sharp and incisive, cutting easily through the dark and dense swirl. It is Larry Graham that comes to the fore during this song, and he will stay at the center of things for the next few songs.

It is a short and sweet “You Can Sing It If You Try” that follows, coming as a deep breath after the crushing intensity of the first numbers. It may be short, but it is perfectly placed in the setlist and allows the crowd to draw a collective breath before the band continues.

All is forgiven in regards to the cigarette incident, as the band plays a humorous cover of “Ole Smokey.” With Larry Graham on lead vocals, it has a depth to it, which is offset by the gleaming horn section giving it some air. It is almost throw-away to my ears, but there is just enough going on in the background to keep me listening.

The Larry Graham show continues with “Hair.” Oh boy, this one has me gasping for air as the song opens with some fantastic bass work that is fast, funky, and freaking awesome. The song is full of band contributions, but it is Larry’s bass that holds me enraptured, usually, I lose interest without Prince on the microphone, but in this case, I am enthralled from the first moment to the last.

I can still barely breathe as “Love And Happiness” bounds into view. As Larry Graham leads the crowd through the lyrics, it is the rhythm section that has me squirming and shaking in my chair.  It is incredibly infectious, both uplifting and danceable at the same moment. I was wondering how they could top the opening “Days Of Wild” – well this could be it. The funk flows effortlessly, it is almost magical the effect the music has on my body as Larry Graham and Prince conjure up a potion that delivers for nigh on nine minutes. It is a swaggering performance that never wavers from the sweaty fervor unleashed by Larry Graham in the opening stanza, an electrifying jolt that moves my body, yet paralyzes my mind in its crushing beauty and immersive electric wonder.

WOW. I still haven’t recovered from “Love And Happiness.”

Give me a minute here.

PHEW!

There is time to recover as Prince and the band build slowly into “Oye Como Va.” There is the sense that Prince is preparing to cut loose, but in the first minutes, he steadily climbs aboard this musical horse from which he will later ride. The guitar whinnies and neighs beneath his hands, while Morris Hayes offers a carrot in the form of some dark, dense organ. However, the song stays at a steady trot, never breaking into a gallop as Prince keeps the music, and his spirited guitar, on a tight rein.

Prince lets the guitar do all his singing through “A Question Of U.” The opening stanza of guitar gives way to a free-flowing minute of molten rock spewing forth from Prince’s guitar. This is one of the shortest songs of the performance, but also one of the most guitar-heavy.

The funk returns as Larry Graham resumes his place in the lineup  for a performance of his “Groove On.” It is Mike Scott’s guitar that the funk slips and slides across, his guitar almost liquid in sound as it greases the blocks of heavier music moving around him. Prince’s lead guitar is the center of attention as burns in the light, but Mike is at the heart of the song, key to everything else happening around him. Candy’s late solo is made all the funkier by the grease under her.

This feeling is maintained through the easy “Joy And Pain” that comes seamlessly straight after. Little more than rhythm and chant, it has all I need at this point.

I am immediately reminded of “Everyday People” as Prince sings “Forever In My Life,” and I understand why as the band segues into “Everyday People.” It is a perfect match with the rhythm connecting the two seamlessly. Prince holds Larry Graham in high esteem, and usually defers to him throughout “Everyday People.” In this case, Prince is far more prominent and contributes heartily to the verses and chorus himself. The song becomes a celebration of the everyman, a mood that is brought into sharp focus by the audience joining Prince for chanting and singing in the final half of the song. The “aw aw” chant is irritating on the bootleg but the “everyday” chant is far more pleasant and representative of the show in general.

 

You would expect that with this band “Release Yourself,” would be another showcase for Larry Graham, Cynthia Robinson, Jerry Martini, or maybe even Prince himself. Yet it is Morris Hayes who provides a shimmering tension to the song with his keyboard bleeding through every level of the song. The song is awash with his signature sound as the song sails across his swells and waves of organ, while other times it is his melodic style that catches the sails of the song and propels it forward. The stage may hold some legendary performers but these ten minutes belong solely to Morris Hayes and his titanic talent.

Larry Graham picks up where Morris Hayes left off, with his vocals and bass taking us naturally enough into a deep and all-encompassing “The Jam.”  There is a connection to the previous “Release Yourself” with Mr. Hayes again prominent early on before the song spins out in all directions as each band member pulls it in their own direction. There are occasions where “The Jam”  is overly long and unfocused, and while this version is long it never once falters for energy or interest. Prince and the band sound sprightly, and the song skips along at a lively pace.

Prince brings his spirituality into the show late with a reverential cover of “One Of Us.” The religious message of the song seeps out of every pore, and nowhere more so than at the point where Prince’s guitar enters with a guttural choke before its fingers curl around the song, squeezing every drop of holy blood from the music. This is reinforced as Prince is at his evangelistic best late in the song with a homily and spiritual message for all in attendance. It is an inspiring moment, and even on the bootleg one can feel the power of the moment and his words. As a climax to the show, it is perfect, and the holy spirit lingers with me for some minutes after the song and concert finish.

It is easy to overlook this bootleg. 1998 is not held in high regard when it comes to Prince concerts, and on the surface, this release doesn’t seem to offer much. I must admit, I did have my doubts when I saw the cover art. But as the saying goes – “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” There is a great concert hiding behind this facade. The look and sound may not be classic Prince, but the performance is full of enjoyable moments and some wondrous musicianship. Sabotage usually delivers when it comes to bootlegs, and this is no exception with a fine concert and tidy release complementing each other. After listening to this show I am beginning to see 1998 in a new light and may have to dig deeper into some other performances of the era.

Utrecht 24 December 1998 (am)

 The best thing about writing this blog is rediscovering recordings I had completely overlooked and underappreciated in the past. This recording from an after-show in 1998 is just such a recording. I am sure I listened to it when I first got it, but since then I don’t think I have played it at all until I was reading an online forum where people were discussing Prince predicting 9/11.  Towards the end of this show, he did sing about Bin Laden and bombs, but he far from predicts any actual events. I was very curious when I read this, so I took this one out for a listen. I was further surprised and happy to hear that Lenny Kravitz plays with Prince here, and the show itself is great. I don’t know why it is, but the Dutch always seem to get great after-show gigs. Plenty of guests and covers make this a special show. 

24 December 1998, Tivoli, Utrecht 

I have read that Lenny Kravitz plays drums on the first three tracks, my ears aren’t good enough to tell if that’s true or not, but it does have that sort of vibe to it. It is confirmed at the end of the song when Prince can be heard saying “You know who that is on the drums?” The first song of the evening is “Cissy Strut.” It is a classic start to such a show, the band builds a groove up and then Candy begins to play all over it with her sax. It doesn’t grab me by my collar and shake me around, rather it lures me in slowly. Candy plays as you might expect, and although I enjoy it my interest level jumps up several notches when I hear Prince and his guitar play. He plays in a rather high tone here, it’s got a real whine to it. Again it’s good without grabbing me at any stage. The tone is set now for the rest of the song, and Morris Hayes follows with a swirling organ solo. No surprises here, and as yet the gig has failed to ignite. There is the feeling that the band is just warming up, and the real fireworks are still to come. 

The band then begins to play “Superstition,” and it's shaping up to be funky. However after some funky keys, Prince calls “wait a minute, we didn’t write that” and the band proceeds to play another cover. 

“Chameleon” is a cover of a Herbie Hancock song, and is led by the horns, and a funky bass line. It's reasonably loose sounding, and it’s a good song to groove along to here at home. There is nothing in the way of vocals, it’s mostly the sax and I can hear the heavy keys. There is an organ running underneath, which fills the sound nicely and stops it from becoming unbalanced. I enjoy Morris Hayes organ break the most, it snakes in and out and is excellent. This is followed by some enthusiastic chanting by the crowd of ‘Go Lenny, Go Lenny” but to be honest he fails to do much. 

 

Lenny is replaced by Kirk Johnson on the drums next, and the band plays “Asswoop.” It’s again a jam, with everyone taking a turn to solo. We once again get Candy Dulfer first, before Mike Scott takes a turn to play. His guitar sounds very sharp and has a high tone to it. He only plays for a minute, and I have a whole new appreciation for him. I already appreciate Morris Hayes, and his solo that follows is an excellent one. It’s a synth solo and sounds nice and spacey to me. He gets plenty of time to play too, and it gives him a chance to warm to the task. What follows next is a nice moment as Hans Dulfer plays a break, before Prince introduces Candy Dulfer again to play. Her playing has gone up a notch since the opening couple of songs, and she is very expressive on this one. 

My interest in the recording remains high as Prince calls “Y’all want some Larry Graham?” and they begin to groove on “The Undertaker.” It’s got a great heavy groove to it with Larry and his bass, and the funk levels go up when Mike Scott plays a funky rhythm break while the crowd chants “Go Larry, go Larry” It does sound like a fun night. Mike sticks on his funky loop for the rest of the song while some interesting-sounding keyboards and effects are played over the top. With a call of “B flat,” the music changes and suddenly lightens. Then begins to play Joy and Pain and the crowd joins in effortlessly. They fall silent as again the keyboard goes all spacey, but I love it. This song is a head bobber all the way through, and it’s impossible not to feel it as well as hear it. It pauses as it may finish, but the groove picks up again, and over the same groove Prince begins to sing “I Know You Got Soul.” There is a brief pause for the piano before the organ kicks it all off again, and Prince gets the crowd clapping along. These types of songs are impossible to write about, they need to be heard and felt, and words just don’t do them justice. Prince gives Larry Graham plenty of shine as he sings “Groove On,” and follows it with some of the bass playing he is renowned for. Indescribable, how I would have loved to have been there. Prince stops the band on a dime, and they pick up straight into Hair. 

The bass is right in my face straight out of the gate. Larry plays fast and funky and with a shout of “turn his mic up!” from Prince he begins to sing “Hair.” I have heard this a few times from Prince, this one is more enjoyable in that it’s played with more conviction and enthusiasm. It has certainly sounded better and cleaner, yet I like this one for its passion. Larry is in fine voice, and Morris Hayes's organ underneath is great. There is an energy level to it that was missing earlier in the show, and for me, the show goes from good to great at this point. 

 

The show doesn’t let up as they next play Al Green’s “Love and Happiness.” Larry sings, and the song bounces along nicely. The audience gets a chance to sing along, and they are very vocal indeed. The bounce continues as the keyboards and horns play off each other. I think that is probably my favorite song played at the show, it’s got a timeless sound to it, and it’s something I will come back to again and again. It has Mike Scott playing a guitar solo encouraged by Larry Graham before a heavy groove carries us through to the end. 

I was surprised when I heard what came next, I should have expected it, yet when I heard Prince playing “Are You Gonna Go My Way” on the piano I was caught completely off guard. This is just the sort of thing I love, a well-known song played in a completely different way. The main guitar riff is played on a piano, and Lenny Kravitz joins the band again to sing his song. It sounds tight, and Lenny doesn’t sound as loose and wild as he does on the original recording. He sings in a classic rock style, but underneath the band is swinging. The guitar solo is replaced by an excellent sax solo by Candy, and it's every bit as good as the original guitar solo. The organ drives it home later in the song as an appreciative crowd claps along to the end. A great rock n roll moment in the gig. 

Prince follows this by calling to Larry to “give us The Jam”. There is a feeling of anticipation as the music builds before “The Jam” begins. It is as we have heard plenty of times over these years- Prince calling to each band member as they take their turn to solo. There is plenty of keyboard sounds all over it, but it's Mike Scott’s playing that I like the most. Larry Graham, too, is well worth the listen. At times I do feel I have heard this all before, but it’s still a lot of fun. 

After a good few minutes of cheers and clapping from the crowd the music resumes with an organ solo from Morris Hayes. It’s short and serves well as an introduction to what comes next. It’s listed as an “organ solo,” but a solo organ would be more descriptive. The notes draw out before the drums join and we start the next part of the show. 

“Mad” receives a rousing cheer from the crowd as it is played. I didn’t expect to hear this one, but I am very pleased to hear it gets an airing. The star of this for me is the guitar, it’s not right in front, but it does play some very funky riffs. The song itself isn’t quite as I remember from the recording, it’s a lot busier. Prince sings his lines in a far more relaxed manner, and the song sounds much lighter and more fun than it does in the original. I feel a little ripped off when it suddenly stops and the band segues into an instrumental of “I Want To Take You Higher.” 

“I Want To Take You Higher” is incredibly laid back, and short. It’s very much got a summer feel to it, and the crowd can be heard merrily clapping along to it. 

 

There is another quick change and the mood and tempo shift as Prince sings the “oooh oooh oh” of “Days Of Wild.” The bass builds behind him as the crowd joins him in the chant. This song is always killer, and here is no different. It opens with the chanting as the sax begins to play. The ominous sound of the bass builds, but it is undercut by a lighter sounding guitar, and when the organ joins it too has a lighter touch to it. The band sounds good, and I am left disappointed when Prince wraps it up after all that build-up and no more. 

With this band, it’s no surprise that “Days Of Wild” becomes “Thank You (falettinme be mice elf again).” You can still hear the bass and swirling organ of “Days of Wild,” but Prince enthusiastically sings Sly’s song. Prince throws in a few random lyrics, and I barely notice as I nod my head and let the music carry me. The song slows near the end as the main refrain is sung, and it ends soon after. 

“Forever In My Life?” I never saw that coming. It’s played with the full band, and like a few of the other songs here it has a good swing to it. The crowd sings along with Prince and it has a very relaxed feeling to the whole show. This is fun to hear but is far from my favorite rendition of this song. It’s only a minute and a half, and a nice lead into “Everyday People.” 

“Everyday People” is just as loved by the crowd and I can again hear them singing throughout. The first half of the song is as you might expect, with plenty of Larry, and the crowd. In the second half, the guitar can be heard strumming as the organ and horns increase in intensity. I prefer this part of the song as it becomes looser, yet the groove tightens. The horns play some nice stabs, while the guitar and piano play in and out. 

With a call of “Bring it down, just the drums” Prince begins to play some rhythm guitar which drives the groove home just right. It loops over and over and I could listen to it all night long. The organ comes on board and then pulls out again as the guitar continues on and on. The track is listed as ‘Guitar Jam’ and that is exactly what we get- it's rhythm guitar overload, and is just fabulous. Other pieces come and go, but the guitar is constant, and a joy to listen to. It was a real shame when it finally came to an end. 

There is another break next, and then after much noise from the crowd Prince returns with a proper Rock God guitar break. Playing alone he pulls a few tricks out of his guitar playing bag as he solos for a couple of minutes. Without a song or emotional center, I find it aimless and empty, there is a feeling that it’s just playing for the sake of playing. It is however to be admired and I do enjoy it for his skills. 

 

The guitar playing in the “Santana medley” that comes next is what I love the most, and is far more enjoyable. I always enjoy the Santana medley, I like how Morris Hayes gets to add his sound to the mix, as well as the fun of Princes soloing. This one, in particular, has a nice feel to it, I think being in a smaller venue adds to the enjoyment as well as the live sound of it. I can’t pinpoint what I like most in the mix for this one, to be honest, I just liked all of it, and just sat back and soaked it all in. The rumble in the second part of the song as Candy plays is a nice touch, and it’s always good to have her as a counterpoint against all the guitar work in this song. Things ease off later in the song, and it gives it just enough room to breathe. 

The steady beat and guitar line of “The Question Of U” follows, and it sounds crisp and sharp. Prince doesn’t sing, instead, his guitar does all his talking for him. The crowd obliges by clapping out the rhythm as he plays. The solo is pretty standard for “The Question Of U,” which is great, but there aren’t any surprises of twists and turns. 

The next twist comes as the squeal of “Gett Off” is heard before the guitar plays the main refrain. For a while, nothing seems to be happening as the main beat plays with occasional guitar riffs interspersed, but then the crowd begins to chant and the main lead line is played with the full band and Prince begins to sing. The crowd sings the chorus for him, and he only sings one verse and plays the guitar line again before taking a solo. 

The sound strips back again as Prince takes up the opening riff of “When You Were Mine”. It sounds like pure pop joy and is very easy to listen to. After some of the long jams, here it’s almost throw-away, and yet its well-crafted pop is more than welcome here. Instead of the final guitar break, we have Candy playing her sax again, and it’s a lot of fun to hear her on this song. 

The next song begins with Prince telling the crowd he has to go home “to America, get ready for the bomb’ before he begins to sing “Osama bin Laden getting ready to bomb”. He sings this several times, of course, he has no idea how things will play out in the future, but it is interesting to hear that he is aware of what is already happening in the world. He sings this several times for the first few minutes of the song- telling the crowd “that’s the new groove” He even sings “Osama bin Laden gettin ready to bomb, 2001”. He is of course dropping the song title “That’ll Work (2001),” rather than predicting the future. Most of the song is call-and-response with the crowd and a steady groove that has another funky guitar line. The song ends with the wail of a siren, and the show ends at this point. 

 

I really should pay more attention to some of the recordings I have. It’s a shame that I haven’t played this one more over the years, it was full of pleasant surprises. I enjoyed Lenny Kravitz far more here than I did at the Rave 2000 show, he fitted in much better with what was going on at this show. I also found Larry Graham enjoyable here and appreciated what he bought to the table. All in all a very fun show, and another one I will leave out for a while so I can give it a few more spins. 

Detroit 24 October 1998

 One thing that has struck me as I listen to these concerts out of Detroit is how Prince never stopped evolving throughout his career. I had previously lumped his late 1990s material together, but now as I revisit them I realize that he was still going through rapid changes. This week I am listening to his Detroit concert from the New Power Soul Festival, just 18 months on from the 1997  Love 4 One Another concert  I wrote of last week. The set-list contains some of the same material, but also a lot more cover versions, as well as some songs from the Newpower Soul album. It makes for an intriguing mix, and with a run time over two hours (three and a half if you listen to the full bootleg that also covers Larry Graham’s and Chaka Khan’s sets), there is plenty to digest. 

24th October 1998, Joe Louis Arena, Detroit 

This blog covers all types of recordings, so it should come as no surprise to know that again this week we are listening to an audience recording. This makes “Push It Up” the standard by which the rest of the recording lives up to, and with a bass-heavy sound and audience noise, we know where we stand. The audience is hyped from the start by Doug E Fresh letting us know who we’re here to see – “N…P..G.” It very much has the sound of a party rather than a concert, and this doesn’t help Prince's vocals and rap when he hits the stage, the party overwhelms his performance in the first moments. “Jam Of The Year” is stronger as it comes tacked onto the rear end of the opening jam, and is far more representative of the sound for the rest of the gig. 1997 also saw a similar start with a new song, but here Prince is pushing the jam further into new vistas and the audience along with it as he challenges expectations, and himself. 

“Talkin’ Loud And Sayin’ Nothing” keeps up a relentless pace, and although it doesn’t possess the best sound the bass remains to the fore, propelling the listener and the concert forward with driven energy. Prince taking flight on the piano adds to the kinetic energy and gives the song further life as he evolves it through several changes. I could do without the stops and starts he throws in, but I can’t deny that when he is funking he is funking. The final minutes are unconvincing however with Doug E Fresh failing to give us anything extra and the rest of the jam falling flat. In a song that could have been colossal, instead, Prince pulls his punches making it an uncompelling few minutes. 

 

Doug E Fresh stays to the front of our minds as he raps over “Flash Light” before giving us a fleshed-out “La-Di-Da-Di.” Fifteen years early this would have blown my little teenage mind, but in 1998 it feels like they have missed the boat, and although I enjoy it well enough it doesn’t feel like a great fit for the concert. In comparison to the concert of 18 months ago, this opening stanza is crumbling under the weight of Prince’s high standards. 

The focus returns to Prince with a short, sharp rendition of “Let’s Work,” which reminds us that Prince has his style of funk and doesn’t need to ride on the coattails of Larry Graham. My infatuation with Prince’s 1980s oeuvre colors this brighter than perhaps it deserves as Prince draws from his toolbox of Minneapolis funk and connects the song back to my teenage memories.  The concert changes direction at this point and the next few songs remain firmly with Prince and his 1980s output. 

“Delirious” is equally sprightly and lightens the recording considerably, especially with its bouncing piano line. There aren’t a lot of vocals, and the song is carried along by the oily guitar line that later ignites into a molten solo that has me temporarily forgetting about the quirkiness of “Delirious” 

This of course raises hopes that “Purple Rain” will be similarly adorned with a snarling solo, and things look promising with an opening passage that has the chords hanging with emotion. Prince’s talk to the crowd is largely incomprehensible (at least to me) but the music remains in focus as it washes back and forth behind his speech. The verses remain in the same form as his opening speech, but I hear him loud and clear for the chorus, and the all-important guitar solo is the most powerful bit of the recording as Prince burns magnesium bright in the last minutes, scorching the recording with his guitar bearing its teeth in quiet fury for the most unforgettable part of a concert that until this point has been relatively flat. 

The final howl of “Purple Rain” fades into the opening strains of “Little Red Corvette.” It loses some of its emotional baggage as it is a little quick, and the recording is slightly muddy, but Prince is playing with the opening, adding his simple yet effective guitar work to the introduction. The song is kept short, the intro making up the first minute, while the second minute is just enough time for Prince to punch out a verse, a chorus, and the quicksilver solo. 

 

“I Would Die 4 U,” gets the same treatment, the bare bones of the song are presented just enough to inflame the crowd, but not to the point of giving us the full song. The second half of the song is loaded with “Jin-Go-Lo-Ba” and “Get Yo Groove On,” both of which echo in the cavernous sound of the recording and arena. 

The next portion of the concert sees Prince playing lengthy versions, and the concert gains a lot more intensity at this point. First comes “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man,” front-end loaded with some revving guitar noise that powers the song for the next few minutes. The vocals cannot be made out well, but my ears are straining for that glorious guitar noise, and Prince delivers with an energetic and vitalized performance. The music quietens for a breakdown, and I wait patiently for Prince to reenter the fray, but the music never returns to its previous heights, and instead, we enter Prince’s spoken introduction to “The Christ” 

I can’t make out most of Prince’s speech, but it is loaded with his beliefs at the time. I’m not sure how it’s going over with the audience, but they are certainly very quiet at this point in the show. It’s a brave move by Prince, and one I admire him for, but as a listening experience on a bootleg it is beyond me and I find myself counting the minutes until the music starts again. “The Christ” has a run time of seven minutes, but the first three and a half minutes are given over to Prince’s speech, making the rest of the song barely the same amount of time. With the quality of the recording, it is only the final triumphant minute that sounds great, the rest of it suffering from a lack of energy that is sapped by the recording. 

An intense canopy of mystical sounds hangs over the introduction of “The One,” and this permeates through the rest of the song, making for one of the most interesting parts of the concert. On a better recording, this would be magical, and even on a recording as poor as this one can hear the spell Prince is weaving on stage. Eight minutes is not long enough to contain all the mists of emotions that spread through the recording, and as it finishes I am disappointed that it feels all too short, as well as lamenting again the quality of the bootleg. 

The next section is messy to listen to as Doug E Fresh returns to hype the crowd for “Courting Time” It takes some time for the song to properly start (almost four minutes in fact) and it is a relief when it does finally start with a chorus and verse to sing along with. Doug E Fresh can still be heard hyping the crowd, but with Prince on the microphone it becomes far more balanced, and a better listen than I anticipated based on the opening. 

 

“Do Me, Baby” is the last of these songs to get the full treatment, and despite the ups and downs of this concert, it still settles into its own velvety groove. It is an immersive experience as Prince dwells on the introduction, giving us plenty of time to soak in the red-light glow of one of his sexiest songs. One may not be able to understand every word that Prince sings, but there is no doubting the intent as Prince loads his vocal performance with the syrupy come-on that he is so famous for. It compares well to the same version he played on the previous tour, and again he brings some of his other seduction pieces into the song, but there is no need as “Do Me Baby ” is all we need – all day, every day. 

The screams of pleasure from the audience continue into “If I Was Your Girlfriend.” The beat is excellent here, even if I can’t hear it 100%, and it’s just as well as Prince’s vocal remains dirtied by the recording. I am happy enough with the performance in this case, but I remain frustrated by the recording. I don’t have too long to suffer through, and the final stabs are easily the strongest moments of the song. 

I am initially skeptical in regards to how the piano set might fare with a recording such as this, but it is robust, and the lack of instrumentation works in its favor. We can never quite shake the Detroit crowd, however, and they are intoxicated by the moment, especially the first minute of the song, but Prince’s work on the keyboard is strong and stands as a steel core to the songs he is playing. “Adore” is all too brief, but “The Ballad Of Dorothy Park” finds the sweet spot, and the tone and mood of the performance are perfectly pitched, the downbeat recording working to its favor again. 

I am surprised by just how fresh “Venus De Milo” comes across in this context, it has a brightness that lifts it far above the heavier sound of the tape. Paired with “Diamonds and Pearls” it becomes a glistening center to this piano interlude, a shining bright spot a the heart of what otherwise is a dense and heavy concert. 

The return to “Adore” rounds out the first half of the piano set in fine style, it doesn’t burn as bright as the previous couple of songs, but it has all the heart and emotion that one might expect, and the crowds' familiarity and expectation make Prince’s job a whole lot easier. 

As one might expect, “The Beautiful Ones” has the warmest of welcomes from the crowd, and Prince dwells on his previous glories with an abridged version that does just enough to keep the crowd satisfied. It would be nice to have the full version, but what we have here ticks all the boxes, and is a highlights package that appeases most fans. 

The loudest crowd noise on the recording comes with the opening keyboard hook of “Darling Nikki” The screams and cheers are prolonged, and loud, as Prince pauses and goads the audience to further ecstatic heights. It’s not great on the bootleg, but I get a sense of the fan's excitement to hear the song again, and I am relieved that after a couple of minutes of this frenzy Prince finally plays enough of the song that the crowd can sing a single verse. 

By 1998 Prince had well and truly reclaimed “Nothing Compares 2 U” and the audience's reaction to its appearance at this concert is just as intense as their reaction to any Prince classic. The band has returned at this stage, and asides from Prince’s vocals it is the organ swirling in thickening streams of gospel, the heartbeat of the drums, along with Prince’s carefully crafted guitar break that mark this is a great performance, even if it is diluted by the quality of the tape. 

The joyous ending of “Nothing Compares 2 U’ is matched by the equally uplifting “Take Me With U,” and “Raspberry Beret” double shot. While I am not particularly enamored by either, I do find the transition gives me life as my heart lifts for a second in its easy optimism. 

 

The encore takes some time to begin, and when it does it is with a bare drum beat and guitar line that hints at a long jam to follow. What does follow is the promised long jam, the audience chanting us into the first minute before the music opens up into “(I Like) Funky Music” featuring, of course, Larry Graham. There is a keyboard section early on that brings to mind “The War,” but this thought slips away as the band takes on a far more funk-infused performance. There is no surprise at all as Prince leads the crowd through the chant “I like funky music” at several points throughout the song, even as it stretches out beyond the ten-minute mark. The great attraction for me in this song is the interplay between Larry Graham and Prince as they weave around each other building the funk organically from the ground up. It is a master class, an aural lesson on the power of the bass in the hands of two of the greats. 

“Baby I’m A Star” sends us barreling towards a finish, although it feels too slick after the previous minutes of bass workout. It is merely the entrance to a final “1999” that carries the concert through to its conclusion. To my ears, it only highlights how far Prince had come in his career to this point, and in comparison to the music he was producing at the time it feels almost teenage in its pop sparkle and energy. It’s a welcome addition to the set, a nod to those in the audience that has followed Prince thus far, but at the same time, it is a disjointed fit to the rest of the set. Prince’s final comment in regards to Newpower Soul and Love 4 One Another brings us back to 1998 and returns us to where we started – 24th October 1998. 

The guest appearances and Purple Rain songs are unnecessary, at the heart of this concert lies some great music, and even if Prince’s vision wasn’t as bold as it had previously been there are still new flavors and textures here to enjoy. Propelled by the buoyant Detroit crowd, this poor recording is as good a place as any to dip into the Newpower Soul era.  There are better concerts in circulation, and this one serves as merely a teaser for those that want to dig further. It may not be to everyone’s taste, but for those that were there, it is a timely reminder that Prince was still a force to be reckoned with in the late 1990s. 

Copenhagen 29 August 1998 (am)

 It’s very easy for me to overlook certain years, such as 1998. Why would I pick something from 1998 when there are so many gems from the 1980s and early 1990s to choose from. 1998 hardly seems like the most exciting year of Prince’s career, yet recently I have been thinking about these shows and finding there are interesting moments that I have an urge to hear. Today I am listening to an aftershow from 1998 where Violet The Organ Grinder is played. That’s enough of a hook to lure me in, and I am further intrigued by some of the other songs played as well. Perhaps not my favorite band of all time, but there are enough key players there for me to have my hopes up for another great aftershow. 

19th August, 1998(am) Vega Mussikens Hus, Copenhagen 

I am liking it already as Prince lays the groundwork with some mellow organ as a guitar and bass flicker in the background. It is just a warm-up, yet I find it an easy way into the recording before we start properly. 

The warm positive feelings stay with us as the band begin to jam from the start. The instrumental is smooth and cool and has a groove that is effortless in its cool. There is a very intimate feel as the band is introduced and a sense that we are building to something greater with the yell of  “and we got the man, we got the man!” as an introduction to Prince. The groove is locked tight with the bass, guitar, and organ playing as one, in a way that only Prince and his band do. It grooves and rolls and is a fine introduction for the evening. 

 

“Johnny” is fantastic, a laid-back jam that is almost trance-like. The guitar and organ play around each other in a delightful groove that is dripping. The lead guitar breaks things up without overplaying and we stay with the summer vibe of it all. Prince sings, and the mood stays the same, his vocals staying with the laid-back sound. There’s only a verse and a chorus, but it hardly matters when the groove is this delicious. We have twelve minutes to wallow in this sound and to be honest I could have easily eaten up another twelve minutes’ worth of the same. There’s even a sax solo near the end to liven things up which is a nice exclamation mark on the whole song. 

The transition to “Thank You For Talkin’ To Me Africa” is every bit as smooth as you might expect, and for the first time this evening we can hear Larry Graham. What captures my attention though is the saxophone again, Tony Morris is adding a lot to this show, and it lifts it from the slow heavy groove to something brighter and it demands closer listening. The other instrument that features prominently in this song is the heavy swirling sound of Morris Hayes on the organ. The song becomes a very quiet sing-along with just the faintest hint of keys and guitar as the crowd carries the song for a couple of minutes. I do like this part of the song just as much as anything else we have heard thus far, and the band work themselves steadily back to the groove for a finish in a way that sounds pretty cool to me. 

 

“The Jam” fails to fire my enthusiasm at first, there doesn’t seem to be anything new in there for me. Of course, I always enjoy Mr. Hayes's contribution, and tonight it’s when Mike Scott comes to the party with a guitar solo that has me sitting up and taking notice. It’s short, and for the half-minute, it plays he has all my attention. Likewise, the sax solo has a touch of fire that has me interested, although it too is short and sweet. Mentally I tune out as Larry plays, no offense to Larry, but I have heard him for many years now and tonight he doesn’t bring anything new to the table. 

The following jam is of more interest to me and has a few different things in the mix. The steady groove is still firmly in place and sounds almost shuffling at times. As the music moves up and down we have Prince singing “Push It Up” before the song becomes an all-inclusive singalong. Usually, these don’t sound great on recordings, tonight I am feeling in the moment and happily listen to it and trying to imagine what it was like to be there. “Come On,” and “Acknowledge Me” are also in the jam in various forms, and the whole thing works as an evolving, tumbling jam. 

 

The change to “Gett Off” is subtle, and I almost miss it. The lyrics suddenly come at me, and although the music is a soft jam there is no mistaking the words and Prince’s delivery. The organ swells behind him, and we are a million miles from the Diamonds and Pearls version. The key hook is absent, instead, we have Mr. Hayes filling the spaces with his heaving organ. The hook finally appears, but only just as we swing into a jazzy “Violet The Organ Grinder.” 

It is jazzy sounding, with Prince scatting against a jazzy-toned guitar. Some noodling by Mr. Hayes adds to this feeling, and when Prince does sing “Violet The Organ Grinder” it’s with a croon that completely throws me. That’s not to say I don’t like it, I love it, it’s just not what I expected right now, which is exactly why I love listening to these shows and I never tire of listening to Prince and his bands. Prince playfully returns to his scat for the last couple of minutes of the song but returns to singing just as the scat was coming dangerously close to outstaying its welcome. 

After a lengthy break, the music and funk return with a long jam. It’s much faster than before but not as heavy sounding. The instruments play quickly and light and it does sound quite different from earlier jams, especially with a choppy guitar sound. There is the obligatory “I like funky music” chant, yet it’s all about the music and is a mostly instrumental jam. I am surprised to hear the lead guitar sound fire up, and Prince does give us a brief solo before the song becomes “Release Yourself” with a chant and singing to match. Although it goes for some time, it doesn’t reach any great heights, and it’s only a brief burst of guitar that sparks a flicker of interest in me. The rest of the jam is fine, but compared to the rest of the show it is a comedown. 

 

The show ends at this point and I am left to gather my thoughts. The show encapsulates everything I dislike and like about this period. There are some great moments and overall you can’t really fault the show and yet at the same time, something is missing, a fire, a passion, or an excitement. I get the feeling that Prince is comfortable and playing well within himself. I do like the song choices and the different arrangements keep me interested, it’s just enough to keep me coming back for more. For me this is an enjoyable ‘middle of the road’ show that is well recorded, I would happily listen to it without ever feeling the need to recommend it to anyone. 

Rotterdam 12 August 1998 (am)

 

In retrospect, I was perhaps a little harsh on last week’s show I listened to. It was a perfectly serviceable show from 1998, and it certainly had its merits, even if I didn’t fully appreciate it. Part of the problem of being a Prince fan and listening to these bootlegs is that I am constantly judging him, not against other artists, but his own high standards. Even if I consider a show to be ‘average’, it’s still far beyond what others were doing at the time, especially so with the aftershows. There is no other artist out there playing aftershows and these jams are just for the love of the music such as Prince does. I would take an average Prince aftershow over any other musician show any day. Today’s recording has my heart a flutter already as The War is on the setlist. I still remember the day that the cassette mysterious appeared in the mail, and although I consider the late ’90s to be a bit of a dry spell, “The War” is a definite highlight in my book. I know it appeared at other shows and recordings, but I don’t recall hearing it before, so this will be a good chance to sit back and recapture some of that magic. So I’m all set, let’s give it a spin.

 

12th August 1998 (am) Nighttown, Rotterdam

A whoop, a cheer, the crowd clapping a beat and chanting start this one, and they quickly fade out as the guitar is heard playing a subtle, delicate, and yet funky, riff. It's par for the course that these recordings contain some audience chit-chat, although thankfully in this case it isn’t too intrusive. The riff isn’t too strong, but it is a real earworm of a hook, and I can hear the band and the audience playing around it for some time. It is a slow-burning, slow-building take of “Talkin’ Loud And Sayin’ Nothing,” and the band does play various parts on top of the foundation that has been set, without ever exploding out of the blocks. I wait for things to cut loose and get wild, but that moment never comes, instead, Prince and the band are happy to play as long as it takes with their slow build. The release does finally come with some funk-infused keyboards, and a loud cheer as Prince begins to sing. It's music to dance to as much as listening to, and I wistfully dream I was there as the keyboards battle it out in my headphones. This feeling is made stronger by the chanting and singing as the band, and the party begins to heat up. Things burst into flames as Prince has firstly Mike Scott and then Morris Hayes play solos, both bring an intensity to the performance that has me wanting more. I laugh as Prince admonishes the sound guy with “Was that feedback, who’s adding that to the mix, who thinks that is necessary?”. He has a point, and it’s well delivered.

“Let’s Work” throws me right back to the 1980s, in both its freshness and its clean funk sound. Mr. Hayes adds his warmth to it, but asides from that it’s the bass sound of the original that I cling onto. It bumps and funks along, with plenty of fat swells around the chorus. We don’t get too comfortable with this nostalgic trip, however, the three minutes we get is plenty, and it’s guaranteed to bring a smile to most people’s faces.

 

I am not so enamored by “Delirious,” yet again I can’t deny it’s a nod to his past, as well as being just downright fun to listen to at a show like this. The thing I like most about hearing this tonight is Morris Hayes, his fat sound adds more serious weight to the song, and I do feel for it more as his organ pushes the sound forward. Things take a turn towards the rock sound as a lead guitar appears and we have a coda of Rock N Roll Is Alive. They are strange bedfellows, but as always it works, and I feel much better for hearing this new sharpness added to the sound.

As we move to “That’ll Work” Prince takes a few moments to thank the crowd for attending the concerts, before the music begins to sing, literally, with a wonderful cameo from Marva King. Larry Graham makes an appearance at this stage, as the crowd chants him in, it’s surprisingly funky and enjoyable as the crowd chant over the music for some time like this. Larry has his thumb working overtime, and encouraged by the crowd he serves up a fantastically fat-sounding solo.

The sound of his bass carries us easily to the next song, which is logically enough ”Hair.” The deepness of his bass is amply matched by the deepness of his vocals, and my head moves gently to the sound of it as he sings. I can’t tell you who is doing what on stage, but I do know that some fine keyboard sounds are matching Larry, and the addition of Jerry Martini on the saxophone changes the sound of the band again. There is time for everyone to play, and it’s not only Larry front and center. The guitar and organ both shine in their respective moments, and there is the feeling that this is very much a band performance rather than one or two people dominating.

 

Things slow down next as the blues take hold in the form of “Sex Machine.” It is low and slow, with plenty of guitar work from Prince to wallow in. He plays tight and restrained, and I do enjoy hearing another style of his playing. The blues sound that he stakes out is kept with by both Morris Hayes on the organ, and Larry Graham on the bass. They play in the same manner and keep us firmly rooted. The sax work of Jerry Martini adds brightness to proceedings, but Prince buries us in the blues when he returns for a stronger, heavier guitar break. It’s still smoky and bluesy and even when the notes come in a flurry it still sounds dark and tightly in the groove.

The moment I have been waiting for arrives, and at first, I fail to recognize it. It starts with a simple bass loop, and for me, it sounds a lot like the start of Miles Davis's “So What.” There is no mistaking “The War” as the keyboards begin to emerge from the background and Prince intones his “One, two”.  This song interests me in so many ways, and it is very Prince-sounding in lyrical content. In many ways, it points to the direction he will take with the Rainbow Children in a few years both with the music and the different slant on lyric writing. The lyrics have a weirdness to them which only makes me listen more carefully, and even if the music doesn’t always have me fully engaged, Prince and his lyrics certainly do. The sax of Jerry Martini again lifts us, but it’s against the backdrop of the darker swirling sound, wah-wah guitar, and Prince's spoken manifesto.  Mike Scott soars with his guitar break and things loosen briefly and we come out of the darkness. Any hopes for a 26-minute, or even 45-minute version, are dashed as Prince wraps it up at 10 minutes, ending with an appropriate macabre laugh.

 

We end on a high with a furious take on the “Santana medley.” Although the recording isn’t great, Prince tears it up at this stage, and his guitar rips through the songs. I would have loved to see his face as he plays, he certainly sounds like he is playing with great abandonment and plenty of joy. The guitar sings in places, howls in others, and is undoubtedly the star of the show for the last ten minutes. Even as the song ebbs and flows, the intensity is maintained throughout by Prince and his playing, and I don’t tire of it for a single moment – it is essential listening throughout. The final stabs shoot out at me and end the show on a high that would be hard to top if they continued to play.

This show is redemption for the show I listened to last week. Last week I bemoaned the lack of intensity and fire, this show recorded a week earlier has plenty of both and delivers on all fronts. Hearing “The War” live was undeniably a real treat, and a highlight for me, but there was plenty more to this show to recommend it. Larry sounded great, as did Jerry Martini, Marva King, and the irrepressible Morris Hayes. It would be unfair to compare this to Prince shows from other eras, but on its own it stands as a worthy listen.

Paisley Park 7 February 1998 (am)

 

1998 is a black hole in the world of Prince, a year that sits in darkness while the rest of his career shimmers and glitters. No light escapes this year. There are no outstanding shows or concerts that are openly discussed. The only show that gets some coverage is his performance at Cafe de Paris in London later in the year, a show that has grown in stature over time – helped in no small part by the fact it was filmed and released on Beautiful Strange. The rest of the year remains a blank to many people. A cursory glance at Prince’s performance history from the year reveals that he was busier than what might be expected from the general consensus. Most eye-catching is the regularity at which he played at Paisley Park. It was an almost weekly occurrence in the first half of the year. I don’t think there is any need for me to take an extended look at this run, but I will dip my toe into the paisley waters to get a taster of what Prince was producing at the time. The best place to start any journey like this is of course at the beginning, so with that in mind, I’m jumping in with his first home concert of the year, a late-night show from February 7th.

 

7th February 1998 (am), Paisley Park

We get a good representation of the era with the opening “Mad” groove. There is very little of the original song present, instead, it is the beat that carries the day. It is funky, yet lacks direction and comes across as soulless. We can find many more grooves such as this throughout the year, and although there is no doubting Prince’s musical prowess, one can’t help but feel he has lost his way here with these endlessly repetitive jams. It’s not an entirely lost cause, there is some startling guitar work from Prince that briefly brings the concert to sharp focus. However, there are not enough moments like this to sustain the ten minutes given over to the jam.

It is a stripped-back band appearing on stage with Prince. With Larry Graham on bass, Kirk Johnson on drums, Morris Hayes on keyboards, and Walter Chancellor Jr providing color on sax, one would expect a stripped-back sound to match. However, they all create a full, well-rounded sound. Morris Hayes in particular gives a great depth to the music and with Larry Graham on bass it is a deep-rooted sound that permeates throughout their cover of Erykah Badu’s “Tyrone.” It is a dark, dense excursion, and as Prince brings the song around to his own “Good Life” it continues to drip with a swampy voodoo sound. The guitar swarms the song at one point but is the craftsmanship of the atmosphere that continues to hold sway, the groove unwavering in the face of Prince’s blistering guitar.

 

Built on the back of the same relentless groove is “Come On.” The lyrics are a mere brush stroke on the canvas that Morris Hayes and Larry Graham stretch across Kirk’s drums. The vocals come and go, but the music stays on its steady journey, immune to such trifles as mere words. The organ solo emphasizes this and says far more than Prince ever could with his vocals. Prince draws attention back to himself with his chant of “twin cities” and the man who had been temporarily buried beneath his own music re-emerges. Walter Chancellor Jr brings a blaze of color late in the song, his playing made all the brighter by the gloom of the groove that swirls around him.

Larry Graham and his music are familiar to all those who have listened to Prince’s concerts over the last twenty years, and seeing “Hair” on the setlist offers very little surprise. However, surprise it does, with the opening lines coming across the most barren of music. Larry’s baritone is an instrument unto itself, and this lifts the curtain and a loose jam. The song continues to rise on the back of the band with funk to the fore. The jam itself is a low-key affair, the music staying low in the groove, and eventually proves to be little more than a seven-minute introduction to Larry Graham’s “Hair” proper.

Again, it is Larry Graham and Morris Hayes who prove to be the cornerstones of the song, both hold their end at each extreme of the spectrum, and the song shifts beneath the weight of their respective instruments. One can hear Prince on the keyboards, playing with lightness while Morris Hayes continues with his serious study of finding the depths of his organ. It makes for tension and contrast that holds my interest throughout a song that I have heard often and lifts it far beyond what is expected.

“Groove On” feels pointless. As much as I enjoy the various contributions to the song, it just doesn’t jump out as much as some other performances of the evening. Paired with “Joy And Pain,” it does get almost fifteen minutes to marinate and evolve, however, it never reaches any of the heights that the band promise and proves to be a flat spot of the show.

 

The brevity of “Forever In My Life” undoes my initial excitement of hearing it. My excitement wanes further as it becomes apparent that this is a poor version, the drums overpowering the song as it becomes a shell to carry forth “Everyday People.”

The performance of “Everyday People” brings joy to the concert not previously heard. My thoughts of “Forever In My Life” are washed away as the groove uplifts and revitalizes. The beat is a steady build, rather than a pounding sound it sometimes has, and one can feel this version has a soft edge that serves it well. It’s a nuanced version of a well-traveled song and I am surprised by the freshness that the band brings to it. Where “Forever In My Life” sounded flat and tired, this song has a spark of energy that has me listening carefully to see where we will go next.

We stay on the Larry Graham trip with his song “Free” building from the foundation laid by the previous song. The circular bass line is enjoyable enough, but there’s not much hanging off it. There is no payoff in the chorus, and it sounds like a groove searching for a song. Morris Hayes provides a calm sense of clarity and direction, but it isn’t quite enough for me to form a long-lasting relationship with the song.

“Mad Sex” isn’t the unbridled jam I had hoped it would be, although it does have its moments. The saxophone work lifts it above the Kirk Johnson beat that it otherwise remains enslaved to and Prince’s vocal chant does give the audience something to participate in. For a song titled “Mad Sex,” it is a restrained and buttoned-up affair. There is very little oxygen in the song and no sense of impending spark of ignition. In many ways, it captures my feelings about this era in general. The musicianship is just as good as ever, but there is no danger or excitement, no feeling that anything might happen. It’s all too safe and stable.

 

Prince’s guitar cuts sharply across the introduction of “The Jam,” before it dissolves into its familiar shape and form. It settles into a raw riff, the song at once familiar, yet re-powered by Prince’s turbocharged guitar work. Although long, it is a far tighter rendition than some of the sprawling versions heard through 1995-1996. The band keeps the song moving swiftly along through its various changes, maintaining the groove but never settling into repetition or bland self-indulgence. Each band member stands strong in their contribution, and just as I find myself favoring one over another the response comes that has me reconsidering my stance. The music continues to come in waves, each cresting bigger than the one before, before the concert is finally awash in the squall of guitar and organ, washing and tumbling over the top of Larry Graham’s bass in one final wash of sound.

Perhaps 1998 wasn’t quite the black hole I envisaged. This show, taken with the ones I have covered earlier, points to a year in which Prince was retrenching. Burying himself deep in his own music, and drawing inspiration from Larry Graham (and Mavis Staples), he is looking the past in the eye and holding his own. After shining as one of the brightest stars of the 1980’s he is now placing himself in the wider context of the music he grew up with. Larry Graham gives him a sense of legitimacy and these concerts are steeped in Larry’s sound, given a Prince twist of course. While not as vital as some other eras, it is nevertheless an essential part of Prince and who he is, and is an era not to be overlooked. It remains a black hole only while we don’t shine a light on it, and under closer investigation, there is plenty of celestial moments here that are required listening for any fan.

Mobile 31 October 1997

 “Pssstt, over here”

“Who, me?”
“Yeah you – I hear you didn’t like the first show of 1997”
“Well, I must admit, it wasn’t exactly my cup of tea”
“Yeah, well try this one, you might find it more to your taste”
“Hey man, thanks. I’ll try it now”
“No problem”

31st October 1997, Mobile, Alabama

A forceful and focused “Jam Of The Year” is everything that the song wasn’t in the January 7th concert I listened to previously. With its elastic bass and deep groove, Rhonda Smith reveals herself to be one of the most important members of this iteration of the NPG, and her contribution is mighty in this opening number. Prince doesn’t linger too long on the other members of the band, and it is Rhonda who makes the greatest contribution beneath Prince’s vocals, her bass work is just as essential as what Prince is singing. A shorter and tighter version than what was heard at the start of the year and the concert is all the better for it.

Funk is the foremost driver of the opening salvo of this concert, and “Talkin’ Loud And Sayin nothin'” is in its rightful place here. Paired with an “I like funky music” chant the concert heaves and groans under the weight of the funk, only lightened by some quicksilver keyboard by Prince. This light and dark give the music a tension that holds it tightly together and keeps my ear interested throughout. An equally fast guitar solo spins the music in a new direction before it all spirals into “Let’s Work.”

I rarely mention Kirk Johnson in this blog, but it is his drum that leads the band into “Let’s Work.” Built on the back of this drum, Rhonda Smith’s bass and Morris Hayes's keyboard pull the song deep back into Prince territory. His funk of the early ’80s holds up well almost twenty years later, and this particular version could look any rendition from the 1980s in the eye. The “Rock N Roll” instrumental is a clever coda and serves well as a transition from funk to the guitar rock that will follow.

The guitar rock song in question is “Purple Rain” and the version Prince plays here is arid in the vocal delivery. However, the guitar solo is distinctly Prince. His guitar tone is unmistakable, it is pure Prince throughout. Prince’s mastery is a double-edged sword- he has the guitar tightly reined through the solo and there is no sense of danger and thrill despite the guitar soaring and falling at his will.

 

Far more emotive is “Little Red Corvette.” Prince manages to hang just a hint of youth in his delivery, and for a minute the years roll back as he sings the opening verse. The guitar break also manages to plug into this sense of youthfulness. Brisk and unhinged, it is the final flourish before the Prince swings us back into the Nineties.

I have plenty of love for the Emancipation album, and “Get Yo Groove On” manages to capture the feel of the album nicely in this live setting, making me wish we could have more of these songs appearing in concert over the years. The diversion through “Six’ is a reminder that Prince hasn’t moved as far away from his Eighties material as we might think, and is yet another clever addition to the set.

There is plenty of time to dwell on the pop magnificence of “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” It shines brilliantly at the heart of this concert, a gem that still retains its sincerity and purity after all these years. Rhonda Smith manages to rise from the mix later in the song, her bass pulling the song into deeper sonic territory. A previously unknown seam of funk is mined and I am once again enthralled by Rhonda’s contribution.

The celebration of the bass continues through “Facedown.” With Prince’s long introduction, there is plenty of time to indulge in this low-end glory. Even with the arrival of Prince’s vocals, it continues to be the bass that holds center stage, a fact accentuated by Prince’s call of “bass!” through the backend of the song. The final minutes see total capitulation to this bass groove, the bass strangling the song in its dense and furious tone.

The opening drizzle of guitar from Prince is a sleight of hand and as the “The Ride” opens up Prince slides into a deeper and more solid tone. Prince squeezes and teases the blues for the first minutes before the levee final breaks and a heavy blues solo engulfs the recording. It washes over the audience for the next few minutes, swirling ever deeper into this pool of blues, the guitar flowing easily beneath Prince’s hand.

“When You Were Mine” is another chance for Prince to indulge in guitar heroics, this time alone. The song is a demonstration of his pure songwriting ability, and his ability to lift styles from others and make them his own. As a solo performance, it is one of the most central moments of the concert and provides a minute of mindfulness amidst a concert jammed with ideas and styles.

The concert gains momentum again as a weighty version of “The Cross” lumbers into view. The lightness of “When You Were Mine” is trampled beneath the overwhelming crush and intense guitar snort that drives “The Cross” as it obliterates all that has come before. It is not as elegant or spiritual as I’ve heard elsewhere, the sheer heft of the band and performance crushing the nuance from it, leaving a solid wall of sound.

 

Also guitar-driven, “One Of Us’ is a subtle performance that carries off Prince’s spiritual convictions better than the song that precedes it. Prince’s opening speech sketches out his spirituality at the time, but the music that carries his message is more convincing. In a well-balanced performance, the music allows far more room for the message to breathe. There is a calm to the moment that was missing in “The Cross,” allowing the crowd to digest his message of love and God. Just as actions speak louder than words, so too does Prince’s music.

Prince dips into his grab bag of ballads for the “Do Me, Baby,” medley. The gold standard of this medley is “Do Me, Baby,” which is afforded an extended guitar intro from Mike Scott. Louder than the usual soft-lit sound of other introductions, it is nevertheless a fine demonstration of his abilities. In a similar vein, Rhonda Smith indulges us with a sensuous bass run that while highlighting her playing, also remains subservient to the vibe of the song. Kat Dyson is not to be forgotten, although by the time she finishes, I am itching to enter into the song proper. Prince delivers his lines as expected, each one loaded with sex and lust, but never dipping into pure caricature. He maintains this tone as he touches on the sexy part of his catalog, each song becoming sweatier in the live setting as Prince works them, and the audience, into a climax.

“Sexy M.F” doesn’t sound particularly sexy after this, and Prince enters a cartoon world for this rendition with exaggerated horn lines and vocal inflections throughout. It is a low after the previous high, although it is short.

A vital “If I Was Your Girlfriend” restores the concert. Listening to it here, one could easily forget it was 1997, so studiously does the band play the 1987 versions. “Sexy M.F.” was appreciatively brief, unfortunately so too is “If I Was Your Girlfriend.” It keeps the concert moving at a good pace, but this is one song that could have done with more airtime.

Prince slips the band for a solo jam on the piano. Riffing on “Mobile,” he slides easily into “Purple House,” a song normally associated with the guitar. This new spin on it sees a gospel sound emanating from Prince’s piano, a fact highlighted as he segues into “It’s No Secret (What God Can Do).” Prince lingers on the song, allowing his vocals to carry the load as his piano fades beneath his fingertips.

The piano medley unfurls for the next few minutes, the crowd-pleasing “The Beautiful Ones” inviting the audience into this world of piano and microphone. There is too little of the song for it to make an impact outside of this, the two minutes are just enough to lure the listener in without making it a highlight.

“Girls And Boys” adds funk to this mix. Prince stops and starts it to allow the audience to further participate, but again it’s slight and leaves one hungry for more. However, Prince does retain this piano tone for “Delirious,” and things remain upbeat and funky for the next few minutes.

 

At an almost crawl, “Darlin Nikki” slips in, leaving the crowd in raptures of delight as Prince pauses and teases like a coy schoolgirl. The song takes a long time to emerge from behind the screen of the piano hook, and when it finally does Prince teases the crowd in a moment that has to be heard. Trust me, it’ll be worth it.

After the tease of “Darlin Nikki,” the crowd never fully settles for “Diamonds And Pearls.” Prince gives us the first verse and chorus, but it isn’t as effective as other songs in the setlist.

“How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?” anchors the piano set. It also serves to reintroduce the band, and it is pleasing to see it fully fleshed out like this. The fullness of sound doesn’t dilute Prince’s tale, and the guitar break bestowed upon it late in the piece brings a sense of urgency to an otherwise ambling piece of music

The “Take Me With U” and “Raspberry Beret” combination lifts the energy of the concert after the piano set. It also drops a large slice of pop into the show, the earlier rock, and funk forgotten as the band swing upwards. It is a combined effort, no one voice or instrument is singled out. Even Prince on the microphone is no more important than any other component in the song, and this is truly a moment that belongs to the band.

A percussive introduction to “Kiss” heralds the arrival of the encores. With the crowd heavily involved in chanting from the start it is a uniquely live moment and one that translates well to the recording. The guitar riff is not revealed for some time, and when it does arrive it continues to remain secondary to the rhythm section. However, it is not the rhythm guitar that I am listening for, but the brief flame of a lead guitar that excites me as it scorches the tail end of the song.

“Gett Off” becomes the soundtrack to a dance contest, something that doesn’t translate well to an audio recording. The guitar solo by Mike Scott goes some way to appease those not at the concert. It is sharp and loud, providing a jolt to an otherwise steady groove. The house-style mix that the song finishes with is a lot of fun, although twenty years later it does feel somewhat generic.

The electrifying guitar static that opens “When Doves Cry” has aged better, and the jolt it delivers now is just as strong as it was in 1984. However, the piano riff is lost in the mix, the strength of the band overwhelming the nuances of the song as they power through it. It is a powerful version that takes the template of the original as a jumping-off point to push the full sound of it in every direction. Perhaps not one for the purists, but a fine way to wrap up the first encore.

 

The recording becomes smeared in the grease of a funk guitar that establishes the foundation of the second encore. Atop this slippery guitar, Prince balances a chant that flares momentarily before the Purpleaxxe sound settles into a groove that will eventually become “FlashLight” and “Stomp”

Prince has toyed with “Flash Light” many times over the years, and this iteration that incorporates “Stomp” works well. Prince is giving the audience funk from the past, as well as something from the present with “Stomp” being of the time. Nowadays we would call it a mash-up, and it was not unique for Prince to do this throughout his career. We could pull examples from after-shows, but he was equally adept at doing it at main shows such as this.

“Johnny” is a reminder of Prince’s lyrical range. While not as poetic as some of his other works, it does have cleverness and humor that not many other artists capture. The song itself remains true to its groove, and as always my only complaint is it’s all too short.

There is no surprise in the “Baby I’m A Star” and “1999” double punch that closes the show. Long-time party favorites of Prince, many a concert has closed with them over the years. There is no faulting Prince and his intentions here, but with the application of Nineties gloss the charm of the originals is lost. The sense of adventure is gone, replaced with a too-cool-for-school party vibe that serves the concert well even if it doesn’t serve the song. The tone of it does capture the late Nineties sound Prince was working with, and it is a neat snapshot of the time.

Lesson learned. Don’t judge a book by its cover, and don’t judge 1997 by the first concert of the year. Prince was an ever-evolving artist, both in the studio and in concert. Concerts even a few months apart can be quite different, Prince shifting songs and sound in a lifelong pursuit of excellence. I found the first concert of 1997 to be uneven and off-kilter. This concert later in the year had a natural flow and overall consistent sound. Even as Prince switched genres and instruments, the concert held together and felt as a whole. I often play the Emancipation album, but rarely the concerts of the era. This concert is a clear demonstration to me that I should be more patient and dig further into the era. I might just have to go back to my source and see what else they can recommend to me.