San Jose 8 December 2000

 Today’s recording is a dark horse to me. San Jose in December 2000 is a recording that I vaguely remembered was very good and enjoyable, but I couldn’t remember too much more about it. I gave it a fresh listen, and I was correct- it was a good fun concert. Sure, it’s very much a greatest hits show, but it’s all played with a lot of energy and pop that gave it a freshness that I found very enjoyable. Not too many surprises to be found here, but I had a fun couple of hours listening to it. 

8th December 2000, San Jose 

The slowed-down voice intro of “1999” is the first thing we hear on this recording, then the Prince squeal of ‘No’ from “Lovesexy.” It’s only an intro tape, but there is plenty of crowd noise, and it’s very clear that they are all in right from the start. The tape has snippets of “My Name Is Prince” and “Erotic City,” before a voice begins a countdown from 10, 9, 8, 7…… 

 There is a real sense of anticipation from the crowd, and even listening to the recording I feel the excitement growing in me too. The countdown reaches one and there is a long fast drum roll that takes me right back. It’s loud and fast and it reminds me of something I can’t quite put my finger on. Prince can be heard saying ‘San Jose’ and the band rock into “Uptown.” Now I know why that drum roll sounded so familiar! I would have never guessed that the show would open with this song, but it’s just fabulous, and as I say, I am immediately transported back to the early days. The band doesn’t overplay it, and it’s still got a nice down to earth feel to it. Sometimes songs like this get played with a modern sheen on them, but this one here sounds just like it did back in the day. We are off to a great start. 

There is no pause between songs, and we are still rooted in the early era as the band plays “Controversy.” Like the previous song, it’s played in a more original configuration, and there is some nice guitar funking me up. The band at this stage is small, and there is no large horn section or extra players. All in all, it’s a great sound. 

The song ends with the breakdown straight out of the Parade era. In my head, I can almost picture Prince doing the cigarette lighting routine as the song winds down. I hold my breath for a second and cross my fingers as I hope what I think is about to happen happens. 

The band seamlessly bangs into “Mutiny” and I feel like I have just stepped out of a time machine into 1986. It’s just as good as I had hoped. There is a sharpness and freshness to it, and it does sound just like the Parade-era version that I have listened to hundreds of times. I can barely write now as I listen to it, everything is as it should be. Not all modern versions of “Mutiny” sound this good, and this is one to cherish. It’s played to the hilt, and the crowd is going bananas as the sax solo is played- I only wish I could see it. There is then a longish keyboard break, which I want to believe is Prince, but that’s wishful thinking and speculation on my part. I am not normally one to dwell on the past, but these first three songs have me feeling like I am 16 again. 

Things take a smoother turn as Prince asks “We got any big soul sisters in the house?”, and then the smooth flow of “Cream” begins. Not being a fan of this song, it’s something I might usually skip over. But I listen to it here and find myself enjoying it. The song is a great pop song, and the guitar solo played on this recording has just enough rawness to it that it holds my attention on the song. I won’t be underestimating this song again for a while. 

 

“Little Red Corvette” is another exercise in nostalgia as it has a very nice long keyboard intro over the steady beat, while there are some very nice vocals overtop. I don’t know who is singing, but the sound of them over top gives a nice emotional feel to it, and the crowd gets in on it with some hand clapping. Prince comes in, and it sounds like nothing has changed in 20 years. As a nostalgia moment, it is pushing all my buttons. The guitar break is played on the keyboard, and even though it’s only a small change, it keeps me interested. Disappointingly what we get here is the abridged version and it ends right after this. 

The crowd is in a strong voice as the band play “I Wanna Be Your Lover.” There are many people there reliving their youth as I am now. The crowd is behind every line and there is an exciting feel to the whole thing. Prince only sings the first verse and one chorus, but it’s all a lot of fun. 

“Sexy Dancer” begins without break. There is a very nice clean keyboard at the beginning of it, and that has me listening closely. The song is only played for a minute, which is a shame as it was sounding like it could have been something special. But I can’t complain too much as “Housequake” is the next song up. 

This arrangement of “Housequake” is great. It retains the beat that I enjoy so much, and when Prince says “And the saxophone is at fault, Najee!” it sounds fantastic. Najee plays a very nice break, it's different but it sounds good. Prince also calls for Mr. Hayes to get funky, and he gives us an organ solo that grooves along nicely. It’s funky and again adds a little more to the song. Prince also calls out the drummer, and there is a drum break that isn’t too over the top and doesn’t derail the song as drum solos sometimes do. The song is played right out and there is plenty more drum and organ throughout. 

The tone is lowered and things take a darker turn as “The Ballad of Dorothy Parker” gets an airing. It begins with Prince talking to the crowd about change, but the song is what gets my attention here. It’s suitable subdued, and the downbeat sound of it all is as it should be. I could listen to this song all day, and the version here is just as I like. There is an especially nice piano break midway. Prince calls something sounding like “my piano” so I guess it’s his playing that I am enjoying listening to. It takes the song in a different direction, but that’s okay by me. There is then a nice flute solo (At least I think it’s a flute) by Najee, and it’s the type of difference I enjoy in live performances. I give this one another thumbs up. 

 

There is finally a small pause in the action and a proper break between songs. This is broken when the chugging guitar of Prince takes us back into rock mode. It’s very much a classic rock sound, just Prince and his guitar chewing it up for a couple of minutes. He mixes some nice high lead guitar with some more heavy rhythm before the pounding beat of “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man” begins. Initially, it is just the beat, while Prince bangs out more guitar histrionics. Nothing is rushed and Prince gives it plenty before counting in the band with “one, two, three, four!” The band enters with a crash and the song begins as we have always known it. The backing vocals aren’t as strong as I would like, but who am I to criticize when Prince's guitar playing is what this song is all about. He dispenses most of the verses and heads straight to the guitar break. He barely begins before the band pulls back and we get the long extended midsection of the song. Prince plays an interesting break, plenty of long mournful playing, although to my ears it’s a little disjointed. The second half of the break is much more interesting to me, but unfortunately, I won’t be adding this one to my list of favorite guitar breaks. Najee takes over with his saxophone, and my interest is piqued once again. I have never heard this take on the song before, and I want to listen to it more. After this, I will be adding this to my playlist of songs I need to hear more of. Najee gets a handclap from me for adding a lot of color to this song. 

 

I wonder what we will get next as we have the sound of rainfall, then some soft piano and vocals from the backing singers. I don’t have to wait long as “Do Me, Baby” begins. Every week I write this blog, and every week I find myself heaping praise on this song. Today is no different; the introduction music has me salivating like Pavlov’s dog long before Prince even begins singing. He gives a couple of ‘ooowwsss” beforehand, and it only serves to ramp up the excitement in the crowd, and me! When he does finally sing there is a huge release, and I can’t help but sing along. The song doesn’t get played in full, after the first verse, it quickly segues into the next seduction classic. 

“Scandalous” is a must for any slow jams mixtape, but for me, it loses a little of its power with all the audience screams and shouts. Who can blame them, Prince is working them and the song the best he can. After the first minute, Najee gets another break, and I can see the groundwork being laid for the ONA tour of the coming years. Prince comes back and sings as Najee plays, as I said before Najee is all over this recording and sounding great. 

Staying in character the next song played is “Diamonds and Pearls.” I want to like it, I know that this is one of his most popular songs, but it’s just not for me. It’s played straight, but it’s very truncated, and it finishes in just over a minute. As a none fan of this one, I am slightly relieved, but I do feel the frustration of those who like it, these medleys can be teeth clinching sometimes. 

“The Beautiful Ones” should be a highlight. I am pleased just to hear it. Prince's voice isn’t as strong as I would have liked, but I overlook that as I am happy just to hear it. Like the previous songs it’s played short, this time Prince cuts the whole middle section from it and heads straight to the end as he howls into the microphone. Always my favorite section of the song, it loses a lot of its power in this shortened form. It should have built up to this point; instead by jumping right to it, it loses all its impact. 

Keeping in this vein “Nothing Compares 2 U” is next on the setlist. I like the song, I like Prince’s version, but this one is a little bland. But it gets a whole lot better when Najee appears and plays his sax all over it at the midpoint. Lots of these songs are being saved by his playing, and I am rapidly becoming a big fan. Prince comes back to sing some more, but the sax has stolen the show for me, and it’s all I’m listening to by now. The song ends with just a piano tinkling away. 

There is a break while a steady beat continues with a touch of organ, and something that sounds like a death laser. It doesn’t add anything to the show, but it does give us a pause to catch our breath. 

Finally the opening strains of “Let’s Go Crazy” begin and the crowd’s reaction is predictably noisy. Nothing is rushed and the opening chords are held for a long time while the tension is built up. Some epic-sounding lead guitar is played by Prince, but still, the song doesn’t snap into life. Then finally “dearly beloved” gets the song and its unmistakable groove started. I thought the guitar might have been louder, but thankfully it’s tucked nicely into the mix, and Prince’s voice and other instruments easily hold their own against it. The song is cut short and degenerates into chants of “let's go” with the crowd before the well-known Prince flurry to finish. Not my favorite arrangement of the song, but it is inoffensive enough. It's not a total write-off, after his finishing flourish, Prince engages with another minute of guitar work which is worth listening to. 

 

We may well be back in 1984 as the band plays a rousing rendition of “Take Me With U” next. It’s a facsimile of the song that we all know so well, and nothing has changed at all. Of course, it ends very quickly and moves into “Raspberry Beret.” Prince does his spoken intro at this point about “Who hasn’t seen me before? and who has seen me before?” It’s quaint, and even though I have heard it plenty of times it still has a certain charm about it. The audience does most of the singing on it before the chorus and Prince's vocals return. It's wound up here, and I’m about to get another surprise. 

“Darling Nikki” is the next song, I don’t know when he stopped playing this one, but I would guess that this would have been one of the last times it was played in full live. It’s an interesting version; there is a nice sharp drum roll all through it that almost sounds militaristic. Prince starts to sing as a dainty keyboard plays along. It’s back to familiar territory after this as the heavier keyboard rolls come after the verse. I am further surprised to hear it played right out in full, including the backward singing at the end. Prince, you are so full of surprises sometimes! 

 

We stay in the Purple Rain era with “When Doves Cry” following immediately after. Normally I am not a greatest hits concert sort of guy, but I am loving this one. Again Najee is all over this song, and by now I am full on board. He is awesome, and I love this version. It doesn’t surpass the original, but it is highly recommended. It gets even better as Najee plays straight into “Father's Song,” and “Computer Blue.” You have to hear this, it’s a perfect fit, and the newness of it all is so refreshing. 

There are then some nice keys while Najee plays some slow soft music over top. Like I said before, the template for the One Night Alone tour is all over this, moments like this have that sort of sound and vibe. If you ignore the greatest hits and just concentrate on moments like this you can see where he is heading. 

Prince then sings a fantastic version of “I Would Die 4 U”/ “Baby, I’m a Star.” Just over the same soft music, he sings the lyrics slowly and deeply. He only sings a couple of lines of each, but for that minute and a half, I am transfixed. I am disappointed he doesn’t take it all the way, but this is still a great moment for me. 

Najee takes the lead for “God,” and to be honest I am running out of words to describe how much I am loving him at this gig. Prince takes the time to introduce the band. He introduces each member as you would expect, but takes an extra moment to introduce Najee and get him plenty of praise. I wholeheartedly agree with Prince, and I am happy to find he is in agreement with me about Najees contribution. Obviously, at this point Njaee gets another minute to play all over “God,” and it's only fitting. It’s not outstanding, but it is entirely appropriate. As with the rest of the show, I find it very enjoyable. 

“Purple Rain” goes off in a direction I don’t expect, and I enjoy it even more for that. After the opening chords, Prince takes us on a soft ride with some great lead guitar. Nothing over the top, just a couple of minutes of fine lead guitar. It’s easily the best part of the recording for me, and if I hadn’t heard “Purple Rain” a 1000 times before I would probably come back to this one more. The rest of the song passes on much as you might expect, the guitar solo at the end, although enjoyable, doesn’t offer any surprises. I am pleased to hear Prince singing all the verses rather than skipping straight to the guitar break as he sometimes does, but having heard this at almost every concert there isn’t too much more that can be said about it. Prince does take a few minutes at the end of the song to preach the bible to the crowd, but that doesn’t detract from the recording at all, although it does probably go a minute more than it should do. 

 The encore begins with the beat of “Come On.” It sounds a little flat and lifeless, despite the band doing their best to encourage the crowd to party. It does get better as it goes along, but it feels a little forced by the crowd. I do enjoy the song, and I would like to hear it live more often. Unfortunately, this isn’t the best version I have heard. Najee sounds good on it, but for the rest of the song, it sounds like Prince is trying too hard to get the crowd partying. 

The party continues into the next song as Prince encourages Geneva to bring up some people for dance. As a listening-at-home experience, it’s not great, but I can fully appreciate that at the gig it would have been pretty cool. There is a bit of sampling, and samples from several Prince songs can be heard before he breaks into “Kiss.” Although not great, it does have a nice groove running underneath it. As I have written many times, this is one song that never seems to sound great in a live setting to me. This one is likable, but still doesn’t quite get there for me. The crowd sounds like they are having a lot of fun though, and several of them can be heard singing on the microphone during the song. Some are better than others, but no one is terrible which is surprising! 

“Gett Off” ends the show with a slowed-down nice deep groove. It’s another highlight for me, just the groove itself is enough for me. There is some rhythm guitar on top with Najee and his flute and the overall sound is funky with a capital F. Prince does deliver a heavy deep guitar break which shows off something completely different from the start of Purple Rain, yet I rate it just as highly. It’s a great way to close out the show, and as Princes ends his guitar break and says goodbye Najee plays us out. A fitting end to the show. 

The setlist for this show didn’t have me feeling overly enthusiastic. But the playing on it and the sound that Najee brings to the table more than compensated for the setlist. The hits had a fresh sound and were played with an energy that must have been hard to muster for songs that have been played so much. I remembered that this one was good, but I had forgotten how good it was and why it was so enjoyable. A solid fun show that left me feeling very satisfied. 

Grand Rapids 20 November 2000 (am)

 I have painted myself into a corner. Some time ago I listened to an aftershow from Chicago in 2000, and although it wasn’t my cup of tea, I found I enjoyed it. This week I picked another aftershow played just a few days after, but when I listened to it this morning I found it wasn’t quite what I expected. Most of the performance is Doug E. Fresh, and Prince can only be heard, along with his songs, a couple of times in the show. However, it’s too late now to find another bootleg to listen to, so I am stuck with my first choice. I find Doug E. Fresh inoffensive and pleasant enough, but he lacks any real bite and most of his performance is toothless. At this show Prince’s performance is understated and subdued, leaving us with an entirely forgettable experience. Being a hardcore fan I have to hear everything, and this sometimes means listening to flat concerts like this as well as the more dynamic performances I usually gravitate towards. So with that in mind, this is very much a concert that will bring balance to my listening experience. 

20th November (am) 2000, The Orbit Room, Grand Rapids 

I listened to both the Sabotage release and the Thunderball release, and to my ears they sound near enough to the same. The opening two minutes is entirely representative of what will follow, two minutes of Doug E. Fresh rapping and hyping the crowd while the music stays secondary in the background. If you weren’t a fan of Doug E. Fresh before this then you aren’t going to be a fan after as he stays in the safe lane and delivers a rap that fails to elicit any sort of emotional response. The concert improves considerably with “I Can Make You Dance” as the band build a solid foundation for Doug E. Fresh to frame out his song. Musically it’s more interesting than the opening rap, but it’s not the typical Prince aftershow we have come to expect, and even as an electric guitar begins to cry in the background the song remains far from inciting a riot. There is no sense of adventure, the music, and delivery remain tame for the time being. 

 

Another rap from Doug E. Fresh has me again questioning why I am listening to this. Guest appearances and other players are par for the course, and there is no denying that they do bring interest to these concerts. However, in this case, it feels too much, and there is very little Prince influence to be heard in the music. I do play along with the call and response, mostly to keep myself interested, but this is a Prince blog, not a Doug E. Fresh blog, and I do wait impatiently for my hero to make his mark. 

Finally, I am pacified by the appearance of “If I Was Your Girlfriend,” and Prince on the mic. The performance is easy enough to enjoy, although Prince seems caught in the same quicksand as the previous numbers, there is no punch to the performance, nothing challenging to grab onto, and very little in the way of surprise. It is a smooth, almost glassy performance, that is emotionally hollow and leaves me entirely unmoved. 

With “Passin’ Your Name,” all is temporarily forgiven. Kip Blackshire takes vocal duties and paired with Doug E. Fresh, the song has a drive and impetus that has previously been lacking. I can’t say I have heard a lot of Kip Blackshire’s singing, but from what I hear in this case he gives a nuanced performance that has a lot more character than the overwrought rapping by Doug E. Fresh. As one might expect, the horns rise to prominence through the song, and with some soulful keyboard, the song becomes greater than the sum of its parts. On a better recording I wouldn’t think much of this song, but surrounded by half-baked performances, and a concert largely lacking in Prince, it punches above its weight. With a crisp and taut guitar solo breaking up the groove the song changes direction and ferments with a Najee solo in the final minutes into something far more interesting than heard elsewhere on the bootleg. 

There is a sudden shift in gears, and a quickfire “Gett Off (Housestyle)” takes the previous laid-back jams and accelerates them into something that finally gets the heart racing. Prince’s performance doesn’t fill me with enthusiasm, but Najee elevates proceedings with his contribution before Prince’s final guitar solo starkly reminds me that I am listening to a Prince gig. 

It is the sound of Prince’s guitar that heralds the final song of the night, a detached rendition of “Johnny.” It sounds as if nobody is invested in the performance, and the halfhearted audience response matches the sound of the music. Even Prince’s guitar solo waxes and wanes in an uneven and inconsistent performance that is symptomatic of the show in general. On a positive note, it is short, and it is the end of the show. 

 

I don’t expect to love every Prince concert I listen to. I am a hardcore fan, but I am also a realist, and I trust my ears. This show isn’t dire, it certainly doesn’t sound like a disaster, but it is lacking in the soul, the emotion, that I so regularly hear on these bootlegs. We could attribute this to the lack of Prince’s input we hear on the recording, but it does sum up where he was at the time, musically adrift and leaning heavily on those around him. Normally I find something positive to say, and usually, finish with a recommendation to listen to a recording at least once. You needn’t bother in this case. There is very little here for a fan to enjoy, and it is a soulless experience. 

Chicago 17 November 2000 (am)

 This week I am digging back to a recording that I used to listen to a lot, but haven’t heard for a few years now, the show from the Cabaret Metro Chicago in 2000. It is worth the listen as Prince and the NPG play a show with the aid of a couple of guests’ appearances, namely Macy Gray and Common. The show starts with very little Prince, initially, it is Macy Gray and her band playing before Prince slowly eases his way into things. By the end of the show, however, he is fully engaged and playing just as hot as ever. It should be good to revisit this old friend, hopefully, it lives up to my memories. 

17th November (am) Cabaret Metro, Chicago 

The show starts with Macy Gray and her band playing without Prince. Common is on the mic free-styling as the band run through a jam that includes “Voodoo Chile (slight return),” “Sexy M.F.” and “D.M.S.R.” Considering Prince isn’t anywhere to be heard, it is surprisingly enjoyable and something I could easily listen to again. Of course, without Prince and the NPG playing it does lack intensity, it meanders easily in its way without ever being taxing to listen to. 

Things finally start on the Prince front as Macy sings a sweet-sounding “Forever In My Life.” I find her voice to be a good match to the song, and for the first few minutes, she makes the song her own. She’s unrushed and sings in a style that is unmistakably hers while the band quietly bubbles along behind her.  A happy cheer greets Prince as he arrives mid-song to sing his lines, and he promptly reclaims the show. As good as Macy Gray sounded, there is nothing quite like hearing Prince sing it, and when he sings his lines there is no mistaking whose song it is. 

The show moves up a notch with “The Bird.” It’s not immediately recognizable, but there is an increase in tempo and beat that signals something funkier is coming our way. With Common and Macy hyping the crowd the wave builds with the bass and organ adding momentum. That wave never crashes, and the band keeps on grooving, with the bass being the tracks that everything runs on, it sounds great on the recording and has me reaching to turn it up. I am underselling it a little, it is a fantastic jam. 

With a funky guitar and a steady beat another jam starts, this time more downbeat and easy. There are also the contrasting sounds of some bright-sounding horns, some squealing guitar, and the shine of the organ. It all comes together in a mix of sounds and colors that keeps things moving, and I am very surprised as it ends in a sudden stop after only a few minutes. 

 

Prince next tells us that Macy will sing a country song, so while the band plays a country-sounding beat she sings for a minute “baby, baby, baby”. There’s nothing to it, it is barely a minute long, but it does show the easy nature of the show, and as Prince and Macy talk it’s obvious they are just hanging out and having fun. 

The show settles as Macy sings her own “I Try” and it’s on her song that she shines. The band provides a strong skeleton for her to sing over, and as she sings it is easy to feel the warmth in her voice. I am so lost in the moment that it ends before I realize it, and a moment of horns carries us through to some heavenly guitar from Prince, playing in his clean sound as he solos around “No Woman, No Cry.” I thought Macy Gray was good, but this is even better and takes the show to another level altogether. He doesn’t play fast or make it scream, his carefully chosen notes carrying all the expression and emotion he needs. As the music rocks back and forth Macy sings lines from a few Prince songs (“Take Me With U,” “Anotherloverholenyohead,” “Adore”) but it's Prince’s guitar that holds my attention, injecting beauty and heart as it plays. As Macy sings “Take Me With U” the music increases in intensity and with the guitar still playing we reach new heights in the song, and if not for some distortion on the recording it would be an unforgettable moment. 

With Prince on guitar and playing so well, it’s only fitting that the next song should be “The Ride.” It is not as dark as sometimes heard, the groove is lighter, as is Prince playing. After an initial bluesy run, he swirls for a time, before returning to the bluesy tone. From here on Najee plays his sax for a time, bringing in a different sound to a song so familiar. Najee doesn’t get a lot of love from Prince fans, but he does a fair job and it is fun to hear him bringing something different to a song I have heard so often. Prince finally sings some lines, before he cuts loose with the guitar in the final minutes, really making it sing. Just as expressive as his singing voice, it more than lives up to the previous song, and Prince is bringing all his guitar skills out for the final part of this show. 

With a quick drum rattle, Prince turns everything up to ten for his final “Santana medley” which will close the show. As always he is on top of his game, but still provides plenty of space for the keyboards to fill out the song. There is some distortion, mostly from one of the keyboards, but for the most part, it’s a clean recording, and Prince's guitar sounds clean and strong all the way. The band chases each other around in a circle of riffs, as the intensity rises and falls. Again Najee gets a chance to contribute, his sound unusual for the “Santana medley,” yet I enjoy every moment of it. Despite being a band performance, it is Prince's final guitar solo that leaves the lasting impression, as he duels Najee blow for blow before laying the matter to rest with a scorching run that can’t be matched. I am surprised (although I shouldn’t be) by how good they sound playing off each other, and although this is far from my favorite band, they turn on a great performance that ends the show in style. 

The recording is very short, and the songs are only a few, yet it was the jams and the guest appearances that made this recording an interesting listen. Hearing Prince interact with Macy Gray and Common was a different perspective, and with them putting their twist on his songs it added something interesting and new to the show. Najee too contributed late in the show, and his sound with Prince worked well, something I hadn’t considered for an aftershow. All in all, a short but sweet aftershow and there was something for everyone in it. Far from a classic, yet worth a listen. 

Paris 17 November 1999

 Sadly this week Cynthia Robinson, formerly of Sly and the Family Stone, passed away. Sly is a certifiable genius, but to get where he wanted to go he needed a great band. And just as Prince had the Revolution to help him achieve greatness, Sly had his band Sly and the Family Stone featuring Cynthia Robinson on trumpet. Cynthia also played in Graham Central Station, and naturally enough played with Larry Graham and Prince late in the 1990s. 1998/1999 isn’t something I delve into too often, there is plenty of material coming from Prince, but I feel that he is regrouping and finding his way toward the next step in his evolution. He does indulge himself by playing with some of his heroes, and this brings us to where we are today, a gig from Le Bataclan Paris, with Prince playing with Larry Graham, Cynthia Robinson, and Jerry Martini, all former members of Sly and the Family Stone as well as Graham Central Station. As a rule, shows from this era generally don’t fill me with excitement, there isn’t much happening in Prince's world in 1999, however, I can’t deny that the setlist looks inviting, and I know Prince greatly enjoys playing with Larry Graham. Having Cynthia Robinson playing is something I look forward to hearing and a fitting way to remember her wonderful life. 

17 November 1999, Le Bataclan, Paris 

Things get off to a great start with a brief drum solo from Prince. The quality of the recording is surprisingly good, and Prince’s playing sounds light and playful. I know many people, myself included, like to hear him on various instruments and I always crave more whenever I hear him play drums, bass, keyboard, or whatever. The drum solo is only a cameo and after a minute he picks up his guitar for a series of runs as the crowd chant “Let’s go” – a la “Let’s Go Crazy.” After this light-hearted introduction, the funk comes on thick with the band vamping on Doing It To Death. Prince knows how to funk, and his guitar sound is all over this one. Again the band is still feeling their way into the show, and the groove only runs for a couple of minutes, but Prince has signaled his intentions, this is going to be one funky gig. 

My summation proves correct as the horn section begins to play and Prince starts singing “Bustin’ Loose.” Initially, it’s Prince and the horns that we hear most, the rest of the band has their moment later in the song as Prince leads us through a series of tempo changes as the song both speeds up and slows down. Kathy J plays a solo, and its leads rather nicely into another change as things slow again and Prince chants and sings. The whole song is saturated in funk, Prince’s vocals, the horns, and the rhythm section, all of it locked on the groove. As the song plays through I can almost feel the walls shaking and the sweat of the show. 

Things sound promising as Prince calls for the keyboards to be turned up, and the guitar to be “turned way up.”  The introduction of Larry Graham gives us “The Jam.” Larry does a great spoken introduction, and the song sounds sharp right from the beginning. Perhaps I have listened to too many poor recordings of this song, this one seems to sparkle in comparison. Normally I am effusive in my praise of Morris Hayes, but I can’t hear his performance on this one, and it's Mike Scott’s guitar break that kicks things off in great style for me. The NPG horns sound equally good, although I start to tune out later as Kip Blackshire sings, and Kirk Johnson plays a drum solo. The party mood is restored to my house as Larry plays and the crowd begins to chant and sing. 

 

“Everyday People” sounds much funkier too, with some of its pop sparkle initially replaced with a deeper groove and funk. Sure, it still sounds like pure sunshine as Larry sings, but the intro has a groove to it, and I do like that Larry does his best to reclaim it from the Toyota advertising. The horns are turned up mid-song before a trombone solo takes us off in a new direction. My mouth opens as there is a fantastic bass solo that pops along before a choppy guitar furthers the sound in this direction. It’s all tied together by some great guitar and bass work, and there is a tightness to this band’s playing that I hadn’t expected. They looked like a random selection of players, but upon hearing them I can see that they are a well-drilled band. 

I have to admit, I don’t know “Eye’magettin’” very well (Sorry, I refuse to type in Princebonics). I enjoy it immensely on this recording, with lots of bass and crowd interaction. The rest of the band takes a back seat for this one, it’s most definitely about Larry and his bass playing, and the man certainly does live up to his reputation. The song twists and turns a couple of times, and it keeps me guessing about what might come next. This is the early highlight of the show for me, and I hope there’s more like this later on. The sheering guitar sound at the end puts an exclamation mark on it, and I nod in appreciation. 

We stay with Larry Graham, and after Prince fights some feedback, it’s the crowd themselves that begins to sing “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)” The band plays and the crowd instinctively sing-along for some time as Prince gets the sound right on stage. There are problems with feedback, as well as Morris Hayes's organ being absent/low in the mix. Things immediately improve, and it’s quite noticeable as I hear the organ properly for the first time.  The delivery of the song is almost casual, you can hear the familiarity of the song both with the band and the audience. There is some nice back and forth with the crowd, and it’s very much an ensemble piece, with every member playing their part, including some tight horn work. 

Prince takes his time next with a speech to the crowd. His sentiments are well placed and admire him using his position to say something. It does distract me from the music, so I find myself waiting until it’s over and we can get back to the show. 

I am rewarded with an uplifting rendition of “Purple House”. This has been played plenty of times over the years, yet this one sounds a lot better than a lot of other bootlegs I have heard. There is a nice fat organ sound behind Prince as he plays early on, and then later in the song, Larry’s bass underpins it while he lets fly on his guitar. His solo is strong and loud, he plays cleanly during the verses, but the guitar is very rock sounding for his solos. There may be better renditions of Purple House out there, but for now, this is one of my favorites. Prince stays with the guitar for a further minute after the song finishes and delivers a minute of fantastic guitar shredding. I thought he sounded good during Purple House, but this cameo of a performance is more than its equal, and a nice addendum to the song. 

“Kiss” has a very long introduction, with Prince singing a bass line as the drum begins. It’s not immediately recognizable as “Kiss,” and Prince takes some time to get some dancers up as the organ and guitar groove. A further surprise as there is a long bass intro while the band works up a head of steam. Finally, there is a release as Mike Scott hits the guitar riff, and the song emerges from the jam. The rest of the song is almost a disappointment after the build-up we had, and it follows a fairly standard script from here on in. 

The following song is “Gett Off,” and it’s a shadow of its former self, a lot of the power of the original is gone, and apart from that electrifying guitar riff, it sounds like a much more relaxed groove. I would dismiss it, but the guitar riff and accompanying solo are just too good, and I can’t turn away even for a second. The last half of the song is buried under Prince's guitar sound, and a highlight is as he holds a quivering note for some time before plunging into more guitar pyrotechnics. 

 

I almost laugh as “Gett Off (Housestyle)” begins. It is night and day compared to the guitar sound we have just heard, and there is plenty of horn all over it before Mike Scott plays a feather-light solo that gains power as it goes on. There is a fun sound to it all, and it’s hard not to smile as I listen to it, even though under normal circumstances the thought of “Gett Off (Housestyle)” would make me cringe. 

A couple of horn blasts signal the beginning of “Talkin’ Loud And Saying Nothing.” In a clever symmetry, the show is ending as it began with some James Brown and Graham Central Station. Prince can be heard on the microphone, but for me, this song is all about the band and their strength in playing together. Typically for this part of a show, things become a jam, and Prince throws a couple of songs into the mix as well as giving individual band members a chance to play. 

The bass of Larry plays us right into “Release Yourself,” which skips along at a good pace. There are the horns propelling us forward, as well as the organ of Morris Hayes and some quick guitar licks that underpin the whole thing. The standouts for me are Larry’s bass early on, and a tambourine break that seemly appears out of nowhere. A lot is going on, and instruments and sounds seem to be coming from every direction – there is no mistaking that this is the last song and the band is throwing everything into it. It’s a frenetic end to the show, and I almost feel tired by the time it’s over. A final word from Prince reminds people to be careful and to love God and it finally comes to a close. 

This is the second of the three Bataclan shows that I will be listening to, and although completely different from the others, it’s still just as every bit enjoyable. Prince and Larry are undoubtedly the key attraction here, but the rest of the band prove their worth and it’s a complete performance in my view. On paper 1999 may appear a weak year for Prince shows, yet this one shows us otherwise. A fun show at a fantastic venue, with some of Prince’s (and mine) funk heroes, this one I can safely recommend to all. 

Rest in peace Cynthia, thanks for the music. 

London 15 November 1999

 With the recent reissue of Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic and all the subsequent talk of the era, the time has come for me to dip my toe back into the waters of bootlegs from this period. Prince did not honor Rave with a full-scale tour, instead, promotional duties fell heavily on a round of TV appearances and a handful of one-off shows. All of these are of course well documented, and for today’s bootleg, I have elected to listen to the show from London on November 15th. This is his first concert post-release of Rave, although the show contains very little material from that album. However, it is a good audience recording and I do have a natural affinity for a lot of the music that we hear through the course of this one-off show. While I am often mystified but Prince’s choices and his stance on which music he will promote, I always enjoy the live performance, no matter what he plays -and so it is in this case. 

15th November 1999, Mermaid Theatre, London 

Out of the silence comes a guitar-drenched “Let’s Go Crazy,” which immediately appeals to my inner rocker. There is no breakdown or audience participation, it comes to us frayed at the edges and ragged with its bare electric sound tearing the song down and building it again from the ground up. The fact that it comes to us in a rush adds to this impulsive and hurly-burly feeling, Prince plunging us into the future with this blistering two-minute rendition. 

The fiery start is tempered by a smoldering “She’s Always In My Hair,” the grit of Prince’s guitar still colors the recording but here it becomes a scalpel in his hand, his notes crisp and clean and cutting sharply across the recording, drawing appreciative cheers from the audience. The concert still hasn’t become an immersive experience, the quality just isn’t quite good enough to suck me into the moment, but the first two songs of the bootleg are certainly of a high standard and with an intensity, I hadn’t expected from this era. 

 

This trio of guitar-based songs is rounded out by “U Got The Look,” a song that doesn’t quite have the same driving intensity as the previous songs, although it too comes with an inflamed guitar break that does its best to unleash the song from the pop genre to which it is consigned. It never quite achieves what I hope for though, it is too firmly rooted in the pop magnificence of Sign O The Times, and despite Prince’s furious playing it remains rooted in the ’80s and never becomes the timeless classic we all want it to be. 

The next song comes as a pure groove, over a loop Prince delivers lines of several songs, although it remains rather directionless and never quite settles on one or another. It could have been a back catalog clearing medley, but remains uninteresting in its pure blandness and failure to commit. This meander does finally find a focus as Prince swings it into a short rendition of “Kiss.” It slips and slides as required in the first minute, but it gains a beating heart with other people coming to the microphone during the breakdown. It is only a small section of the song but captures the live experience better than anything heard in the preceding few minutes and makes it all worthwhile. 

I am overjoyed to hear Prince’s guitar howl and shriek in the opening minute of “Gett Off.” Its almighty sound stands proud as it rises out of the groove, and it soon becomes apparent that this will be the song, five minutes of Prince playing loud and proud, no storm or flurry of notes, instead, his striking bold sound that soars and swoops, yet remain granite-like in its heavy intent. Prince is playing with purpose, this is no flight of fancy, his guitar solo crafted rather than driven by pure inspiration. 

 

“Gett Off (Housestyle)” cannot be compared to the previous rendition, there is again plenty of guitar work but this time it is Mike Scott playing in all his finery, his guitar work lacy and intricate as opposed to Prince’s previously architectural-like structure. The appearance of the horn section signals a new direction for the concert, we are coming to a fuller sound as Prince draws from his wider palette of funk-infused jams. 

These jams are best exemplified with his take on “Talkin’ Loud And Sayin’ Nothing,” a horn-driven groove that sweeps up elements of “Sex Machine,” and “It’s Alright,” as it sprawls across the next ten minutes. There are several treasures unearthed through this jam, the piano is early to draw my attention, along with a dedicated flurry of horns, before Larry Graham’s bass appears front and center and continues to dominate the scene. It is typically Larry Graham, there is no mistaking his style and it lifts the song again as the band turns their full attention on “It’s Alright.” While it is not as vital as some of the other songs of the night, it perhaps best represents Prince and the band at this stage of his career as they take on these familiar tunes and spruce them up with their unique sound. 

The steady hand of Prince guides the band into a sunset groove that on the back of guitar work reveals itself to be “Purple House.” I am a fan of the concept more than the realization of the song, Prince’s guitar not burning with the intensity I desire, while his surrounding players detract from the song rather than add to it. That’s not to say there is anything bad in the performance, but it doesn’t measure up to Prince’s material earlier in the set, nor does he lift the song beyond its well-known roots. There are the prerequisite wail and shrieks from Prince’s instrument, but it is apropos of nothing as it flounders in its sound rather than taking the song to new horizons. 

 

There is very little to distinguish “The Jam,” from the earlier “Talkin’ Loud And Sayin’ Nothing,” they both spring from the same fertile ground and provide the band a chance to stretch out with the heavy bass of Larry Graham underpinning proceedings. As such it adds little to the concert, indeed it is almost unnecessary given what we have already heard. On a positive note, I always enjoy the contribution of Morris Hayes, no matter how many times I hear him, and again he is a highlight of “The Jam” for me. Mike Scott on guitar is also noteworthy, but the rest of the song I could take or leave. Mostly leave. 

We finally get a Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic song in the form of “The Greatest Romance That’s Every Been Sold,” although by now we are approaching the end of the concert. It is a classy performance and one can hear that it is of the modern era in comparison to all that has come before. It is mature and fits well with the late 90’s R’n’B, Prince seemingly drawing inspiration from the current music scene of the time. What I enjoy most is his vocal performance, the band plays in the shadows of his performance and I find myself cocooned in his vocals as the song flows easily through the speakers. As the lead single of the album, it was promoted through a series of TV performances, which makes it all the more disappointing that it disappeared from live concerts within eighteen months of its first appearance. Hearing it at this show only strengthens this feeling, and as I sit back and enjoy the performance I only wish there were more of this kind in circulation. 

 

The instrumental version that follows is exquisite, especially as the clarinet weaves its way in and out of the music, making for a hypnotic few minutes. I am snapped out of this dream-like trance by a thoughtful trombone solo that surprises and delights in equal measure. I had previously thought the song leaned heavily on the vocals, yet this instrumental version makes me realize just how important and intricate the music is behind Prince. 

From the other end of the Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic scale we next have an impertinent rendition of “Baby Knows,” a song that is enhanced by a snotty upstart of a solo provided by Prince, it may only be a few seconds of guitar work but it ignites the song and briefly steals it from the hands of the horn section who otherwise have their fingerprints all over it. 

A guitar-driven groove propels the concert towards the ultimate number, Prince’s instrument grunting and choking in his hands, a wild dog pulling to be free. Prince never unleashes this guitar fury, the guitar snarls and threatens, but never breaks into the untamed wildness as I expect, wish, and pray. 

There is finally a release, in name and nature, with the final “Release Yourself,” a song pulled directly from Larry Graham’s back catalog. After a quick turnaround, the full band, horns included, leap upon the jam, led by the good Larry Graham. The mix is a little uneven, the bootleg remaining very good but showing its limitations at this stage as the vocals come to us at different levels. The energy and enthusiasm are undeniable, a circus of sound cascading around my headphones as all the band members via for attention seemingly all at once. It is Prince that I strain to hear the most, but he is too clever and too well embedded in the band to stand out. He may well have been a superstar of supernova proportions, but he knew his place in the band, and even as he contributes his solo he stays well within the confines of what else is heard on the tape. 

 

The is one final twist in the tale of this bootleg, as the music ends and the room reverts to chatter, one of the audience can be heard asking “was that Beck on the right of the stage?” It may or may not be, one certainly can’t distinguish him on the recording, and there is equally confusion among the audience as to whether or not it was him. The matter is never resolved, and it is a curious end to what has been an uneven concert. It was a concert I wanted to like a lot, especially in light of the recent reissues, but the show was too uneven for me to get a proper handle on. The audience recording was good, at times very good, but I found overall Prince resting too much on past glories and other people’s songs. Equally disappointing was the lack of songs from the Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic, the opportunity to get some of this music out into the light of day and road-test it to a critical audience. As such, this remains a good listen, but never reaches the heights of many of the other bootlegs in circulation, a curio that I am unlikely to revisit. 

Minneapolis 6 September 1999

 1999 is an odd year in the world of Prince. No tour this year, just a steady stream of one-off shows and appearances. Prince was well off my radar at this stage, I had grown weary of his output, and found it lacked the excitement and creativity that I previously enjoyed. But looking at my recordings I see that I do need to have a dig and look at something from this era. I have chosen a recording of his appearance at the Mill City festival. The setlist looks slightly interesting, and with Larry Graham in the band, the stage is now set for the next change in his life and music. 

Mill City Festival 6 September 1999 Minneapolis 

The lone notes of Prince’s guitar begin the recording. His tone is unmistakable, and there is a nice minute of just his playing alone. The beat begins as the guitar whines its final note, and I am immediately enthused as “Sign Of the Time” starts. The sound of his guitar playing at the beginning adds a lot to it, and my excitement. His playing through the whole song is great, very nice and fiery. It’s a good contrast to Prince's vocal, which is suitably detached. This song works great live, and I am surprised it doesn’t get played more often. As the title track of one of his most critically recognized albums I feel it should get a little more love. For all the great lyrics in this song, and the fantastic beat, it is the guitar that dominates in this live version, especially later in the song, before it finishes very sharply. This was a great start to the recording. 

Another Sign Of The Times song follows, as the steady drumbeat of “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man” begins. Prince takes his time to thank the city and festival and then brings out Larry Graham to the stage. He tells us that he has a few surprises lined up later, and then comments on the crowd. It’s a good minute and a half before he starts playing on his guitar, then after a brief moment the band jumps in and the song starts properly. What I enjoy about this one, is I can hear the organ very well, and it helps fill out what is a somewhat thin recording. Prince seems to understand what the main attraction of the song is, and after a brief verse, he jumps straight to the guitar break. It’s sounding good, but nothing great or off the wall here. I enjoy it much more when the band falls silent and Prince draws out a longer more mournful guitar break. He never returns to the song and it ends with him playing guitar like this. 

There is a small break again between songs as Prince delivers a spiritual message. It’s well-intentioned, and leads us appropriately enough into “The Christ.” Although I don’t like the fact that Prince is trying to rewrite his history, I do respect his beliefs and admire that he is prepared to stand by his convictions. However, this song will always be ‘The Cross’ to me. It seems that it would be impossible to play a version of this that I wouldn’t like, but here it comes close. Larry Graham sings the second verse, and although I love his voice – love, love – here it sounds out of place to me. Prince’s vocals sound a little messed up when he returns for the next verse. I am not sure I can blame the quality of the recording for this, it sounds like he is ad-libbing at the mic, buts it’s not very clear, and sounds a little amateurish. He does serve up another guitar break, but again it’s nothing spectacular and is a little truncated. 

 

“Thank you very much hometown,” Prince says before the keyboard intro of “Let's Go Crazy” begins. The guitar sound here is fairly neutered, and the song has lost the power it had during the Purple Rain era. This is a pretty standard run-through of the song, it has a couple of verses cut, and even the guitar breaks fail to lift it to anything special. I thought it might have picked up when Prince played his last guitar howl, but even this is a damp squib. 

“She’s Always in My Hair” is a dead-set classic, and its appearance next raises my interest considerably. Both the guitar and the keys via for my attention, before Prince closes the deal with “Can I play my guitar?” The guitar break is everything I could ask for, and although not stratospheric, it’s exactly what I need. The song seems to be very short, only the first verse and chorus are played before the guitar break, and the song ends immediately after the guitar solo. Short and sweet as they say, I could have done with a little more for this one. 

Keeping with the rock theme the next song played is “U Got The Look.” It has good energy and simmers along nicely. The setlist so far has been crowd-pleasing, and heavy on guitar songs from his most popular albums. “U Got The Look” has a very clean sound to it. Sure, there is some nice throaty guitar, but it still sounds well-polished throughout. I was wondering if they would do something different with it, but it’s very much as heard on the album. It is enjoyable, but nothing to write home about, or indeed to write a blog about. 

I was wondering where Prince was going next, as over a steady beat he addresses the crowd, and especially the ladies in the audience. It all becomes clear when he says “Ladies, do you know how to kiss?” There is a brief moment of sampler and scratching before the very familiar guitar line of “Kiss” begins. There is some sampling and horns in the song, but they fail to add anything to it, and if anything they detract from its minimalist charm. There is an interesting moment when the band stop and just Prince and the crowd sing. OK, so interesting might be an overstatement, but it is a nice variation in the song that wasn’t doing much for me. 

The scream at the beginning of “Gett Off” has me reaching for my phone to check my messages (I have the scream as my ringtone), but it’s the real deal and the recording takes a more interesting turn. The song takes a long time to begin and is much more of a jam. There is a lot of interaction between Prince and the crowd. There is a few sounds and sample thrown into the mix and keeps me listening trying to catch them all. Prince's vocal delivery is very laid back, and smooth sounding. He sings rather than speaks the lyrics, and it’s very enjoyable. There is a low-key guitar break before some funky chanting “Come And Dance With Me” This is very cool, and funky before things heat up. There is an upswing in tempo and the band begins singing “I Like Funky Music.” The beat has a Latin feel to it, and Prince introduces Maceo Parker to the crowd. Maceo delivers immediately and delivers a fast and funky sax solo. Prince begins to sing “I like funky music” and I have to agree, I do too! The song continues in this vein for some time, and I enjoy every second of it. From here on it’s very much a funk jam, with Prince directing the band and Maceo, there are a few minutes of stabs, funky rhythms, and percussion breaks. 

Things stay on the same track as the band slip into “Talking Loud and Saying Nothing.” Here the horns come to the fore. I was just thinking how good they were sounding when Prince calls them out, and they do a fantastic break. I am not a horn guy, but this is very good, and I enjoy it immensely. Prince is again directing things and the band is tight right through. I can hear some calls, and I am sure if I could see it he would be directing things with his hands and movements. 

Without pause we get “Let’s Work,” and it’s nice and horny -with horns that is. They pump it up a lot, and it's one of Prince’s songs that I find works well with real horns playing over it. Prince’s vocal is sounding good as ever, and it has a bit of pop to it. This song got me moving, it was sounding great. I was expecting it to go for longer, but just as it is beginning to groove the band transitions into “Delirious.” 

“Delirious” also gains from having live horns played over it. Not a favorite of mine, I find this recording quite refreshing with the horns playing on it. There is even a horn solo, which I presume is Maceo, and that too is awesome. “Delirious” is always a slight song, and here it slips by very quickly, but well worth the listen. There is an instrumental section that plays it out, featuring some guitar work- but it’s neither here nor there and doesn’t add anything. 

Next, there is a short pause when Prince engages the crowd. There’s a bit of “You don’t love me… You love Larry Graham, but you don’t love me”. The crowd responds as you might expect, and then after half a minute of this, there is another break. 

The beat then resumes, and Prince tells the crowd that his new single “The Greatest Romance Ever Sold” is on sale next month. No surprise as he next begins to talk of record companies and being free. He then sings a smooth version of “Everyday Is A Winding Road.” It's nice enough sounding, but it is not very distinctive until the chorus, then it picks up a lot. There is a nice organ in the background, and Prince is singing nice and strong. The whole song gets stronger and stronger as it goes on, and after Prince acknowledges that it was written by Sheryl Crow the band moves into a long groove with it. Well, not too long, it finishes up just a minute after this, but it is enjoyable as it lasts. 

The seductive beat of “Love Thy Will be Done” draws me in slowly but surely. Prince delivers a spiritual message for a couple of minutes over the beat, but this time it seems to work well. Then when he does begin to sing over the same beat, it is not “Love Thy Will Be Done,” but ”Do Unto Others.” It has a nice groove to it, and my head is quickly bobbing. There are plenty of organs and Prince sings with Larry Graham. 

 

I am feeling it, and then it gets even better as Prince sings “Sometimes I feel Like A Motherless Child.” It’s very much a favorite of mine from the period, and Prince delivers it with plenty of heart and passion on the recording. His singing sounds like he is pouring himself into it. There is then a trombone solo, which doesn’t derail the song at all, and it brings a lot of color to it. The band then returns to singing “Do Unto Others,” while Prince busies himself on the guitar. There are plenty of squeals and wailing, all the while that steady beat keeps plugging away underneath. There is a false ending, but just as I think it's done Prince comes back on board with his guitar, and there are another couple of minutes of him blasting out another solo. He is warmed up by this stage, and the whole thing sounds great. The song ends quickly after, but it’s already made an impression on me- I will be coming back to this one. 

Prince begins “Prettyman” by telling the crowd that he wrote it for Morris Day, but it was so funky he decided to keep it for himself. He then goes on to do a spoken intro, speaking the lyrics until the band gets on board after a minute. It is indeed funky, and Maceo is all over this one. After Prince's intro, I can imagine Morris singing this one, but Prince is equally adept at delivering such lyrics. There is a lot of character as he sings, and the lyrics are hilarious. Things get very funky when Prince calls for Maceo to blow his horn. As you might expect, Maceo more than delivers. All in all, it’s the funkiest song of the show. 

The band jumps straight into “Purple Rain” after this, and initially, it’s a little jarring after the funkfest we have just heard. But there is a nice long intro which gives me plenty of time to calm down and sit back to enjoy it. And it is very enjoyable. Not one of the great versions, but Prince gives the song plenty of room to breathe, and during the introduction, he introduces his new guitar, Hibibi, and then treats us to a minute of nice guitar noodling before we get to the meat of the song. Some nice low-key horns are playing in the song, and it adds a little bit of sharpness and stops it from becoming just like any other version. There are also some nice lyric changes from Prince, nothing too much, but again it keeps me listening. When Prince unleashes Habibi on us for the guitar finale it's well worth the wait. He plays the standard solo, but the guitar has a fantastic tone to it, and even though I have heard it plenty, this one still manages to excite me. The reprise has more of the saxophone – I am assuming it's Maceo, and it takes the song to another level. By the fade out I am pretty happy that this one is more interesting than a lot of versions of “Purple Rain” out there. 

I had forgotten about the song “Come On,” until it came on. I enjoy the live versions of this one far more than what’s on record, so even though this isn’t great it’s still an improvement. It gets the full funk treatment here, a nice long intro, with calls for hand-clapping hand waving. There isn’t too much that can be said about this recording, aside from the fact that I like it. I could well imagine this going on for a good 10-15 minutes, but it finishes surprisingly quickly after just 5 minutes. With the long intro, it didn’t leave much of the rest of the song for me to enjoy. 

A pounding beat and “oh way oh” starts us into “Baby I’m A Star.” It’s not quite how I remember it from the Purple Rain days. There are lots of horns which is good, but they do swamp the song that I know. But the song is a Trojan horse and after a minute it’s over and we are into 1999. 

1999 gets the Vegas treatment. The horns are again to the fore, and the song is treated as a fun sing-along. There is very little in the way of verses and chorus, just a lot of yelling and chanting with the crowd. It’s all very shiny and light, and somewhat showy, but I find that I don’t enjoy it too much. I can see that he is going for the party vibe but, as is the case with many of these gigs, it doesn’t translate well to the recording. There is no substitute for being there. 

The set ends with Prince being presented with a key to the city. At least I think that is what happens, it’s not overly clear. After this, there is a Larry Graham set, with Prince guesting. I am not going to write about that here- or this post will take days to read. 

I am not sure what to make of this recording. It has a good setlist, but overall comes across as a little weak. I enjoyed it overall, but Prince seems a little unsure of what he is at this time. Coming off the slave era, and moving towards the legacy era, this is a time where he doesn’t seem to have an agenda to push, musically at least. For all that, this recording is solid, it was a good diversion on a Sunday afternoon. 

Las Vegas 2 January 1999

 With not many shows played in 1999, there isn’t much to listen to from that time. My collection is thin from 1999 and consequently so is the blog. I intend to right that wrong by taking in a couple of shows from that year. I have already taken in the Mill City festival, and today I will listen to a show from the beginning of the year at Studio 54, MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas. This is from a Sabotage release, and also covers another couple of shows, but it is the show from January 2nd that interests me most. An eclectic mix of songs sees some strange bedfellows, “I Would Die 4 U” bumps up against “Get Yo Groove On,” and the show is short for a Prince show so I am hoping for something infused with plenty of energy. It looks good on paper, fingers crossed it delivers. 

2nd January 1999, Studio 54, MGM Grand Hotel Las Vegas 

We ease into the show with an easy “Push It Up.” It takes some time to make itself known, but that’s no problem at all as I enjoy it right from the start. With a steady beat and the band chanting “push it up” the funk is slowly added by the slightest guitar sound. With Prince intoning “The funk keep on rolling” he, in a couple of words, sums up the exact mood of the song, it does indeed roll. The song stays with a low roll and even as Prince sings the chorus it doesn’t rise to anything more, it stays low in the groove all the way. Things do become more lively with the introduction of “Jam Of The Year,” with the groove still locked down it’s the lyrics that raise the excitement levels and some added keys are certainly a plus. 

“Talkin Loud And Sayin Nothin” has the band changing gears and cutting into their work, with Larry Graham doing his best to get things going. Handwaving and some funky music have me feeling it, although Prince does pull things back a couple of times and break the flow. Mike Scott delivers a quick solo as the party begins in earnest with an action-packed keyboard solo following close after. It is funky and something I would normally expect later in the gig, nevertheless it gets things moving early on and sounds great. 

Rosie Gaines singing “Carwash” is perfectly in keeping with what has come before and it is seamless in setting the party vibe already set. It follows right on the heels of “Talkin Loud And Saying Nothin,” almost as a medley- the groove never stopping. It may sound dated, but it is of its time and is very 1999. 

Likewise “Let’s Work” comes after, without pause or let up. It does lack some crispness, whether it be the recording or the performance I don’t know. After years of listening to Prince bootlegs, I know that it does lack the fire and passion that was present in the performances of the song in the early eighties. 

“Delirious” also harks back to the early days and it fares better at this show than the previous Let’s Work. It still has a brightness and a bounce that carries the day, and the best moment is the brief piano solo that appears midsong bringing a smile to my face. “Rock N Roll Is Alive (And Lives In Minneapolis)” is played as an instrumental coda, leaving the song finishing on an energized high. 

  

There are plenty of great live versions of “Purple Rain” in circulation, but this is not one of them. It has a dreariness about it and sounds uninspired throughout. Even the guitar solo that is usually uplifting is instead laborious and for the first time in my life, I find myself counting the minutes until it ends. 

The gentle swells of “Little Red Corvette” restores my faith. With the guitar delicately emphasizing the rise and fall of the keyboard, it has a gentleness to it that washes against me. It is a somewhat unusual arrangement, after an extended introduction Prince sings the opening verse and chorus before Mike Scott takes the solo and the song suddenly ends. Even in this truncated form, it is still a classy few minutes and worth it just for those opening minutes alone. 

“I Would Die 4 U” sees the crowd cheering and gleefully singing along. In the next few minutes, the songs come thick and fast, and this is a fine introduction that gets the crowd involved. It’s only played very short, and as such has a brightness to it that keeps things moving as Prince quickly introduces the band with “Get Yo Groove On” before the segue into “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man.” 

 

“I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man” has a pounding beat as Prince toys with some guitar playing. A minute of teasing and the song kicks into the familiar riff as Prince sings. Of course, it’s all about the guitar, and it isn’t long before Prince dispenses with the singing and heads straight for the guitar solo. The solo isn’t as long as I want, and it slows to some interesting guitar noodling which shimmers and swirls before occasionally flickering into life. 

The intensity levels drop as Rosie Gaines takes the microphone for “Redemption Song.” It’s not a bad rendition, it’s just that it is not Prince. I try to get something out of it but it never sweeps me up. The song goes by without me feeling engaged or actively listening, it serves well as a backdrop without any demand. 

Rosie stays on the microphone for “Ain’t No Way,” and this time I am much more engaged. Her voice with the keyboards underneath, gives it a soulful nostalgic sound and I wallow in the song for several minutes, enjoying all of it. With a full warm sound, this is better than the previous “Redemption Song” and I find myself falling for Rosie all over again. 

It’s no surprise that Prince and Rosie next take on “Nothing Compares 2 U,” and this lifts the show to another level as they belt it out for maximum effect. The organ solo is the heart of the song and gives it an emotional base. It is hitting the right buttons with the audience as they actively sing through the song and give plenty of warm appreciation at the end of the song. 

I forget that “Come On” was less than a year old at this stage, and at this performance, Prince plays it in full, with plenty of loops and beats keeping it hopping. The singing comes across well on the recording, and it does have its charms. I may not like it when Doug E Fresh does his thing, but I do enjoy hearing the crowd sing and chant along with him. 

I was curious to hear “1999: The New Master” live until it started. It’s a mess, with beatboxing from Doug E. Fresh, and lots of rapping and crowd participation. Some people may like it, but for me, it’s not really what I want to hear from a Prince show. It does run for ten minutes which can make for hard listening, and I must admit late in the song I stopped paying attention as I wasn’t enjoying it in the slightest. 

The loop of “Gett Up” has me perking up, but we stay with Doug E Fresh for the first minute before Prince hits the main riff and things get started. It’s not the greatest version, but there is no denying the earworm of a hook, and the guitar has me listening intently for the couple of minutes the song plays. In the final couple of minutes, it switches to “Gett Off(housestyle),” something I wouldn’t normally like but this evening I find myself liking it despite myself, and even Rosie’s scat raises a smile. 

 

The final “Release Yourself” is where Larry Graham and Rosie Gaines shine. The song is such that it is a natural fit for them, and with Larry’s bass rumbling underneath, there is another chance for Rosie to sing. The song is yet another finale jam that runs for some time as an upbeat instrumental with plenty of organ and bass. When the singing does begin it is as with the key players each taking a part, although Rosie is easily the strongest. Despite this, Larry is recorded best on the recording, a shame as Rosie is going for it near the end even though she is quieter on the recording. It is the finale and there is no surprise as it ends with a flourish. 

I was overly optimistic when I set out to listen to this show. I knew 1999 wasn’t a great year for shows, yet I thought some of the songs would offer more. There were some good songs and moments in the show, but they weren’t strong enough to make up for the not-so-good songs. A run of shows like this and I would quickly lose interest in listening to bootlegs, luckily I know there are plenty more good shows from other years without having to dip into shows like this. An interesting enough experience, but not something I would want to do again any time soon.