Paris 29 October 2002 (am)

 When it comes to these shows from Le Bataclan, I have saved the best for last. The last couple of shows I have written about were good, today’s one is another level altogether. In my research, for this one, I found that many people spoke of it as being one of the greats, and some thought it was even better than the small club show of 88. I have already praised one show from the ONA tour as one of the greatest (Copenhagen aftershow), and my first impression of this one is that it might just trump it. The setlist has some highlights, and some great song selections are in there. It’s also better than the Copenhagen gig in that it runs for two and a half hours, so there’s a whole extra hour for me to enjoy right from the go. I have been looking forward to listening to this one for some time, and I think it’s a fitting way to end this Bataclan trilogy. 

29 October, 2002. Le Bataclan Paris. 

The show has barely started, and already I am saying wow, wow, and wow. The first song of the night is an instrumental, not that there is anything too unusual about that, except this one gets me. The drum shimmers and Renato Neto plays some figures over it, and it’s a mature jazz sound that I warm to right away. It’s not too often that I feel Renato’s playing, here is an exception. There are drums, a piano, and a bass, and it starts the show in fine style. The playing gets hotter and then cools off before it begins to build again. Each movement draws me in more, and Prince plays his part for the first time of the night with some guitar playing that has his loud strong style that was often heard at this time. It’s not crunching, but it’s the heaviest instrument playing. Things get serious later when everyone hits the same groove, and I get the feeling that the warm-up is over, and the band is together, and tight. A brief drum solo, and then we spin off into another direction, the horns appear and we hear a hint of funk. It’s doing the song a disservice to write about it, this has to be listened to rather than written about. This is a fantastic opener, and if the rest of the show is this good then it will certainly be one of the greats. 

 

The guitar jam that follows has a very different vibe. Prince riffs as he sings to the crowd “Good morning to you”. I can’t think of anything more fitting, and after this initial riff, there is some suitably heavy guitar playing as the horns join in. The crowd joins in next, picking up the chant of “Good morning to you”. It seems so simple, and yet I find myself enjoying it just as much as I enjoyed the complexity of the opening jam. 

The song morphs into “Bambi,” and I am not surprised to hear it in this context. The sound of the show changes, and I find I don’t have to listen as hard as I am so familiar with the song. It’s not as heavy as I have heard, the guitar is nice and clean sounding, and I am impressed by how much guitar noise Prince can generate just by himself. His soloing in the latter part of the song swirls around in my head, it’s something I could listen to for days. It does stop unexpectedly, giving Prince a chance to sing another verse before his guitar re-enters the fray. As with the previous two songs, I rate this very highly. 

We rock on well and truly next with Prince’s take on “A Whole Lotta Love.” Prince nails the main riff and then Renato Neto surprises me again with a fantastically futuristic solo. Prince backs it up with one of his own before a howl signals a break down a chance for the crowd to sing. This leads to Prince singing as the band quietly plays behind him. I keep waiting for the music to explode back, but Prince strings me and the crowd along for some time before switching to “Family Name.” 

“Family Name” starts with just Prince and his guitar, and soon enough the rest of the band joins. The horns and the guitar are what I hear most, and the song moves along quite quickly. Things get more interesting later in the song, Prince stops singing and lets the music speak.  There is some loud guitar work, which Prince acknowledges at the end of the song as he asks the audience “Ain’t too loud am I?” 

 

A guitar strum and clap throw me initially, but the band joins and we get a very different take on “Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)” It’s very mellow sounding, and the cold feel of the drum machine is missing, replaced with an organ sound, and some sharp and loud guitar work by Prince. The organ is quiet and holds it together while Candy plays a sweet-sounding solo. It’s totally in keeping with this band’s sound and they make it their own. What I like most is a drum break on the tom-toms near the end of the song while Prince plays sharps of guitar, it’s very cool, and makes me feel like a Beatnik. 

The opening riff of The “Question Of U” snaps me back to reality, as Prince plays the riff over the drum sound. His voice is sounding as good as ever, and before I know it I am singing along. Renato adds his sound with a piano solo that fits the mood very well. Prince returns for his stark-sounding guitar break as I nod along, smiling knowingly. 

I love hearing “The One” in this setting, my only negative is it’s only a minute, which is a real shame because I could have easily listened to it all night long. Prince sings, and then as he begins his solo we switch to “Fallin’.” He only sings a line or two before his guitar work takes over, and his playing is superb. I don’t have any words for it, it's short, and yet every note is perfectly placed. 

Prince steps back as the band shows their chops with an easy take on “Take 5.” Renato excels in this, and his solo early on is just as good as Prince’s solo we have just heard. Very different in sound, but just as brilliant. Maceo adds his sound to the mix, and the crowd can be heard yelling their approval. As Prince sings “Ain’t No Sunshine” the song takes a darker and quieter sound, and at this stage, there is some very sweet singing and interaction between Prince and the crowd. Like everything previous at this show, everything has its place and sounds perfectly in line and as it should. The song ends with the men and women in the crowd trading lines, something that sounds surprisingly good. 

Surprisingly good is apt for the next song, for it is both surprising and outstandingly good. “She’s Always In My Hair” is always a must-listen for me, and this one has some of the best guitar work of the show. It’s heavy when it needs to be, and also light when Prince demands it. His latter solo in particular is a show stopper, it certainly stops me and I just sit and listen. The song doesn’t have the breakdown that I have come to expect, and it ends in just under three minutes. 

 

It doesn’t matter too much for people who like Prince’s guitar work, as he next gives us some guitar soloing for a minute or two before the band picks up a groove. He continues to solo as the crowd chant “It ain’t over” – nothing too fierce, he plays in and out of the music before the horns enter with the “It Ain’t Over” riff. I did expect it to go like this for some time until Prince begins to talk about “here she comes in them hot pants” and I know a change will be coming soon. He does draw it out, with the crowd providing a soul clap as the horns and band swirl around. The moment I am waiting for never comes, as Greg begins to solo on the trombone, with not a guitar in sight. The other horns join and I think the guitar will never enter until suddenly it does for a minute. The chant of “It ain’t over” quickly returns and the song ends with Prince singing us straight into “Shake.” 

“Shake,” now I didn’t see that coming. Prince leads the crowd in the singing of “Shake!” while he provides the lines in between. It’s very refreshing to hear Shake again, and Candy gives it a new sound with her energetic solo. Prince sings her praises as the ‘it ain’t over’ refrain sounds on the horns and the audience keeps up the shake chant. It ties together beautifully, and I am beginning to understand how some people lose their heads over this recording. 

The band picks up a funky groove, and I am not surprised that it’s James Brown's “I Don’t Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door, I’ll Get It Myself).” Prince does well to weld it to his own “The Work, Pt 1.” There is a natural fit there, and Maceo is right in his element as he takes an early solo.  The band pulls back and there is some funky play between the horns and Prince’s guitar which I just love. When the groove resumes it's much more horn-infused and it’s the riffing of the horns that carry it along. “The Work Pt 1” is much more evident at this stage as Prince sings it properly. There’s plenty more of Candy to come, and I don’t mind that at all. Even John has a chance to play a drum solo before the song eventually comes to a close. 

“777-9311” is short, and leaves me floored. Prince is jamming on the bass, and he is sounding fierce. Normally it’s the drum pattern that I listen for, in this case, it’s Prince’s bass work that demands my attention. This alone is worth the price of admission. 

Prince thumbs us easily into Hair. It’s considerably more laid back than anything else we have heard in the last half hour. It’s twice as long as “777-9311,” but still much too short for my liking. Prince plays a brief bass solo which I hope will go on, instead he defers to Renato who plays a cool-sounding solo that takes us to the end of the song. 

“Brick House” continues this easy flow, Prince’s bass playing is loud, and for this one the horns make their presence felt especially Maceo’s solo. The song is not much more than a verse and a solo from Maceo, and I dig every second of it. 

Things stay in this vein as Prince gives us a laid-back “Skin Tight.” I have heard this very funked up on other recordings, tonight he sounds more laid back as they play it. Prince chooses not to play the whole song, and it gets a brief treatment before they segue into “Cool.” 

“Cool” is indeed cool. It’s not overworked, and the mood stays laid back. What I appreciate about it is that Greg gets to play a trombone solo, which generally isn’t cool, but in this case, most definitely is. The pace quickens mid-song and the bass work of Prince and Rhonda catches fire. There is some great stuff in there, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. As the crowd cheers, Prince calls “touch the bass” but I feel like it is the bass that has touched me. 

There is some spirited clapping and chanting by the crowd before the music returns with “All The Critics Love U In Paris.” A pounding beat and some great electronic noises get things moving, there is a futurist keyboard solo that starts things off very nicely. It’s the keyboards for the first couple of minutes that get my attention, much more than the groove and the beat. There is no singing, and it’s very much a jam over the top of the rhythm track. Both keyboards sound excellent, and the song is fantastic. 

The guitar is back to front and center as Prince plays “Alphabet Street” (Including “The Ballard Of Jed Clampett”). It’s light sounding coming after “All The Critics,” and yet just as enjoyable. Prince doesn’t jam on it at all, and it’s just a pause before the next song begins. 

Prince begins a slow groove and the crowd picks up the chant “NPG in the motherfuckin house”. I am laughing as Prince stops the music and tells the crowd they got the wrong chant “We aren’t going to do nothing to nobody’s mamma up here tonight” The music resumes with the crowd chanting “NPG in this funky house”. Over the groove Candy begins to play. Everything is slow and very relaxed sounding. I like her solo, and I like when Prince has the crowd singing “Oh Candy” as she plays. Things stay on this gentle course with a piano solo following. Like everything tonight it’s a joy to sit back and listen to. 

 

“All The Critics Love U In Paris” is next, and this time it’s in a different form. It’s much more insistent, and Prince sings the lines as you expect. The guitar and keyboards are lively and the horns too add their sense of urgency. Prince commands Maceo to blow the roof off, and he gives it a good effort. It has me wanting to get up and dance, and that’s a sure sign that it’s pretty damn good. Renato too seems to have found an extra gear and he more than does his part in keeping the up-tempo groove going. 

I couldn’t imagine what they might follow with, and I am delighted to hear that it is “Dolphin.” The opening guitar is full of emotion, and it’s a credit to Prince and this band that they can still play something so heartfelt after such an extraordinary show. Prince’s vocals are just as clean and beautiful as his guitar playing, and during the chorus, he switches from singing the chorus to playing it on his guitar instead, just the sort of thing I like to hear. I can’t decide what I like most about this, his vocals, his guitar, or the piano playing behind him. All of it is worthy of my time and attention and truly the sum is greater than the parts, and the parts are mind-blowing. It’s one of those songs that I never want to end, and as soon as it finishes I decide that this is my new favorite bootleg. 

The “Santana medley” that follows seals the deal, and there’s plenty of Prince on the guitar as well as some frenetic keyboard from Renato. Prince excels in these medleys and he does the sound of Santana so well, as does Renato Neto on the keyboards. The two of them trade solos on their respective instruments. I am running out of words for this show, I would love just to switch off the computer and sit back and enjoy it. If ever a show deserved to be called a ‘headbuster’, this would be it. It has it all, and there’s so much to enjoy at such high quality. 

Even after two and a bit hours, the crowd still chants for more, and they are rewarded with an instrumental Come On. The bass is fat and full which is nicely offset by the keys and some scratching. Prince starts a chant and very aptly it’s “party till the sun come up” The choppy rhythm guitar has me bobbing, and I find myself subconsciously chanting along. 

Prince sings “Housequake” so slow and relaxed it’s far removed from the album. A rhythm guitar, bass, and drum are the main building blocks as Prince sings his lines slowly before building the crowd to a chant of “Time to get funky”. The horns swell through the song, and there are a couple of solos, all of them on point. I am thinking it might slide by in this way until the end, but there are more fireworks from Prince and his guitar, and the song gains in intensity. Suitably he finishes his solo and the song as the crowd continues the chant for another minute. 

I admit it, I slept on this one. I have to agree with what others have said about this recording- it certainly is one of the greats. I can’t fault it, the performance is tight, the band is on form, the setlist is perfect, and the crowd is a big part of the fun. I may have overlooked this show in the past, but it will be on high rotation now for a very long time. Just fantastic in every way, and a fitting way to remember all the great shows from the Le Bataclan. I am going to go listen to it again right now, have a great day where ever you are, and see you next time. 

Copenhagen 26 October 2002 (am)

 I am going to go out on a limb here. This recording, in my opinion, is the greatest Prince bootleg of all time. The default setting for most Prince Fans is to say Small Club is the greatest bootleg, but I feel this one slightly edges it. There are a few reasons for my opinions on this. Firstly the quality of the recording is fantastic. It's a soundboard, but it is better than 90% of the other soundboard recordings I have heard, the mix on this is outstanding. The band and the playing are excellent, and the setlist contains a great mix that showcases all of Prince’s styles. The first part of the gig is guitar-heavy rock before he moves through funky jams, ballads, and ends with a knock-out version of “Dolphin.” Top-notch in every aspect. This recording is not my favorite bootleg, but it’s definitely the best out there. So let’s have a look at ‘The Greatest Of All Time’ 

 

26 October 2002, Copenhagen 

The recording starts with the end of the DJ's set. It’s a nice touch and sets the scene for what will follow. Even this part of the recording is pristine. The DJ spins “Gett Off,” “Poom Poom,” and then a hip hop song before a flurry of guitar work has Prince warming up his fingers. He plays fast and furious from the start, and after a minute of fretwork the band begins with “Who Knows.” It is, as you might expect, just a showcase for Prince to dazzle us with his guitar work and he delivers. I have found throughout writing this blog that it is impossible to properly express the sound of his guitar. Let’s just say, that in this case, it’s hot. 

Keeping with the guitar-based songs he follows up with “Bambi.” The band sounds very strong behind him, he is way out front with the guitar sound, but the band is pushing it along – especially the drums and bass. I feel the buzz in the room when Prince calls “Turn me up Scotty, want to feel it in the whole house” Cue more guitar heroics. The guitar comes in waves before it pulls back to give Prince space to sing “All your lovers look just like you”. This bit is quite enjoyable as Prince sings it in his deeper speaking voice, something I want to hear more of. 

The song segues straight into the main riff of Led Zeppelins ‘Whole Lotta Love.’ I love this intro, especially as the riff blasts out, in the left speaker you can hear someone lose themselves in the moment and yell “Whhhooooaaaa” I love that! If I could have been there I think I would have done the same thing. The guitar is deep and throaty and it's a nice contrast with Prince singing in his usual falsetto. A couple of verse-chorus and Prince pulls out not one, but two spectacular psychedelic guitar solos. You gotta hear these. I’m still flying as the crowd gets a quiet moment to sing along with “A whole lotta love” Prince ends their moment with a “Turn it up!” and yet another (short) killer guitar solo. 

The pace is brought down a lot following this when Prince plays the opening refrains of “The Question of U.” The keys enter and the whole mood and tempo of the evening are changed. As he sings “What is the answer to the question of you?” I realize just how great this recording is. The quality is apparent when I listen to him sing, you can hear just how great his voice is, perhaps the one instrument people forget that he is most proficient with. After the verse, I half expected another guitar outburst but instead, we are hit with sublime piano playing. There are a good variety and variation throughout this show. Of course, there is an inevitable guitar break after the piano, but again he surprises me by moving on to singing “The One”. This is one of my favorite sons, and I think it is one of the most underrated songs in his catalog. For me the lyrics are fantastic and heartfelt, I feel every word. My pulse quickens when Prince says “Go ahead Eric”- any band that has Eric Leeds in it is alright by me! The sax here is very nice indeed, and Eric demonstrates that less is more. Very delicate, and missing the “Honk” that I usually associate with Eric Leeds. (I mean that in a good way!) 

“On the one” Prince stops the band in an instant. “Didn’t they tell you no cameras?” he asks the audience. I wonder what is about to unfold as Prince chastens the crowd for taking photos. I laughed when he said “I got a nice warm hotel bed waiting for me” then instructs the crowd that next time someone takes a picture the person next to them should grab them and twist their neck. After saying one more time “No pictures please” the band resumes with another verse before Candy Dulfer has a chance to shine with a sax solo. It is better than I am making it sound, trust me. Prince sings a couple of lines of “fallin” by Alicia Keyes, which I think is a nice touch. The horns and piano then take center stage and we have “Take Five” played into the mix, you’d be surprised by how good it all sounds. The song then ends with a drum solo. How about that, a bit of everything! What a sequence, the last ten minutes have been amazing. 

Things take a funky turn with the bass taking a prominent stand. First, we have “Brick House.” The bass leads in before the horns and band join in. Prince is singing, but it’s the bass and horns that are the heroes here. Prince name-checks Eric for a solo and then we stay in the funky vain as the band starts playing “Skin Tight.” Another favorite of mine from back in the day, this version is just too short for me, I want more, more, more. Prince's singing has a funky sound to it, especially as he sings “She’s a bad, bad lady, in skin-tight britches.” Another call of “on the one” and the bass plays the distinctive intro to “777-9311.” But before I disappear into a cloud of excitement they quickly move into Hair. Oh such a shame, I would kill to hear a full version of “777-9311.” The song “Hair” itself is good enough, and it does have a very fine trombone solo (it is not very often I get to write those words), and Candy also gets another chance to do her thing. The song ends with a very distorted prince guitar drowning out everything else. Again it’s another spectacular ten-minute sequence that leaves me hungry for more. 

The next songs begin with a steady drumbeat and surprisingly some record scratching and sampling. It’s not a bad thing, and I enjoy it. To hear it, I could have never guessed what song was coming next. The band enters and there is a nice groove going, the horns play a very good rising line and then Prince hits us with “One more jam, one more Jam, for Prince and the band” The crowd immediately takes up the cause and keeps the chant going. Candy starts to play, and I still have no idea where this song will go next. I can’t help but laugh when he says “Ain’t you gotta go somewhere tomorrow, Ya’ll as crazy as me!” “It ain’t over, it ain’t over” The crowd loves the “It ain’t over” chant and keeps it going. They definitely don’t need any encouragement from Prince. 

Finally, Prince plays the main riff of “Peach” and I know where this is going. Normally I ain’t a fan of “Peach”, but of all the recordings of it, this is my favorite version. This one is not so saturated in guitar, the verses have plenty of horns, keyboard, and sampling, the guitar only really dominates at the end of each chorus when Prince lurches into a solo. The solos are excellent, as always. The solos end, and the band groove on and on. Prince leads the crowd into “Copenhagen, we be shaking” while there are a couple more solos from the horns. The groove sounds effortless, and I could listen to it all day. There is some very funky sax to be heard here. With a “From NPG we love you all, good night” from Prince and the song comes to its climax and ends. 

 

But it ain’t over! The crowd claps and chants “Copenhagen, we be shaking” for two minutes, without pause. It is impressive and adds to the feeling of this whole recording. The band obliges and the drums take up a new beat, supported by some sort of sampler and scratching. Prince sings “Prince And The Band,” but to be honest it’s a little disjointed and messy. There seems to be some sort of problem and a couple of times the song breaks down. I always have liked this song, but this version is one to forget. I’m not sure who’s playing what, or why it doesn’t work. It is obviously distracting to Prince who loses his flow a couple of times. For all that though, I think it doesn’t detract from the recording. It’s good to see that even Prince can have his problems on stage, and he is at the mercy of temperamental technology. Phew, I’m not the only one! 

“All The Critics Love You In Denmark” follows up. Although crowd-pleasing by title, it hits my sweet spot too. The long groove gives plenty of time for the horns to play their thing. The track isn’t too busy, and Candy plays some very nice sax on it. I find that I am not writing much, I am too busy drumming along with it on my desk. Sometimes it’s good to just enjoy a song rather than overthinking it. The keyboard in this song was outstanding, and it was nice to have something not so guitar-heavy near the end of the show. 

I failed to pick “Dolphin” when it first began to play. It starts very slow with some nice gentle guitar playing. The whole song is played in this way, slow and minimal. For me, this is an outstanding performance on the recording. I don’t normally enjoy Dolphin, but I find this more slow and more soulful version very moving. It suited the lyrical content much better, and one can feel Prince’s emotion in it as he sings. I think the best word to describe this song here would be beautiful. It’s overused, but in this case, this is one very beautiful song. Prince’s guitar solo that closes the song is retrained and right on the money. A great way to end the show. 

For me, this is the greatest Prince bootleg. I know 90% of people would disagree with me, most choosing Small Club over this. But by the time this had finished, it did feel like I had been on a musical journey. I feel this had a better variety than small club, the recording quality was about the same, but the audience is more in the mix giving it a better live feel. Some might say that the disastrous performance of “Prince and The Band” detracts from it, but to me, it adds a more human aspect to the show, it is a bit more Rock n Roll. Also having the horns on this give it more color and again shows another aspect of Prince as the bandleader. 

In fairness, I will look at Small Club next week, something that I don’t listen to too often having overplayed it when I was younger. Another knockout show, it’s something I will look forward to writing about. 

Berlin 19 October 2002

 The One Night Alone tour is one that I listen to often, and one of his best. Although not everyone enjoys the Rainbow Children album, there is no denying that it is a strong artistic statement, and a lot stronger than the albums that preceded it. The tour itself shows that Prince has a lot of faith in his new music, and plays the bulk of it throughout these shows. I enjoy the intimate feel of these concerts, and some of the set lists are great. It’s somewhat surprising that I haven’t blogged about these shows previously, but today I will address the imbalance. The show I have chosen to listen to is from the European leg and is ONA Berlin. There are a great many shows from this tour circulating so I had plenty of choices, but I had a feeling in the back of my mind that this one was one of the longer ones, and pretty darned good. Hopefully, it’s as good as I remember. 

 

19th October 2002 Berlin 

After some cheers and clapping from the audience the show opens with a digital type of sound before the steady bass line of “The Rainbow Children” is heard and the band settles into a steady beat. There is some sax work, but my ears aren’t good enough to tell you if it's Eric Leeds or Candy Dulfer, but I’m thinking it might be Candy. There are several cheers from the audience as the song continues in this vein for some minutes. Some people might be wanting Prince right from the go, but I am more than happy just to sit back and listen to this band play, it’s very classy and smooth. There is a louder cheer and I assume that Prince is onstage. That is confirmed when a few seconds later Prince is heard singing with the Darth Vader sounding effect on his voice. I don’t listen to the lyrics, so I find I quite enjoy it, and I like the different sounds it gives. The Prince voice we are accustomed to is heard a minute later when he says “are we in Berlin” before the first chorus of “Rainbow Children” The song is enhanced further when Prince says “can I play my guitar” and some nice guitar stabs are played. The guitar has a strong tone to it, and it gives the groove a bit more backbone. I like this one a lot, it’s not something I listen to a lot on the album, but I find myself returning again and again to the live version. It’s got a lot more stiffness and sharpness to it which I like. In this situation I find myself enjoying Renato Netos playing and it does add to that overall uncomfortable sound in the song, that feeling that everything is not quite settled. He does play for some time, both with an electric digital sound, and a more natural piano sound, and both are fine by me. Two keyboards are playing off each other, but once again my ears aren’t good enough to tell you which is Renato, and which is Prince. Perhaps I should have written about a DVD of this tour. The song changes direction again near the end with the electric guitar coming back. At 15 minutes it’s a great long introduction to the show. 

 

“Muse 2 The Pharaoh” is more laid back and feels like a ray of sunshine after some of the darker grooves of Rainbow Children. It’s good to hear Prince singing once again in his natural singing voice, and I find myself nodding my head along easily with the clapping of the crowd. Even the darker keyboard grooves don’t feel as dark as on the album, surprisingly this is one song that isn’t darker and heavier in concert. Prince’s message is preachy, but often I forget to listen to what he is singing, and I just follow the music. His message is very important to him, these two songs are first up and right in your face, but I don’t think the message derails the show at all. 

His comments about real music by real musicians lead us directly into “Pop Life.” I hadn’t expected this song to pop up on this tour, but like many other forgotten gems he played it regularly on this tour, and he does make it fit with his sound at that time, the keyboard solo by Renato Neto in particular is a nice bridge between his past and present sound, and listening to it I realize that it’s not anything new, I am just hearing it in a different context. The pop aspect of Pop Life is there, but the jazzy side of it also feels a little stronger in this setting. Just as I was thinking about that, Prince makes it far more explicit when he says “Life it ain’t too funky, unless it’s got that Jazz” and Candy Duffer takes a moment to play. Again it’s not too much of a stretch for the song, and it has a nice upbeat jazz ending, and Prince even throws in a little scream. 

 

Prince declares pop music is dead then the music of “Xenophobia” begins. The crowd is subdued as Prince asks them “who came to get their Purple Rain on? You at the wrong party” The horns enter and play with the heavier sounding groove before Greg Bower gets a moment to play, and although I think trombones are desperately uncool, I do enjoy it, especially when Prince gets the crowd to yell encouragement to him. John Blackwell also gets a moment to solo, and I can hear how well he is playing, but the recording doesn’t pick it up as well as I would have liked. I should imagine that it would be pretty bone-shaking if I was there, but the recording doesn’t have depth or heaviness to it. Prince prefaces his “Is it better to give or receive” speech with “who speaks English?” A wise move to check first I should think. The spoken section of the song is still enjoyable, even though I have heard it plenty of times. It never becomes grating and I like his casual interaction with the audience. Things heat up after the chat, with some guitar playing that becomes faster and more aggressive before a big drum roll takes us back into the lead line. As the song ends there is some more of Prince talking, and there is a nice moment when he asks “did you miss me?” After the applause, he quietly says “I missed you too” as the music of “Money Doesn’t Matter 2 Night” begins. 

 

I am no fan of the Diamonds and Pearls album, but I love “Money Doesn’t Matter 2 Night.” One of Prince's political songs, it manages to strike a good balance between music and lyrics. The recording isn’t brilliant, but it is good enough and I listen to it carefully. Candy Duffer gets the sax solo, and she plays it well, but always sounds slightly restrained. This band is a good match for the song, and it plays to their smooth jazz sound. And I am just pleased to hear it in the set list, it’s very much a song that needs to be played more often. The sax gets better and better through the song, and near the end, it holds a nice steady long note which brings us to an end. A great song and this is a very good version. 

 

I was listening to “A Case Of U” last week from the 1983 First Ave show, and now 20 years after that I am hearing it again. This one is different in that it’s not Prince and his guitar, its Prince and his piano. The lyrics are however just as beautiful as ever. Some of the emotion is gone in the performance, but that has been replaced with a very professional smoothness. The rest of the band play quietly behind Prince, but they are loud enough that the lyrics are no longer front and centre. The piano playing does carry more emotion so it is somewhat of a trade-off. I am not convinced that this is a better version, but I can’t deny that it does have a charm to it. It does lose me near the end with the final coda and some quirky sounds. It sabotages the emotion and goodwill that the song had earlier built up. 

Another long funk jam next with “The Work (Part 1).” It has a much more standard sort of sound to it, and to my ears sounds a lot like we hear on Musicology. It's led by Prince and the horns, and for me, it picks up when Eric Leeds begins to solo. He doesn’t play too wild or loose, but his playing is unexpected and goes in directions I can’t predict. I was going to dismiss this song as not much but a couple of minutes of Eric playing make it all worthwhile. The song drops back a notch as Prince engages the crowd and gets a couple on stage for a dance contest. As I said earlier I do enjoy that he is casual and relaxed with his interactions with the crowd, but it doesn’t always make for great listening here at home. There was a moment that made me smile when Prince tells his audience to get on the two and four, and they go on the one and three. The rest of the audience becomes involved when Prince gets them to sing “Got a lot of work to do”  There is more chat with the crowd as Prince chastises one of them for celebrating their birthday, I feel it’s a little unfair in a public situation, but it is what it is. All in all, it’s a fun song, and nice to see Prince at home on stage. 

 

“Extraordinary” is ordinary. It’s nice-sounding, but to be honest it is a Prince ballad by numbers. I like the horn lines in it, and the piano playing is good, but vocally I feel like I have heard it all before. Candy saves the day for me, with some sweet sax that takes the song up a gear. She plays for a couple of minutes before an appreciative cheer from the audience. There is then a piano solo that doesn’t reach the same heights as Candy’s playing. When we return to Prince singing he seems to have found another gear, and I enjoy him singing out far more than I did at the start of the song. 

I am far more into “Mellow” as he plays it. It engages me right from the start and holds me all the way through. I can’t remember the last time I heard this, but I think it’s something I should play more often. The band plays smoothly along, with an edge added by the bass and keys. Prince sings around it a lot, and I also find myself drifting back, again and again, to listen to the flute. Prince’s voice is alluring and I listen to him carefully even though I don’t know what he is singing about. The best part of the song is when he sings alone, and it’s a vocal highlight. A great moment in the show. 

I expected “1+1+1=3” to be an extended jam, but I didn’t expect it to be quite as good, and as long as what we have here. Clocking in at over 20 minutes it has plenty of twists and turns. There are some great moments, and also some less-than-great moments. I like the main groove of the song, and the guitar line playing under it all. It's highlighted for half a minute when the band stops and leaves the guitar playing alone before the kick drum comes back in and the song continues. Prince does sing several lines of “Housequake,” but I am never a fan of when he sings it over other songs. There is a funky moment as the crowd starts chanting “we want the funk”. The band briefly stops as the chant continues, before the pounding beat of John Blackwell brings the song back. With some more guitar, the band very briefly plays “Love Rollercoaster,” another cover I don’t have much time for, but here it is very short with no singing and much funkier for it. Later the funk guitar becomes less prevalent and a heavier groove comes from the band as Prince begins to play more lead guitar. There is a further highlight after this with some fantastic horn playing. The song then becomes just a great groove and the band stays on it. The whole thing then lurches into a deep wonderful-sounding Berlin jam. The song ends with Prince spelling out Berlin a couple of times over an ominous piano riff. What an amazing jam, and one I won’t tire of for some time. 

 

“The Ballad of Dorothy Parker” brings things down again. Without the full-on audio assault, the recording sounds thin on this one. “The Ballad of Dorothy Parker” is another song that fits in well with this band and its jazz sensibilities. It stretched out more than on the album, and after a nice piano interlude, Eric Leeds gets some time to solo before Renato comes back with another piano break. It’s inoffensive, but I never get the feeling that it’s anything more. I was hoping the band would go even further with it, but they play it relatively safe. There is a big finish with John Blackwell on the drums before a final fade, and by the end, I am thinking this is a wasted opportunity for this band to do what they do best. Of course, the recording doesn’t do it any favors so perhaps I am being overly harsh. 

I perk up when “Strollin’” begins. The evening is changing its feel as it progresses. There is a lead guitar break early on that I enjoy, and then the rest of the song is reasonably predictable. The piano break is however a nice touch, and something I hadn’t heard before. There is a sax solo that follows it, adding more color even if I don’t like it too much. I have heard much better versions of Strollin on earlier tours, and this one doesn’t compare to them. It’s nice to see it in the setlist, a shame it’s not what I expected. 

 

“Gotta Broken Heart Again” gets off to a slow start, then draws me in once Prince begins to sing. He’s on form here, his vocals are smooth and velvety until he eases back and Eric Leeds plays a gentle floating solo. Although I would say the recording is good, it is unbalanced, and that is quite apparent here as every time the drum plays it swamps all the other instruments. The best part of the song is when it is just Prince and his piano. 

Prince next does his spoken-word piece about his strange relationship with radio (I think you know where this is heading). He only speaks a few lines before the band kick into “Strange Relationship,” and I am very happy as this is one song that always sounds great live. It’s played with great gusto on this recording, and the bass and keyboards in particular are to the fore. Prince seems to derive a lot of energy from the song, and he sings with great enthusiasm. Rhonda gets her moment in the spotlight with the bass groove to end the song, and even though it sounds good, I know that live it would have been even better. I loved hearing it here, I just wish this was a soundboard. It could have gone for longer too, Prince keeps it on a tight leash here before the next song begins. 

 

Things take a guitar turn as Prince calls “Turn me up Scotty, crank this up” as his guitar intro to “When You Were Mine” begins. This song has never dated to my ears, it still has a freshness to it that is hard to ignore. Prince gives it a standard run-through, and his guitar does sound nice and crisp all the way through. His vocals aren’t as full-on as I have heard on other recordings but his guitar is what I am listening to on this one. He does play a brief solo as the song reaches the end, but it's down in the mix, and I have to listen carefully to get maximum enjoyment from it. 

The guitar is turned up to 11 for the next song as Prince rips into “Whole Lotta Love.” The opening riff is iconic and Prince more than does it justice. His falsetto is a surprisingly good suit for the song, and he unleashes some screams and yells that Robert Plant would be proud of. This performance isn’t about the song though, it’s about Prince and his guitar playing ability.  The first couple of minutes is just the entree before Prince turns his guitar up and begins to go wild. This is the solo I have been waiting for, it’s completely unhinged and wild sounding. At two minutes long it sounds much longer as a lot is going on in there, it is like being in a storm. Near the end of his solo, there is a frenzied yell from someone in the crowd who is enjoying it as much as I am. Prince himself ends the solo with a scream, before returning to singing the verses. Princes singing over the breakdown is almost as good as the solo, and a great way to segue into the next song. 

 

The next song is “Family Name,” and the transition from “Whole Lotta Love” is dark and brooding as Prince gives a spoken intro about being disconnected from his past. The music does brighten as the band and horns play more, but sadly the song is dragged down by the lyrics. However, I do manage to ignore them long enough to enjoy the music and the band. The bass-heavy finish is overworked, and my overall feeling by the end is “I’m pleased that’s over” 

“Take Me With U” is far more easygoing, and much more familiar for the crowd, I can easily hear them singing during the song. There is a little distortion on the recording, but it’s only a few seconds worth. In all fairness, I have probably heard this too many times over the years, and I am by now somewhat jaded. It is however very enjoyable, including the inevitable segue into “Raspberry Beret.” 

 

Over the opening chords, Prince again speaks to the crowd, telling them “Music is art, for it to remain that way it must ask hard questions, and that’s what we’re trying to do tonight”. It has me scratching my head, several times he has talked about asking hard questions, buts it’s hard to know what those questions are. “Raspberry Beret” is a feel-good sing-along song for the crowd, they have plenty of chances to sing through the song, and Prince does call for the house lights to be turned on, adding further to the casual atmosphere. The song ends with the crowd singing one final line, and without pause, Prince calls the next song. 

“The Everlasting Now” follows, and once again the horns are to the front. Although I am not a great fan of “The Everlasting Now,” I do find myself dancing and singing along with it. I become even more animated when Prince plays his “Santana medley” midsong. It’s only for a couple of minutes, and a great couple of minutes they are. Not only Prince and his guitar, but there is also plenty of horns and keyboards thrown into the mix as well. Prince thanks the crowd as the band plays its way back into the Everlasting now. The latter part of the song is more jam-like, and Eric Leeds has another solo. His is the last moment in the song, as he closes his solo, Prince calls “thank you and good night” 

 

Prince resumes with only a piano for company, and begins the next part of the set with an appropriate rendition of “One Night Alone.” It’s not a song I am overly familiar with, and I find myself enjoying it on this recording. The lyrics are a nice fit for the beginning of the piano set and as Prince sings “are you ready for one night alone, with me” he segues easily into “Adore.” 

For some reason, I don’t immediately recognize it, and I am kicking myself once I pick up the lyrics. “Adore” has been overplayed in my house for years, yet it is still a song that I come back to. It was such a big part of my teenage years, and I still appreciate the sentiment and feeling in it, as well as the dash of humor. I find this version a little slight, it is gentle on the piano, and Prince doesn’t push the vocals too hard. The recording is nice and clean without all the band, and the piano set is the cleanest part of the recording. Prince plays a truncated version, there is a section where he scats – skipping some verses before he brings it gently to a close with a piano flourish and a final refrain. 

 

“The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” gets quite a cheer from the crowd, and I am sure more than a few of them are disappointed when Prince sings the opening line before moving on. 

“Condition Of The Heart” really gets my pulse racing. Another long-time favorite, I am overjoyed to hear it here. Someone in the audience agrees with me, and there is an audible “Yeah!” from the crowd. He doesn’t play a full version, electing to instead sing the first verse, and then play piano for a minute or so. I can’t complain too much about it, I love what we have here, and it takes me right back. 

I could have predicted that “Diamonds and Pearls” would appear in the piano set, I just didn’t expect it to be quite as short as it is. As is his way, it only gets a brief play, it’s very nice but frustratingly short. 

For me, things get back on track with a full rendition of “The Beautiful Ones.” The band is back behind him as he plays, and it’s a shame that the recording loses Prince a shade behind the drums. I enjoy the piano and especially the singing, it’s disappointing that the drum beat comes across as just too loud in places. The horns play great, especially as a counterpoint against Prince's vocals in the latter part of the song. Prince’s vocals sound a little tired near the end of the song, then again maybe I am being too harsh on one of my favorite songs. 

 

The crowd gives an appreciative cheer to “Nothing Compares 2 U,” and then goes on to trade lines with Prince throughout the song. After the first verse/chorus Candy Dulfer comes to the fore with an exquisite sax solo, before Prince comes back for the next verse. The audience is well warmed up by this stage, and singing in a strong voice as the song comes to the end. A nice concert moment and one captured well on the recording. 

I was excited when I heard “Condition Of The Heart,” but I am even more so when I hear the beginning of “The Ladder” from the same album. This takes on more importance here, as mid-song Prince delivers a monologue that comes back to some of the themes he has already commented on earlier in the evening. The early part of the song is very faithful to what is heard on the album, then with a call of “break it down NPG” Prince begins his speech. He speaks of the troubles worldwide (pre 9/11) He urges the crowd to stop looking at the differences between people and concentrate on the similarities. He talks for some time, before ending with “Naw, I didn’t come to preach, but I gotta get that out” and then gets the crowd on board for a singalong of the chorus. It’s very uplifting, and with Eric Leeds again playing it’s a classic concert moment. 

I was thinking it would be a fantastic way to close the show, and then Prince goes on to play “Starfish And Coffee.” Although very short, it’s a very sweet song and again showcases another one of Prince's famous piano songs. 

 

“Sometimes It Snows In April” follows, and I am loving how many of these old songs Prince is pulling out. He doesn’t overplay it, with just him and the piano with the merest sound of the band behind him. His voice is as smooth as you could expect, and I just close my eyes and enjoy the moment. I am surprised that the crowd doesn’t try to sing along with the final few lines, they are respectfully silent to the end. Prince finishes the song to a round of applause, before beginning to play more on the piano. 

He begins by telling the crowd “I always say I ain’t gonna play this song, and I always end up playing it anyway. I’m just trying to move on with my life” He then speaks for another couple of lines, before playing the opening chords of “Purple Rain” on the piano. There is a quiet cheer from the crowd and then the band comes in. Although not a great version, it is still very enjoyable. As the crowd sings the chorus you can hear him beginning to work the guitar, and it’s far more audible as the second verse begins. Then with a simple “good night” he begins to solo. As much as I sometimes tire of Purple Rain, I always find something to enjoy in the solo. This one proves true to form, it manages to be as I expect, but still with a twist or turn for me to latch onto. Prince rallies the crowd with a final speech before they sing in one voice “ooohh, ooohh, ooohh” The song and the show end with Prince intoning “peace and be wild” before the final sounds of the keys and the strings à la the album recording. 

I knew there was a good reason I remembered this one – it was a long long show. Covering almost 3 CDs, it was worth the time invested in it to take a listen, my only recommendation would be don’t try and blog about it. The show was a good representation of the ONA tour, and I got a lot of enjoyment out of listening to some of the songs thrown into the setlist. This configuration of the NPG was very versatile and worked well with some of his more jazz-infused songs heard here and for that I applaud them. Even though it was a good recording rather than great, it never overly detracted from my enjoyment. It was worth every minute. 

Paisley Park 28 June 2002 (am)

 Listening back to The Rainbow Children album now I am struck by just how muscular and bold the songs are in a live setting. While the album has a smooth polished sheen, in live performance Prince adds depth and a sense of danger that doesn’t exist in the studio recordings. His shades are darker, while the colored accents are brighter, making for a larger sound that carries more texture and contrast than on record. This is no small part of the power of the band he is playing with, and we could draw countless examples from the run of concerts I have listened to recently. The band draws strength from his new material, and presenting this challenge to the audience only reinforces the resolve of both Prince and the band. That makes the final concert of 2002 a curiosity as Prince plays most of the evening alone at the piano, barely touching the new songs as he instead indulges the audience with a series of deep cuts from the past. This is Prince the contrarian, after denying the audience vast sections of his back-catalog the doors are suddenly flung open for this show. It’s an intriguing listen as he sketches out the type of concert that he will later return to for his Piano and Microphone shows fifteen years later. An oddity among his run of One Night Alone concerts, it stands alone and shed off all context and sense of time and place. 

28th June 2002 (am). Paisley Park 

Najee doesn’t always get the credit he deserves in the Prince community, but I’m going to put all my cards on the table – I like him. His opening flute solo comes like sunlight flicking through the leaves, never settling on one refrain while moving us forward into the atmosphere Prince wants to create. His performance is deceiving, it will be very much Prince alone after this, but he creates a safe space in his first minutes that gives Prince and the audience time to soak in the moment. 

Prince’s first song at the piano is the entirely fitting “One Nite Alone.” The slow current of the song pulls us into the concert, Prince letting the music trickle and eddy at his fingertips while caressing the lyrics gently with his vocal delivery. It’s not quite a magical moment, but it hints at the type of concert we are about to experience. 

“Adore” was heard regularly throughout the One Night Alone tour and the version here is faithful to what we have heard previously. The divinity of the song from earlier in the tour has dissipated by this stage, and although it touches on a heavenly sound in places, Prince’s spoken piece mid-song feels overdone. To hear it the first time is humorous, but anyone who has listened to many One Night Alone concerts may tire of it. Sadly this is the camp I fall into, although I appreciate that many might still enjoy it. Admittedly it gets a lot better in the second half of the song. 

 

Prince gives us a double shot from his past with the following “I Wanna Be Your Lover” and “Do Me, Baby.” The contrast between the two is interesting, “I Wanna Be Your Lover” coming with raggedy energy while “Do Me, Baby” has Prince poring over the lyrics, each word dripping with want and lust. It is “Do Me, Baby” which draws the largest cheer from the audience and they are rewarded with a short but aching version that matches expectations. 

Even better is the version of “Condition Of The Heart” that follows. Abridged from what is heard on the album, Prince still manages to hit all the key spots. There is no feeling of being cheated as Prince gives an emotional precis of his beloved tune. As a sketch, he fleshes out just enough to bring the song to life without dwelling on it too long. 

“U’re Gonna C Me” is slight, there is very little to latch onto and at times it does feel like Prince is creating an atmosphere rather than crafting out his song. It requires close listening as the concert draws in around Prince’s hushed vocals. This is the live debut of “U’re Gonna C Me,” and the stillness of the audience suggests that they are listening just as closely as I am. 

Loud cheers greet “Empty Room,” one can only assume that I’m not the only one out there listening to bootlegs. The opening line and history of the performance are immediately undone by Prince speaking to the crowd. It derails the mood of those first few moments of recognition and palpably excitement. However, the uniqueness of the moment is restored as he returns to the song. Supported slightly by the band, it is the gentle performance that the song deserves, and the lightness of touch from Najee adds just a crack of light to Prince’s despairing lyrics. The teasing opening by Prince is soon forgiven and with a well-balanced rendition that again pulls at the heartstrings, it gains a luster. I lose myself in the music for the next few minutes as the world melts away behind the veil of affecting lyrics and melodramatic vocal delivery. 

The familiar “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore” pales in comparison, and the addition of the full band early detracts from rather than enhances the performance. One can see why it is here in the concert, but it doesn’t have the depth of the other material and suffers from over-familiarity. While one rejoices to see a song such as “Condition Of The Heart” in the setlist, “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore” has been heard plenty of times over the years and can’t compare. 

I should have the same feeling for “Nothing Compares 2 U,” yet I can’t help but be warmed by the appearance of Eric Leeds and all he brings to the song. The fact that it is much shorter than the previous song also helps its cause and in this case, less is more. Prince still gives us what we need from the song, but he doesn’t overwork the material and lets the song stand on its own. The only thing missing is perhaps a strong counter vocal, but with Eric Leeds on stage, there is nothing to gripe about here. 

Prince’s speech gives thanks, but for me, the most interesting part comes with an audience member calls “I love you,” to which Prince responds “I love U 2, but not the band.” He follows this with “But Bono’s cool. That’s pretty slick, calling your band U2, every day someone’s giving you love.” 

Prince’s history with U2 is well documented with his famous quote “But you’ll be sitting there at the Grammys, and U2 will beat you and you say to yourself, ‘Wait a minute. I can play that kind of music, too. But you will not do ‘Housequake.” 

Add to that Bono’s disastrous appearance at an aftershow in the ’90s and we can see U2 gets a bad rap in the Prince world. But it is heartening to hear Prince say something positive about Bono at this concert and it seems he is at peace with his place in the world. His religious beliefs and maturity are at odds with the combative mood of the world at the time, and this brief speech gives equilibrium to the past. 

 

The concert increases in intensity for a forceful rendition of “Shake.” Built primarily around a keyboard riff and crowd chant it is a primeval stomp that appeals to the raw side of me. The piano draws heavily from the “Automatic” groove and it is no surprise to hear Prince dip into those lyrics. Delivered with a husky growl it adds another layer to the song and propels it beyond the “Shake” chorus. It is deceivingly simple, but one revels in the groove of the song after a concert of slower ballads. 

There comes a surprising performance next with NPGMC member Connie Castillo pulled from the crowd for a karaoke rendition of “Manic Monday.” With Prince playing his baroque lines almost like a harpsichord the song has a lightness that immediately lifts the concert. It is the most heartwarming song of the show, and the joy of the audience seeing one of their own on stage carries the performance. The final cheer is as much for the courage of the Connie as the song itself, and although I probably wouldn’t return to the song it remains my favorite part of the concert. 

We have another live debut next with “Soul Sanctuary.” It remains faithful to the album version and retains warmth. With the lightest of brush strokes, Najee rounds out Prince’s piano and gives the song just enough muscle to stand out in a setlist of piano songs. The song elicits several loud cheers, and it is obvious that the crowd enjoys it just as much as I do. 

“God” is a sprawling celebration of the players in the band besides Prince, the shape of the song barely formed in Prince’s piano part before he hands it over to the saxophone and later Rachelle Ferrell. Both pull the song to their strengths, and Prince’s original becomes barely a light on a distant shore as the music ventures into new sonic waters. It is a gentle exploration of the song even as the band joins Prince, and although it pushes almost twenty minutes it still feels as if the band has places to go. When I first saw “God” in the setlist, I could have never expected this, and it delights in its unexpected experimentation and exploration of a well-worn theme. 

There is a community spirit present for “Last December,” the song carried at first by Prince’s speech and the clapping of the audience. It quickly morphs into something all the more powerful, the force of the band behind it driving it far beyond this tranquil opening. There is much to recommend in it, Prince’s vocals are answered with a counter punch from the guitar, not too hard but enough to remind us what a weapon the guitar is in his hands. As the dust settles, and the song falls subdued at the feet of this guitar work, Prince brings his full attention to bear on some outstanding guitar playing that kneads the music into a fuller and more expressive sound. 

 

There is just enough time to draw a breath before the opening strains of “Purple Rain” casts us back into the purple sea of that era. Overplayed for many, there is no understating its quiet dignity and importance in Prince’s canon. This version draws from the opening piano work, making for an expressive yet light rendition of the beloved behemoth. There is no guitar bellow to end the song, Prince forgoing it for a quiet speech about his spiritual beliefs. It fits in well with the flow of the song, and after years of hearing “Purple Rain” overworked, I quite enjoy his quiet moment of reflection. 

Although this would be a splendid way to finish the concert, Prince instead chooses to indulge us with one more jam. There is plenty in there for the Prince aficionado to pick apart, the groove drawing from “The Greatest Romance Ever Sold” and “Anna Stesia.” We get “Party until the sun comes up” chants, a wave of saxophones, and Prince singing the lyrics of “Anna Stesia,” in a manner removed from what is heard on the album, the cold loneliness instead plugged into a groove and subservient to what the rest of the band of doing. The horn work comes sharply into focus and carries the song both musically and emotionally as the feel of the song bleeds through my speakers. A close listen reveals the piano is still busy underneath, and some heavy keyboard from Prince helps steal the moment from the horns. With Larry Graham in the mix, this is a typical jam that we are all familiar with over the years, a long-drawn-out groove, plenty of audience moments, and one last chance for Prince to flex his musical muscle. 

And as this concert ends, so too does my musical adventure through the 2002 Celebration. This journey started from a comment on social media that these concerts are often overlooked, and I have been just as guilty of that as anyone. These shows are drawn from Prince’s creative peak of 2002 and sit at the very heart of his creativity, Paisley Park, and his spiritual beliefs. This final concert is the equal of all that has proceeded it, yet as with each of these seven concerts, it is its own beast and throws yet another light on Prince at that time. All these seven concerts are uniquely special, all drawn from the same source yet presented in different forms. It would be impossible for me to choose one over another. The best way to hear these concerts is to take them as a whole -set aside half a day and reacquaint yourself with them, it is well worth the effort. 

Paisley Park 26 June 2002

 “Nostalgia is the greatest enemy of truth”

-David Budbill. 

Nostalgia is also the enemy of The Rainbow Children album and the subsequent One Night Alone tour. As Prince was fond of saying “if you’ve come to get your Purple Rain on, you’re in the wrong place.” The One Night Alone concerts were not about the Prince we used to know, they are not about feeling good about the past. They are about Prince at that current time and his art. Some may shy away from the themes and beliefs of The Rainbow Children, but one can’t deny Prince’s art and the challenge he lays before his audience. He has grown as a person, and as an artist, and these concerts are a great opportunity to see if his fanbase has grown with him. With songs from The Rainbow Children taking center stage for this performance at Celebration there is very little nostalgia to be found. But being a man of contradictions Prince opens the door just a little towards the end of the show to give a glimpse of his past. An intriguing listen, these shows require close attention, and even those that don’t like his message have to admire the man for putting his beliefs at the core of his art. 

 

26th June 2002. Paisley Park. 

John Blackwell’s drum intro is about concealed power. His drums come with a sharp crack, breaking open the silence for what will follow. He doesn’t overplay his part, the drums coming as a quick rap on the door before the music enters. 

Nostalgia is the enemy of Prince’s art and this is cast into stark relief with the performance of the song “Rainbow Children”. The unknown is challenging and at this stage of his career, it would have been tempting for Prince to lean heavily on his previous accomplishments. Prince instead breaks new ground through 2002 – throwing his lot into a new sound which for many who followed him proved challenging. With his religious dogma a keystone of his The Rainbow Children album there is a sense of the unknown as his Jehovah teachings come to the fore. Prince does cushion this with something familiar, and for many, nostalgic: a jazz sound that draws a thread through history to this point where Prince is onstage, his beliefs naked before him. The nostalgic sound of saxophones and the light flurry of jazz lifts the burden of the lyrics, while the appearance of Eric Leeds adds another layer of familiarity to the music. Jazz purists may scoff at the liberal use of the word jazz that hung in the air at the time, but this is Prince the fusionist at his best, nibbling at the edges of genre and creating a fuller, well-rounded sound that stands alone unlabeled. One shouldn’t take the challenge of the lyrics head on here, there is much more going on than that, and Prince’s guitar break says far more than his lyrics ever could, comfort food amid this otherwise uncomfortable journey. 

The performance of “Rainbow Children” threatens to devour the whole concert, but Prince plays with an even hand. “Muse 2 The Pharaoh” emerges from its shadow, gleaming with an earnest performance and more modest lyrical reach. Prince’s religion still hangs on the words, and one can only admire the man for carrying the courage of his convictions throughout his art. The opening soothing verses are merely a feint, and while the music at first dips its toe in nostalgic waters, the dark clouds of the bridge appear and Prince reveals that he is still willing to experiment and push his vision hard. It can be disconcerting for a casual fan, but music is an art and at this point, Prince is as creative as he’s ever been and continues to surprise through his music. 

The concert isn’t entirely devoid of nostalgia, and the appearance of “Money Don’t Matter 2Night” is Prince discreetly nodding to his past, albeit a past that was only ten years previous at the time of this concert. As always the song fits with the vibe that this band creates and is well placed in the setlist. Eric Leeds’s solo cements its place as a fan favorite, and while it isn’t as exciting or challenging as the other material of the evening, it does provide a nice breathing space and a safe place for bewildered 1980’s fans to gather. 

 

It is Najee’s time to shine for “Xenophobia,” and he lives up to Prince’s chant of “Warm it up” in fine fashion. “Xenophobia” is the jam song of the evening, Prince letting the band take flight, the music rising on the wings of their performance. It does flatten off with Prince’s dialogue with the audience, and while it’s important to his art, it doesn’t add much to show asides from being a curious diversion. It is however the very essence of what the One Night Alone tour was about as Prince buries himself deep in his Jehovah muse, caring not if the audience follows him throughout his private, yet very pubic, journey. 

Buried deep in mystique and legend was Prince’s 1983 performance of “A Case U Of U” but in 2002 he dragged it into his current setlist. His cover of Joni Mitchell’s classic is no longer a dusty jewel as Prince polishes it up for his modern audience, and in this concert it shines in its brilliance. As much as the sweep of the music lifts the listener, the treasure lies in the lyrics as Prince gives each word the weight it deserves, grounding the song in hard emotion while the music swoops and soars. With a brush of the piano, Prince dances easily across the bridge before entangling us again in his vocal delivery for the final minutes. It holds the ear enraptured throughout, although not quite as essential as the 1983 performance. 

For all the maturity and quality of the music, it is the lyrics of “Mellow” that have me enthralled by their cleverness. Prince treads a fine line between his current pious material and his more lascivious past with lines such as:

Can I sing to you while you bring yourself to joy?

I’ll go slow at first, while you quench you’re thirst

Wet circles round the toy

While you bring yourself to joy

This is an adult Prince, playing adult music with adult themes, and this one particular song is a masterclass of what he was able to create at that time. Other songs take the headlines, but this is just as good as any of the other compositions of the evening, and the album. 

The performance of “1+1+1=3” was later released on the NPG music club and as such is well known to Prince heads. The chant of “Go Eric” gladdens my jaded heart, and the following burst of sax lives up to twenty years of expectation. With its jaunty rhythm and glistening horn lines, it becomes an uplifting experience, an experience aimed firmly at the feet as much as the heart. 

With its over-familiarity “Love Rollercoaster,” can’t be held in the same high esteem. It is sepia-toned in a concert that is rooted firmly in Prince’s current jazz palette. The fun and lightness of the song fail to find firm footing in these surroundings, although the intensity of Prince’s guitar solo lifts it above some of the other versions I have heard. 

Prince’s story about Miles Davis makes the next three minutes of speech worthwhile. A story as cool as the man himself, I urge you to check it out for Prince’s fine impersonation of Miles. Prince stays with his cool theme for “The Other Side Of The Pillow.” It stretches itself languidly across the recording, the urgency, and the immediacy of Prince’s other material dissipating in these more luxuriant surroundings. This is prime territory for Najee as he again meditates on the theme before stretching it beyond Prince’s initial intention. Undemanding, it is an indulgence worth wallowing in as the horn section all contribute to this mid-concert exhale. 

 

There is nothing new in Prince’s introduction to “Strange Relationship” but that doesn’t lessen the impact of the bare-knuckle funk of the song. The swirl and grind of the keyboard remain secondary to the bass and drum as they keep one’s head bobbing from the first note to the last. As ageless as Prince himself, the song plays like a giddy teenager, forever moving with a nervous energy that leaves one always short of breath. Like the best things in life, it is never long enough, although it gives plenty in its five minutes. Come for Prince’s enthusiasm, stay for Rhonda’s funky bass. 

The addition of Larry Graham to “Sing A Simple Song” lifts it beyond that stench of familiarity. His deeper tones contrast well with Prince, who himself is playing with a lot of energy at this time. Coming on the back of “Strange Relationship,” the concert sees a shift of energy at this time, as the Rainbow Children material gives way to a wave of nostalgia. 

“La, La, La, Means I Love U” comes in the same vein, giving us a double dose of nostalgia from both the original and Prince”s cover on Emancipation. It has a gentleness that hasn’t always been present at this concert, and the softness is both inviting and comforting. It’s hard to imagine this song earlier in the concert next to the likes of “Rainbow Children” but its spot in the setlist comes at just the right moment for it to stand proud among its peers. 

Rhonda Smith gets her moment with Erykah Badu’s “Don’t Cha Know,” a performance that has me wanting to pull out and listen to “Mama’s Gun” again, not because Rhonda’s cover is poor, but because the song is short and leaves me wanting to hear much more. 

 

We are up and running again for Prince’s breathless take on his own “When You Were Mine.” It doesn’t have the mindfulness of some of the other performances on the tour, and its own history carries the moment. A performance that belongs to the crowd more than Prince, it is one of the few truly flat spots at the show as the concert loses its sense of direction. 

“Avalanche” also leaves me cold, Prince not digging deep enough into the song to build any meaningful connection to the music or the audience. His lines still hit hard and he gains applause in all the right places. However, the song feels disengaged from its surroundings. It exists unconnected from the rest of the concert and remains a peak unclimbed. 

“Family Name’ is also toothless in this performance. It lacks the angry bite heard elsewhere on the One Night Alone tour, as much as Prince tries to recreate the atmosphere of those other concerts. Front-loaded at the start of the concert it may have fared better, but that would perhaps weigh down the concert early on. The anger of such a song has been undone by those familiar songs that ushered in its arrival, and it can’t compare lyrically or musically to those that the audience is already familiar with. How could a song a year old hope to compete with music we have lived with for twenty years, a struggle Prince faced daily through the last twenty years of his career. 

This dilemma is immediately apparent as the audience whole heartily embraces “Take Me With U.” Naturally paired with “Raspberry Beret” this one-two punch of pop songs banishes the challenging notions of “Family Name” as the audience indulges themselves in a safer past. It is the most skippable part of the concert, there is nothing here that we haven’t heard before and nothing we need to hear. 

Prince throws the concert forward to the present with a joyous rendition of “The Everlasting Now.” It is full of vitality in comparison to the stale “Raspberry Beret” that preceded it. On the back of some muscular guitar work and beautifully punctuated with a dainty keyboard by Renato the music takes flight. The song is a showcase for the entire band, and with all the horn section having a turn before opening the door on a final exclamation from Prince’s guitar it becomes a celebration of the band and their considerable power. All thoughts of the tepid pair of songs before it are banished with this forceful performance. 

The chant of “it ain’t over” is swallowed whole by Prince and the band jamming on the chant, a spontaneous moment that unveils the jams that will close the show. Joined by Musiq Soulchild and Larry Graham, the band quickly builds the chant into a structured form that serves as a base for what will follow. One can hear the evolution of Prince’s music from the mid-nineties with the horns playing a fuller role than they ever have before, giving the music a fat sound that bounces off well again the rhythm section. 

 

Things slow with the descent into “Thank You For Talkin’ To Me Africa.” Musiq Soulchild leads the way, ad-libbing lyrics over a steady groove that plays without variation. It is down to the horns again to add some light and color to this groove and prevent it from collapsing under its own weight. With their rise and fall washing against the musings of Musiq Soulchild the song becomes a hypnotic slide that doesn’t mean much but sure sounds good in your ear-hole. Prince’s guitar solo doesn’t add much to the moment, the magic is in the groove, and that’s where that song sits comfortably for most of the jam.

 

A fluttering of horns tickles the start of “Days Of Wild,” with Prince throwing in the lyrics to “Prince and the Band” by way of his introduction. It’s not an earth-devouring groove, the band too sleek to bury itself deep in the song in this case, yet it retains its organic restlessness that draws energy like a black hole. It is again a splintering horn sound that shatters to the darkness with its shrill refusal to be drawn into the groove, a sound that I find myself wanting to return to again and again for its bravado in the face of darkness. Prince’s vocals slip easily over the top of this jam, he too isn’t going deep into the song, instead, letting the groove slip easily beneath his feet allowing for more attention on his bass work which as usual is revealing in its intensity. For a little man, he knows how to conjure a deceivingly powerful sound. The final electrical grime and crackle that ends the song are entirely fitting as it seemingly powers itself off the energy it has created in the previous ten minutes. 

For those willing to toss off the cloak of nostalgia and face Prince’s challenge head-on there is much to admire and appreciate here. There is a thrilling excitement in the audacity of Prince’s music at the time as he ditches any attempts of chasing trends (see Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic) and instead chooses a very personal, yet private, exploration of his faith and art. While many balk at his lyrical content of the time, there is no mistaking the courage of the artist in reconciling his personal and public self, a man of deep conviction who at the same time strives to entertain and educate through his music. The greatest moments of this particular concert come not from songs that have dressed our sense of nostalgia in their soft-washed taffeta, but from the new songs that provoke and force the audience to confront Prince and his unwavering beliefs. It can be uncomfortable, but the rewards are great for those that embrace Prince through his inner revolution and the new muse that he taps into. This is Prince at his mature best – future albums and tours will see him begin to look back again over his shoulder, but in 2002 he was in the here and now and delivering the greatest shows of the second half of his career. Listen to them again and you can hear the sound of a man who refuses to bend to nostalgia and instead forges ahead, trusting nothing but his own sense of self. 

Paisley Park 25 June 2002

 “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture” is a quote that haunts me every time I sit down to write my blog. As many words as I throw at the page, capturing the essence of Prince’s performances remain elusive. I take comfort in the fact that many of my favorite writers, for all their concise and beautiful prose, also fail to touch the flame. Like Kerouac’s Dean Moriarty and his search for “it”, this essence remains beyond words and the confines of the page. This is a lesson I am learning hard as I continue my quest of listening to the run of concerts from the 2002 Celebration. 

Each concert is impossibly good, the songs belonging not to Prince or his audience, but instead existing as their own entities. Music has always moved me, but never more so than these concerts as I have listened to them over the last couple of months. The show on 24th June had me almost speechless, and a sneaky listen to the show from 25th June suggests that Prince is about to take me in a completely different direction, a direction I am quite happy to follow him in. Just don’t expect me to find the words to describe it for you. 

25 June 2002, Paisley Park 

The rock show. While the previous concert saw Prince draw us into his bosom with a warm intimacy, this show has him pushing us back with a fierce wall of shock trooper guitar. His opening salvo of solo guitar sketches out a loose framework for him to work in, not settling on a groove or song, instead Prince working his way into the music. He does briefly touch on the riff from Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4,” although he quickly backs away from it before the concert bursts into flame with “Bambi” 

There is nothing left to tell of “Bambi,” all the song’s secrets have been revealed in different performances across the years. Even so, it remains compulsory listening as Prince blisters his guitar board with a hard electric fury. I long for the song to slap me in the face one more time, but for all Prince’s roaring guitar I am left feeling empty and removed from the burning tone of the music. 

Things loosen up with an elastic take on “Whole Lotta Love,” the song played with an abandon not heard in the previous “Bambi.’ Here Prince makes good on the promise his opening guitar intro suggested, the guitar free to roam across a song well-grounded in our musical consciousness. The song is merely a foundation upon which Prince builds a perilous structure of howling guitar, shrieking vocals, and a driving rhythm section. It brings to mind Dave Grohl’s story of rehearsing this song with Prince and listening here I only wish that I could have seen that particular performance. This performance is equally compelling, and not once in its ten minutes can I relax as Prince has me on the hook with every note, every inflection, and every squeal. 

 

“Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)” rides in the back of an unexpected groove, an organ, and a guitar plowing a bow wave and leaving space for the lyrics. Prince gives the song a kiss of guitar, just enough to bring a flush to its cheeks and elevate the song above this newfound groove. Although emotionally barren, it is highly recommended as Prince refreshes the song for the era. 

A lightning flash of guitar brings “The Question Of U” to life, all the other instruments caught in sharp relief as the guitar illuminates the song. Prince could easily dominate this song, but instead, he gives it away to Renato Neto who brings his personality to the center section with a piano solo that has you staring at the ceiling for answers. Prince replies with his incandescent guitar howl, but Renato has already stolen the song with his emotionally charged solo. 

 

Confession time. “The One” is one of my favorite Prince songs. The performances throughout 2002 remain unsurpassed in my opinion, and this one is no exception. The lyrics tell their own story but amplified with Prince’s smoky vocal and heart-crushing guitar sound the song becomes a thing of exquisite beauty. Prince knows the power of what he has here, he is unhurried, letting the song permeate the room. The song settles, almost drifting in the latter part, as Prince delicately touches his guitar, letting the lyrics of “Fallin” flow easily in and out of the music. Even with the audience noise present, I feel as if I am sitting alone with him, the song weaving around us, and holding us close together. The band picks up “Take Five,” and like a hypnotist snapping his fingers I am raised back into the real world only to find myself in the middle of a Renato solo. What a wonderful place to be. 

It is the organic raw version of “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man,” that follows. Stripped of its 80’s glamour and rooted in the blues, the song stands strong. Laid bare, it is the poignant lyrics that carry the song. Their message stands stark against this new backdrop, we now feel them as well as hear them. Prince knows that the lyrics are merely the beginning of the story he wants to tell, and as the lyrics fall away an organ and guitar rise from the mix, turning every word true with their anguished sound. This abstract pain saturates the final minutes as Prince expresses these darker sentiments with his carefully pitched guitar sound. A picture is worth a thousand words, and the music created by this band is worth ten thousand. 

The quiet intensity remains on the canvas for the cover of Bill Wither’s “Ain’t No Sunshine.” Within a few brush strokes, we know where Prince is taking this, a powerful yet graceful version of a beloved classic. An unexpected flute solo brings an extra sense of sophistication, Prince letting it breathe through the song as he steps back from the microphone. There is a wistfulness to the sound as Prince lets the song sprawl, its initial shape lost as the band indulges themselves, and us, with luxuriant solos. 

 

The propulsive sound of “She’s Always In My Hair” shatters the moment. With this bristle and crunch, it harks back to the era in which it was born, Prince again taking command of his ship to plow through the song. It is uncompelling, even colored as it is by its former glories. Perhaps it is too short for Prince to bring his thrilling attention to it. It certainly sounds like it is preparing to launch but compared to the previous indulgences of the evening it is all too flash in the pan. 

We return to a languid crawl for an expressive “The Ride.” Prince feels disengaged from the vocal delivery, and it is his considerable guitar arsenal that expresses all he needs in the song. You can feel your breathing slowing down as you listen, Prince’s meditation on the blues is a healer in its own way. It’s not all about the guitar, there are plenty of keyboard moments for Morris Haynes aficionados, Mr. Haynes piano playing Batman to Prince’s Joker guitar in a struggle that remains unresolved, although each needs each other equally. 

“Alphabet St” cannon’s into the setlist, shooting us all into the light. It is fast and light, even for “Alphabet St,” and tumbles us quickly to “Sex Machine” 

A Sly Stone cover, “Sex Machine” comes off as a psychedelic take on “The Ride.” It has the same easy pace, but instead of being crushed under the weight of the guitar and keys, Prince applies a lighter touch. This lighter touch lifts it beyond the steady groove, and as Renato Neto comes on board with his keyboard solo the song begins to reach for the stars. Prince willingly encourages this, his vocals coming intergalactic and distorted. It matters not what he is singing, but how he is singing it. Unfortunately, the song loses me with John Blackwell’s drum solo. As much as I love John, his solo snaps me out of the moment and I lose sight of the song and its mood. 

We stay on the psychedelic trip with the beguiling saunter of “Elephants And Flowers.” It is a song that neatly encapsulates Prince’s dalliances with this genre, the psychedelia tempered by an undercurrent of funk and piercing guitar. It remains fresh twenty years after its birth, and it is heartwarming to hear the crowd take easy to the lyrics for a sing-along. It is one of the less demanding songs of the evening, but it holds its position with a dynamic performance. 

A galloping bassline and driving drum power us into “All The Critics Love U In New York.” With a triumphant rumble, it belongs on the dance floor, and one can hear Prince call for dancers in a nod to this. With a cyclic rain, the song doesn’t let up, the power of the rhythm section unrelenting as Prince brings some light-fingered guitar work to the party. It is a timely reminder of Prince’s funkier moments, especially in an evening that has seen some heavy-handed guitar, and remains impossible to listen to without moving. One interesting lyric change stands out -“It’s time for a new direction, it’s time for hate to die,” Prince turns his back on the original “Jazz to die,” in light of his current influences and flirtations with Jazz over the years. 

“Beautiful Strange” lives up to its title, the song giving life to the words it inhabits. With a melancholic and brooding introduction, there is time to reflect and gather thoughts, before Prince arrives at the microphone, murmuring words of beauty before his snorting guitar grunt swallows the room. It is a delicately balanced performance, the guitar disappearing back into the ether between choruses before Prince pulls back the curtain to reveal its immutable sound in contrast to his carefully pitched vocals. The brooding becomes urgent with its appearance, the guitar a steel fist concealed by the velvet glove of Prince’s vocals. It is the guitar that looms large over the second half of the song, playing as a searing revelation of the title. Untouchable. Unforgettable. This is Prince. 

 

It is a rough and tumble “Calhoun Square” that finishes the show. With a tangle of fuzzy guitar, Prince plays with pure joy, unburdened by the weight of what has come before. It is an uplifting way to close out the concert, the music climbing steadily higher with every sweep of Prince’s scythe-like guitar. Playful and brimming with ideas, Prince is still delivering to his audience two hours into the show, his passion undiminished by the time or energy spent. With this final surge, we stumble over the finish line to find ourselves in silence, the concert is over. 

I can’t dance about architecture, and I can’t write about this show. There is very little objectivity here. I lack the tools and musical background to break down the music, I can only write about what feel, which to be honest is what music is all about. I only know what I like and don’t like, and at this concert, there is a lot I like, and very little I don’t like. The lesser moments of the concert left me unmoved, but a great deal of the concert seemed to plug into my very heart, Prince’s music pushing unseen emotional buttons. When a musician plays like this, beyond words and in the realm of pure feeling, there is very little left to be said. Like Dean Moriarty in “On The Road” I am left clutching at loose words like “It.” To quote Kerouac’s character himself “Now, man, that alto man last night had IT— he held it once he found it; I’ve never seen a guy who could hold so long.”

Prince had “It” throughout his career, especially in these 2002 concerts, and like Dean Moriarty, all I can do is cling to the edge of the stage and behold the glory of his musical kingdom

Paisley Park 24 June 2002

 We have reached the halfway point of the Celebration 2002 shows and it feels as if our journey has yet to begin. The first few shows have been of astounding quality while covering a large sonic territory. This concert on the 24th of June 2002 is no different as Prince foregoes the band and complex arrangements to give us an intimate acoustic set that sees Prince take the stage as a solo performer. We have heard acoustic sets on the piano throughout his career, but here he performs alone with his guitar. It is a first at the time and a concept that he would return to for the acoustic set that would appear during his Musicology shows. It is a fast-moving show, the songs aren’t drawn out too long, and Prince covers a lot of ground over the two hours. The best way to appreciate it is to jump right in, so take a deep breath and prepare to immerse yourself. 

24 June 2002, Paisley Park 

I must admit, it is not very often that I pull out The Truth album, but when I do it is like meeting an old friend. I think of this as I listen to the opening song of this concert – “Don’t Play Me.” I reacquaint myself with its clever lyrics and laugh at Prince’s humor that appears at every twist and turn in the music. This is the live debut of this song and it deserves every whoop of approval that it gains from the crowd. The music is bright and sharp, much like Prince’s humor, and his guitar playing to the fore as he draws rhythm and melody from his instrument. 

“Whole Lotta Love” follows fast, the music quick and just as forceful as the electrified version. Prince’s vocals balance the performance and I find my ear drifting easily between the two, neither one quite holding power over me as the song moves back and forth. Much like the previous “Don’t Play Me,” it is kept neatly trimmed, clocking in at just over a couple of minutes. This is par for the course for the evening, and most of the songs to follow will be equally brief. That is not to say they are mere tasters, Prince does play the bulk of the song, but he knows when to rein it in and move on to the next. 

The next song is unsurprising “7”. It is a song well suited to such a performance, the acoustic guitar of the song dovetailing beautifully into the theme of the evening. It is not the best version I have heard. With a hollow feel, its power is rendered impotent in comparison to the first two songs. Enjoyable enough, it fails to linger in my mind once it has passed. 

I am much more interested in “Tangerine,” especially since this is its only appearance in a live concert. It almost skips by too fast for me, I find myself listening to the lyrics, and then it’s gone. The guitar is light in Prince’s hands, barely raising a ripple, leaving space for his lyrics to carry the song. He doesn’t disappoint, his gleaming vocals matching the wordplay and making for a great concert moment, a moment that flutters by and leaves us thinking “Did that just really happen?” 

 

There have been some wonderful versions of “A Case Of U” over the years, sadly this isn’t one of them. Prince’s guitar playing is exquisite, but it is not matched by his vocal delivery. While technically his vocals are good, they fail to cut to the heart of the song, and not once do I hear a thread of real emotion coming from Prince. I don’t expect Prince to constantly suffer for his art, but it would have been good to hear him draw from his well of emotional experience to perhaps give us just a little more for this song. The final minutes when Prince points his guitar at the funk are his finest and give me just enough that I might return to this song. 

“Pink Cashmere” is a perfect fit for the evening, with Prince’s vocals, and his guitar intertwining in such a way that the world seems to stand still for a couple of minutes. Like the best things in life it is all too short, the song barely coming to fruition before Prince moves us forward. 

Another live debut next with “One Kiss At A Time.” The music lingers longer for this number, and Prince’s call for us to indulge him is well rewarded. With the guitar stepping back and forth, Prince spins his lyrics out, each line dripping sweetly from his tongue. It is one of the more substantial songs of this first part of the concert, and the perfumed intoxication of the music makes it feel longer than it is. Some of the previous songs have been lightweight, but here we have a song that will be drawing me back again. 

“Alphabet St” suffers from its familiarity, even more so in its stripped-back form. Despite its sprightly sense of fun, it fails to offer the ear anything new, and as such I find myself nodding and clapping without ever being moved by it. With its eighties sheen stripped off, it becomes just another number in this long setlist. It’s hard to imagine this performance without it, yet it doesn’t add anything to the occasion. 

The following “Girls & Boys” is short, yet worth hearing, the insistent guitar strum drawing the lyrics from Prince and the crowd at the same moment. Shedding its 1986 skin, it is reborn and is essential in a way that “Alphabet St.” wasn’t. The fact that it is so short suggests that there aren’t perhaps too many more directions Prince could take it, but in the spotlight, it shimmers and shines in a way that some of the other songs of the evening don’t. 

The raw intensity so often associated with “Motherless Child,” is strangely lacking in this intimate setting. The quick rhythm guitar does it a disservice, as do Prince’s vocals which skim over the lyrics without scratching beneath the surface as I have heard elsewhere. I yearn for him to unleash something more primeval, perhaps a guttural roar or howl, but it remains buttoned up and oddly removed from the surroundings and context of the performance. 

It is with the next song, “The Truth,” that the true nature of the evening is revealed. The concert isn’t about Prince’s shining guitar or bright vocals. It isn’t about the performance, or even Prince himself. It’s about the moment, about the community. The words performer and concert are worthless because neither are to be found here. This is a community-bought-together, a campfire moment brought to life as we huddle around singing songs that, while they may have originated with Prince, now belong to all of us. This is a man singing to, and with, his tribe. And now that I understand that, the rest of the night makes perfect sense. None of these songs exist singularly, they belong together in this context, trapped in the amber of this one night. The title “One Night Alone” has never been more apt. 

 

With this new-found knowledge, it matters little how I feel about “Telemarketer Blues,” the way it sounds, or the performance. What matters is the audience’s response, which is resoundingly positive as they share in Prince’s humor, laughing and cheering after every line. Another show and this may disrupt the flow of the evening, but not in this case as it becomes the epitome of what the night is about – togetherness. 

“The Other Side Of The Pillow,” brings a calm serenity to proceedings, the song glassy smooth throughout, not a single moment that raises the pulse but in the very best way. It is as cool as the lyrics Prince is singing, the song an embodiment of the lyrical content in beautiful symmetry. 

Prince vocals come to prominence for an angelic “She Loves Me 4 Me.” The guitar remains in the mix, but it is the singer that holds the spotlight as he plays vocal gymnastics with the lyrics. Here the song finds its natural place in the surrounding material and is all the better for it. 

I’m not convinced that “Peach” works in an acoustic setlist, and Prince does nothing here to sway my opinion. It is barely a minute and a half though, and that feels about the right length for it in this show. We can enjoy the swagger of the song and appreciate it through a different lens without it wearing out its welcome and becoming overblown. 

“It Ain’t Over” belongs to the crowd. Prince may stop and start, but the audience carries the moment, the song nothing more than a chant and a chance for Prince to emote without words. It sounds like a lot of fun on record, and even more so for those there, as once again we return to the core of the evening, audience and performer bonding as one. 

The only known live performance of “Wherever U Go, Whatever U Do” leaves me in two minds. While I rejoice in hearing a live performance of the song, it fails to reach my unrealistic expectations. I can only wish for more, as Prince interrupts himself a couple of times, before bringing the curtain down on it before we can get to grips with the true nature of the song. It’s more than a tease of the song but not much more, and that makes it all the more frustrating. 

 

As much as I want to hear Prince himself sing “Forever In My Life,” I can’t deny there is an innate beauty in the audience singing Princes’s own song back to him as he strums along. One could easily see Prince stretching this out and playing the audience for several minutes, but he doesn’t. Instead, he gives enough to satisfy without overindulging in the moment, proving once again that timing is everything. 

This guitar set finishes with the sweetest version of “Last December” you might ever hear. Accompanied by not only his guitar but also the audience, Prince delivers the song straight down the barrel, with no flourishes or embellishments, leaving the song bare and pure in the soft light of this concert. It’s surprisingly moving and becomes a song you can feel as much as you hear, Prince once again proving that music is a powerful force in the right circumstance. 

The piano set that finishes the set appears to offer more than it really does. The real meat of the show is the guitar set, and while the piano set offers several songs, many of them are mere tasters with the bulk of the set clocking in under twenty minutes. The opening “Things Ain’t What They Used To Be,” is a band performance, a chance to introduce the horns and a more rounded jazz sound that is representative of the era. It has an easy swing, although it moves quickly, “Take The A-train,” suddenly appears before it comes to an abrupt halt. 

 

A solo piano and we are off with “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore.” It is a song purpose-built for a show like this, yet Prince does it a great disservice, the thirty seconds of it we hear reducing it to a mere shell of what it could have been. We can cry all we want, but it is what it is, and sadly the next few minutes see many beloved songs get the same treatment. Prince’s line of “I got too many hits,” signposting a street we have walked down many times before. 

“Diamonds And Pearls,” becomes a single verse and chorus, albeit a pretty verse and chorus, before the inevitable segue into “The Beautiful Ones.” Shorn of its length, “The Beautiful Ones” has none of the sense of drama and tension that made the song so essential in the first place. I want to like it more, but there isn’t enough there to hold onto, and as much as I try, I find it quickly slips through my fingers. 

The evening swings upwards and takes flight with first “Free,” and then “Starfish and Coffee” lighting up the venue. They both have a brightness that remains undiminished by their brevity, surprisingly the slightest songs of the set deliver far more than the heavy hitters in their abridged forms. 

“Sometimes It Snows In April” has become impossible to detach from April 2016, and as such listening to this concert, sounds more poignant than probably was the case at the time. It's gracefully melancholy receives a resounding response from the crowd, the song yet to be weighed down by the sense of history it has here in 2020. 

Prince has a rounded sound to “I Love U But I Don’t Trust U Anymore,” the band joins him to bolster the song. He doesn’t need them, in this case, the song would have gained more from a bare performance, the stark intimacy of the lyrics laid bare would have had much more impact than could be gained from a keyboard wash or a drizzle of a cymbal. However, the song remains drenched in sadness, and even with the band onboard I can feel the lyrics dragging me under. 

The band comes to the fore for the appropriately titled “Prince And The Band.” The song takes a long time to reveal itself, hiding in the skirts of the long-opening jam that spins and twirls across the funky bassline. When Prince does bring the lyrics out of the closet he keeps it short, preferring for the music and the band to carry the ideals he sings about. Maceo is front and center for large portions of the song, and it is his sound that becomes the signature of the song, no matter what Prince or the crowd are doing it all comes back to his riff and sense of style. With Renato providing a soft shower of a piano the song continues to evolve, Prince returning to the lyrics, this time pitching them in a way that fits with the jazz tilt the music has moved towards. It’s smooth, yet they retain their bite enough to remind us what the song is really about. 

 

We stay firmly in the realm of the band, the music continuing to be enthralled by the horn section. “Xenophobia” belongs not to Prince, but to the players he has surrounded himself with, and for all his proclamations and lyrics they continue to hold sway over the music. The audience is not to be ignored, and with the chant “I feel like bustin loose,” it is down to the band to provide a soundtrack to this desire. After such an austere show it does feel like an extravagance, but one well deserved as the band throws off the chains of the acoustic set with a funk jam that matches anything heard in the main shows of the tour. The fact that the chant “I feel like bustin loose” rattles around in my brain for ten minutes after the end of the show speaks to the power of repetition and the fish hooks embedded in Prince’s music. 

Of the celebration shows of 2002, I have listened to so far this is my favorite. It doesn’t have the heavy funk of some other shows, or shredding guitar, but it does have a group of songs that work coherently together in the setlist. No one song stands out, but together they form a powerful brew, one that sustains the first half of the concert. Likewise, the audience and sense of community pervade through the music, and it is hard to untangle this sense of togetherness from the music just as it is hard to untangle the songs from each other. A lesson in intimacy, this concert is Prince building his own world through must and inviting us all to join him. Maybe I am overstating it, but it is hard not to feel it yourself as you listen. Try it and you might just see what I mean.