Toronto 28 July 2004

 The Musicology tour was a success on every level. A huge tour that delivered quality performance night after night for seven months, it saw Prince return to his rightful place at the top of the musical mountain. Almost every show is worth hearing, which makes choosing one to listen to very easy, or difficult depending on your point of view. Any concert could be chosen at random and provide a fine listening experience. 

In the last five years, I don’t think I’ve listened to a single show from Canada. So with that in mind, I have not chosen a show at random, rather I have pulled out this lively show from Toronto for a listen. 

July 28th, 2004, Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Canada 

Written large across the tour is the name Musicology. The album name, tour name, and opening song title, also contain Prince’s philosophy for the concerts – real music by real musicians. In this case, it is a bright performance of the song itself that opens the show. With its sleek horn sound, Prince straddles eras. The song reeks of 1970’s excess, yet Prince and the band keep it neatly trimmed, the musicians given time to play without becoming indulgent. Of note is John Blackwell on drums, and the swing of the horn section. Both hold the song together and give the song its signature sound of driving funk. 

 

“Let’s Go Crazy” also nods back to a previous era, an era that Prince himself shaped and dominated. It can sometimes sound stale, but here again, the band plays with a sharpness that keeps it well-defined and fresh. I’m not always a fan of the call and response, but in this case, it works well enough. It is Candy that is my highlight with her midsong punchy solo. Prince’s guitar can’t match it for excitement, and even as his final notes blaze I am left with the thought of Candy. 

The concert continues with this brisk pace set by the first few songs. “I Would Die 4 U” feels faster than I remember, but it serves the concert well. It blazes across the performance, a musical comet that burns itself out within a couple of minutes. I barely have time to enjoy it, but enjoy it I do. 

With the appearance of “When Doves Cry” it is apparent the concert is front-loaded with Purple Rain songs. It is far from the drawn-out versions we heard twenty years ago, Prince ticking off the key spots as the song becomes a flickering memory rather than a wallow in nostalgia. 

“Baby, I’m A Star” rounds out this Purple Rain celebration. The song is a fine match for the band, the horns are given another chance to shine with their busy drive and energy. They become more prominent as the song snowballs into the first real jam of the night. There is a piano solo that must be heard in the mix before the horns raise their heads from the background to remind us of the hook, but asides from that it is a free-form workout. Do I like it? You bet! 

Prince draws the musical curtains on the party, and the warm sweat of “Shhh” rises from the soundscape. It is given the time and respect to marinate in its juices, and like “Baby I’m A Star it delivers on many levels. Prince’s sultry tones draw me in, but it is his guitar work that slaps me down. Again and again, he reminds us what a master he is, not just of his instrument and songwriting, but of his ability to create atmosphere and mood. There is no slow build to his solo, he cuts quickly to his work. The guitar adds steel to the song in an instant and burns brightly for the final minutes as Prince draws a sharp line under his lyrics letting his guitar say all he needs. I have written about many great performances of “Shhh,” rest assured this is another. 

As much as I like Maceo Parker, I have heard “Pass The Peas’ enough at Prince concerts to last me a lifetime. It comes from the same place as “Musicology” and “Baby, I’m A Star,” – a chance for the band to indulge in some freewheeling music. However there is not enough of Prince himself in the DNA of the song, asides from his constant encouragement of the band, and as much as I enjoy each band member’s contribution I fail to connect with what the song’s true heart is. Interestingly, the final minutes of the song is a carbon copy of what appears in the performance of “D.M.S.R” a few days later in Detroit, this seemingly something Prince could cut and paste into the show as is his will. 

 

The concert comes into sharp focus again as a gleaming “I Feel 4 U” lightens the show. It is a song that lifts the soul, although I can never quite put my finger on why. The lyrics and music are instantly recognizable, and I contribute with both my singing and humming. It may appear lightweight in the setlist, but it brings another valuable pop song from the past into the fold. 

Prince pivots from this pop into the world of clinical funk with “Controversy.” “Clap your hands and stomp your feet” doesn’t move me, but Candy knocks me sideways with her forceful contribution. The saxophone and guitar are the two main pillars of the song. Each brings a huge dose of funk to the song. “I am being well-schooled” passes through my mind and Prince confirms it with his “schools still in” and another fiery contribution from Maceo, ably assisted by Greg Boyer on trombone. An exciting and breathless moment, Prince refuses to let it lie, and the transition to “Housequake” with some quicksilver guitar work managers to both encapsulate and top all that has come before. 

The first time I heard the interlude, with its segment of Purple Rain’s ‘backward crying’ was interesting, but fifteen years later I can live without it. Likewise, as much as I like the song “Georgia On My Mind,” it’s not what I came to a Prince concert for, and my interest wains while Prince isn’t on stage. 

I am much more invested in the slow-burning and audience-infused “Little Red Corvette.” Prince alone with his acoustic guitar sketch out the integrity of the song. With no gimmicks, the music becomes the sole focus, and it is obvious the crowd is on-board from the first minute. The song is best taken as a whole as the guitar and vocals intertwine, each adding different inflections and nuances to the story Prince is telling. Not all songs work when stripped back like this, but “Little Red Corvette” certainly does, and it loses none of its luster in this intimate setting. 

The surprise package of the acoustic set is “Peach.” Not for its inclusion, but for how well it works. Previously it was all fire and brimstone as Prince unleashed his guitar histrionics. In its acoustic form, it is an endearing moment as the audience has a chance to sing along. Prince reveals some delicate guitar work that suggests that I have long underestimated what lay at the core of the song. It threatens to outstay its welcome, but Prince pulls the plug on it at just the right moment. 

The Purple Rain era has already made quite an appearance at this show, but Prince delights with the period B-side “17 Days.” A slab of cold funk on record, again with only Prince and his guitar it becomes all the more heartfelt and delicate. With Prince’s guitar bringing some warmth, the pain becomes lukewarm, yet remains from the original. 

I would have liked to indulge more in “Sometimes It Snows In April” but Prince doesn’t dwell on the moment and the song clocks in at just under a minute. A mere taster, it does leave one wishing Prince could have given us just a little more. 

“Alphabet Street,” promises more than it delivers. I expect energy levels to go up, but it remains stubbornly subdued throughout. That’s not to say it’s bad in any way, but merely disappointing. Prince is never loud enough, nor is his guitar or the crowd. “Peach” worked, while “Alphabet St” doesn’t, a complete surprise to me. 

One thing I always liked about the Musicology tour was the regular appearance of “Prince And The Band.” With his biting lyrics and sharp guitar sound Prince delivers another cutting rendition. The crowd responds positively to the line about Warners, no doubt to Prince’s great pleasure. The thought of Prince playing a song called “Prince and the Band” solo also brings further humor to the moment. 

Prince takes this humor and runs with it through “Cream.” He gives plenty of time to joking and teasing the audience, momentarily threatening to derail the song. However he returns to the music, and the guitar work in the first minutes is fast and furious. Every note shines and sparkles, and I find myself listening to it several times before moving on. 

The song that stands above all in this acoustic set is “Raspberry Beret.” The familiarity and ease of the lyrics mark it as an easy singalong from the start. Prince knows this and gives the audience the holes they need to inject themselves. It was never going to be the most demanding of songs, there is no challenge in the music or lyrics, and it is the warmest and most communal experience of the evening. 

 

“7” serves as the bridge back to a full band performance. Once again Prince carries the audience with him, their voices adding to the fullness of the chorus. It is a brief performance and merely perfunctory to bring the band back on stage. 

A rather odd “Sign O The Times” follows. I am not familiar enough with the Musicology tour to know if it is a fair reflection of its form at the time. It feels skittish, and never settles on the hard groove that I desire. Even Prince’s guitar fails to bring a sense of stability to the tail of the song, and by the end, I still don’t have a handle on the overall feel. 

“Whole Lotta Love” often ripped through the heart of the One Night Alone tour, but by Musicology it has been tamed. Although Prince indulges in plenty of guitar work over its eleven-minute span, it never feels as threatening or heavy as it did a few years previous. There is no sense of danger, Prince’s guitar raging only against itself. I appreciate its appearance in the setlist and lose myself in the guitar work, but the concert would do just fine without it. 

We return to the more fertile ground with “Let’s Work.” The funky seeds sown by Prince in the earlier 1980’s come to full bloom here with the horn section filling out what Prince could only hint at back then. They take the heavy lifting off the bass and propel the groove with their bright sheen. It’s far from the eighties sound of Prince but has the same hypnotic effect as the band all hit the groove. 

The band remains in lockstep for the following groove of “U Got The Look.” It all happens at the bottom end, Prince’s guitar a shrill interloper on what is otherwise a deep groove. The is no true resolution to the song, it remains undercooked as Prince moves quickly on to his next number. 

 

We return to Musicology and its themes with a stomping “Life O’ The Party.” There is a sense that Prince is book-ending the concert with this song, and it is a nice companion to the opening “Musicology”. With its organic sound and the horns at the fore, it brings a fresh blast as we head towards the end of the concert. Prince’s thanking of the crowd suggests that this can’t be too far away, although there are still a couple of treats to come. 

“Soulman” could well be a description of Prince as well as a song title. It is a fitting cover, but I would have preferred for Prince to sing it rather than Chance Howard. One can’t deny how uplifting it sounds, and Prince takes control for a timely “Kiss” to further lift my spirits. “Kiss” molds itself well to the Musicology sound, and it fits seamlessly with the surrounding material. Updated for the 2004 tour and sound, it reveals itself to be timeless. 

“Take Me With U’ continues this uplifting stomp, and marches onward without ever becoming pounding or tiresome. The Purple Rain album gets plenty of airtime at this concert, and this is another example of an older song being revamped for Prince’s current sound. It is just as successful as the previous cases, and Prince gives way to Maceo Parker, Greg Boyer, and Candy Dulfer to round out the song with their brassy sound and attitude. 

I had forgotten just what a gem “Call My Name’ was until I heard it again here. It won a Grammy award for best male R&B vocal performance and one can hear why as Prince loads the vocals with a lush, sensuous delivery. It never drips into syrupy or overworked, remaining aloof in its dedication to its theme. Of all the Musicology material presented at this concert, this is the standout and one only wishes it could have been longer. 

 

“Purple Rain” closes the concert and it is pleasing to see it bring the evening to a climax. It has previously been slotted into different places throughout the setlists over the years, sometimes shortened and abridged, and I am overjoyed to see a full-length version closing the concert. The lyrics and delivery don’t quite hit the emotional highs they use to, but as Prince’s guitar snorts and grunts at the start of his solo all thought of that is put aside. For the next few minutes, his instrument conveys all that needs to be said as it touches on an array of emotions, including nostalgia, with its far-reaching range and depth. I admit, that I am sometimes overly effusive in my praise of Prince’s ability on the guitar, but it cannot be understated – he is one of the best. As the final notes fade there is nothing more to be said, it has been a spectacular end to a spectacular show. 

This is not one of the more known Musicology concerts, yet it is just as good as anything else heard on tour. This speaks to the quality of the tour itself. The tour was long, but Prince and his band gave us memorable shows night after night. With twenty-five years of experience behind him, Prince put together a setlist that dips into his history without dwelling on it and gives us something both current and pleasingly familiar. Any show of the tour could be listened to with confidence, and I found this one from Canada to be a real treat. After listening to this I will certainly be coming back to the Musicology tour with a renewed interest and vitality. 

Paisley Park 19 June 2004 (am)

 I have mixed feelings about this third and final concert from Paisley Park. I have enjoyed all three immensely, and this third show is another stunning performance. I think perhaps show two eclipses it for unbridled joy and pure musical muscle, but there isn’t much that separates them. I think the best solution would be to load all three together in a playlist, lest anything is missed, and turn up the volume. As a triumvirate they are unparalleled, I am struggling to think of a better group of concerts than this, and they gain strength together as each has nuances unheard in the other shows. This third concert also has a decent audience recording, perhaps not quite as good as previously heard, but certainly very listenable and clear.  

19th June 2004(am) Paisley Park 

Prince sets out his stall early with a rendition of “Call My Name” that curls around the listener and suffocates one into Prince’s world. It’s a glorious death as Prince chokes us with his glistening vocal performance, each line hanging as he imbues it with heart and soul giving it a weight that belies its easy delivery. Candy Dulfer draws her saxophone solo from the same place, the song filling the room and the recording from end to end with an inescapable softness, a gentle surrender of the senses to Prince’s sweet poison. 

“Joy In Repetition,” stalks slowly onto the scene, Prince revealing the story slowly, flashes and pieces revealed, and concealed, as he tears slowly at the edges of the fabric of this internal world. The drama is finally brought into the light with the lyrics settling and becoming focused, the room becoming the story as Prince sketches out all the poets and part-time singers. The song stays low and to form, the smoke of the music clearing for a part-time singer to come to the mic, Prince giving way for the audience. It is a brave move, the song let loose in the hands of the crowd, losing some of its tension as this unknown singer lets the drama drain away. Prince does regain control in time to right the ship, the song sailing through to the end on an even keel, the band almost secondary as the music moves in its gentle way. The guitar is obvious in its absence early on, but all is forgiven as Prince surrenders the moment to Maceo Parker and his horn, giving the song new life, and adding to its sense of moment and story of darkened, smoke-filled clubs. There is time for Prince to return with his trademark guitar bluster and burn, the song set a fire in the final minute as Prince razes all before him with one final and emphatic full stop.  

 

The pairing of “Girls And Boys” and “Mustang Sally” is interesting, especially as Prince’s song becomes a soundalike tribute. The band picks up the groove early, and they never let it go as it pushes and pulls beneath Prince’s vocals. It is the lyrics that get the attention, but it is this constant drive and boogie of the groove that propels the song, giving Prince a bedrock to build upon. It is Greg who is first unleashed with his trombone, pulling a classic soul sound down to the groove, welding the past and present together in one foot-stomping solo. The stage is set for Maceo, and he is the physical embodiment of the two eras Prince is bringing together, his contribution is more than just his name however though and he blows up a storm for the next few minutes. When Prince calls “I love you, baby,” it is hard to know if he is singing the song or shouting out his joy in the music.   

This soul revue continues with Chance Howard taking vocal duties for “Knock On Wood.” It has the same groove and sound as the previous song, but at merely five minutes it is considerably shorter. Although it’s not rushed, at points it does feel like it’s going all too quick, this time the band has no time to build the song, instead they tear through the heart of it, they have the essence of it but very little time to convey this to us, leaving the song enjoyable but hollow. 

There is a welcome return of the guitar as Prince again takes center stage for a blistering rendition of Tower Of Power’s “What Is Hip?” It is Mike Scott who gives us the punchy guitar lines, his contribution the final eruption on top of an ever-building bass line. This is a complete band performance, the organ solo by Renato Neto demanding just as much attention as he demonstrates his considerable skill. Prince's final comment confirmed my thoughts -“tighter than a mosquito’s behind”  

 

We reach the eye of the storm with a twenty-minute performance of “Something In The Water (Does Not Compute),” the fire of the earlier songs is replaced by a purposeful cold intensity that takes the bare bones of the song and fleshes them out into a Frankenstein monster of a funk jam. With a five-minute intro of funk guitar and slow-building bass and drums, the song generates its own power that will carry us through a variety of funk songs and musical history presented with Prince’s unique interminable grooves. The original song is present by name only as Prince touches the lyrics but keeps the groove in another realm as the horns and band keep us swiftly moving. Mike Phillips raises the stakes with a solo that rises out of the stage and finishes in the heavens, the song lifted by his presence and Prince-inspired to take on a range of calls and responses that is primeval in delivery and emotion. It is a performance that comes from the gut, and that’s where I feel it as John Blackwell keeps with the theme and serves up and propulsion-filled solo that maintains the momentum. I am not normally one for drum solos, but this one is brisk and keeps the concert thrusting forward into the future. The music suddenly fulls back, leaving Renato Neto exposed for the final minutes, his contribution an icing on an already sizable cake. 

There is another surprise lurking in the setlist, Prince’s only performance of Beyonce’s “Speechless” It is a faithful rendition, glassy smooth in its delivery, although Prince foregoes the lyrics, leaving it as an instrumental, the band and the music enough to carry the emotional heart of the song. It is a stunning performance, a thoughtful moment that lingers long after the music has drifted away, the music resonating in its intoxicating spell.  

One of Maceo’s own songs makes it into the set with “Shake Everything You Got.” It opens the door to another funk workout, it’s sprawling twenty minutes containing an array of riffs and horn solos that continue to evolve the music to their own ends. They spin the music to dizzying heights, a cacophony of brass that finally gives way to some electric piano that pulls the music back to something I can keep up with. With the guitar finally appearing in the final few minutes the song flattens and takes on a new shape, the frenzy of the horns early on tempered and tamed by the appearance of this measured guitar break.  

 

The music takes a soft transition into “Superstition,” but the bootleg and concert take a sharp upturn as vocals appear. The recording is clear throughout, and these last two songs give a good test drive, the recording never wavering under wave after wave of high horns and deep bass.  As a bootleg, it is very strong, and it is more than a match for the concert it captures.  

I am temporarily excited by the appearance of the “777-9311,” but as is so often the case it is merely an introduction to disappointment, the opening bass salvo giving way to nothing and a brisk transition into the next song. In this case, it is complemented by some fast horn work, but I am happy enough as “Skin Tight” takes the bass and twists it into its own classic sound, the song landing a heavy blow with its weighty funk. The bass remains king throughout, and no amount of horn from Maceo can detract from its infectious groove.  

“No Diggity” reveals itself slowly, at first peering from behind the familiar riff of “P. Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up),” before Chance Howard drools the opening lines, the song carrying a sense of its musical history with years of funk and soul built into the DNA of the song and revealing themselves as dark gems throughout. The song is another strong moment, Candy Dulfer is given a chance to contribute with a solo that briefly flashes brightly in the otherwise dark heart of the song. 

 

Prince’s vocal bark is a sledgehammer striking blow after blow at the start of “The Jam” It’s a violent opening to a song that otherwise is inoffensive in its familiarity and place in the setlist. There are better long jams at this concert, and this one fails to top what has come before, it is almost filler coming as it is near the end of the concert. I can’t deny, that I do enjoy Larry and what he brings to it, but there is nothing here that we haven’t heard before on better and brighter nights. 

With the piano leading the way, “Purple Rain” delights with its horn-infused opening. The song stays in this unique fashion, the piano rising and falling, swirling and sweeping across land cleared by the horn, Prince only coming to the microphone long after the piano has left an indelible mark. There is no guitar in the song at all, the music drifting back and forth without the guitar to pull it all together in a satisfying knot of emotion that I have become so used to. I can’t quite connect to it in the way I want, it is just too slight in this form, but I do love and admire it for its uniqueness.  

There is a further treat with “Adore” appearing out of the mists, Prince’s vocals beaming down like heavenly angels providing a mood that the vocals can barely capture. It is just as youthful as it first sounded in 1987, I may have aged since, but the song hasn’t in the slightest and it still elicits the same emotions in me as it did when I was fifteen years old. For the next few minutes, I am lost in the music as Prince takes me on a nostalgic ride back to my youth. Candy’s solo snaps me back to the here and now, her horn a little too shrill for my tastes and breaking the spell. However, this is a sublime way to finish the set and delivers more than I could have ever asked for with its performance and nostalgic value.  

Still basking in the afterglow of this performance, I am convinced that this is my favorite of the three nights. Who knows how I might feel in an hour, but right now this concert and bootleg have stolen my heart. With a stunning recording to match the superlative performance, this is one bootleg that is worthy of praise, the unique renditions of some familiar songs making it all the more worthy. I still think all three of these after-shows should be heard together, they fit together as a well-rounded package, and on any given day any one of them could be considered a favorite. 2004 is often skimmed over, but these recordings stand shoulder to shoulder with any of the popular bootlegs of the 1980s and are worthy of their place in the catalog.  

Paisley Park 18 June 2004 (am)

 This week I continue listening to the trio of after-shows Prince played at Paisley Park as his Musicology tour rolled into town. Each show is unique, and as much as I enjoyed the first of the three last week, this week’s show ups the stakes and looks even better. The setlist is shorter, but the songs played are stretched out further than in the previous show, giving the band more time to embed themselves deeply in the music they are creating. The sound is sophisticated with the maturity of the band shining through, and once again we are faced with a sublime audience recording, all the better for catching the nuances of the performance. 

18th June 2004(am) Paisley Park 

The jazz influence is heavy from the first moments, and the intricate piano flourishes that Chance Howard provides “Footprints” sparkle and burst out of the recording. I had expected more horn work, but the keyboard remains at the heroic center of the song, giving the performance a jazzy, lilting feel that lingers throughout the entire twelve minutes of “Footprints.” 

The previous show saw “Dear Mr. Man” appear late in the setlist, this time around it is in the front seat and driving the concert from the beginning. It picks up the jazz strands of the previous song and twists them up with some funk squelch, giving the song a two-pronged attack that feels good on many levels. The lyrics remain key to the song, despite the music competing for attention, and one can feel Prince’s message as much as hear it as he sings his lyrics. It’s early to the concert to lavish praise, but this song stands out as a highlight from its first note to its last. 

 

“I Know You Got Soul,” is a staple of shows such as this, and here it takes the stage and doesn’t let go for twenty minutes as Prince and the band wrings every ounce of soul they can from it. From the elongated introduction that takes the groove and loops it to heavenly levels, to Mike Scott’s effortless guitar grease, the song continues to snake through the recording, keeping the concert moving beneath Prince’s command. The horns add further impetus to the music, but it is an easy drive with Prince staying on top of the music throughout with his relaxed command of the stage. The song continues as a simmer, never reaching boiling point but continuing to cook as the horns add a heat that hits the feet as much as the head. 

With a laugh “Skin Tight” begins, continuing with Prince’s rummage through the funk and soul of the 1970s. Surprisingly he doesn’t take the vocal duties, instead, letting the band carry the load as he embeds himself deeper in their midst. The song blooms and grows in ways not heard elsewhere, the raw funk supplemented by a colorful arrange of horn work, and some Mike Phillips vocoder, something that always makes me smile. The overall feel is one of looseness, and a band having fun on stage, a feeling that translates nicely to the recording. 

There is a lack of intensity to “D.M.S.R,” the song slowly appears from the previous song and remains formless for the first minute until the drum and bass finally take control and shape it into the song we are familiar with. The horns and bass are the twin towers that stand at the center of the song, although Prince’s constant call for the drums suggests he thinks otherwise. As always Mike Scott brings the chicken grease and combined with the horns gives the song a brightness that belies the otherwise heavy bass and drum sound. A reappearance of the vocoder is welcome, although it is given quite a while and has me laughing with crazy delight. It’s all capped off by some Maceo Parker playing that is to be treasured, his horn finding new ways to define the music and add his own distinctive funk style to the moment. 

 

“House Party” is another song that reappears from the previous night, Maceo staying the center of attention as again he attends to vocal duties. The song is a slow burn, Prince calling dancers to stage long before Maceo takes to the microphone, the music steadily building on the back of the groove. There is a sense of release as Maceo sings, the true nature of the song revealed as the band live the lyrics, their own house party swirling around them as they play. 

There is a stark boldness to “Sexy Dancer,” the song looking us straight in the eye as the band gives it a fierce backbone and inner intensity. This is no mere disco groove, this is a song that has matured over the years, a song that now has a hardness to it that no longer asks you to dance, but rather insists you dance. Listening carefully, there is some tasty piano work that starts deep in the song before burrowing its way to the surface, exposed to the light for all to appreciate the light joy it plays with. It counters the raw groove, and Mike Phillips's contribution with the saxophone a minute later comes from the other end of the scale, raining down from the sky upon the song, his horn as forceful as the groove of the bass and drums. It makes for a lively mix, the song demanding attention throughout as each player brings something different to the mix, never quite settling on a single sound. 

It is a groove that serves as the introduction for the next song, the horns refrain rising “Mustang Sally” out of music. It is a Trojan horse, a burst of guitar that could only come from Prince hinting that we might be in for something else entirely. As the groove of “Prince And The Band” continues, the guitar rises in intensity, Prince devoting more and more attention to his instrument until it eventually steams into “Peach” It is hard for me to dissociate the song from Mayte and her hot pants, but Prince plays with a steady and controlled intensity that has me forgetting my teenage infatuation and instead fully focusing on the guitar energy at hand as he runs up and down his fretboard. The guitar eventually gives way to Prince singing “Prince And The Band,” a moment that can’t compare to what we have just heard from his guitar work. One final flurry restores the balance as the song ends on a high, leaving me very happy indeed. 

 

The dark elegance of “Beautiful Strange,” floors me, especially as the recording captures its slow-moving melancholy while it drifts across the stage. The architectural weight of the introduction collapses beneath the pressure of the bass and guitar, the strange yet beautiful opening minutes disappearing beneath waves of electric rubble. Prince’s forlorn guitar howl emerges from this debris, it’s wail is a beacon amidst the dense bass growl, giving us a sense of something to hold onto. The song continues in this fashion, the sea of noise swamping the recording, while Prince’s guitar continues to float over top with its own agenda, at once competing with the rest of the band and yet at the same time complementing it. It is the keyboard that lays the song to rest, Prince’s guitar staying silent as the keyboard squeaks and shrieks its own unknown message out into the darkness, once again shrouding the song in mystery as it comes to an end. 

I enjoyed the previous show immensely, and I am only too happy to say this one tops it. With the shorter setlist, the songs speak for themselves, and have plenty of time to stand on their own feet, their true personalities revealed as they play. “Dear Mr. Man,” and “Beautiful Strange,” are the obvious highlights, each bringing a sense of integrity to a concert that is otherwise drenched in fun. With a quality audience recording, I can easily recommend anyone who has grown tired of the Musicology tour and wants to hear something more demanding from the same period, a concert that retains the key elements of the era, but with an added dash of intensity and solemnity. 

Paisley Park 17 June 2004 (am)

 Prince toured extensively on the back of Musicology through 2004, his live show reaching thousands of fans over the summer months. The tight shows didn’t give a lot of scope for pushing the boundaries, or springing surprises and the handful of after-shows from the tour are where Prince and the band display their wares and deep love of all styles of music. Over the next few weeks, I will be listening to the three Paisley Park concerts of 2004, each after the main show at the Xcel Energy Centre, St Paul. These are playful performances that contain a lot of spirit, and I find them all easy and fun to listen to, a positive review before we even start. 

17th June 2004(am) Paisley Park 

The first song of the performance sees Prince join the band Conversation Piece as a guitar player as they stomp through “No Diggity” and “Knee Deep.” Initially, I don’t hear Prince in “No Diggity,” it is the rhythm explosion at the end of each line that captures my attention, but midway through the song Prince’s guitar tone emerges as a smoky curl before storming the scene with its distinctive and commanding sound. There is some pushback from the horns later in the song which evens the balance, and they remain in firm focus for the following “Knee Deep.” The guttural sound of Prince's guitar buries itself in the heavy bass, leaving plenty of room for the horns to ply their trade. As a fan of both songs, I am fully on board, and the sound quality of this audience recording delivers the full sonic range, bringing an irrepressible smile to my face. There is the briefest of battles between the horns and the guitar, but Prince settles the argument with some light-fingered guitar work that should please most fans. 

All this is merely a warm-up for a version of “The Ride” that covers everything touched on so far and amplifies it to eleven. Its slow-cooked smokey sound is supplemented by a thick sauce of hornwork and crackling guitar fuzz that sharpens to a point by the minute, skewering the fat lazy sound that it otherwise has. The lyrics are almost forgotten, we are well adrift through the song before Prince takes the mic, not so much singing, but rather riffing easily on a couple of key lines that add to the atmosphere of the song. He doesn’t linger long on them, his guitar doing all the talking he needs as he lets it take flight for the final minutes of the song. 

 

It is the guitar that opens up the riff on “Miss You,” the instrument almost choking on the lyrical line. Prince’s vocal delivery comes from the same place, a primeval and raw sound that speaks to the sordid nature of the song. Mike Phillips is a revelation on this song, his horn casting a new light on it, lifting it from Mick Jagger’s grubby hands and into something even funkier. Prince brings his axe to bear upon the song one last time, torching it black and leaving it in the hands of the audience for a final singalong. 

I must admit, I didn’t know “A Real Mutha For Ya,” until I heard it here, and I certainly will make a point of digging out the original for a listen after hearing it. With Mike Scott on lead vocals, there isn’t a lot of Prince to be heard, at this point, it is hard to distinguish what instrument he is on, but it doesn’t matter as this is one song that belongs to the horn section, and the soft funk touch that the band brings to it. 

I am on safer ground with “I Know You Got Soul,” a song I am familiar with from other after-shows of the last twenty years. This version doesn’t swing as much as others I have heard, and is rather robotic in its delivery, stutter-stepping off the bass, before exploding out through the keyboards and horn section. The horns push far in their drive for new sounds, and the carcass of the song is left far behind as the horns ride the rhythm far out beyond the edge of familiarity and deep into their sound. “It Takes Two” appears briefly, but it is the horns that continue their quest beyond lyrics that hold sway, any sense of song lost in a jam that threatens to swallow the room. 

 

This sense of freedom continues through the following jam that follows, the bass taking center stage for a jagged and raw-edged jump into “(Theme Song From) Which Way Is Up.” The band plunge through the hole created by the bass, the horns scratching the sides of the song as we continue the long descent through the heart of the music. With only the horns and flashes of guitar brilliance from Prince to guide us, it is an immersive experience, and I am surprised to see that barely five minutes have passed as we emerge from the other side of the song. 

I remain disorientated by the kinetic opening to “Housequake,” the drum never quite settling into its regular pattern as we skim quickly over the surface of possible music. The vocals suggest we have arrived at the song properly, but there is little time to settle and gather my thoughts as the horns take over and the music changes gears again. 

There is no surprise to see the song appearing from the dark as “All The Critics Love U In Minneapolis,” the music driving and insistent as it comes into focus. It is of its era, and I have plenty of renditions like this from 2002 to 2004. The driving beat a bed for the horns section to perform across before the rest of the band add their own adornments to the song. As colorful as these adornments are, the rhythm section will always be paramount, and again we are served a tight groove that remains steady throughout the duration, making for a focused and driving version that we have become well acquainted with. 

 

Prince continues to mine the old school, with his take on Fred Wesley’s “House Party” giving plenty of time for the horn section to again burn bright. It is the trombone that blows the loudest, and Greg Boyer grabs all the headlines while Maceo takes on the vocal duties. While it’s not the most essential part of the show, it remains buoyant and keeps the party theme of the evening rolling. 

Prince’s opening lines from “Prince And The Band” have me briefly entertaining thoughts of a full version, but the ever-swelling waves of horn banish that thought as the tempo increases and the band threatens another jam. The return to the lyrics of “Prince And The Band” are welcome as Prince steers the ship back to where we started. The chop of the rhythm section opens up the song to a further segue, and before I know it Prince is singing “Illusion, Come, Pimp & Circumstance” It’s all part of an ever-evolving jam, the lyrics put to one side as first the horns, and then the piano rise in prominence, each briefly sparkling before the rhythm pushes us onto the next movement. 

We have a fresh start for “Glide,” a song that seems merely to serve the purpose of getting people up and dancing if Prince’s comments are anything to go by. It sounds good to my ears, the clean audience recording giving me a clear insight into what it must have been like inside the building at that time. The song never once rests through its entirety, and I am kept constantly moving through its groove and energy. The drum break mid-song could derail it, but it is kept light and maintains the groove as we rock and roll around the kit. John Blackwell doesn’t play heavy-handed during the break, and this is a fine example of his style and sees the song winding to a natural conclusion, the groove still rolling easily across the dance floor. 

 

“Brick House” isn’t as tightly focused as I have heard elsewhere, the introduction failing to grab me by my lapels and shaking me, but the trombone makes amends with its fat sound soaking the recording. Mike Scott brings his sound to the recording, an extra layer of funk added with his undulating guitar sound. It may not be the “Brick House” I want, but it is the “Brick House” that I deserve, Prince making the point emphatically with a stellar burst of guitar that flashes across the recording, brightening it for a minute in its brilliance. 

“Dear Mr. Man” grabs me in a headlock, holding me there and forcing me to appreciate its understated sonic joy. The bass and guitar operate on different parts of the spectrum, but in my headphones they create a fearful symbiosis, filling my head with dreams and nightmares that I never want to wake from. The music created has one imaging of galaxies unexplored, galaxies that only exist in the music and one's own mind, an undeniably powerful spell cast by the musicians onstage. 

The concert ends on a curious note, Prince harking back to his tour a couple of years previous with a surprising instrumental version of “The Rainbow Children.” It drips in maturity, and without lyrics, one can fully appreciate the pure musicality that exists behind the veil of religious text. The horn section grabs this final opportunity to strut their stuff in both hands, but it is John Blackwell who has the final say in the evening with one last rip around the drum kit that sends us out into the night. 

The is an excellent audience recording, and the show itself delivers much more than I expected. I saw the setlist full of covers and expected a quiet run through some of Prince’s favorite songs. However, the playing throughout was brilliant and I found myself enjoying this beyond all expectations. Prince has a finely balanced setlist and a band that can deliver all he needs. When matched with a quality recording like this, it is a match made in heaven and I can’t wait until next week and a chance to hear the second concert in this run. 

San Jose 1 June 2004

 I have for a long time now avoided the Musicology shows. To be honest, I haven’t been very open-minded about these shows, I only listened to them shallowly and for too long I have regarded them as nothing more than a crowd-pleasing package. In recent times I have come around, and I have been overdue in blogging about these shows. When looking for a good show to listen to from this tour, I found the concerts far more rewarding than I anticipated, and some great shows are circulating from this tour. The show I am listening to today is from San Jose, and the main reason I chose this one is due to the acoustic guitar set, which I believe is one of the longest- if not the longest, from the tour. There is plenty more to enjoy on this recording too, and with a running time of slightly over two hours, there is something for everyone. 

1st June 2004. San Jose, California 

I don’t know if I’m the only one, but I enjoy the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame video introduction, the speech from Alicia Keys does a fine job of neatly summing up all the reasons I am a Prince fan. Whoever wrote that speech, be it Alicia or someone else, they certainly captured the passion that keeps me listening to this day. 

Musically the show opens with “Musicology,” and it’s a rousing rendition that makes the album cut sound rather tepid. The recording is outstanding, it’s an audience recording of the highest order- outstandingly clear and crisp sounding, every instrument and Prince is heard in perfect balance. The rhythm guitar is heard much better at this show, and it gives it just a little more of the oomph that I need. I often think of “Musicology” being a longer song, here I enjoy it so much that it seems to go by in the blink of an eye. Greg Boyer and his trombone end the song on a high, and I am very happy with what I have heard so far. 

“Let’s Go Crazy” has a Vegas sound about it, with the horns playing prominently and Prince's guitar a little more in with the band. His solo is clean and clear, and although it doesn’t have any real fire to it the crowd does cheer appreciatively. Candy playing a solo is a nice touch, I don’t find myself too enthusiastic about it although it’s not bad in any way. Prince closes the song in the manner to which we have become accustomed, and like everything else in the song, it’s nice but doesn’t raise any pulses. 

The pop of “I Would Die 4 U” is infectious, and as soon as it starts I feel myself warming to the show. I don’t know if it is nostalgic value or the performance, the song has a life of its own, and the show ups tempo. It’s barely a minute, and I was grinning through it the whole time. 

 

I am very surprised as we next get a fuller take on “When Doves Cry.” The earworm of a keyboard riff and a fantastic-sounding elastic bass keep me hooked, and although some verses are missing there is still plenty here to listen to and enjoy. It’s an interesting arrangement and one I could happily listen to again. 

The keyboard intro of “1999” leads us straight into a crowd-pleasing “Baby I’m A Star.” Crowd noise is minimal on the recording, but there are plenty of whoops and cheers as Prince rips through the song. With four songs straight from Purple Rain, Prince is playing to please the crowd. I am not enamored with “Baby I’m A Star,” it’s a shade too polished and clean for me. The horns get plenty of play, and it sounds to my ears a little too close to a Vegas revue. There is a piano interlude mid-song which I find far more enjoyable and it’s more than enough to keep me interested to the end. 

For me things the show goes up several notches as “Shhh” begins. That guitar and drum introduction gives me time to prepare myself for what I hope will be a highlight. I am rewarded with an excellent rendition of a long-time favorite. Prince’s vocals are brilliant and the recording does him justice, capturing every nuance of his performance. Prince’s guitar playing matches his vocal performance, the tone is just right and the sound is crisp and restrained with the emotion present but reined in. John Blackwell doesn’t sound as strong as we sometimes hear, but that may well be up to the recording as much as anything. The last-minute of guitar work from Prince is outstanding, and it transports me away from the glitz and glamour we heard earlier. 

I have always loved the “D.M.S.R.” performances from the Musicology tour, so as the music starts I am already looking forward to hearing what comes next. The vocals are strong, the music funky, and the horns sound great with their top-end sound. The song has a fantastic slide to it, and this is heightened with the bass sound under it all. Greg Boyer and his trombone appear for a solo that keeps the party groove going. I am not surprised to hear the “Crazy In Love” riff thrown in, its horn vamp working well with the “D.M.S.R.” groove. Prince has a swagger to his voice and he is running the show, with both the crowd and band responding to his calls. Candy’s solo is fun, but it's Mike’s break with the vocoder that I dig, I could have easily listened to much more like this. I had almost forgotten about Maceo Parker, and he does a fine job of playing us out to the end of the song with Prince chanting with the audience. 

The briefest of introductions from “Love Bizarre” and “Glamorous Life” sound before we swing into “I Feel For You.” Prince's vocals are a little lost in the sound of the band, but aside from that the song is just as good as it has ever been. The sound is warm, and there is a comforting feel to it. The bass pops out of my speakers and the crowd responds to Prince's calls adding to the familiar feel. 

The pulsating rhythm of “Controversy” keeps us firmly rooted in the 1980s. The bass and drums drive along while Prince's crystal vocals sound sharp over top.  The guitar does become stronger after the first verse, and anyone who follows this blog regularly knows this is what moves me most. I don’t truly feel the song until Candy plays a scorching solo, and the bass ramps up. It pulls me right into the song, and I stay there as some choppy guitar plays. Prince reminds us of some of his great catalog by singing several lines of “Love Bizarre” before Candy gets another moment followed by the rest of the band. It’s very much one of Prince's band leader’s jams, with the band stretching out and getting a chance to groove on it while he calls the changes. This is a band that is often overlooked, but on listening to this I realize that they are very versatile and they had been with Prince for some time by this point. Housequake is in the mix too, with the horns making themselves heard again. 

I find the piano interlude by Renato Neto to be a pleasant surprise. I am gobsmacked when I hear the “she’s crying, it’s backward’ from “Purple Rain” playing. There is no way in a million years I could have ever guessed that I would hear this in concert. It’s an interesting diversion before Renato begins to play “God.” His piano playing has a tender solo sound before Maceo joins him playing saxophone. I like the sound of the sax, although I preferred the solo piano that we started with. The saxophone sounds good with the piano and the final sustained notes he plays get the crowd cheering before the song closes gently with the solo piano again. 

 

The acoustic set begins with Prince playing a heartwarming rendition of “Little Red Corvette.” With the song stripped back like this, there seems to be much more room for Prince to inject emotion with his vocal performance and guitar playing. The crowd lends their voices to the chorus and there is a real warmth to the recording. 

I have never been a big fan of “Cream,” but hearing it like this I feel the roots of it and I get a lot out of it. Prince is in fine form with his humor and chastises the crowd for lip-synching as they sing along. It’s almost like a campfire sing-along in places, and it has a lot of heart to it. If it was played more often like this I would be a much bigger fan of the song. 

“Sometimes It Snows In April” is tailor-made for an intimate performance like this. The naked sound of Prince and his guitar has never sounded so good, and this is one of the best live recordings I have heard of this song. There are cheers and calls from the crowd, but the recording is perfect, and I can only hear them as background noise, Prince and his guitar are front and center the whole time. All in all, it’s an excellent recording of a beautiful song. 

I have always preferred the live versions of “Dear Mr. Man” over what was released on the album, like I have said in previous songs here there is much more warmth and humanity to it.  The crowd claps along and it’s very in tune with the feel and the soul of the song. Prince plays loose with his guitar to end the song, and for me, this song is the heart of the show. 

He follows up by playing a few lines of “The Most Beautiful Girl In the World.” I look forward to hearing the whole song, although we only get half a minute, and surprisingly I am not too bothered as the next song is a glorious-sounding “Adore.” 

“Adore” works very well in this setting, with only the acoustic guitar playing I find that Prince's vocals gain an extra emphasis, not that they need it – the crowd certainly knows every word, as do I. It’s abridged, and only runs a couple of minutes before Prince breaks the spell with “Remember that song from High School’ as an introduction to “Sweet Thing.” 

He does very little singing on “Sweet Thing,” instead it’s the crowd that does all the heavy lifting in providing vocals to his guitar playing. His playing is indeed sweet and the song sounds just like its title. It’s a lovely moment, and it takes me back to a time and place. 

Likewise, “Raspberry Beret” sounds equally as sweet and pop. In this format, it works even better as there is much more space for the crowd to sing along with Prince as he plays. Naturally enough he ends after a verse and chorus with the traditional “I think I love heeeerrrr” Short and sweet, but it has its place here. 

Things get more upbeat with Prince playing “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man.” It works well acoustically, and I like that I can hear what the key components are for me, Prince’s vocals and his guitar. I have always had an enormous soft spot for this song, and I am delighted to hear it in this context. Prince seems to be in a great mood, playing with the crowd as they sing the chorus, and I can’t help but hark back to that feeling of a campfire sing-along. 

There is more humor as Prince next plays the opening to “Jail House Rock” and sings the first lines.  He pauses and tells the crowd “We can be Princes, but we don’t want to be no Kings” It gets a cheer from the crowd and a big grin from me at home. 

“Telemarketers Blues” is equally humorous. There isn’t much happening musically but the lyrics are always a lot of fun, and the last minute of Prince crooning and playing the blues is worth hearing. It segues in “12:01” which is a good bookend to it, and as it is similar in sound and humor they work well as a pair. 

I begin to lose interest in the acoustic set as “On The Couch” plays. It doesn’t stand out in its vocal performance, and the guitar playing isn’t particularly strong or interesting, and for me, the enthusiasm for the acoustic set wanes about now. 

“7” signals the return of the band, and I enjoy hearing the bass line in particular. The backing vocals seem too strong for the song, and for a while, I hear them more than I hear Prince. It’s no bad thing, as the song is kept to barely two minutes, so it doesn’t get long enough to bother me. 

I hadn’t anticipated hearing “Sign O The Times” at this show, but I’m sure glad it’s in there. The horns add a nice little riff to it, and I like that there are a few other differences too that don’t for a moment detract from the song. It’s not the bare-bones sounding song we know from the 1980s but this re-imagining of it for the 2000s works much better than some of his other updates. There is even a howling guitar later in the song that pulls back to a Santana sound which works equally well. 

 

I play “The Question Of U” a lot here at home, so I am not too excited to hear it on this recording. It’s a good clean version, nice sounding, but not as intimate sounding as I have heard at some after-shows. The guitar break almost has me eating my words, as Prince shows us why he is so highly regarded as a guitar player. His guitar says plenty as it howls and whines with emotion. The last squeal in particular before it changes tone has me beside myself. The music slows and Prince plays a stabbing break that shudders and shakes me before he builds up to “The One.”  I have always felt an emotional connection to “The One,” and here it lives up to my expectations as Prince's vocals capture the emotion of the lyrics. There are the lyrics of Alicia Keys Fallin sung by the girls, but it's Prince's singing of “The One” that holds me. He releases a final emotional charge with a fierce guitar solo to finish. 

“Let’s Work” is completely different from what we have just heard, and it takes me half a minute to get into it. It’s a chance for Rhonda Smith to shine and shine she does. Her bass work is solid, and the solo she gives us is a lot of fun. It’s rather short before the horns come back in, but still worth hearing. 

“U Got The Look “has a very different sound to it, initially there is no guitar at all, and it’s unlike anything I’ve heard. The keyboard fills all the gaps, and Prince's guitar can be heard later in the song, without ever coming right to the fore and dominating. 

“Life O The Party” stays with this upbeat vibe, and it too sounds just as shiny and bright. The bass and drums lock in, while the brassiness of the horns keeps things moving up top. I enjoy the party atmosphere, and I know that this signals the end of the show is getting near. 

“Soul Man” is a welcome addition to the setlist. Prince doesn’t sing, but that doesn’t matter in the slightest as I am sure the crowd is on their feet already for this. It’s all part of the greater medley and a lot of fun. 

We segue right into “Kiss,” it’s not the strongest version I have ever heard, but in a show like this it serves a purpose and that is to keep the party going to the end. It’s a chance for the crowd to scream and shout, and, in places, sing along. It’s still part of the surge to the finish line, and after a couple of minutes we plow into “Take Me With U.” 

I don’t normally get a lot out of “Take Me With U,” but this one is an exception. I find the band gives a push to it, and it works well in this party-like finish. The crowd gets another chance to sing along and the horns once again take over, with Mike Phillips playing Meet The Flintstones, as well as Greg Boyer and Candy both playing solo lines. John Blackwell’s shout-out sees him playing “777-9311” before a sample of The Time saying “We don’t like new wave’ ends the medley with Morris’s inane laugh. 

The main show ends here, and we get a couple of minutes to catch our breath before Prince and the band return to play “Call My Name.” It’s the first proper seduction ballad of the show, without any competition in its category I find it’s great and a song I would often overlook gets the attention it deserves. The song is a welcome addition to the show, and I enjoy the horns and keyboards in it just as much as I enjoy Prince's vocals. 

 

“Purple Rain” opens without fuss, just a quick piano line from Renato before Prince's guitar plays a strong lead break that takes us to the opening lines. The rest of the song ebbs and flows as is its way until Prince unveils the guitar break that will carry us to the end of the show. The crowd of course has their final opportunity to add their voices to the show, and the whole thing concludes with an overall feeling of togetherness and positivity. 

It’s been a while since I listened to a proper main show like this, normally it would be something I eschew in favor of a good after-show, however, this one has shown me that I should be more open-minded. Not only was it a very good main show, but it was also something from a year I have shied away from for too long. The Musicology tour has a great many circulating shows, and now I see why so many people enjoy them- a good configuration of the NPG, an interesting acoustic set, and a lengthy performance make this a good listen for all occasions. I shall be digging through more of these Musicology shows in the next few months, and hopefully, I will have a few more gems to blog about. 

New York 16 March 2004 (am)

 If you fall off a horse the best thing to do is get back on it, and that’s exactly what this week’s post feels like after listening to last week’s recording from 2004. It was an assault on the eardrums, and I need to get back to listening to other shows from 2004 to reassure myself that not everything is so tough to listen to. This week’s show is just the tonic, recorded a month later it is a joy to listen to, both the recording and the performance. The show at Club Black is recorded at the aftershow coming on the heels of the Rock N Roll hall of fame induction and is well regarded in the fan community, and from my initial impression, I can see why. It’s got crowd noise, like all recordings, but the band is heard crystal clear through the whole show, and they are playing a great set. This one is a breath of fresh air, and I feel refreshed as soon as I begin to listen. 

16th March 2004 Club Black, New York 

The sharpness of the recording is apparent from the very first note that is heard. There is a considerable cheer from the crowd, but once they sit back and listen you can hear the band just fine. The opening song is a showcase for the horns and keyboard, and a full and clean “Footprints” is the first song of the evening. There is some sax work, be it Maceo or Candy, to begin with, and this is well worth the time it gets. Not to be outdone, Greg Boyer blows up a storm on his trombone, it’s got a big bounce to it and fills out the sound. The best is saved for last, however, with a piano solo dominating the final third of the song. A great moment early on, this is the cue to close your eyes, sit back and take it all in. Already the memories of last week’s blog are receding. 

 

Prince gives “Musicology” plenty of hype from the get-go, pausing the band early on to tell the crowd “you’ll ain’t ready”. After the obligatory applause the song starts properly, Prince has the band in his pocket, and everything is smooth and fits together perfectly. There’s no fire in the performance, the band is too cool, and they glide through the song with ease. The saxophones do raise the levels somewhat, but for the most part, it’s smooth as glass. 

Things do morph, and Maceo plays us into “Tighten Up.” Maceo never lets me down, and as the crowd chants “Don’t stop Maceo” he blows up a storm. As he steps back, Mike Scott steps forward with a guitar break that is distinctly his. With the guitar sounding so clean and funky, Mike is in his element. The consummate bandleader, Prince keeps everyone involved with firstly a piano break, and then another chance for the rest of the horns to play. As an easy jam this song works, and it’s a great chance to highlight the band early on. 

“Shhh” is introduced as “a quiet ballad” which greatly undersells what is in all honesty one of his greatest songs. The band keeps things low-key and the song belongs to Prince and Prince alone, firstly with his vocal performance, and then with his guitar break that starts with a lone whine and ends several minutes later in a howl. Normally it would be Prince’s guitar playing that would have me waxing lyrical, and although the guitar here is of his usual high standard (the second guitar break in particular), it’s the vocal performance that gets under my skin, Prince still sounds as if he means every word even after all these years. The final workout on the guitar leaves us on a high before we get funky with the next song. 

Mike Scott always sounds great playing “D.M.S.R,” his guitar tone has a sharpness and gives the song a new lease of life. Prince too seems to be sharper, he sings with a freshness that belies his age, and the age of the song. The horns add some sparkle, the song suddenly sounding brand new again. “I Like The Way You Move” is seamlessly brought into the mix, and Prince acknowledges OutKast as the crowd chants and sings. The band hit the groove as the crowd join them and the next few minutes are the perfect storm where the show becomes a party. With the horns and guitar all jamming and adding different lines it becomes an irresistible dance, time seems to slip away as I am caught in its funky web. 

“House Party” continues on right where “D.S.M.R.” left off, it’s down low steady funk keeping the band locked in tight to a groove. It's slower and heavier and keeps the heads bobbing as the band play. It’s for the most part a showcase for the horns, they play plenty over the steady groove, and they sound brighter against the low heavy beat. 

The flurry of “A Love Bizarre” and “Glamorous Life” run us into a sprightly sounding I Feel For You. Prince's vocals aren’t the sharpest, it’s up to the horns to inject the sunshine and brightness into the song. They are everywhere, their clean sound elevating the song wherever they riff. 

We stay firmly in the 80s with the appearance of “Controversy.” The guitar is initially low-key before it explodes out of the gate at the one-minute mark with some fabulously funky-sounding playing. Prince and the band play well, and it’s an enjoyable listen, but when the rhythm guitar plays it becomes something else altogether, the moments are short and easily the highlight of the song. 

The piano interlude by Renato is light and undemanding. It’s a tasty morsel between courses, and at a minute long it doesn’t outstay its welcome before we return to something special from Prince. 

That something special is a soulful rendition of “The Beautiful Ones.” The song flows easily, firstly with some piano, and then some sax playing that has wings. For a while, I forget that this is even “The Beautiful Ones,” with the sax playing for some time before we return to some cascading piano playing for a couple of minutes. All of it is classy, and it’s even better when I consider that Prince has yet to sing. And sing he does, when he does appear on the mic it’s with a gracefulness and measured performance. He sings beautifully, seemingly without pushing himself. There is emotion in his vocals, not overwrought, and this is a well-balanced performance that demonstrates his experience, showing us all that sometimes less is more. 

“Nothing Compares 2 U” is noteworthy for the contribution of the Candy Dulfer. Prince’s vocals are as to be expected, but it’s the sax solo that soars and lifts the song. With no female counterpoint to Prince's vocals, it’s this saxophone sound that provides color and contrast to the performance, and it’s only fitting that the sax is the last thing we hear as the song fades out. 

Prince pours it on for “Insatiable,” and gives a vocal performance that befits the subject matter. I have heard plenty of great performances of this song before, and I can safely add this one to that list. Prince’s vocals are smooth as butter and have a creamy thickness to them that washes over you as you listen. Prince does deliver a spoken thanks to a list of people midsong, he’s very gentle with it and it doesn’t interrupt the mood at all. The transition to “Call My Name” is equally smooth, he called for the lights to be turned down low early in the song, and it still retains that late-night dimly lit through the whole 7-8 minutes. “Call My Name” is softer than on record, and Prince’s lyrics are dripping with passion and lust as he sings. As Renato plays some piano I reflect on Prince's vocal performance in the last few songs, he has been sublime throughout, and this is a master class. 

 

The rhythm track of “Sign O The Times” has a heavy dose of funk in it, and the introduction takes on a more dance-able tone as Prince hypes up the crowd. His vocals come quick and clear before the horns again begin to raise the heat a little. In fact, with the horns and piano playing it becomes an entirely different beast altogether, the seriousness of the song washes away and we are left with a funky little jam. 

The balance is restored with a low-key “The Question Of U.” Prince gives us plenty with this one, his guitar early on sounds as good as it ever has, and there are some nice runs and fills that keep us engaged before the song strips back for some guitar noodling. Things get even better as he sings new lyrics over the quiet music. It’s refreshing and intriguing, I find myself listening closely as he sings these words. I can’t believe how fantastic the last 30 minutes have been, and Mike Phillips puts his spin on things with a solo that easily matches every else thus far, this band is on top of their game right here. His playing at the last minute is outstanding, it demands listening. 

“The One” and “Fallin’” come together, intertwining with each other, and fitting well. “The One” has always been a song I look for on the setlist, the version here is good, but it can’t compete with all we have just heard. Prince does come back strongly on the guitar, at first it doesn’t grab me, but it does get stronger and stronger and soon enough I am swept up by it and carried away. 

Things change direction as Prince calls for the house lights and the band groove into “Let’s Work.” The bass isn’t as loud as I would like, and it does sound brassy with all the horns playing. In some ways it loses its attraction for me because of this, it doesn’t have the sweaty sound that I normally look for. The band does give it plenty of energy though, and soon enough it becomes U Got The Look. 

“U Got The Look” has an electric sound to it, the guitar isn’t strong at all, and it has a more interesting sound because of this. That is until Prince calls “Turn me up Scotty” and begins to solo, crisp and clean in this case. The crowd comes to the party with some singing that doesn’t add much to it but does sound like fun. 

It’s at this point that it becomes a jam and a party as Prince begins to call people on stage and the band begins a medley of party songs. All the usual suspects are in the mix, “Talkin Loud And Sayin Nothing,” “Life O The Party,” and “Hot Pants” are prominent, as is Princes ‘Uptown up’ chant. Things move quickly, the beat and the dancing being the most important things. “Soul Man” adds some brightness and seems appropriate for the performance that Prince has thus far delivered. Chance Howard takes on the vocal duties, leaving Prince to party up and keep things moving. It all ends with a crisp and poppy-sounding “Kiss.” The horns and the guitar outdo each other to be heard, and the song is full and bright sounding. The guitar has a superb tone, and for me is the star of the song, I could have done with the song being a whole lot longer. Prince ends with a simple good night, and suddenly it’s all over. 

This recording was better than I could have ever imagined. I had heard others speak highly of it, and although I have heard it before I don’t remember it being as good as it was. The first third was great, but the second third was outstanding, and it’s this part of the show that I found mesmerizing, Prince was at his peak with the band doing a fantastic job of supporting him. The end was weaker, but still well worth the time. I rate this recording highly indeed, and I am almost tempted to call it essential. When I think of 2004, this is how I want to remember it, a great show and a brilliant recording. 

Las Vegas 1 February 2004 (am)

 The House of Blues show from early 2004 is an average recording of a great show. The sound may not be the best, but as compensation, we have a show packed with interesting moments, one of the highlights being the opening ten minutes of “Sign O The Times.” The rest of the show lives up to the opening salvo, which makes it all the more disappointing that it is recorded in bad quality. As always I am a devoted fan, and I am prepared to listen to any quality to hear Prince doing this type of show. It is recorded just six weeks before the Musicology tour, and you can hear that Prince is ready to go with the band well prepared, and enjoying a couple of one-off shows before the tour begins. 

1st February 2004 (am), House Of Blues, Las Vegas 

There are no surprises with this recording, right from the start you know what you are in for, with a scratchy distorted sound from the first moment. The band is playing “Sign O The Times,” somewhere behind the noise of the recording I can hear the band is sounding good, but it is hard work to listen to, and even at this early stage I am questioning my dedication to the cause, this will be one tough listen. “Sign O The Times” is played mostly as an instrumental, the beats and rhythms play for a good five minutes before any singing is heard. The sax attack of Candy Dulfer and Maceo Parker are in the house, they help break the cold electronic sound of the song early on before Prince starts singing. It’s impossible to comment too much on Prince’s singing, the recording breaks up badly, but things become more settled as the crowd begins to chant and Prince sings the later verses. The best sounding part of the song is the keyboard near the end, the recording doesn’t distort so much and as Renato Neto plays the piano it finally becomes more listenable. 

 

Although “The Question Of U” suffers the same problems I stick with it for Prince's guitar playing, and we are rewarded with a solo that has plenty of vitality to it, and lifts the recording.  The second half of the guitar break is where the real treasures lie, as the music eases back further so does Prince's playing and he segues into “The One” as his guitar cries. It’s always a song I look for, I find the lyrics and guitar playing to be an emotional match, and as per usual Prince plays an emotive rendition. He closes out the song with the as-expected wail on the guitar, and it’s a great way to bring it to an end. 

I am very happy to hear “Let’s Work” next, even if it is accompanied by more distortion in the recording. This is one for hardcore fans, even I am struggling with the quality. Prince sounds bright on “Let’s Work,” there is an extra bounce in his vocal, and he does add some liveliness to the show. 

“U Got The Look” has the bonus of the horns playing, and when Prince does begin to play his guitar it’s in a brighter sharper way that fits nicely with the horns. The riff is heavily distorted, so I find myself listening between the riff, and what can be heard is Prince and the band playing a funky version of a song that shines in this new rendition. 

 

The horns stay the center of attention as “Life O’ The Party” begins. The song lives up to its title and the party can be heard starting, led by Prince on stage. He injects a lot of himself into the song, and the overall effect is uplifting. Likewise, Greg Boyers solo on the trombone is full of life, it is hard not to smile as I listen to him play, he makes it seem like such fun. The song heats up at this point, and the rest of the song goes by in a blur, even here at home I feel I am part of the party. 

We do get a couple of minutes of “Soul Man” next, which is crowd-pleasing, but not heavy on Prince. Chance Howard takes the lead vocals, he sounds fine and is a good match for the song. As much I enjoy him, he’s no Prince, and I am happier when the song finishes and the opening of “Kiss” sounds out. 

This is one funky version of “Kiss,” and for the first time, the recording becomes almost listenable.  The guitars are sharp, the horns dazzling, and the keyboard is doing all it can to rival them, it’s great to digest all of it, and Prince himself gives a vocal performance to match. This is easily the best moment of the show so far. 

It’s hard to dislike “Take Me With U,” and Prince plays it with some sincerity. The audience responds well, they can be heard making noise all through it, the only negative being again the reappearance of distortion on the recording. Prince is frisky and good-natured in his delivery, and there is a lot of joy in the song. 

We get a long funk workout with the “Everlasting Now,” there is plenty of time for everyone to contribute and give it some sparkle. Prince's guitar solo leads the way, and against a backdrop of horn swells he plays economically before Candy comes to the party with a hot solo of her own. The song continues in this vein, Prince calls for Renato to solo, then the rest of the band, before getting the crowd involved too. 

 

“Shake Everything You’ve Got” sees Maceo become the focal point. He is worth listening to, with all the years of experience you know he’s not going to let you down. The other horns all get a part to play too, it’s hard to single any one of them out, they all sound good to my ear. There is plenty of time to lose yourself in the music, they play for ten minutes, with all the horns having a part to play, along with Renato Neto. Although Prince isn’t to the fore, this is still worth the time to listen to, and the band is well in the groove. 

Maceo is still the main attraction as “Down By The Riverside” begins. His playing is quick and lively, and I can hear him working hard on the recording. The rest of the band is in the background as he leads from the front with yet another excellent break. 

Prince ends with a “Thank you -goodnight” but soon enough he returns for another show-stopper, a luscious sounding “The Beautiful Ones.” The intro has an ethereal synth sound, as a piano plays for some time. The recording is certainly bad, yet the beauty of this performance still shines through. Asides from the keyboards, we also have a sax playing early on, adding its shine to the song. Prince doesn’t actually sing until well past the four-minute mark, and by that time the scene is truly set, the music has laid out an exquisite carpet for him to sing over. He sounds quiet, yet his voice is note-perfect, and on any other recording, I would be gushing about this version. However, it is what it is, even with a perfect performance the recording drags it down, his final howls lost in a wave of distortion and buzz. 

Prince continues to tug at the heartstrings with a warm rendition of “Nothing Compares 2 U.” The crowd sings the chorus appreciatively, although it’s Candy Dulfer that steals the limelight, and the show, with a blistering sax solo that has me nodding my head in acknowledgment. It’s hard to follow such a performance and after a quick chorus Prince wraps it up, but not before I am once again reminded of how good Candy is. 

 

Seeing “America” listed on the setlist was another reason that I chose this recording, and I’m not disappointed in the slightest as Prince begins the chant as the band hit the deep groove. It’s hard to make out the sound, being a heavier song the distortion again raises its ugly head, but I do catch Maceo setting the stage on fire with his playing, and there is definitely some funk in the house as they play. The bulk of the song is a long-drawn-out groove that is not served well by the recording, for long periods it is very hard to work out what is happening as the beat continues. 

“Purple Rain” sounds better, being quieter there is less distortion, and the balance of the instruments is again restored. There is an intro played on guitar that is achingly beautiful before Prince sings his opening lines, and for me, the highlight of the song is right here. Most of the vocals are lost in the grubbiness of the recording, although thankfully it briefly improves during the guitar solo. It’s hard to say the recording is going out on a high when you can hardly make out most of the song, and I actually feel relieved as it finishes. 

I made a big mistake choosing to listen to this show. I never wanted this to be a blog complaining about recordings, I wanted to celebrate the music and performances of Prince, however, this recording was so bad it completely detracted from the show I was listening to. I let myself be fooled by an inviting-looking track list and venue and forgot the most important thing, it’s all about the listening experience, not just what was played but how it sounds. Being hard-headed, even once I realized my mistake, I continued with the blog post – it’s a lesson learned the hard way. This isn’t even a show for the hardcore fan, be content to read the set list on the vault, and know that it was probably a good show if you were there.