Las Vegas 31 December 2006

 All apologies about missing last week. I had intended to post about a Christmas show but unfortunately, I was swept away by Christmas and my summer holiday. Christmas was chaos, but thankfully I have had a few days in the countryside since then with no internet, cell phone, or laptop, and I feel fully restored as I sit here today. I am a week late, so the Christmas concert I was going to write about has become a New Year's Eve concert. Prince played several New Year's Eve concerts, the most famous being his Paisley Park show of 1987 with an appearance by Miles Davies. Sadly, none of his other New Year's Eve concerts live up to the high standard set by that one, and I did struggle to find one that I felt motivated to write about. I have gone with the New Year's Eve show in Las Vegas in 2006, from the Eye records 6CD set. It is no by no means an outstanding show, but it does cover some quality material and is a decent enough show. Prince also plays an aftershow in the early morning of January the 1st 2007, a recording I shall cover in next week's blog. 

The New Year's Eve show is unsurprising and contains a fairly typical setlist of the time. Although Prince was mixing up his setlists constantly, we do see the same songs appearing in different combinations, and there is nothing desperately unusual to be heard here. The recording itself is clean, and that is always a big bonus, making even the most mundane of shows a pleasant listen. 

31st December 2006. 3121 @ Rio Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas 

Any reservations I may have had about the setlist or recording are swept away by the opening onslaught of “3121.” The bass is well-rounded, and Prince gives a forceful performance that is matched by the quality of the recording. I may be too invested in the moment, and for a second I think that this would be one to play to those who remain unconverted to Prince. The flurry of horns that appear out of the mix adds to my sense of thrill and excitement, and even though the song runs its full length I still feel disappointed that it ends. Even Prince’s typically dubious opening comment of “There’s no such thing as time – we count down nothing, except the funk” fails to dampen my enthusiasm. 

 

The recording doesn’t let up on this opening funk assault, and “3121” is matched by an equally thrilling “Girls And Boys.” It is the horns that bring the drama to the song, every time they are heard it is with something new and unexpected while maintaining the funk and momentum. 

And then comes the dip. There is no denying that “Satisfied” is a fine song, but I do question its position in the setlist here. The initial blast of funk and energy dissipates in an instant as “Satisfied” begins, and the show feels like someone has suddenly jammed the brakes on, sending the concert into a slow-motion slide into a ditch. Maceo does charm me with his contribution, but I am still left wondering if one more uptempo jam would have been better before this languid stroll through a ballad. 

“Down By The Riverside” is busy but it’s not Prince, and as such, it leaves me just as unsatisfied as “Satisfied.” I wanted an uptempo song, and this certainly is, but it feels out of place and is bereft of the funk that I so desperately crave. 

There is very little funk in “Purple Rain,” but at least it is Prince, and the crowd sounds happy to have their man back on the mic. The recording is very good indeed at this stage, and “Purple Rain”  has the full majestic sound that we have come to expect. There are no twists, turns, or surprises to be heard, but once again Prince gives an impassioned rendition of his signature song. I usually find a hidden gem in the tail of the guitar solo, but in this case, it comes straight as heard on record, there is nothing to complain about there as Prince plays it powerfully and with purpose. 

I have mixed feelings about “Lolita.” Sometimes it’s just on the wrong side of pop for me, the sweetness of the song leaving me cold. However, the balance of this recording is much better, and the stabs of the keyboard give the song much more impetus and drive. Prince’s final coda is far more aggressive and strong than on record, and overall I find this a rewarding moment in the recording. 

The final minutes of “Lolita” lay the heavier foundation for “Black Sweat.” With its heavier groove and darker keyboard lines it would have been a good match for the opening “3121,” and coming after “Lolita” it brings some shade and contrast to the concert. Prince draws it out nicely, letting the music build naturally into yet another very good performance on this recording. 

 

It is “Kiss” that follows, and it feels light against the darker “Black Sweat.” It does get a bonus point for its familiarity, but it is not the best song on the recording, and even as I sing along I find I am not as fully engaged as I was with some of the earlier songs. 

“Shhh” has me fully engaged. It's not a perfect recording or performance, but that matters little as the music envelops me and for the next five minutes I am transported into Prince’s world. It’s a strange, beautiful, violent sea that Prince paints with his guitar, every note carrying a mood and tone that builds the song into a storm of a finish. It’s sickeningly good, and as it finishes I feel I should turn off the recording and sit in contemplation for the next few minutes and reflect on what I have just experienced. 

I don’t, and the next song that follows quickly is “Musicology.” It brings the concert back into the here and now, the music a statement of what Prince wanted to achieve at that time.  The waves of horns are contemporary, but the Prince comment of “not bad for a girl” is a throwback to an earlier time. The song is relativity short and gives way to a fun rendition of “Prince And The Band” It is Maceo who elevates the song above a mere run-through, and his final solo is a genuine music moment that makes the whole exercise worthwhile. 

With Maceo at the forefront, there is very little surprise to “Pass The Peas.” As much as I like it, again I find it detracts from the Prince concert, and coupled with the previous two songs, there is the general sense that the show is meandering without delivering us Prince at the eye of the storm. It is Renato Neto who provides the most electrifying moment, his keyboard solo a lightning rod for all the preceding funk and energy. 

Renato Neto is also my unlikely hero for “Joy In Repetition.” His opening gives new color to the familiar opening strains, and the song has an extra depth from the start. Prince and the rest of the band live up to expectations, but it is this opening minute that sets the scene for all that will follow, and Renato Neto deserves all the credit he gets for his contribution. Even the Twin's vocals can’t break the spell that is cast, and the magic is woven to the last, with Prince’s final guitar solo both beguiling and blustery. 

 

There is another enchanting moment with a tender rendition of “Gotta Broken Heart Again.” The keyboards are fragile, and Prince is almost broken as he sings. It’s a unique performance, but it doesn’t live up to its potential, if not for its rarity value I wouldn’t rate it at all. The audience chatter certainly doesn’t improve my opinion, and overall I am left feeling deflated by its appearance. 

I am much more on board for “If I Was Your Girlfriend.” It is loud and proud, the nuance of the Sign O The Times version sacrificed in the name of funk and a live performance that is strident and bold. The recording is unbalanced, but that doesn’t alter my enjoyment of the song, and as uneven as it is I would still recommend it to most fans. 

“Cream” keeps with this bold outlook, and it too is much stronger than what is heard on record. It comes at a quick pace, some of its sheen of coolness gone in a windswept performance. Prince’s guitar solo emphasizes this point with its brief fury, a flash that is quickly reined in by Prince before it blow-torches the rest of the song into the past. “Cream” is often too creamy for me, but I warm to this bold new vision and as it finishes I make a note to return to it at a later date. 

There is a natural fit with “U Got The Look.” This time Prince does let his guitar off the leash, and we are rewarded as the sparks begin to fly later in the song. It doesn’t offer up any surprises, but it is a cocky performance that carries the energy of the show. 

It is Shelby J who tackles Aretha Franklin’s “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You).” She is no Aretha Franklin or even Rosie Gaines, but she is undoubtedly a powerful singer, and she has never sounded better than she does here. Her performance is breathtaking, Prince’s powerful guitar break still managing to sound limp next to the awesome power of Shelby’s vocals. Normally my interest wanes when Prince isn’t on the microphone, in this case, I am enthralled by Shelby J and I am more than happy as we stay with her for the next song. 

“Love Changes” features more Prince on guitar duties, but it is again Shelby J that I enjoy the most. She dominates the soundscape with her scorching vocals sweeping back and forth across the song with heat and intensity that is unparalleled elsewhere on the recording. It is rare for me to say this, but these two songs with Shelby’s vocals, and Prince's guitar work, are easily the highlight of the concert for me, there is nothing else on the recording that comes close to this raw untamed power that creates a firestorm of passion and emotion. 

 

The last five minutes of the concert see Prince playing a quickfire medley of funk tunes. He elects not to sing “Play That Funky Music,” instead, providing the funky guitar lines that morph easily enough into a truncated “Love Rollercoaster” Nothing is given long enough to marinate, “What Have You Done For Me lately” is equally brief before the concert ends with “Partyman” There isn’t much to these final songs, it is only Prince’s funky guitar that is worth hearing, and the real climax of the show was the previous Shelby J songs. However, it’s not a disappointing end, Prince is going out with a funky blast and the crowd is no doubt dancing their feet off. “It’s Alright” ends this medley, its lyrics neatly summing up exactly what these last five minutes have been about. 

I was enthusiastic in my praise for several of the songs on this recording, however, I can’t deny it is just a standard performance of a fairly mundane setlist. It can’t be considered a classic, but there are enough moments there to make it worth a listen. There are better recordings of better Las Vegas shows circulating, and this is a younger sibling to those stronger recordings. However, it should not be forgotten, and I thoroughly recommend listening to Shelby J’s performance at this concert, she certainly delivered the most memorable moment. Next week I will take a listen to hopefully one of those better Las Vegas concerts, the early morning show from January 1st, recorded just hours after this concert. I don’t remember much about the recording, so it will be with fresh ears that I take a listen. 

Malahide 30 July 2011

 For the last few months, I have been immersing myself in Prince’s 1990s catalog. This is my favorite era of Prince, as he unveiled masses of new music and played with a variety of genres and styles, all the while digging further into a funk sound. Of this era, the song “Gold” isn’t particularly representative, one could easily enough imagine it slotting onto one of his mid to late-80s albums, but it does live up to its name and shines brightly at the center of this period. While following the song through his career, I couldn’t help but notice that it was shelved in 1996 and only resurfaced in a live performance in 2011, a mere fifteen years later. The bootleg I am listening to today opens with “Gold,” only its second live performance since 1996, the other performance being four days previous in Rotterdam, as Prince pulls this jewel from his vault and gives it another polish. It would continue to occasionally pop up in concerts through 2011 and 2012, before disappearing again back into the ether. The rest of today’s concert is typical of Prince’s 2011 European tour, a greatest hits package aimed at mostly 1980’s material, with the occasional surprise thrown in just to keep the hardest of hardcore fans satisfied. Expect no real surprises from this recording, but enjoy Prince playing his hits to an adoring audience who relive their youth in this sprightly performance. 

30th July 2011 Malahide Castle, Malahide, Ireland 

The first strains of “Gold” are almost lost on me as I am trying to remember if I have been to Malahide or not (I decided that I have been there) and when I do register what I am hearing it is with an air of disappointment. There is a thinness to the sound, and not just because of the audience recording. The keyboard chips in with a childlike quality, a children’s toy that has somehow managed to find its way onto the stage, and its tinny and fragile sound detract from the power of hearing “Gold” again in this context. Prince’s lyrics stir up the feelings of old, but without a muscular and well-polished sound behind him, it amounts to very little. The song itself still rises, its uplifting spirit still present, but sonically it stays firmly rooted to the ground, its wings clipped of the soaring quality by the overall sound that is damp and heavy. 

 

The first strains of “Let’s Go Crazy” have the sound that I had hoped for in the previous “Gold,” there is a tautness, and tension, as the guitar pulls hard at the music before the song lifts its skirts and swirls into Prince’s upbeat Las Vegas version of the song, all chants and pounding keyboards, the guitar becoming a mere adornment to the chaos of sound emerging from the stage. Sure enough, it does reappear, but only as a facsimile of itself, as if someone is playing it from another room, its sound ghosting through the recording. “Delirious”  is far more satisfying, the band and its loud brash sound suddenly focusing on a song that carries these gifts with a lightness.  It's far from perfect though, and at times even the keyboard disappears behind the beat, in this case, due to the audience recording rather than the performance. 

“1999” is overplayed, but today it hits me just right, the opening guitar singeing the recording with a touch of fiery guitar that has a quiet intensity that hasn’t been heard thus far on the recording. As it settles into its groove, it is Shelby J that comes to the fore, her personality so large that she temporarily threatens to overwhelm the song with her vocals, and a huge smile that one can hear captured on the bootleg. It never settles on the song “1999” proper, instead, Prince and the band prefer to hand it off to the crowd for chanting, and their chance to become part of the performance. I can’t complain too much, although it does pull a little shine off this old favorite. 

 

The extended slow-down version of “Little Red Corvette” isn’t quite as extended as I anticipated, the opening howls giving way all too quickly to the verse, surrendering some of the power of the song before it has had a chance to properly marinate in the emotional cry that Prince is providing it his guitar whine. However, the rest of the song is a well-paced rendition, and there is enough meat on its bones to satisfy both old and new fans alike. It’s hard not to be caught up in the gravitational pull of Prince’s guitar playing in the breakdown section, and his black-hole sound pulls every strand of emotion from the song to this one point, creating a stellar sound that rings out for the next few minutes, providing a moment that rewards both your ears and your heart. 

Andy Allo is sadly buried by Prince’s vocal throughout “Take Me With U.” Visually striking on stage, sadly I just don’t hear enough of her on this recording. There are moments where she burst out of the recording, but for the most part, it is Prince booming out the lyrics, making for an uneven and unsatisfying moment. 

There is an element of pop missing from “Raspberry Beret,” and this campfire singalong version, although great at the live show, is light on the recording as the pure pop sound is substituted for enthusiastic audience noise. This is how Prince wants it, and one can’t fault him for delivering to his audience exactly what they want. 

The smooth pop returns for “Cream.” It's a strong-sounding rendition, the band adding inner steel to its buttery sound, crafting the song into life with every aspect strengthened by the performance and this iteration of the NPG’s take on it. All play with strength, so much so that Shelby J is matched by the rest of the bold players on stage. 

 

The keyboards propel “Cool” constantly forward, but it is the lyrics that keep us in the moment as Shelby temporarily distracts us with “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough,” before Prince claims the spotlight with his own “Cool.” It is impossible to stay seated for a song such as this, and even on the bootleg, you can feel the groove reaching out through the speakers for you, lifting you from your seat and forcing you to move to the rhythm of Prince’s boasts. 

The introduction to “Purple Rain” creeps slowly across the recording, the opening strains barely perceivable, before building gently into an audience singalong. The recording becomes drenched in this purple sound and Prince’s performance connects both him and the audience directly back to his 1980s peak. The song is played with due respect, nothing is tampered with and every piece is still sitting in place as in 1984, barely diminished by time and place. Prince has barely aged in the years since, and his guitar solo even less so as it rises out of the heart of “Purple Rain,” as the same hurricane force that it always has been. It may not be as loud on this audience recording, but it plays with the same demand that you listen to it that it always has, and remains the linchpin of Prince’s greatest hits package. 

 

With Prince absent from the stage, it falls to Shelby J to carry the following cover of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love.” Since its release in 1997, it has been covered by numerous artists, including Billy Joel,  Adele, Kelly Clarkson, and Garth Brookes. Shelby J’s cover could look anyone of them in the eye as she elevates the lyrics on the wings of her soulful voice, and even though Prince is no longer on stage, I remain riveted to the recording by this searing performance. 

All that is forgotten though as Prince returns for “If I Was Your Girlfriend,” its bare funk revealed in these performances later in his career. The bass slips and slides behind the beat and swirling keyboard that adds smoke to an otherwise icy sound. The audience input is a little too much for me, distracting from the purity of the music, but with Casandra on the keyboards, there is plenty to revel in from the onstage performance. 

The party starts with a greasy version of “Kiss,” the scratch guitar usurped by a rubbery keyboard and elastic bassline.  It plays on shaky ground, there is nothing firm to clutch onto as the song shifts and shakes throughout, the only dependable feature being Prince’s clever lyrics that remain at the heart of the song. 

The pacing of the concert is uneven, and “Musicology” feels shoehorned into this part of the show. As much as I enjoyed Shelby’s earlier performance of “Make You Feel My Love” it did temporarily derail the show, and although we hear the audience singing along to “Musicology” it does have the same effect on the show after the crowd-pleasing “Kiss” and “If I Was Your Girlfriend.” As a showcase for the band, it works well enough, but on this particular bootleg I can’t warm to it, instead, I much prefer the versions heard on the Musicology tour. 

 

Over half of “The Bird” is given over to the introduction, and as much as I like the rest of the song, it fails to live up to all the promises made in those first two minutes. There is a renewed energy at this point of the show, and a quick check of the setlist reveals that from here on in the songs will come faster than ever as Prince rips through his back catalog, strip mining it of hits. 

More bass for “Jungle Love” would have been nice, and as hard as I strain to listen, I can’t decide if it’s the live mix or the audience recording that is depriving me of its chest-thumping bass groove. Thoughts of the bass disappear as Prince tears up the guitar break, leaving the breakdown a scorched earth chance to regain some composure before the segue into “Play That Funky Music” 

The funk of “Play That Funky Music” can’t compare to the previous two songs, and as much as Prince injects into the song it is no match for his own Minneapolis funk.  However, the crowd is all on board for the moment, and perhaps at this point, the bootleg isn’t as good as the live show, especially as Prince again ups it a notch with further guitar heroics that elevate the song to a previously unheard intensity. 

I hadn’t expected to hear “Sometimes It Snows In April” at this stage of the show, and it does sound a little lost in this larger concert. The introduction is so light it almost disappears into the audience chatter, and it is not until Prince’s vocals that the song truly reveals itself. The chatter remains strong, and the intimacy of the song is lost as it floats easily over the heads of the audience. Even as the audience joins softly for the chorus, there remains the feeling that Prince has lost most of the crowd with a song that is just too delicate for a crowd this size. 

 

From the same era, “Nothing Compares 2 U” goes over much better. With Shelby J adding her passionate vocals, the song has a power that connects much better with the audience, and with the recording. It certainly helps that the song has an Irish connection through Sinead O’Conner, and Prince and Shelby deliver a stirring version that pays homage to Sinead and this Irish audience. This is one of the best-recorded songs of the bootleg, and a strong way to enter the final phase of the concert. 

“Sign O The Times” is a fine start to the sampler set, its bare-boned funk matching the empty electronic sound of Prince at the sampler. It is the longest of the songs appearing in the sampler set, the following “Alphabet St,” barely a head nod to the original, and its minute run time is mostly given over to the excellent Ida Neilson on bass. 

There is the briefest of teases for “Nasty Girl,” before “Doves Cry” teases in its initial appearance before Prince drags a longer rendition further into the setlist. Stripping the song of most of its treasures, it gets a verse and chorus here before Prince switches gears with “Hot Thing,” – another song shorn of most of its charms by this heavily abridged version. The bouncing bass is worthy, but there is little else to recommend it. 

The concert returns to its roots with a lively rendition of “A Love Bizarre.” Andy’s contribution is again lost in the noise of the band, but the song has always firmly remained Prince’s and this performance is true to form with his vocals bold and to the front. Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect for me is the quirky keyboard solo that can barely be heard in the din. It adds a new sound to the mix and would have changed the song on a better recording. 

I wait with anticipation to see if “Controversy” will be the standard 2011 take, with  “Housquake” and its “jump up and down” refrain making an appearance. Sure enough, it does revert to this, and Shelby imploring us to clap our hands and stomp our feet, always great in concert and always terrible on bootlegs. Still, the first minutes of “Controversy” are excellent and good enough for me to put up with the latter part of the song. 

We stay in the era with a great version of “Let’s Work” that has the rubbery bassline matched by Prince’s classic falsetto. There is plenty of shake in the keyboard lines as the song works the dance floor to its groove, the concert again becoming a purely musical moment as the music becomes paramount. 

The final song of the show is a basic take on “U Got The Look.” Sadly it becomes lost in the moment and the frenzy of the crowd, the song disappearing in its sound and the pure thrill of the concert. Prince’s guitar break is always worth mentioning, but this performance isn’t essential, the thought of the song closing the concert is far more thrilling than what is heard on the bootleg. 

The concert tours of 2011 often serve up this uneven mix of songs and sounds, and although the hits are played in all their glory it can be an unsatisfying experience. It was the song “Gold” that brought me here, and the performance didn’t live up to expectations. It was weak sounding, and pale in comparison to its mid-90s glory. However the rest of the concert was enjoyable enough, and although unevenly paced provided plenty of fun. As a representation of a 2011 show, this is par for the course. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea all the time, but it does deliver as expected and on the right day can be a great experience. 2011 is a placeholder in Prince’s live canon, and this bootleg reflects that. It’s good enough, but never reaches the thrilling highs of other concert tours in circulation. 

Las Vegas 31 December 2006 (am)

 I finally got around to watching Don Cheadle’s “Miles Ahead” film on the weekend and while it may not be everyone’s cup of tea I found I enjoyed it a lot. The show I listen to this week neatly dovetails into this, as it opens with a lengthy “Tutu.” “Tutu” may be only five minutes on Miles Davis’s album, yet here the band does it more than justice with a seventeen-minute version that has plenty of time to breathe. The 3121 album saw Prince take a six-month residency in Las Vegas rather than touring the world, which is disappointing from my perspective as I loved 3121 and would have liked to see it reach a wider concert audience. To my ears, it was stronger and fuller than Musicology and could have gone even further than it did with a full tour riding on the back of the momentum created by Musicology. The Vegas shows do however offer a variety of listening experiences and this show from early morning 31 December is interesting not only for the “Tutu” that starts things off but also an outstanding instrumental of “Te Amo Corazón.” With these two pieces in place, the show is looking very appealing indeed, and although I am no great fan of Eye records I do appreciate having this release to listen to. 

31 December (am) 2006. 3121 Jazz Cuisine at Rio Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas 

As I mentioned above the show does begin with the lengthy “Tutu,” and although there is some audience chat early on it does settle down to an excellent-sounding audience recording. Beginning with the Mike Phillips Jazz Trio, the opening minutes feature some easy piano playing and a bass. There are the slightest crackles as the bass plays, but it’s nothing worth worrying about as later other players are added to the mix, and the bass sound slides to the background. As the horns play any thoughts of the quality of recording slip from my mind as they begin to weave their magic. From a slow start, the horns build up in intensity as does the song with the steady pace of the bass and drums locked in while the horns swirl and eddy in an excited flight. The second half of the song is given over to some clean guitar playing, and it's every bit as good as the horns that come before it. Then to top it all off the piano comes back with a final flourish before a final downswing ends the song.  All in all, an excellent start to the show and the recording. 

  

Shelby comes to the microphone to belt out Aretha Franklin’s “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Loved You).” With the band swelling and rolling beneath her, Shelby rides the wave and brings it home with a soulful rendition that does the song justice. I am listening to these shows first and foremost for Prince, so cover versions sung by his backing singers aren’t normally something I gravitate towards. However, I do find I enjoy this immensely, as I do the next song, and for the next few minutes, I don’t mind at all that I can’t hear Prince. 

“I Never Loved A Man” was good, the following cover of Mother Finest’s “Love Changes” is even better with Shelby playing her part well with the bonus of a couple of very Prince-sounding solos in the song. The band has covered a lot of ground since the opening “Tutu,” and here they are rocking out with Shelby’s voice leading from the front. Prince’s solos are noteworthy and a highlight of the song, he is sounding strong and in complete control as he plays his solos, they aren’t fast but they are very bold. 

 

Maceo is to the front for his excellent “Shake Everything You’ve Got” which does indeed have me shaking everything I got. I ignore the audience chatter that is audible mid-song and instead wallow in the sound of Maceo’s horn and the fat sound of Greg Boyer’s trombone. There is a richness to the sound, and again I can’t stress enough how good this all sounds for an audience recording, despite what I have just said about the audience chat. Some clean guitar and drums play off each other in a mesmerizing few minutes which lures me into a false sense of security before the band all come in with a renewed enthusiasm that carries the guitar solo and the song through the next few minutes before we quieten to keyboards and the eventual conclusion. 

Only two Prince songs are played at the show, the first being an instrumental “Te Amo Corazón.” It starts seductively and low with Prince playing a very melodic guitar. The opening minutes of Prince's guitar set the stage for what will follow, with the horns picking up where he left off with some playing in a similar vein. The band takes their turns to shine in the song, and Renato Neto is well and truly in his element with a piano solo that carries the mood and feel of the song. The song is a delight to listen to, and before I know it has passed by as light as a breeze on a summer's day. 

 

Shelby returns, as does the cover versions, as the steady rumble of “Crazy” begins. It's enjoyable enough, it’s hard to dislike this song, and the band does a fine rendition of it. Shelby does her thing, but it’s the guitar solo of Prince that has my ears pricking up, it's guttural and primeval which adds some bite to the song. The rest of the song is as you might expect, although you can still hear Prince’s guitar chugging underneath threatening to bust out at any moment, which makes it all the more disappointing when he sticks with only one brief moment before the song ends. 

Some proper Prince funk makes a welcome return with “Get On The Boat,” and Maceo sets things off in fine style with a burst on his horn. Along with Greg Boyer, it’s the sound of the horn section that nails down the song early on, while the band does their funky best in the background. This is a fantastic way to end the show, and the band is at its best throughout, mostly led by the horn assault, although Prince adds some guitar flavor late in the song. Like everything at this show, it’s over before I know it, and I am left with a smile on my face as the recording ends. 

 

This recording is short – barely 70 minutes (although it is part of a massive Eye Records six-CD set), yet it is one of the most enjoyable shows I have heard for a while. There is plenty of funk and jazz in the mix, and the band plays to their strengths with a short sharp show. Some may quibble about the lack of Prince songs played, but that is irrelevant with a performance as polished as this, and things are even better when we take into consideration the quality of the audience recording. 3121 is a great album, and while this recording only has a couple of songs from that album, it is a nice document of the era. 

Las Vegas 11 November 2006 (am)

 I have for too long skimmed over the 3121 performances in Las Vegas. It’s not that I don’t like them, it’s just that there is such an array of concerts and styles circulating from this period, that it is hard to know where to begin. It doesn’t help that my catalog system for these shows is in disarray, mostly because some releases throw together a bunch of unconnected shows from this run, leaving my carefully laid dating system in ruins. Anyway, that is neither here nor there, what is important is today I will finally come back to these recordings, and what better place to begin than the first concert of the series. 

There are several bootlegs of this concert in circulation, I have decided to listen to the 4daFunk release, purely because I find myself drawn to the artwork. The Pure Funk release is more complete (it has the entire opening song) but I find I listen to this one much more. As for the concert itself, there are very few surprises to be found, it is a straightforward performance that lives little room for spontaneity or long improvised jams, instead, Prince chooses to romp through his setlist in an uninspiring rush. There are moments I cherish, but overall this is a standard show, and there is little to distinguish it from other shows at the time. 

 

11th November (am) 2006  3121@Rio Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas 

The first minutes of “Spirituality” (Controversy) is missing, and although I have said the setlist is uninspiring, I do find this opening song coming at me in a breathless rush that raises hopes that this may deliver more than I remember. There may not be fire, but there is a spark to this opening number. 

The promise made by “Spirituality” comes good with “Johnny B. Goode”, Prince’s guitar bursting into flame at the appropriate moments, engulfing the recording in a fierce fire that even a jaded guitar guy like myself can appreciate. It isn’t as freewheeling as we hear in after-shows, but it does get my pulse racing, and Prince tears it up. Prince’s final shout of “Thank you, and good night” is entirely appropriate, as it does indeed sound like a final hit-out before the close of a show. 

I like the pop of “Lolita,” but I have found that as time has gone on it has lost its initial charm. The song is still young at this show, but ten years on it has reached middle age, and it has not aged well. It’s not helped by recording dropouts, and as much as I try to find something positive in the song, it does sound like Prince is on autopilot. 

The following “Black Sweat” is also lifeless, something of a surprise for me as this is one song that usually delivers a defibrillator-size jolt to concerts. In this case, it is dead on arrival, and although the recording is very good at this point, the performance remains flat. 

“So many hits, so little time,” sets alarm bells ringing for me and I am rewarded with a standard rendition of “Kiss.” This is Prince by the numbers, there is zero variation or inspiring moments, and the song remains insipid despite my hopes for something, anything, to happen. Still, a great song is a great song, and “Kiss” sounds fine on the recording, I enjoy it much more when I put aside my expectations and just go with the flow. 

“Shhh” has the opening I want, but it isn’t anywhere near as powerful as I would like, and it is not until the music pulls back that I find I can begin to enjoy it. Like the preceding “Kiss,” it is far more enjoyable when I put asides any preconceptions and just enjoy what I am hearing. In this case, it is a cleanly recorded, cleanly played, rendition of a classic from his catalog. I may wish it to be an electrifying and muscular performance, but this is Prince playing it straight and the lean rendition we get is anorexic compared to the original. It is what it is, and in the car or playing in the background, it would be great, but listening close with headphones it makes me wish for some of the other performances I have heard over the years. 

 

“Musicology” suffers further in this flat performance, there is no guitar solo to inject passion or to shock the listener into an emotional response, and its light funk is lost in the easy mix and sound. I can’t quite put my finger on what is missing, but it never quite feels like the party that Prince wants it to be. There is a brief section in the middle where I think I may have misjudged it, but the second half droops again and leaves me feeling deflated. 

I find that “Cream” is an easy listen, but there is nothing there to raise it above anything else heard in the evening. The band sounds much stronger though, and I am beginning to warm to the gig again at this stage. 

The guitar again cuts through this smooth funk, and heralds in the arrival of “U Got The Look.” It is by the numbers, the guitar may kick and start in Prince's hands, but it never breaks free into the rampant guitar storm that I half hope for. The stomp keeps the concert moving, however, and it does lead us tidily into the following moment. 

It is pleasing to hear Prince take his time with “Joy In Repetition.” At first, I feel I am immune to its charms, yet sure enough, I am singing with Prince word for word as the song builds. It is the sort of song and performance that one can easily inhale, and exhale at your leisure. I dwell on the song as long as I can, reveling in its intoxicating and heady sound, and although it isn’t the first performance I would reach for, the song is still strong enough that it works its black magic on me despite its straight performance. 

There is a low-key, percussive opening to “17 Days,” which to my ears doesn’t serve it well. There is a further disappointment when I hear that it isn’t Prince on vocal duties, rather it is the Twinz that warble their way through the song. To add insult to injury, they butcher some of the lyrics, and to be honest I would rather not hear the song at all than hear it like this. “17 Days” in the setlist should have been the highlight, instead it is the nadir. 

 

Things improve considerably with “7.” Prince pushes it out to twelve minutes, and in this time he gives himself space to speak to the crowd, ad-lib lyrics and makes the song a much stronger statement than the previous moments. It’s not a bold statement, but it is music with a stronger backbone, and it finally feels like Prince is connecting with the music and the crowd. That is until the final minutes when he crosses the line into preaching. Several members of the audience can be heard complaining about it, and I am temporarily taken out of the moment by it. 

A rocked-up version “Anotherloverholenyohead,” oh yes, now we’re talking. For the first time, I feel like letting out a whoop as I feel my body moving involuntarily to the music. The Twinz may be a touch too high in the mix for me, but there is plenty of grunt and muscle in Prince's guitar that keeps me firmly focused. The climax comes with the predictable, but worthy, segue into an impassioned “Rock Lobster.” The guitar is enraged as its fury spews forth, a wave of powerful anger that has me forgiving the previous hour. The guitar rages on after the music stops, briefly touching on “The Cross” before the band reengages for one final assault and drive to the finish. 

A change of direction next, but a welcome one, as Prince eases into a groove-laden “If I Was Your Girlfriend” As enjoyable as it is, there is still an undercurrent of funk that is missing. The band plays with precision, but little of the soul I have come to expect, and as much as I find my head bobbing to the song, it is not quite the knockout punch we have come to expect. 

The radio-friendly sheen of “Pink Cashmere” works surprisingly well at this moment, I sit enraptured as Prince works the lyrics and the crowd to his will. On the recording side of things, there is a loud snap that is, well, just too loud. It detracts from Mike Phillips's solo, something that again raises the disappointment feeling within me as I always look forward to his contributions. I never recover from this feeling and even as the song stretches to ten minutes, I can’t recapture that feeling and the warm glow from early on. 

 

I am back on board for a compelling rendition of “Fury.” It comes and goes in a flash, but it does draw a line in the sand. For some reason the guitar-driven songs at this concert seem to have a lot more energy to them than the funk jams, surprising given that Prince is normally so good at presenting both in an enthusiastic and impressive package. The final minute has a real bite to it, and I can only wonder how this concert could have played out if all the songs had been played with such intensity. 

It’s not necessary to have five minutes of audience noise between encores on the bootleg, but  4daFunk has put it there anyway, for the completists I guess. “Purple Rain” is entirely predictable at this point of the concert, and as you might expect it sounds just as it always has since 1984. I could almost sing the guitar solo note for note by now, especially here as Prince adds not one bit of improvisation or unpredictability to his playing. He is going through the motions, and in this case, it sounds as if he is just as tired of the song as some of the hard-core fan community. 

“Let’s Go Crazy” rounds out the concert with an upbeat finish. It’s joyless and rather sums up the evening's performance. It all sounds very nice, but is shallow and leaves me wishing for something more substantial. It is very short and whips the crowd up one last time before Prince calls for their love. 

Ok, so I didn’t love this concert. On the plus side, it did sound good and had a couple of my favorites in the setlist. What was missing was a sense of urgency. The songs meandered, even when they were short, and there was a lack of depth to the performance. I was hoping something of interest would be thrown up in the melee, but it was just a standard run-through of his radio-friendly hits. No doubt I will return to this recording in the future, like I said earlier, it would be OK in the background, or the car, but as for an intensive listening experience, I would happily pass on it. Like Prince says, all that glitters ain’t gold. 

New York 17 June 2006 (am)

 I have always had an affection for the cover of this 4DF/Akashic bootleg. I was immediately taken by it when I saw the artwork, the butter theme worked throughout the packaging makes for a cohesive package that matches the name of the venue – Butter, New York. A sampling of the recording within suggests that it doesn’t match the artwork in professional sheen, but that matters little as the performance it captures is stupendous. This is Prince in 2006 unleashing his entire arsenal across a sprawling almost-three hour set, an array of guests including Sheila E, Questlove, Tamar, and an exotic mix of cover versions and more familiar tunes from Prince’s considerable catalog. It all makes for a heady mix which even the subpar audience recording (admittedly recorded under testing conditions) can’t detract from. I have not heard this for some time, and I must admit after reacquainting myself with the setlist I find myself quietly looking forward to hearing it again. 

17th June 2006 (a.m.), Butter, New York 

A wall-shaking, floor-quaking, bass-driven instrumental “Peach” doesn’t so much open the door on this performance as it blows it off its hinges in a supernova of an opening. This is “Peach” pumped full of steroids and given an extra dose of funk from the band, the horns and bass pulling it down from its rock n roll perch and into the sweat and groove of the dance floor. The “it ain’t over chant” carries the momentum, anything thought that this is a band playing to an audience disappears as the structure of a concert dissolves into a communal experience and performance. This isn’t a gig, this is a party. Prince’s guitar does appear through the cracks of this funk groove, not rocking but instead swept along with the jam, the groove remaining unflinching in the face of all that is thrown into it. Prince’s guitar continues to bash at the walls of the song, eleven minutes isn’t long enough to contain its internal fury, and as the song progresses its molten sound pours through the cracks. 

Prince was never one to be boxed by a single sound, or idea, nor was he one to be defined by a single genre, so it comes as no surprise to my seasoned ears to hear him going in a completely different direction for his next song “Te Amo Corazón.” The song highlights the horn section, perhaps even more so as the bootleg does no favors to Prince’s vocals. The horns are transportive in their tone, and we drift far from the sound of the nightclub as they play. Prince’s lightness on guitar matches them for exotic tone, but as always it comes back to the quality of the recording which in this case steals the heart of the song – Prince’s delicate vocal arrangement. 

 

As “Forever In My Life” plays, one can already feel “Everyday People” gently rolling underneath, just waiting for its moment to surface late in the song. Prince wore his influences openly as his career progressed, exposing his heroes openly in covering their music. It’s no surprise to hear “Everyday People” in the setlist, although it is a surprise that Larry doesn’t appear to play with him, as he was so often wont to do. Prince’s performance doesn’t provide an edge or insight to the song, it is played with love rather than a chance to stretch out into new territories. 

Emerging out of the swamp with a slow burn and glowing eyes comes the primordial “The Ride.” Lean and slow-driven, it is the keyboard that leads it through the performance, the music only parting for the horns to add some brightness to what is otherwise and smoky and slow sound. “The Ride” was made for a slow marinade like this, and nothing is rushed as the groove lumbers into view. It is served remarkably well by the bootleg, with very little vocals the music comes to the fore, the groove trapped in amber, still very much alive as we listen thirteen years later. Prince’s guitar rises later in the piece, holding the groove underwater as he drowns it in an intense guitar-soaked fury. The is no anger in his playing, just coldblooded precision that is its own energy. 

This is of course at the height of the Támar Davis era, so it is only natural that she appears on the bootleg for the next few songs, beginning with Aretha Frankin’s “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You).” It is a song that we should appreciate more these days with the passing of the Queen Of Soul, and this version here marks just how great the gulf was between Aretha and everyone else. Támar hits all her spots, but she is no match for the raw power of the original, and listening to this performance has me further mourning the death of Aretha. 

I had been listening to “Love Changes” for years before I realized it was by Mother’s Finest. With Támar at the helm, the easy movement of the opening verse opens up to an expansive chorus where the soul of the song and revealed, allowing Prince to provide a celebratory guitar solo that touches the soul without setting fire to it. Yes, I do love this song, and for good reason, it has a natural ease to it, it seems to flow effortlessly from the hands of the musicians, and Prince gives it just enough of his rough guitar bluster to lift it from pop/rock to rock/pop. 

 

There is an unhurried opening to “Come Together” and “The Chain,” an opening that manages to straddle both songs without decisively coming down one way or another. Prince puts an abrupt end to any doubt that lingers in my mind with his lowkey, almost casual delivery, of the lyrics for “the Chain.” The song crawls on its belly, barely raising a pulse until Prince pulls the chorus into the light and the song truly reveals itself. It is a curious choice for a cover version, and as far as I am aware this is the only time Prince played it. It is hard to reconcile it with my thoughts of what a song Prince covers should sound like, but Prince is always Prince, and his final guitar break before the segue into “Come Together” sees him digging deep into his toolbox to produce a solo worthy of his talent, the guitar shuddering and whinnying in his hands. “Come Together” undoes most of this pressure that had been building, the sing-a-long releasing the pent-up tension in the room with a rush that opens the door for another solo by Prince, a solo that crackles and sizzles beneath the noise of the recording. 

With Támar again on the microphone for “When A Man Loves A Woman” the concert takes another turn through this musical labyrinth, the soul of the band given a chance to leech out and soak the recording in its warm organic feel. The feel is right, but to my ears, there is no real heart to it, and I find myself listening to the band far more than Támar. It is a pleasant diversion that leaves me wishing there was more invested in it, along with the wish that there had have had more songs like this in the set. Yes, I’m conflicted, but only because this is the music that plucks the strings of my heart and I would like to indulge myself for a while. 

“Redhead Stepchild” is sung by Támar, but there is no doubt who it belongs to as Prince razes all before him with a searing guitar riff from the start. Sounding like a long-forgotten Mother’s Finest outtake, Prince and Támar tear the song up on stage just hours after performing it on Good Morning America. Prince’s guitar work is the engine that powers the song, Támar merely a hood ornament as the NPG drives behind Prince, the band adding muscle to Prince’s rock n roll fury. The sound deteriorates on the recording later in the song, but the song has already rewarded those that took the ride. 

 

Prince played “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” consistently from 1992 to 2015, and as such this song is just as familiar in setlists as “Purple Rain” is in main concerts. With that in mind, there is nothing new in this rendition, and the move into “Play That Funky Music (White Boy)” threatens to turn the song into a stale rehash of all we have heard before. The call for a guitar solo, and subsequent six-stringed response from Prince, promises to bloom into something new, but sadly it’s all smoke and mirrors, and Prince’s solo blows away in the breeze as fast as it arrives. 

I like that “Partyman” comes to us at a slightly slower pace, the music still retaining its funk, but now given more time to brew as Prince and the band dwell on the sprightly horns, and the rubbery bass that stretches back and forth underneath. The song is retooled for this show – the vocals barely exist as the horns carry the weight and expectation, along with a heavy dose of funk, for most of the song. Prince’s largest contribution probably comes at the end with his hoarse cry of “Las Vegas!” 

“Partyman” feels like a throwaway as a heavyweight “3121” casts its considerable shadow across the recording, a crushing version rolling out across the sonic vista banishing the brightness of the horns from the previous song with its dark and suffocating groove. The recording bends under the weight of this behemoth performance, the crackles and limitations of the recording put to the test as the song unfurls its heavy funk. The horns are still present, now with a somber tone that is befitting of this serious and solemn funk and they can be heard early before Prince reveals himself with a flash of guitar work emerging from the bleakness. It is a powerhouse performance of a slab of granite-like funk, leaving me wondering as it stretches across twelve minutes, why wasn’t this played more often? It was played in 2006,2007 and 2009 and then disappeared. With Prince welding a substantial guitar solo to the second half of the song, there is something for the rockers as well as the funkers, the song sprawling in length yet remaining tightly focused throughout. Prince’s final “You can go if you want to, but you can never leave,” sounds far more like a promise than a threat. 

 

Oh, and Prince can do pop, as his following “Lolita” clearly demonstrates. Ignore the lyrics and enjoy the pureness of the melody and beat, the music remains uplifting even as the lyrics feel inappropriate, especially in this day and age. As the song plays we are a million miles away from the previous “3121,” the concert opening a trapdoor on us as we slide into a brighter world. 

The genre-jumping continues apace, “Satisfied” ticking the appropriate ballad box. It flashes by in an instant in comparison to a lot of the other jams on this recording, its slickness almost it's undoing as it glides by. Prince and the horns do conjure up the required magic, and, unfortunately, this isn’t a better recording as this remains a little too rough to do justice to the craft that is being displayed on stage. 

I want to write about “Black Sweat” but the recording becomes challenging at this stage, it remains audible but less balanced, and it is a high hat that dominates in my ears early while in the sonic distance I can hear the familiar electronic strains of “Black Sweat.” We remain a distant lover as Prince and the band continues to play in a different dimension from the recording, and I feel the first flush of disappointment in the recording at this point. There are moments when the song becomes stronger than the mix, but it only adds to my feelings of frustration. The best moments come with the chorus, the rest I will have to take a pass on. 

The biggest hit to appear in the setlist is “Kiss,” but Prince shows no reverence towards it as he gives us a heavily abridged edition that is enough to remind us that it exists before he puts it back in its box. The crowd enjoys it well enough, but one gets the feeling that Prince would rather play something more substantial. 

The substantial song would be the following “Joy In Repetition,” and paired with “All I Want Is You” it dominates the next block of music with its smoky and otherworldly sound. Támar is back to help with vocal duties, and coupled with a melancholic horn line, she delivers a sultry rendition of “All I Want Is You” over the “Joy In Repetition Music,” demonstrating the flexibility of the song as Prince reshapes it around her. There is an audible gasp as Prince comes to the microphone for the song proper, and he doesn’t fail to deliver, the story unfolding from his lips, drawing us all into his world as he spins his magic. Like a wizard, one can almost hear the mists enveloping him as he pulls his guitar out to cast one last spell before vanishing into the ether. The guitar break sums up all that has come before, and one final flurry of notes signals the end of the song. 

 

An unburnished and jagged-edged “Anotherloverholenyohead” punches holes in the poor recording, bursting out in places with its raw knuckled sound. Prince’s guitar snakes and snarls through the song, bringing the recording to life with its insistent and undeniable fury rising out of the crackling tape. The final “Rock Lobster” coda sets my inner teenager aflame with its cool rage, and it feels like the only way Prince could end this song. 

“If I Was Your Girlfriend” doesn’t have the same power to overwhelm the dusty quality of the recording, and although I can hear everything, the sound comes muddled, sometimes the bass has my ear, while at other times it is Prince who is at the forefront of the mix. There are moments where things settle and the song wins my heart, but for the most part, the recording holds us all hostage to its inadequacies. 

A staccato piano riff opens the door on the final song of the evening as Prince pulls several strands together in a final mashup of “It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me/Be Happy.” Tamar delivers “Be Happy” in a smooth style that, although satisfying, does little to lay the ghosts of the recording to rest. In a mid-tempo jam, there is plenty of time for the band to contribute, and with Questlove on the drums, there is an extra element of interest in the performance. I can’t see Questlove playing, but in my minds-eye, I can see his happy grin as the drums play with joyous freedom throughout his allotted solo. Some lyrical bass has me smiling too, as the band brings the song to a slow boil. This is the type of jam that we would never hear on the record, it only exists in the magic of shows such as this, and one can feel elemental forces combining as Prince builds the performance into a life-affirming celebration. Hopping and bopping, funking and freaking, this is Prince doing everything he does in one twenty-minute all-encompassing blizzard of a performance. The show to this point has been stupendous, and Prince doesn’t ease off the accelerator at all as this song keeps the party and groove rolling right until the final raining cymbal washes across the recording. 

 

There is an uneasy balance to this recording. The marathon concert and otherworldly performance are tempered by the less-than-stellar recording. The taper has done a fine job under difficult circumstances, and I applaud them for that, as we would all be all the poorer if this recording didn’t exist. This is one of the great Prince concerts, and, surprisingly, people don’t speak of it more often. Playing with renewed vigor after his resurgence in the previous two years, Prince is staking his place among the greats with this concert that spans not only three hours, but a lifetime of live performances. People may be wary of the quality of the recording, but that is all but forgotten as the music and show obliterate all other thoughts – it is not a perfect bootleg, but it comes close to being a perfect show. 

Auburn Hills 31 July 2004

 Detroit – yes. Pro-shot – yes. Complete show – unfortunately not. But the forty minutes of circulating footage of Detroit in 2004 contains the essence of the concert as it cherry-picks the songs that create the biggest splash. Even at forty minutes, it is still essential to view as Prince and his band play to some of Prince’s greatest strengths with a party song, a ballad, some scorching guitar work, and then at the heart of the show, Prince at his purest with just him and his songs as he highlights that more than anything else he was one of the greatest songwriters. It’s a heady mix, and I look forward to watching this again just as much as any live show I have listened to in the last year. 

July 31st, 2004,  The Palace of Auburn Hills,  Auburn Hills, Michigan 

The concert is about history, both Prince’s history and the history of music itself (and subsequently his place in that history). This is made clear from the first minute as Prince opens with “Musicology,” a song that not only name-checks the musical past, but draws directly from it with its sound, and I might add with some of the personnel Prince has on board, especially if we consider Maceo Parker and Greg Boyer in the band. There is a further nod to Prince’s own past with his suit, a subtle acknowledgment of his purple era. “Musicology” comes as a parade celebrating all of this, each band member a float that pays homage to the past, both musically and with an underlying sense of Americana. Prince leads this parade, feeling the music as much as he is singing it, his body flowing with the rhythm, a performance that touches all the senses. Next to go by is Greg Boyer, his horn bringing the sound of classic R n B to the fore, a distinctive Americana sound hard-coded into his style. John Blackwell storms by, arms flailing, the percussion propelling the song forward to Rhonda, who along with Mike Scott brings the funk back, blanketing the song with a familiar funk and roll, before we rock back into the finish with the song itself as it draws a straight line back through the last sixty years of American music. 

 

Prince puts all his cards on the table from the start for “Shhh,” face-up, all aces. The rest of the band can’t match him, and the rolling drums of John Blackwell see the chips and cards go flying as the battle for the soul of the song commences. It is short-lived, Prince’s opening guitar note arching through the air, a knife-like flash, before he plunges it deep into the heart of the song, skewering the song to an emotional core that had only previously been hinted at in the opening verses. No matter how you come by this, old fan looking back, new fan discovering, a rocker here for the axe, or a player for the seduction, the guitar break remains the impenetrable, immovable, cold steel that is the very essence of the mood Prince seeks to create. Even as Prince smothers the song in a vocal delivery that matches the blue lighting, it is this guitar that demands you take notice as it ventures into sonic territory that no words could ever hope to penetrate. The final death rattle that unfurls from Prince’s fingers underlines all that has come before and is the only possible ending to such a song. 

 

“D.M.S.R” is a wild ride, even by Prince standards, and is as funky as the previous “Shhh” was deep. Prince uncages the inner beast that lay dormant on the album recording, and here it is unleashed in all its glory. On the record “D.M.S.R’ is as smooth as the fur of a lap dog, here it is a wild beast in the way it fiercely grabs the listener, forcing them to move in one way or another lest they be eaten alive by the groove that obliterates all in its path. The song briefly becomes circus-like with Prince’s clowning and diversion into Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love,” before Prince flips it into a celebration of his band, a celebration that one must stand for as Maceo and the band play not just to the heart, but to the feet. It is the final minute where Prince well and truly smashes through the artificial construct of the album cut as he drags the carcass of the song through the wall that separates audience and performer, bringing himself, band, and audience together to “dip down!”  in a moment that embodies the live concert experience where audience and performer become one in the celebration of music. If there was ever a moment where a bootleg captures the live experience, this is it as it comes barreling out of the speakers and into the room. 

 

The bootleg cuts to later in the show and Prince’s acoustic set, with another song that harks back to his eighties heyday, yet given new life in this acoustic setting. “17 Days” still has its interminably downbeat feel, even as the acoustic guitar brings a light drizzle to the song rather than the sweeping sound of the bass that normally flows under the lyrics. It’s all too brief, but yet another nod to the older fans in the audience, and those that lived through, and experienced, the Purple Rain era. The fact that we can hear these people singing along suggests that a lot of this Detroit crowd has stayed with him in the intervening twenty years, and this is their moment to once again feel the hurt and confusion of the teenage years as Prince leads them through his purple melancholia. 

We go even further back for “Something In The Water (Does Not Compute).” the angst is replaced by the rhythm of the guitar, and if I could have a choice, I would choose the angst any day. The guitar is crisp, but it leaves the song far behind as it corkscrews off in a new direction. 

 

There is a lack of venom in “Prince and The Band,” the music oddly at odds with the vocal delivery. The real poison is carried in the lyrics Prince is singing, one of the most honest songs Prince has ever composed, each word carrying his struggle of the previous ten years against record labels. I like the idea of the song far more than the performance, I find myself enjoying the lyrics and ignoring the music as Prince ensures the crowd is by his side in his ongoing crusade against the record companies. Overall though, the song remains flaccid, a word I never thought I would use for the highly sexualized Prince. 

 

There is no surprise at all to see that this bootleg ends with the obligatory performance of “Purple Rain.” Nothing is driving the song, it moves with its own weight and momentum, Prince is merely a spectator for most of it as the music channels effortlessly through him. It sounds tired, the most important parts of the show have already been heard, and felt, and this is merely here because it is expected. Prince doesn’t even trust himself for the final guitar break, as he is assisted by an intrusive horn section that brings a Las Vegas sound to what should be the most earthy and powerful of Prince’s songs. The early songs in the set carried the weight and sheer force of Prince’s abilities, and emotional impact, a sense of the here and now, that just isn’t present for “Purple Rain.” It should be one of the most important songs of the set, the song that opened all the doors for Prince, but instead, it plays as a pretty bookend, not even matching the power and message of the opening “Musicology.” 

 

A short bootleg, to be sure, but a very good one. Don’t be put off by my final thoughts on “Purple Rain,” the overall performance is again as smooth as anything else Prince has done, and it all looks superb in its professional shot glory. These are the key songs of the performance, although I must admit without the full show some of Prince’s message (real music by real musicians) is lost, as is his homage to the past as he seeks to cement his place as an icon. Widely circulating, and well known, it is no surprise to see how popular this particular bootleg is, as it is a nice companion piece to the full Los Angeles show from earlier in the tour that is currently available. If you haven’t seen this for a while it’s well worth a second look, but be warned, it may well lead to listening to a lot more from the Musicology tour. 

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.