Los Angeles 28 March 2009

 Last week I listened to Prince playing in a trio and I enjoyed it so much I needed to hear more, so this week I am going with a recording of the so-called New Power Trio playing at the Conga room in 2009. There are similarities between this show and the one I listened to last week, although I know with Sonny T and Michael B this one is going to hit a lot harder. Looking at I’m Yours on the setlist immediately gets my attention and I see a couple of other songs there that I am very interested to hear. This recording has me enthused, so let us take a listen. 

**Please note – the images here are from the performance on The Tonight Show, a couple of days earlier on the 26th March 2009. 

28th March 2009 The Conga Room, Los Angeles 

The recording opens in a very interesting way, the first five minutes is Prince setting up the sound and speaking. I love these little peeps behind the scenes, and it gives it a more intimate feel as if you are right there with the band. I particularly like that there is a real human element to it, and Prince is gently playful as he asks who is smoking the funny cigarettes before asking for a fan. He sounds light-hearted as he politely asks them not to smoke, he’s firm but you can hear the smile on his face. The tone is set, and he continues in this vein as he talks about Sonny T when he was a teenager. I could easily sit listening to this stage patter for longer, but when “I’m Yours” begins all this lightness is washed away and forgotten as they play a storming version of the song. I rate this opening song very highly, I don’t know the last time I listened to “I’m Yours,” it would have been many years ago, and if I hadn’t read the cover I would have struggled to recognize it.  The band sounds great with a nice powerful sound to all of them, especially Prince’s vocals which are very strong and loud. The rocker inside of me loves this stuff, and the crunching guitar and drums hit all my sweet spots. In the last half of the song Prince solos, and what I like about this is he doesn’t take over the song, he sounds powerful, but the band matches him and creates a great old racket. 

 

“Colonized Mind” is a song of the period, and it slots easily into the set. It’s much stronger than on the album, something that can be said about a great many of Prince’s songs, and its vocals that I am drawn to much more than the guitar. It’s not so much the lyrics that I like, it’s Prince’s passionate delivery. The guitar snakes in and out, and although Prince is playing furiously he is playing with a lot of emotion in the guitar. The recording is a good audience recording, but I do wonder if it’s a little unbalanced, as Prince's vocals sound a lot louder than everything else. Not that I’m complaining, the music is loud and strong and Prince needs to be loud to be heard. The song itself is slightly faster than on the album to my ears, but I find that is often the case in the live setting. 

This band owns “Chaos And Disorder.” They tear into it with great gusto, and even with the music sounding energetic Prince still manages to sound relaxed, even when he is delivering his lines quickly. They make it sound too easy, which I guess is the trick, although it’s no trick –rather the result of hours upon hours of practice. The guitar break is suitable fierce, although I would have liked it to be louder and more in my face. 

This was my first time hearing Prince cover “With A Little Help From My Friends.” I was very impressed at how he took it and changed the style to make it something different. He doesn’t give it a big vocal push like Joe Cocker, nor does he make it throw away like Ringo. Instead, he pitches it differently again, giving it a lighter feel and he sings it rather than belting it out. The guitars come up in the chorus, and they complement the singing well, filling in the gaps and giving it an extra push. The solos work very well in the context of the song, and I enjoy them a lot. This song was a great surprise, I am very happy that we have such a good recording of it. 

There is a nice pause in the action as Prince takes time to tell a story about Michael B. For the first time in the show I notice how much audience chat there is, and it gets better as someone calls out for “I Like It There.” Prince asks him “What you wanna hear” as he calls out again. Prince obliges and begins to play and you can hear the guy shout “thank you, Prince, oh yeeeaaaah, oh my God!” I love that unbridled enthusiasm from that guy, I only wish I could have seen his face, I know I would react in the same way. The rest of the song is rocking with plenty of singing from the crowd and some tidy guitar work from Prince (OK, that’s a slight understatement) I was getting more and more excited and turning it up louder and louder, as Prince branches out further in his solos later in the song.  Whoa, this concert is good, I don’t know why I don’t listen to it every day. 

 

The band follows this with a rendition of “All Shook Up” which is played with a nice crunch. Prince calls that it’s time for audience participation, which is normally a sign that it’s not going to be a great listen here at home.  I am pleasantly surprised earlier in the song when Prince strongly delivers his lines and matches them with some bold guitar work. Even as he starts the crowd clapping some raw guitar riffs demand that I listen to them. Even when the crowd starts to sing on Prince’s command, I still stick with it. Normally I skip over “I’m All Shook Up,” but this one is pretty good. 

This is a great setlist and that is exemplified by the appearance of “Empty Room” next. It starts suitably slow and emotional, and when Michael B and Sonny T join the fray it kicks up a notch, in fact, several notches. The recording isn’t perfect by any means, and as I listen closely to this brilliant song I can hear its limitations. However, that doesn’t detract for an instant from the brilliance of the performance of this song. Prince delivers impassioned vocals and then matches them with equally emotive guitar. I think is the secret to Prince and what I listen for most – the soul and passion that he injects into his guitar. I have listened to a lot of playing over the years, but I have never heard anyone who was able to get as much emotion out of a guitar as Prince. 

“Peach” is obligatory for a show like this, and the band plays it with great gusto. It is only a few minutes, but they sure do manage to cram a lot in there. Princes tears through his vocals the proceeds to tear it up on the guitar. I wouldn’t call it spectacular, but it is definitely rock n roll. They could have milked this one for much more, but there are still plenty more good things to come. 

I’m not a great fan of Prince doing Jimi Hendrix covers. “Spanish Castle Magic” is very good, don’t get me wrong, maybe it’s just that Jimi did everything so well in his own way, that it’s hard for even someone of Prince's stature (figuratively) to match up. Hendrix is uniquely Hendrix and as much as I enjoy Princes playing, I would rather hear the Hendrix version. The band is ripping it up on the recording, Michael B and Prince make a glorious noise. They are on top of their game, and you can hear how much time they have spent playing together. 

“When You Were Mine” has a fantastic raw sound, and Prince has me and the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand with an easy singalong. Prince (and me) sing our way enthusiastically through the vocals before the inevitable guitar break comes with the crowd chanting ‘hey’. It has that basic rock sound that sounds so pure and innocent, even if the lyrics aren’t so innocent. It’s a great throwback to a simpler sound and it works well. 

 

With guitar featuring some prominently at this show, there is no surprise at all as the band next break into “Guitar.” The lyrics are empty and Prince plays his guitar well in compensation. The guitar early on is by the numbers, and it’s not until later in the song do I find myself finally hooked. The sound of the recording varies a little here and seems to come in and out. It’s no big deal, although it does take me out of the song for a minute. 

Last song of the night and Morris Hayes and Frederic Yonnet join the band for a boisterous rendition of “Dreamer.” Frederic is very prominent with his harmonica, and his sound, although not loud, is easily heard over everyone else. It adds plenty of color to the sound, and he plays a break that cements his moment in the song. The song becomes a jam with Prince's guitar riffing against the harmonica while the crowd begins to clap. As you might expect it's Prince soloing on the guitar that takes us through the last couple of minutes of the song, and he is playing with a lot of freedom at this stage, and it takes off. 

This recording is a must-have, there is no doubt about it. It’s not on the genius level of some other recordings, nor is it as historically interesting as others, but it is a great band of musicians doing what they do best. It’s by no means funky, it is very much a rock and guitar-driven show, and it is a good balance that shows another side to Prince's talents. I found the audience recording to be fine, although if a soundboard recording of this ever surfaces I will be a very happy man indeed. I might just have to play it a couple more times before I start considering what show to listen to next. 

Hollywood 23 February 2009 (am)

 This week I am listening to another release that recently came to light, an aftershow played after the Oscars in 2009. I am unsure about this release, looking at the band and the setlist it all seems bland. The band is a thin version of the NPG, with only Prince on guitar and Morris Hayes holding the keyboards, the Dunham backline combination, and Liv and Shelby on vocals. The band lacks firepower, at least on paper, and the setlist reads like a cross between a hits package and the usual aftershow suspects. However, it is new to my ears, so I appreciate that aspect of it. And of course, I love bootlegs, so I am itching to give this one a listen. 

23rd February (am) 2009,  Avalon, Hollywood California 

It sounds like a party right from the go, there is the hum and hubbub of a party before the opening strains of “Purple Rain” cut right through. It’s a Trojan horse of a beginning as Frederic Yonnet as his harmonica is heard and we cut into a very interesting take of “Ol’ School Company.” It gets the full aftershow treatment, and there is plenty of time for Frederic to play over the extended intro. Normally I wouldn’t give much time to this song, this one has me sitting up and taking notice as Prince claims the song and the stage. There are times when I find the harmonica piercing, Prince makes these feelings disappear with a ‘take no prisoners’ vocal performance. The challenge is thrown down from the start, and I am beginning to think I was too quick to judge a book by its cover (by the way, the cover is very cool). Shelby joins the fray as the song climaxes and we have a couple of lines from other songs tossed in for good measure. 

“Frankenstein” has Prince warming up his guitar licks, before things kick off properly with a sharp cover of The Cars – “Let's Go.” I do like Prince’s cover of this song, it harkens back to his sound in the early Eighties, especially with the synth and clean guitar sound. I am surprised by how clean and fresh it sounds, and I am impressed that Prince chose to cover it for a few years. 

We stay on this nostalgic trip as Prince looks back with another cover, this time “Crimson And Clover.” I find it reminds me of my Father, he used to play the original on the record player when I was a child, but it never sounded as guitar-heavy as what Prince delivers up. Don’t be fooled by the soft-sounding intro, when Prince hits the chorus and cranks the guitar it turns into another beast altogether. He does of course do his “Wild Thing” cover at the chorus and he does a fine job of channeling both the Animals and Hendrix. The guitar solo for the last couple of minutes is however all his, and it is undeniably the sound of Prince doing what he does best. 

 

As good as “7” is, the recording doesn’t do it justice, and I get the feeling that something is missing. Prince's vocals are good, it’s the rest of the band that seems to be lacking, and I can’t quite pinpoint if it’s the band, the mix, or the recording. That said, I do enjoy hearing it, as it is a song I would rarely listen to otherwise. 

The segue into “Come Together” is predictable, and the recording is less than perfect for the first minute. On the positive side, we do have more harmonica, and the band gets a chance to get loose and jam. It plods for a while, but things look up as Prince calls for his guitar to be turned up on stage and we hear some nice rhythm work from him. Asides from that I find it overly long, although I can see it has its place as the crowd sing and enjoy the party. We are rewarded with some guitar work from Prince that threatens to burst out but stays neatly in its box. 

I was beginning to drift, “Shhh” has me well and truly back in the moment. It does miss the powerhouse drumming of Michael B, but Prince’s vocals remove any other negative thoughts from my mind. Prince owns every aspect of this song, when it’s not his vocals commanding my attention it is his exquisite guitar playing. He does call for the drums, but they are nowhere near as powerful as his guitar playing. The band is good, but it’s not one of his great bands, and that becomes very apparent through this song where Prince is on another level to everyone else on the stage. 

His guitar sound holds center stage as we build into the next song. First a guitar groove into Mother’s Finest “Baby Love.” Mother’s Finest is a fantastic band that doesn’t get nearly as much credit as they deserve, and it’s great that Prince pays respect to them with a cover of this song. It’s fierce but criminally short as he slows things down into “Brown Skin.” 

  

“Brown Skin” is, as always, Shelby’s moment to shine. She seizes the opportunity and does a fine job, even though Frederic almost upstages her with a harmonica solo, and I never thought I would be writing about a harmonica solo, but there you go. 

And oddly enough it’s the harmonica that leads the band into “Stratus” before inevitably Prince takes control with his guitar. The song swirls and shakes without ever hitting great heights. Prince's guitar playing is nice, although that’s not a very strong word, and Frederic’s harmonica is interesting, if not somewhat grating by the end of the song. Of interest to me are the keyboard break and a drum solo that plays out more on the side of interesting than powerful, and all the better for it. 

Things stay interesting for us with a cover of “Miss You.” I do always like Prince's vocals on this song, and having Frederic on harmonica adds another layer to the song. It’s not as funky as perhaps I like, but I find it irresistible. Asides from Prince's vocals it’s his funky guitar playing that I am drawn to, and the last minute is a treat as he plays. 

Normally dismissive of “Cream,” tonight it gets a pass from me. It’s shorter, and it seems to have an extra push to it. The band is sounding lighter on this song and yet gives it a stronger sound. It’s at this stage that there is a real fun sound to it, and the mood in the music is much brighter. 

Back with another Stones cover, Prince and the band lurch into the herky-jerky groove of “Honky Tonk Woman.” Shelby’s vocals feel like a good fit for this song, as do Prince's guitar and the ever-present harmonica. The spirit of the Stones is definitely in the music and the band seems to capture the swagger and strut well. 

I have always enjoyed “When Will We B Paid,” and tonight is no different with another fine performance. Prince dials it back for this performance, with only his guitar, Liv’s vocals, and the harmonica. It does the song justice, and the lyrics are all the more powerful in this setting. 

I don’t recall ever hearing Prince cover “The Middle” before, and hearing it now has me scrambling for more information. I am of course familiar with the original, I just never expected to hear Prince covering it, and after the last few songs, it comes out of the left field. You got to love Prince and his setlists, you never know what might come next. As for the song itself, well it sounds fresh and bright and I happily sing along as Prince and the band belt it out. There is an opportunity for Prince to solo near the end of the song, and he dishes up a short and sweet guitar break. 

Again we get another stylist jump as the band strikes up “The Bird.” The opening synth riff is irrepressible and when the main groove hits I am well and truly sold on it. As you might expect Prince does a mighty Morris day, and the vocals are sparkling throughout. You can hear the band warm to their work here, and over the next three songs, Prince reclaims compositions that he gave to others in the 1980s. The sound levels are uneven through “The Bird,” but despite that, I can hear an uplifting performance. 

 

Naturally enough “The Bird” turns into “Jungle Love,” a song that sounds like it is filling the dance floor. I had been hard on the band earlier, they seem a lot more on top of this music and the performance is lively. The song sounds classic 80s with all the synth happening in the right places. It follows the original blueprint until midsong when there is a breakdown and some audience participation. Prince does take a minute before he plays his guitar break, a break that should be a highlight but instead sounds a little quiet in the mix, or perhaps I need new speakers. 

Prince telegraphs “The Glamorous Life” long before he sings it. He teases with the title for a minute before we get the familiar riff. I like the performance, though if I am honest with myself it’s not a patch on the original. That said, there is a charm to it, and it does only go for a couple of minutes before we spin into the next song. 

“Play That Funky Music” has the crowd whooping, but when the singing begins it’s a let-down. I am not sure who is initially singing, it sounds like some people out of the crowd. Prince saves the day with a guitar solo that has a lot more focus than anything else that is heard in the song. 

The next song is rather appropriately “Hollywood Swinging.” It doesn’t grab me and shake me by the collar, and I don’t know if I’m losing enthusiasm or the band is. The song warms up later in the piece and the harmonica gives it a warmer feeling. Asides from that I can take it or leave it. 

There is a false ending to the show, it sounds as if it is finishing up, only to return with the classic “I Feel For You.” The harmonica plays the lead line, and that’s a cool sound. The rest of the band also jump on board, and having it sung by the girls is a nice touch. I am enjoying it until the Shelby “put your hands up”. I was loving her until then. She gets away with it though, because at this point the band segues into “Controversy.” 

“Controversy” is the final song of the evening, and it leaves me with a good taste in my mouth. Prince's vocals are playful, yet funky. He does plenty of squawks and yells, and especially good is his “people call me rude” talk in the middle. Normally I am not for the jump-up and down calls, this time it doesn’t seem as grating and for a few minutes the cynical, jaded me takes a backseat and I enjoy it for what it is. This is a party, and this is the song to get them moving. As the show finished I feel it has gone by very fast, and it didn’t feel like two hours at all. 

My first impressions of it being bland never came to fruition. Sure, it’s not the strongest of his bands, but what they did, they did well. The recording was uneven, I can’t deny, and there were moments when I wasn’t as fully engaged as I might otherwise be. The good moments were good, and there was enough of them to make a worthwhile listen. This one will never be on a top 10 list, and maybe not even a top 100, but it is a decent recording of a decent show. It’s good enough for the car, but I don’t think I will be playing it for more than a few days. 

New York 11 October 2008 (am)

 Several weeks ago I started writing about the 21 nights book launch and subsequent bootleg covering the event. It’s taken me longer than I thought to return to this bootleg, but the second half of the recording covers the almost three-hour aftershow and is well worth the wait. This is another Eye records release, it’s only by chance that they have had so much coverage on this blog recently, and although it is an audience recording it still holds my attention as Prince plays with a lighthearted touch across the sprawling set. 

11th October 2008 (am) Hotel Gansevoort, New York 

The pairing of “Crimson And Clover” and “Wild Thing” has grown on me over the last ten years. The fact that Prince dirties up the sound at this performance and gives the song some grit is all the more appealing, as is the hurdy-gurdy guitar break that serves as an improvised opening. Prince leads us through delicate verses and well-crafted choruses, but the real action occurs between these moments as he spits fire with several flights of fancy on the guitar that inflames the audience and the casual listener at home alike. The audience is loud in their appreciation, the only negative of this audience recording. 

Prince’s cover of “Let’s Go” was in vogue at this stage of his career, and the performance of it here is true to form. It is punctuated by shouts and bursts of guitar heroics, but for the most part, it stays neatly boxed, and all Prince’s guitar work is nothing more than pretty packaging with no real gift to be revealed. 

The a capella introduction of “7” suffers on this recording, the fully engaged crowd drowns out anything happening on stage with their singing. The song itself comes and goes quickly, there is no catch or hook to lure the listener in. Prince doesn’t give it time to work its magic, and it eventually decays into “Come Together” 

The “7,” “Come Together” combination doesn’t initially excite me, although I must admit I do find myself singing the chorus with Shelby J before I know it. The recording perks up, and so do I, with Prince’s stabbing guitar solo, but interest wanes for the singalong. As always, great at the concert, not so great here at home. 

The wheeze of the keyboard heralds the arrival of “1999.” This band may not be The Revolution, but they do hold their own with a version that could have been lifted from any time in the 1980s. The distinctive voice of Shelby keeps us in the present, even as the crowd indulges in the chant of “Party” over Prince’s scratch guitar. It is these final minutes that stand out for me, and with Princes high pitched singing and funk guitar 2008 disappears from view in a fog of electro-funk. 

 

Prince continues with his musical time machine, “Controversy” just as firmly rooted in the past as “1999.” I am surprised to hear Prince himself comment on this with his quote “they say where you from? I tell ’em the 80s” He lives up to this comment with a synth-heavy, funk-driven rendition of this classic slice of Prince's 80s output. Shelby can be heard (imploring folks to clap their hands and stomp their feet), but the song firmly remains in Prince's hands with his vocals and guitar the key sonic signature of the song. Even the bass break doesn’t derail this feeling, and it is almost with sadness that the song comes to an end after five minutes, bringing the curtain down on this diversion into nostalgia. 

The comment “You ain’t ready for this” sums up my ambivalence towards “Sexy Dancer/Le Freak,” – I’m not ready for it.  “Sexy Dancer” gets a thumbs up from me, “Le Freak,” however, leaves me less than cold. It lacks a distinctness, the music sounding watered down from the preceding songs. 

It was P-funk who belittled The Doobie Brothers with their “It was cool, but can you imagine Doobie-in’ your funk?” line. As is his way, Prince goes against the grain, instead celebrating the Doobies with an infectious, and surprisingly likable, cover of “Long Train Runnin’.” There is an added energy to the performance, Frédéric Yonnet providing some harmonica that is a celebration in itself and lifts the song beyond the diesel locomotive sound of the original. Prince's train isn’t as driven as the Doobies, but it does carry more sounds and textures lying deep in the grooves, making for a well-rounded listen that delivers on several levels. 

All these other songs are mere children in the presence of “Shhh,” a song that is steeped in maturity and strength. The lyrics are light and can’t compare to the power of the music that is the bedrock of this song. The guitar blows at storm force across the recording, while the drums crash like waves on a breakwater as the song reaches its hurricane peak. Even on this audience recording, it has a radiating power that can’t be ignored, and it blows the doors off any doubts I might have about this bootleg. 

There is audience noise marring the beginning of “Musicology,” as well as a touch of feedback. It is airy against the concrete of “Shhh,” and this is further emphasized by the appearance of “Prince And The Band.” As much as I like “Prince And The Band,” it is a guilty pleasure and not comparable to “Shhh,” or even “1999” that came earlier. With such a spread of material, some of Prince’s later songs suffer in comparison, and “Prince And The Band” are certainly one of those. 

Things become harder and heavier as “3121” marches into view. Like most of the other songs, the audience detracts from the moment, but one can’t blame them for enjoying one of Prince’s strongest songs in the latter part of his career. The guitar break he laces it with adds just enough venom to make it a dangerous moment. I temporarily forget the audience noise and focus on the dark clouds that swirl around Prince’s guitar solo. 

There is a slightly deranged sound to “Girls And Boys.” To my ears it is unbalanced, and the fact that Prince lets the crowd do all the singing counts against it. He does pick up the baton for the second verse, but the sound remains out of kilter, the song not quite meshing into the killer performance that Prince’s guitar break hints at. 

“Honky Tonk Woman” comes in waves, the initial crunch of the guitar riff, Shelby’s soulful voice, and then the incisive guitar solo by Prince. As a Stones man, I fully approve, even if this slice of retro rock doesn’t reach the heights of some of the other performances of the evening. 

There is a lack of bite to “Stratus” and although I usually love the meandering way that Prince takes us down various rabbit holes, this time it just doesn’t spin my wheels. It continues to grow and evolve, but there is not enough change for my liking, and for the most part, I feel we are stuck in the same place. There are other bootlegs where this song is outstanding, unfortunately, this concert doesn’t live up to those high standards. 

 

The moment is saved as Prince rasps his way through a light-headed-sing-along-at-home rendition of The Rolling Stones “Miss You.” The recording isn’t quite good enough to catch the nuances as Prince invokes the spirit of Mick Jagger, but it does capture the busy harmonica work by Frédéric Yonnet. Prince shines a different light on the song with his guitar work, it is a delight on the ear, but hidden behind the not-so-soft veil of the audience recording. 

Prince stays on this classic rock trip as he sashays into “Red House.” Without ever becoming challenging, it manages to tread the fine line between a smooth listen and something that slips into the background. It is one of the least demanding parts of the show yet at the same time the one part that rewards a closer listen. 

“Purple Rain” is a smoldering, slow burn that never ignites into life. The delicate introduction sets the standard for the song, and it stays with this low-slung sound for the duration, even Prince’s final guitar break fails to fly as is its wont. Thin and sickly, this “Purple Rain” can’t match the performance captured on the first disc of the earlier concert. 

The bootleg derails with a brief set by Dave Chapelle. Although it makes the show complete, it does break the flow of the music, and to be honest, I would have been forgiving of Eye records if they had left it off. Normally a completest, in this case, it is unnecessary and adds nothing. 

The music resumes with Shelby J and “Brown Skin.” It has a sense of purpose and brings fullness back to the concert after the anorexic “Purple Rain.” Forceful and proud, Shelby gives the song the respect it deserves in one of the stronger songs in the set. 

An audience member's comment “Do you think he’ll play Raspberry Beret?” suggests that this audience isn’t as cool as Prince and the band. No doubt this commentator was disappointed as in the next twenty minutes Prince takes on a series of well-considered and mature cover versions. “Summer Madness,” “In The Morning,” “Can’t Hide Love,” and “Free” all have an easy way to them and a vibe that hints at Sunday mornings relaxing in the Sun. The music flows easily, transporting me far downstream from the Prince hits we heard earlier on. On a raft of gentle keyboards and soulful vocals, Prince drifts a long way from the “Raspberry Beret” wanted by the audience and offers something far more refreshing and cool. 

Equally relaxed is “Cream,” in this case the music is well behind Prince and his vocals. This isn’t served well by the recording, for the most part, it sounds distant and is a lot harder to listen to than the previous few songs. 

It is “U Got The Look” that gets the crowd screaming, again messing with the recording. Prince’s guitar is forceful, yet weakened by the quality of the recording. It is an enjoyable enough performance, but with the recording as it is, it is another moment that could have been more. 

I am pleased when the funk arrives back in the form of “What Have You Done For Me Lately,” although I could do with a lot more bottom in the recording. The bass is hot, but it deserves a better recording, and one can only imagine how it would sound with a heavy sound. The segue into “Partyman” is unnecessary as far as I’m concerned, but I understand that this is the way Prince chooses to present it. As much as I love Prince’s original material, it was “What Have You Done For Me” that caught my attention. 

The show continues to accelerate in this way as the band quickly swarms over “It’s Alright” It is similar to the previous songs in both sound and intent, a seamless part of the setlist where all the jigsaw pieces come together. After a weak start to the concert, this half-hour is where the treasures lie, and it is worth the wait. 

An equally brisk “Alphabet St.” has the crowd on board with hand claps, to the detriment of the bootleg. Prince is crisp and sharp with his guitar, and it keeps the tempo of the show up as we approach the end of the concert. 

Prince rounds out the show with a string of songs he gave away to others. “The Bird” opens this feeding frenzy, before giving way to “Jungle Love.” I prefer “Jungle Love” for its fierceness and the blowtorch guitar solo that Prince ends the song with. It is worthwhile for that moment alone, the guitar shining out in the audience noise. 

There is a long introduction to “The Glamorous Life,” but the song is little more than this. The song vanishes soon after the introduction, it is fleetingly pleasurable but ultimately unsatisfying. 

However, there is a satisfaction to be found in the last song of the concert – “A Love Bizarre.” Prince loads it at the front end with a guitar line that has a fierceness and fire unheard elsewhere on the recording. For the first time, the music rises above the quality of the recording, giving the show a punch and direction that is lacking elsewhere. It is a shame that the rest of the show doesn’t sound as purposeful, but I am more than happy to have this to cling to. It is an ending that is unrepresentative of the concert, giving the show perhaps more gloss than it deserves. 

After listening to the earlier show in this set I was looking forward to hearing this later aftershow. It did not live up to expectations. The biggest problem was the quality of the recording. While nowhere near as bad as some I have heard, the audience was still far too prominent and detracted from several key moments throughout. As always I found some positives to enjoy, but the show did leave a bad aftertaste in my mouth. I would happily listen to the first concert in the set again; this one I’d take a pass on. 

Thanks again

Hamish 

NOTE: The Eye package has Prince’s guest appearance with Q-tip as a bonus track. It doesn’t sound like much on the CD and is a waste. But the guest appearance is one of my favorite videos. The reaction of the crowd when Prince appears on stage is priceless, and Prince himself has never looked so cool. You can check out the video below, it’s well worth a look. 

New York 10 October 2008

 2007 was a big year for live concerts for Prince, 2008 not so much. Whereas 2007 saw him play a long residency at Vegas followed later in the year with a 21-night stand in London (coupled with a string of great after shows), in 2008 Prince played only a handful of shows and a few guest appearances. Coachella is the most well-known of these concerts, but as far as bootlegs go, it is his 21 Night book release and charity concert that generates the better bootleg. The show sees Prince triumphantly celebrating his 21 nights in London with a show that brings a satisfying mix of new songs, covers, and some old friends. It’s a balanced mix and Prince plays with a freshness that infuses the music with inner energy – all of which can be heard on a great, yet underrated, bootleg. 

10th October 2008, Hotel Gansevoort, New York. 

The bootleg starts in the best way possible with the inspiring debut of “Colonized Mind”. It may be its live debut, but it sounds faultless on the bootleg. Prince has the balance just right, with the song sounding both thoughtful and a powerful statement at the same time. This is emphasized by Prince’s solos which are all brute strength. He may pause and linger over the lyrics, letting their meaning hang in the air, but it is when he unleashes his guitar that he is at his euphoric mind-bending best.  It is hard not to be caught up in the fervor of the moment, and as I stated earlier, this is the perfect beginning of the bootleg. 

It may be only an audience recording, but it is a very good one and this is highlighted with “1999” which has a freshness I don’t usually associate with performances later in Prince’s career. It’s a sweaty, frenetic rendition, the band breaking loose of their restraints to set up the party early on. The recording is fantastic, not only do Prince and the band sound great, the crowd is equally involved. But for me, the best feature of the recording is Prince’s rhythm guitar which adds vibrancy and a sense of urgency. 

The storm quietens for a more relaxed “I Feel For You.” It is still upbeat and fun, but not quite as frantic as the previous “1999”. With scratchy guitar and quirky keyboard, it is of its era, and the following “Controversy” reinforces this as it comes quickly after as a euphoric celebration of Prince's early 1980s sound. It is a sizzling rendition, the band tearing through the song as if it was brand new. The attack doesn’t let up with Prince engaging in some guitar foreplay that doesn’t ever reach a climax but keeps me hanging on and crying for more. 

 

Prince is content to stay with his back catalog, “Sexy Dancer” feeling like a natural selection to follow. The “Sexy Dancer” – “Le Freak” combination was heard many times over 21 nights in London, and the later 20TEN tour, making it feel rather overplayed to my ears. This rendition differs in that it retains its freshness and is livened up by a Frédéric Yonnet harmonica solo that adds novelty without silliness. It may not look much when reading about it on the set list, but it is another important piece of the show. 

The cover of the Rolling Stones “Miss You” is always going to be a standout for me. I don’t care if Prince plays it on a ukulele recorded underwater and reaches me on an 8th-generation tape -I wanna hear it.  In this case, things couldn’t get much better for me, it is another storming version, with Prince doing his best to channel Mink Jagger -something he does supremely well. Equally of note is the color that Frédéric Yonnet brings to the song, his harmonica grounding the song with a classic sound. However, this moment is all about Prince, with his vocals that whine and rasp through the lyrics, then his guitar playing which goes to battle with Frédéric Yonnet before the inevitable victory that sees him ending the song amidst cheers from the crowd. The song is six minutes long, but that is nowhere long enough for me, I could quite happily listen to it three or four times in a row. (Blame my Dad, he was a Stones man) 

The mood of the concert changes immensely as Prince drapes the stage in the blues -“Satisfied” easing the crowd into a hush. With the keyboard swells coming like deep breaths, it is Frédéric Yonnet that provides the rush and impetus that moves the song forward. Most of the song belongs to Frédéric, and I must admit he certainly gets the best out of the instrument as he wraps me up in the sound of his harmonica. 

“Beggin Woman Blues” comes straight out of the same box, the groove so slow and steady that it is barely alive. I love the humorous aspects of the song, although the music itself hardly holds my attention. In the stillness of the music Prince’s lyrics stand as an oasis, and his words wash over me as he croons some of his funniest lines. The drama comes in the final minutes as the swirls and washes of organ emerge from the groove and crash like waves until we are washed ashore at the end of the song. 

It is a sleek rendition of “Purple Rain” that follows easily on, smooth and shiny, there is no jagged edge in the music at all. Even Prince's emotive cry fails to bring emotion to the song, the ingredients are in place yet it fails to draw me into the music. Prince’s guitar bristles to begin with, but then fails to build to anything more than a whitewashed version of something we have heard many times before. It’s a bit much to expect “Purple Rain” to deliver every time, and this is one of the rare occasions when the song doesn’t meet expectations. 

The most exciting part of the bootleg comes next as Prince plays a freewheelin’ version of “A Love Bizarre”. The funk on it is immense, and nowhere more so than in the opening stanza as Prince opens the song with some raw scratch guitar. It is a synth-pop masterpiece with Prince’s guitar serving as the exclamation point on each jolt of funk/pop. He takes to a finely woven solo that spreads a spider web of sound across the recording, the funky roots still visible beneath it all. 

 

In complete contrast is “What Is Hip?”, which is stuffed full of sounds and instruments. As good as they sound they don’ have the cohesive power of the previous number. On any other recording, this would be good, yet on this recording next to “A Love Bizarre” it is a letdown. Less is more, and with no sharp edge the song overwhelms me with noise, the only standout being the chant of “what is hip!” 

I’m not always the biggest fan of “Stratus,” but this is one version I can get behind with its unflinching sonic weight that fills all corners of the room, leaving no space for anything else bar the dense music. Sure, there is Prince's guitar work in there, but for me, the keyboards sit at the heart of the matter, with a heavy-handed sense of drama that drags the music into murky waters. 

It is “Cream” that has to follow this sonic tornado, and it is a light breeze in comparison. It is “U Got The Look” that brings a heavy crunch back into the show, as Prince excels at turning his guitar into a battering ramp, striking the audience again and again with heavy blows from his instrument. It is a short yet intense performance and one that rings in my head for several minutes afterward. 

I want to like “Angel,” I really do. But in this case, I can’t find it in me to like it. The vocals are good, the recording is fine, and the band plays well. I guess I just have to face facts and say this type of music just isn’t me. Don’t let that discourage you, it is a nice moment on the bootleg and there is plenty to enjoy if this is the type of thing you like. 

The concert ends on a high with Prince giving a worthy rendition of “Nothing Compares 2 U.” He is not the star of the moment though, the highlight comes with a typical Morris Hayes solo that carries a powerful undercurrent to the feeling Prince is singing about. It may not put an exclamation point on the concert, but it is a strong finish. 

This is a great bootleg. The show is short yet punchy, and there are many songs here that shine brighter than they normally would in a longer show. I don’t always give credit to concerts from this point of Prince’s career, but this is one I can recommend. There is an aftershow from the same night on the bootleg, and I will cover that next week. If it’s even half as good as this, I am in for a real treat. 

Coachella Festival 26 April 2008

 This week’s gig is interesting to me for several reasons. Playing a festival is different from a private show and the setlist reflects this. It is aimed at the masses, and the show begins with Morris Day, Jerome, and Sheila E joining the band for a few songs of their own. This gives the concert the feel of a revue, and I do like that aspect of it. Prince also throws in a couple of covers, the most talked-about of which is a cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.” The hits he plays are predictable enough, and the inclusion of “Shhh” and Anotherloverholenyohead more than satisfies me. 

Coachella Festival, 26 April 2008 

“The Bird” is a great choice to open the show with. With the pounding beat, the crowd is soon clapping along. Before the song starts properly Prince takes his time to address the audience. Then with a horn blast, “The Bird” begins with the singing of Morris. The recording is an audience recording, it’s not perfect, but it is perfectly listenable. Morris sounds a lot older and he seems to have a deeper more serious timbre to his voice. The song is energetic, but the youthful enthusiasm has gone from Morris’s voice. There isn’t too much singing through the song, the latter part of mostly horns and keys before Prince comes back to the microphone and the music moves into “Jungle Love.” 

 

Morris sounds much better on “Jungle Love,” and I enjoy it more than “The Bird.” That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy “The Bird,” but this one is better. The elastic bass has a good deep sound to it which the recording has picked up well. The guitar solo from Prince transports me right back, and I find myself heavy on nostalgia despite myself. There is some chat and interplay between Morris and Jerome, and I can only imagine what is happening on the stage. The “Oh we oh we oh” part isn’t as strong as it could have been, but this is quickly forgotten as Prince enters again on the guitar and I reach to turn up the volume. The crowd does whoop when he finishes but not as loudly as I do here at home. 

“la la la la la la” sings Sheila E as the music of “Glamorous Life” begins. It’s not crisp sounding, but I can hear the percussion thrown into the mix. This one would have sounded great on the day, but for me, some sound is lost in the recording. Shelia makes amends by giving a nice vocal performance and I listen carefully to her as the song progresses. The horn runs sound strong against the percussion and it gives the song a fantastic summer sound. Sheila delivers a drum solo, and I love it. It’s very percussive, maybe a percussion solo would have been a more accurate description. I enjoy it much more than her drum solos of the eighties and it’s only an indicator of what’s coming next. 

 

And what is coming next is some crisp rhythm guitar, then an up-tempo percussion sound and Prince plays some heavily Santana-infused guitar. And I aren’t too surprised when I read that it is a medley of Santana songs. Prince has said that he is influenced by his guitar playing by Santana and on this track, he gets to indulge himself. It’s not all about Prince and his guitar through, there is plenty of drums from both Shelia and Cora, as well as Renato Neto contributing an up-tempo keyboard run that I find myself nodding along to and enjoying. This is what I love to hear, and this for me is easily the best track on the whole recording. The song never stops moving and changing, and everyone is playing so well, that there is plenty to pick apart and listen to. But as always it's Prince's guitar that I come back to, and his playing is electrifying in both delivery and nature. These four songs have been a great way to kick off the show before we pull back into a more traditional greatest hits show. 

 

The slowed-down “Don’t worry I won’t hurt you” signals the beginning of “1999” and the more conventional beginning of the show. This time the horns work on the track, and Prince gives the song more room to breathe and enjoy, rather than the rush to the “party” outro we sometimes get. For the first time in the recording, we hear Shelby J and Liv Warfield. Neither contributes greatly to the track, but they both have their distinctive voices and I recognize them in an instant. With the larger band and the horns, the song drifts from its “1999” electro-funk sound a little, especially near the end, but I can hear Prince’s guitar nice and clear in the mix, and this ties it all back to where it began. 

“I Feel For You” is sung by the girls, I like it but I feel it needs less, not more. The song sounded better in the nice clean 1980s sound. The horns are bright, but a shade too brassy for my tastes, and then the girls sing it together, giving it a much fuller sound. It’s kept short and Prince tells the crowd “we gotta go back” and the pulsating “Controversy” begins. 

Again the girls sing with Prince and it’s far from the stripped-back electro sound of the 1980s. Princes scratch guitar is there, but it is backed by the horn sound and the extra voices. For all that though, I do enjoy it a lot, especially we Prince does his “people call me rude” section midsong. Of course, it is with the “clap your, stomp your feet” chant, but today I give it a pass, I find my head is nodding throughout the entire song and the horns sound good before the guitar takes over for another electrifying solo. Prince is hot at this time, and the playing sounds effortless. Naturally enough Prince asks “who knows about the Quake” which leads to more jumping up and down before the song winds down in a series of “oooohhhhss” It’s very good, but not quite great. 

 

Prince pulls at our heartstrings with the keyboard swell intro of “Little Red Corvette.” The synth swells for a few minutes, while a gentle piano plays. It’s my favorite part of the song, Prince doesn’t let it last too long, he starts singing soon enough, but it’s great while it lasts. The crowd immediately appreciates his singing, there is a large cheer as he begins. He does refrain too much from singing in the song, he lets the crowd sing a lot, and in places just stands back as the hand clapping continues. When he does play guitar it is very strong sounding indeed. It’s almost too much for such a layered song, but I forget this complaint as he begins to play. Let the guitar dominate I say, especially when it sounds as powerful as this. There are moments when it conjures up the sound of a mid-70s Funkadelic song, the way he plays it here I could easily hear such a sound on the “Standing On The verge Of Getting It On” album. The guitar has the best sound in the song, everything else sounds weak in comparison and this is highlighted when Prince sings again after the solo. He sounds far away and pales next to the strength of the guitar sound. 

When “Musicology” follows it is a complete change from what we have just heard. It’s all horns and the calls of Shelby. The party feel returns to the show, and there is a lot of interaction between Prince and the audience. Some of it works on the recording, I like it when the band pulls back and the song moves along to the clap of the crowd. And I always like it when Prince interjects “Prince And The Band.” This one isn’t amazing, never the less I am smiling throughout. I prefer it to the rest of “Musicology” and I am a tad disappointed as it winds down to an end. 

 

“Cream” benefits from the horns and the muscular guitar. The song has an extra push to it, and it sounds like an older brother of the original album cut. Prince too sounds more powerful here, he is giving more to the crowd and that is coming out in the recording. His guitar break is a little disjointed, and the tone is slightly weird, both compared to the original and in the context of the rest of the show. The horns come back and give it a little more up near the end, and the second guitar break from Prince is much cleaner sounding and more enjoyable. The song finishes on a high as we segue into U Got The Look. 

Prince’s guitar is sounding much better as he plays “U Got The Look,” the strong clear tone has returned and it propels the song along well. And despite the guitar having a stronger sound, the solos aren’t too overwhelming as I feared they may be, all in all, everything is very well balanced- something that doesn’t always happen with this song. I have heard this song a lot, but this one doesn’t outstay its welcome. 

“Shhh” sounds awesome right from the start. The guitar and drum rolls that open it are very loud and full sounding, and it’s got a powerful feel about it that takes me right back to that era. Prince’s voice isn’t too focused, he sounds a little casual in his delivery. It does retain a smoky late-night feel and has just a touch of grime on it. After the first verse, it does become a showcase for Prince's guitar playing. As with every song on this recording, it is great, and despite the quality of the recording, the guitar playing is shining through in every song. CC Dunham on the drums does a fine job, she is no Michael B, but she is strong. Prince’s long howling notes on the guitar have me feeling the song, and I feel the passion that first made me a fan all those years ago. The song ends, and I have the urge to immediately go back and play it again. And again. And again. 

 

The rock sound is once again at the fore when “Anotherloverholenyohead” plays. There is plenty of guitars, and it’s loud and works well in tandem with the heavy bass and drum. This is a cracking version of the classic. I normally love the original sound of it, but in this setlist, the heavy rock sound works very well. There is the Rock Lobster interlude, which is just an excuse for Prince to let loose on the guitar for a while. Whereas in Shhh he was playing within the song and fleshing out the emotion, here he is playing for the hell of it, and sounding great along the way. I preferred the style of the previous song, but I still enjoyed this immensely. 

Next is the surprise (at the time) in the recording- a cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.” Prince doesn’t do vulnerable, he is either ‘Cocky’ or ‘Victim of love’ and here he comes off a little disingenuous playing the part of the loser. His vocals don’t capture the emotion of the original, and although I admire him for doing a cover of this, I can’t quite buy into it. But all is forgiven when he reaches a more frantic tone in his voice, and we get some guitar noise from him. It’s hard to take him seriously as he sings “I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo” but he knows how to let the music speak for him, and the guitar says more than his vocals. The most enjoyable and emotional parts of the song are when there is just the music and his guitar playing. Normally I like a good balance of guitar tracks and funk tracks throughout a show, but this one is very guitar-focused, and I am surprised at just how much I am enjoying it. The latter part of the song is all guitar, and it’s far removed from the Radiohead original. It’s a cover version I could never have guessed at, and worth hearing just for novelty value if nothing else. 

“Angel” is a cover of a Sarah McLachlan song, and Prince is conspicuous in his absence from the song. He may well be on stage, but on the recording, all I can hear is Shelby J on the lead vocals, ably supported by the NPG. There is no doubt that Shelby can sing, and sing well, but this song is well within her range and it doesn’t do too much that excites me. Renato Neto provides a piano break, but it’s hardly pulse-raising. The latter portion of the song is where the girls showcase their singing, they are all of fine voice, but it’s Prince that I want to hear. 

 

I am relieved when Prince comes to the microphone to introduce the next song, “7.” I don’t listen to “7” very often, but I always enjoy live performances of it. This one is par for the course, but the standout for me is when he talks to the audience about togetherness and ushering in a new golden age and then gets them chanting “war, no more.” Sure it’s simplistic, but it works. 

The song moves very naturally into a cover of the Beatle's “Come Together.” I shouldn’t be too surprised, I have heard it a few times like this before. The girls are the dominant force in the song, and Prince is a passenger, only talking to the crowd between verses, before once again giving us a very solid guitar solo. He draws it out for a bit, before indulging in a bit of ‘stage craft’. He gets the audience to clap their hands “there ain’t no wrong way” then has them sing-along “come together, yeah”. It sounds simple, but it works for the crowd, and they are behind him all the way. The band pulls out, leaving the crowd clapping and chanting “come together, yeah”. Easy as that, that is how you work a crowd. The song gets the full treatment, the band comes back in, and there is another guitar break and a finale to bring the show to a close. 

It’s no surprise at all to hear “Purple Rain” as the encore. There is very little in the way of intro, after the first few chords have sounded Prince begins to sing immediately. This is a fairly standard rendition of the beloved song, Prince doesn’t inject too much emotional emphasis in it, and the only feature about it that I find interesting is the guitar break later in the song. The audience does jump on board early with a steady hand clap but it’s the guitar break where I finally sit up and engage with the song. The first half of the break is as I have heard often enough before, but after the “One, two, three” reprise it becomes more loose and enjoyable to my ears. He doesn’t overplay it, and it is pulled in soon enough to bring the song to an end. 

Prince addresses the audience again “They tell me I gotta go, but we can’t leave” I wonder what could follow, but it’s soon revealed as I hear the keyboard swell of “Let’s Go Crazy” begin. It is as you might expect from this band, there are a lot of horns in it, and plenty of swing. Prince’s guitar playing hits the groove early on, and he stays there. There is more singing and chanting from the crowd, interspersed with rowdy guitar breaks from Prince. I was expecting this to go on for some time, so I am very surprised when Prince brings it to a close with his trademark guitar howl, and I sit back, equally surprised at how much I enjoyed it all. 

I must admit, although this one piqued my interest, I didn’t have high hopes for what I perceived to be a greatest hits package. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this recording, I listened to it four or five times over a couple of days. The recording isn’t fantastic, and the show didn’t always hold my interest, but what I did like, I liked immensely. This isn’t a classic vocal performance, but that’s not important when the guitar playing is as good as it is here. The Santana medley was worth listening to alone. All in all, a lot of fun to listen to here on a cold winter night. 

London 22 September 2007 (am)

 Last week I took in an aftershow that opened with the vocal talents of Bono singing The Cross as the opening song. That set me to think about similar shows where guest vocalists make an appearance. I have already covered the 1988 aftershow with Taylor Dayne, and this week I will take a listen to a 2007 aftershow that begins with Amy Winehouse. In the last few months I have caught the very highly recommended documentary about her life, and I can see what an outstanding talent she was. At the time I followed her through the tabloids, but there was much more to her, and she was purely about the music, as well as a wonderful performer. With nothing but respect for her, I can’t wait to listen to this show and reflect on the talent that was Amy Winehouse. 

22 September 2007 The Indigo O2, London 

I was anticipating hearing Amy sing right from the start, instead, the show opens with a lovely-sounding instrumental, with a piano and keyboards to the fore. It’s a suitable opening as the band feels their way in and gets the levels right. Near the end you can hear Prince testing the mics “one, two, one, two” – it is very much an instrumental sound check. 

Some soft guitar near the finish leads us ever so gently into “Love Is A Losing Game.” The piano and guitar interplay is spellbinding and as Amy begins to sing she gets an appreciative cheer from the crowd. For all her troubled life, here she is angelic, her voice is simply beautiful, and as Prince begins to play lead guitar it lifts it to another level. I have seen grainy YouTube footage of this performance, but just listening to it is even better, I can concentrate and wallow in Amy’s every word.  Prince does his best to match her feeling with his guitar playing, and as wonderful as it is I still can’t get past Amy’s voice, it’s unique and something wonderful. Normally I listen to whole shows rather than individual songs, in this case, I would make an exception and would happily pluck this song for any playlist. As the song finishes Prince says “I got tears” and I know exactly what he means. 

“7” has a raw sound and the guitar is heavier which I dig. Prince plays while the crowd sings for him, and it’s a sound I find most enjoyable. Prince does his vocal duties as the song goes on, and he too is in fine voice this evening, and he needs to be after Amy’s performance.  Already this is proving to be an excellent show, and I see there are plenty more good things to come. 

That raw sound persists into the next song which is a pumped-up version of “Come Together.” “Come Together” popped up regularly over the 21 nights, this one is much better than any of the others I have heard from the main shows. Prince plays some fiery guitar mid-song which has me gasping for air, it’s head-spinning stuff and we are only three songs into the show. The song is well and truly ‘Princeified’ as they stretch it out to nearly ten minutes with plenty of cool interplay between the instruments. 

 

Next Prince gives us a much-loved cover of “Honky Tonk Woman.” The guitar riff sounds full in the venue, and the band sounds great on the groove. Shelby takes lead vocals, which may not be to everyone’s taste, but truth be told she sounds great. She belts it out with great gusto, while Prince and the band rock on behind her, and they sound well in the groove, the highlight for me being when Morris Hayes bangs out a solo on the keys. I am sure by now you are well aware of how much I love the sound of him on the keys, he always delivers. 

I am not sure about “Rock Steady.” It seems to have the “Whole Lotta Love” bassline, and although it gives it an ominous sound, I don’t think the bassline works very well when the singing starts. The rest of the band though sounded hot, and all of them were right on the money. The keyboard swells, the guitar chimes, and there are just enough horns to liven it. Beverly Knight is on vocal duties and as good as she sounds, for me, it’s the horns that steal the show. 

Prince's guitar riff opens “Whole Lotta Love” next, and there is an initial rush of excitement in me although I have heard it many times before. I do quite like this rendition, it’s an instrumental, and as you might expect there is plenty of Prince howling away on the guitar. I like my funk just as much as anyone, but I am in awe as Prince rocks out on the guitar, it’s a face-melting solo that has me flying. 

“Shhh” gets off to a heavy start, there is still guitar pyrotechnics from Prince as it begins. It drops back as Prince sings, and I find I am lost in the music. Although I have heard this countless times, it’s still one of those songs that hits me every single time. Prince is quiet/loud, rough/smooth, emotional and passionate, all those things which I love about his live performances the most. The vocals are oh-so-good, but then that guitar playing comes in and I wonder how it could ever get any better. 

 

All this guitar and rock malarkey is put to one side as we hit a strong groove in “All The Critics Love U In London.” The band goes to town on this one, and there is plenty to dance to before any sort of vocals begin. Keyboards, horns, guitar, all of them lock in and play on the groove for what seems the longest time. And even then it’s not long enough for me, I could nod along to this all night long. Once again I find the horns practically alluring, they do add so much to his sound when they have to. The horns maintain their dominance right through the song, the whole seventeen minutes, and never once do I tire of them. 

We get more funk next as the pounding of the bass drum leads us into “Sexy Dancer – Le Freak.” I am a fan of both songs, so this plays to my tastes. Shelby is back out front, she does a well enough job but in this case, I would have preferred to hear Prince. It’s a party song, so there is some element of Shelby extolling the crowd to get up and party.  I get a lot more enjoyment and satisfaction as she steps back and we once again get a funky trombone solo.  It’s this solo that carries us through to the end before the bass of “Chelsea Rodgers” starts. 

I am a fan of “Chelsea Rodgers,” it’s an easy listen, and the bass has a good pop to it. Shelby sings it and injects plenty of energy. The trombone can be heard in the background, adding a nice fat sound to it. Prince accompanies Shelby later, and this sounds very cool to my ears, my only wish is that I could hear him better. This song sounds like it was it would have been a lot of fun to be there, you can hear the crowd dancing and moving along to the song. It’s not quite so much fun here at home, but it is a good listen. 

“Misty Blue” has a great horn intro that sounds very inviting. Shelby is singing again, and this is the Shelby I like, laid back and singing rather than hyping the crowd. She does a good job on the song, but for me, it’s not Prince, and I find I am waiting patiently for it to end so we can get to the main attraction. On another show, or another recording I would find this to be great, but right now this isn’t what I want to hear. 

It was Mr. Chris of The Soul Brother Show that introduced me to Mother’s Finest and it’s only recently that I realized that is where this next song comes from. “Baby Love” has its moments here, although it’s not a patch on the original. The band sounds great when they rock on, and Shelby sings loud and passionately, so I can’t quite figure out why it’s not as good as it appears on paper. For all that, it is very good and does raise the level again after the previous couple of songs. I think having Prince solo on the guitar certainly helps in this respect. 

 

A couple of excerpts follow, firstly a few seconds of “Love Changes,” then some funky guitar riffing on Kiss. Then we are back in business proper as Prince tears into “Alphabet St.” It’s one of those times where I can’t help but love it. Firstly, Prince stops and lets Josh play that bassline, and it sounds fantastic. Then the band rejoins and things begin to pop and swing. Maceo joins the fray and puts his trademark sound all over it, upping the funk levels considerably. In fact, to my ears, Maceo pretty much owns the song, even when Prince is grooving on the guitar it’s still Maceo’s sound that I am listening to in the background. 

The horns remain the center of attention well into the next song which is “Get On The Boat.” It becomes a party jam with the horns providing the lead riff that everyone else plays off. Prince does break it down for chanting and singing and it’s obvious that he is getting into party mode at this stage. Renato adds some delicate funky notes while Prince sings with the crowd. The chanting does wear out after a minute, and the band returns with a sound that takes a different twist, it seems to have more of a flourish to it. 

I am less than impressed as I hear them begin to play “Love Rollercoaster” next, however, it is kept mercifully short and they quickly segue into another song I dislike, “Play That Funky Music.” I am pleasantly surprised though, there is very little singing and it quickly becomes an exercise in Prince’s guitar playing. He plays lead and without ever getting overly heavy he plays some very fast and sharp runs. If it was always like this, I would much prefer it. 

Prince next takes his time to address the audience, telling them to look after Amy Winehouse, before telling them it was time to mellow out before taking public transport home. He then proceeds to hit us with a rocking version of “Anotherloverholenyohead.” The singing is great, as is the band, but once again it’s the guitar break that seals the deal for me. Prince was very fond of playing this rocked-out version at the time, and I must say it is something I take a great deal of joy from. I also like the Rock Lobster coda he throws in, something I grew up listening to a lot. 

We stay with this rock sound, although Prince slows it down for a smoking rendition of “Villanova Junction.” As the sounds of Morris Hayes simmer underneath, Prince lays on the guitar sound. Like so many other songs, I could listen to this one all night long and I would never tire of it, so I am somewhat disappointed as it draws to a close after a few minutes, if it had been twice as long I would be a very happy man. 

Guitar strapped on, we steam into “Peach” next. It offers nothing new at all but is infused with infectious energy. I should be sick of it by now, yet tonight I find I enjoy it just as much as anything else, and it’s easy to imagine Prince playing this with a big sloppy grin on his face. 

 

“Stratus” seems to usually arrive earlier in these shows, tonight we get it towards the end. Tonight it’s Renato’s playing that I enjoy the most, he solos for the first half of the song, and he seems to capture the mood of the piece just right. The second half is a contrast with Prince’s guitar doing all the talking. He has the same spirit as Renato but injects it with a lot more passion and fire. The two complement each other very well, and for me, it shows the strength of the band. 

The steady sound of “The Question Of U” sounds, and after the sombre guitar opening, Mike Phillips plays some soulful saxophone that sets the tone for what comes next. Prince quietens the crowd, having them snap their fingers, and I can hear the emotion fill the gaps. “The One” follows, and as always I sit open-mouthed and listen to it. It’s a fantastic song, and it deserves much more attention than it gets. Prince's singing is the only thing that matters throughout the song, and he does some great screams that convey the emotion of the song. Maceo plays after Prince has sung, he is good, but for me, the best part of the song has already been. Likewise, Renato’s playing is fine, without ever coming near what the earlier part of the song was like. Things get back on track as Prince's guitar plays “The Question Of U” refrain to bring the song to a close. 

It’s a very funky bass run that signals the beginning of “What Have You Done For Me Lately.” It’s shaping up to be particularly funky as Prince talks to the crowd and stretches the intro out with some more guitar. It’s got a lively sound as the girls begin to sing, and it gets better as the horns join the fray. It easily grooves into “Partyman,” and it’s at this stage I feel we are into the medley that will carry us to the finish. 

The crowd mostly sings “Partyman” while the horns provide the main riff. It’s upbeat and fun, although it doesn’t have any shape to it, and for me, it swirls around a lot without ever going anywhere. Maceo is the best part of the whole thing, his playing is exciting and energetic, and listening to this makes me want to dig more into his catalogue. 

“It’s Alright” is the final song of the evening, although to be honest by this point I am tired of this party medley to finish, I much preferred the heavier emotional songs earlier in the night. It is an upbeat way to finish the show though, and I can hear plenty of whops and cheers as the song and the show come to a finish. 

This show has proved to be a mixed bag. The first few songs were top-notch, I can’t fault them in any way and if the whole show had been at this standard we would have something special on our hands. The show is overly long, and there is a little too much Shelby J and filler.  However, the highs were superb, and I would happily listen to them any day. This is a show where I will cherry-pick the best songs for playlists.  The highlight for me was the appearance of Amy Winehouse, and listening to her sing with Prince only served to remind me of what a huge loss she was. When I remember her I shall remember her like this, in her element singing her wonderful songs. 

London 12 September 2007

 I liked the 21 nights in London shows. They were aimed at the masses, yet the set lists varied every night, and there was just enough there for more serious fans. This show from the 12th of September 2007 is a favorite of mine. Again, it was a show I was lucky enough to attend, but after repeating listening on CD, and watching the DVD I find that it’s not just the thrill of being there, this is a very good show and worthy of repeated listening. As with the previous recording from the 21 nights that I covered, I apologize in advance if I stray from purely the recording onto some more personal observations. For me, this is a total package. 

12 September 2007, O2 Arena, London 

The hall of fame opening gets tiresome if you trawl your way through all the recordings from this run of concerts, but on the DVD I am watching I find it’s a nice inclusion. The familiar talking heads gushing about the genius of Prince is quite touching, and I find I enjoy it more now than I did at the time. I don’t have the urge to skip it, and it’s a fitting introduction to the show. 

 

Opening the show is “1999.” It’s played exactly as is on the album, with the robotic voice beginning. It’s a fine choice to open with, and serves as a good ‘on your feet’ type number. Prices vocals sound thin on the recording, whereas Shelby J sounds big and bold. My ears do adjust to the sound, and it’s not too bad. This is not a soundboard recording, but for an audience recording, it’s not too bad at all. The keyboards do carry the bulk of the song, I certainly hear them a lot better than any other instrument on stage. I love the sound of Prince's funky guitar, but it isn’t heard much here at all, just a little near the end of the song as the band quiets down as Prince sings “Mommy, why does everybody have a bomb” The song ends with Prince calling “London, I am here, where are you” 

There is plenty of nostalgia early on, the very next song is “I Feel For You.” It has plenty of pop and sparkle, even after all these years. I hear much more Shelby on it than Prince, but she does a good job, and she doesn’t take over the song, Prince is much more in the mix as the song progresses. The horn section gives it a brassy sound, as you might expect from a horn section. 

Things move along at a fair clip as we segue into “Controversy.” I enjoy the electric sound of it on record, but this performance has lots of horns and backing singers which fill it out much more than the song I love from the early eighties. It’s very much played for audience participation, and Prince gets the crowd singing along early. This continues to the “People call me rude” sections he has them sing the lines back to him before the ‘Clap your hands, stomp your feet” becomes the chant from him and Shelby. The horns get a nice break, and then this is further emphasized when just the drum plays while they jam some more. I am not a big fan of it, but next Prince calls for Maceo to solo, and this blows the doors off it. He sounds awesome, and I have a whole new appreciation for horns. I can see why the man is a living legend. Maceo plays for a good minute, and he is going to town on it. Prince changes tack shortly after by asking the crowd if they know about the Quake, before encouraging them to jump up and down. As always, I am not a fan of this. It would be fine if you were at the show, but on the recording, it leaves me feeling shortchanged. Luckily he only does it briefly before closing the song out. 

 

A bit of blues next as Prince and Renato Neto start a smoky rendition of “Satisfied.” It feels like quite a jump after the last few numbers, but it's par for the course at a Prince concert. Prince plays up the song as much as he can, and you can hear the audience reacting to him as the song progress. With just him and the organ, it’s the lyrics that matter most, and the crowd is hanging on his every line. Mike Phillips breaks up the proceedings with a sharp-sounding sax solo. It’s not my cup of tea, but I do like it when Prince ends the solo with a few screams of his own. There is plenty of humor in the performance when Prince runs through ‘the rules’ He begins with “Can I talk to just the ladies” which immediately brings forth plenty of screams and whoops from the crowd. He then runs through the rules, such as “learn to work the toilet seat, if it’s up, put it down” He half sings, half speaks, and as he runs through his lines I can’t help but laugh out loud. It’s all funny because it’s true. He ends it with one more “satisfieddddddd” and the steady beat of “Cream” begins. 

It doesn’t sound great on this recording, the beat is too insistent, and I find it’s all I concentrate on. The band plays well, and Prince sings well, but the mix has me scratching my head. Prince saves the song somewhat with his brief but worthwhile guitar solo. For a few moments I stop concentrating on that beat, and I enjoy the song. The last couple of minutes of the song are decent, and I am happy as it transitions to “U Got The Look.” 

“U Got The Look” isn’t too guitar-heavy. With only Prince on guitar, there is a little more space, and I enjoy the drumming much more. Prince keeps a good rhythm line going on his guitar and it’s not too loud or distortive, but it does have a nice little buzz to it. His solo is reined in, and surprisingly I enjoy it just as much as this. He plays sharp but not too extravagantly. 

“Musicology” is neither here nor there. It’s not good enough for me to enjoy it, yet there’s nothing bad about it. The song moves along, but it never moves me. I do like it as Prince moves around the band for each of them to play. The drums and trombone In particular I enjoy the most. Things take a very interesting turn as Prince injects “Prince And The Band” into the song. It takes my brain a few seconds to register what I am hearing, but yes, Prince And The Band is a nice fit for it musically. “Ohh Funky London” is the next chant we hear. But after listening to quite a few of these concerts, it’s something I could happily pass on. The crowd sounds like they are enjoying it, and it certainly achieves its goal of getting the audience involved. Greg Boyer ends the song with a funky few seconds of the trombone. A song of ups and downs, the jury is still out on this one. 

Next is the highlight of the show for me, the Prince piano set.  Prince prefaces it by telling us what a beautiful thing music is, and how a little music can make everything all right. The first song in this piano set is “Little Red Corvette.” “Little Red Corvette” has taken on many guises over the years, but I always enjoy a piano rendition. The crowd enjoys it too, and they sing along. Prince’s vocals don’t sound 100% focused on the music, but his piano playing is delicate and sweet. He toys with the audience a little before the song ends with a cheer. 

I am not a great fan of “I Would Die 4 U,” but the piano arrangement played here is my favorite version of all time. I love this part of the recording. Prince starts singing and playing quietly and softly singing but after the first verse he starts playing the keys harder and harder, his head starts bobbing and the song becomes much stronger. His vocals take on that impassioned sound (real or faked) and it’s got an emotional feel to it. It’s a shame it’s only a minute, but it’s a great part of the show for me. 

 

“How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore” has long been a stalwart of the piano set, and here is no different. I still enjoy it, but it’s no different from any other version I have heard. The quiet bits are quiet, and the loud whiny bits are still loud and whiny. Everything is as it should be. I am impressed that he doesn’t shorten it here at all, and he plays it right through to the fade-out of “Why don’t you call me sometime…” 

Another great song follows with “Something In The Water.” For me, there is plenty of emotion in the song as Prince plays it alone at the piano. The stripped-back sound leaves just Prince’s voice to listen to, as there is very little happening at the piano. His vocals don’t have the cold empty sound of the 1999 recording, they are richer as he plays with the arrangement. It’s not outstanding, but it is very good. 

There is a real 1999 flavor as he follows this with “Delirious.” I dislike this song, but I find that in the piano set that it is very fun and enjoyable. If it was like this more often I could warm to it. Its rockabilly sound comes through well on the piano, and you get the sense that it was written in this way. 

Another 1999 treat next as Prince plays “Free.” Not one of the stronger tracks on 1999, it gets much more of my attention on this recording as it’s played surrounded by other piano tunes rather than surrounded by the cold electro-funk of the 1999 album. Prince plays it delicately and it lacks some of the cheesiness of the recording. This is a great piano set, and it’s a pleasure to hear so many songs from 1999 get an airing. 

 

Darkness, then the sound of the introduction of “If I Was Your Girlfriend” – ‘look at the bargains over here ladies.” I become excited at the prospect of hearing “If I Was Your Girlfriend,” but it quickly changes to the chant of we will rock you. This flows nicely into an up-tempo bright brassy sounding “Let's Go Crazy.” I am not crazy about the song, but it does fill me with the hope that we might hear the set similar to the super bowl set. The horns keep it moving brightly along, and with the keyboards, it has a very full sound. Prince does play his breaks, but they are somewhat overshadowed by the band, and this is further heightened when he does some call and response with the crowd which seems to take more attention away from his playing. 

There is the fanfare of “1999” and Prince keeps the party going with “Baby I’m a Star.” We are getting the super bowl set, and I’m pretty damn happy about that. “Baby I’m a Star” is just a transition song, and we are very quickly into the next song. 

 

“Proud Mary” is up-tempo and mostly horns. As with “Baby I’m a Star” it is very short, no more than a verse and chorus before the music turns around and we get something darker and slower. 

Prince begins “All Along The Watchtower” with a nice guitar break. I say nice, but I mean great. He plays much longer than he does at the super bowl show, his guitar playing goes for perhaps a minute before he sings. He makes the guitar moan and whine, and it’s a more expressive solo. There’s nothing fast in it, just song clean drawn-out notes. Already it’s on my highlights reel of this show. I am so used to hearing the soundboard quality of the super bowl show that at first, I find Prince’s vocals a touch off here. But that’s the recording, rather than Prince himself. He sings the first verse before the music takes an upswing and the next highlight strikes us. 

“The Best Of You” sounds just as good at this show as it did at the super bowl gig. Sure there isn’t the added intensity of the falling rain, but Prince has his funk face on as he contorts himself with the guitar sound. I would have liked to hear the guitar clearer, it’s mixed in with the rest of the band, but the song does sound good, and it’s worth it just for the showmanship. 

 

“Take Me With U” follows on, and it feels light and breezy after the heavy guitar tones of “All Along the Watchtower,” and “The Best Of You.” It’s not quite as poppy as it sometimes sounds, there is too much in the sound, but the crowd is enjoying it, I can see plenty of hand waving on the DVD. Prince’s vocals are a little ragged, which is unusual, normally his vocals are crisp and clear. 

The opening strum of “Guitar” keeps the tempo and vibe up. Prince sings, but I’m not interested at this stage, I want to hear what he can do with his guitar. Like the previous song, his vocals still sound rough so it is a relief when he stops singing and moves into Guitar God mode. His guitar breaks aren’t on the great level, but they are lots of fun, and a good listen. The advantage of the DVD is I can see how much he turns it on for the crowd and it’s about the show as much as the playing itself. And on a personal note, when I was at this show there was a guy in front of me with his young daughter, and as he came to our side of the stage he saw her and gave the biggest nod and wink before pulling out another face-driven solo. The song finishes with Prince standing still and delivering one final guitar break. 

The songs from “Let's Go Crazy” to “Guitar” had been played without break, so it’s somewhat of a relief when Prince pauses to address the crowd. He breaks things up with his patter “what can I play next, I got too many hits” The opening strum of “Kiss” ends this moment and he gives us a very smooth rendition of “Kiss.” The first part of the song I don’t find very interesting, but I do like it much more when he picks up his guitar for a funky rhythmic break. He changes the “You don’t have to watch’ line to “Big Brother” thus firmly dating this as a mid-2000s performance. 

 

“Purple Rain” is one of the weaker songs on this recording. The mix seems to be all out, it opens with the keyboards, but they feel out of balance, and things don’t improve when Prince sings. For most of the song, it sounds to me like Prince's voice is overtaken by the keyboard.  It doesn’t have the clean sound I associate with it, the sound where I can hear every instrument playing together, instead it sounds like they are thrown up against each other and it’s a battle to who will be loudest. I cross my fingers that it will improve when Prince starts his guitar break. It does improve, Prince’s guitar is much louder and cuts across everything else. And what I like is that he is playing it on the Horner, which to my mind is the way it should be played, as that is how it was originally recorded. Prince keeps the guitar break modest, and the crowd is soon singing their “oowww owww ooooswws”. All in all the song is kept very short and tidy. 

There is now a break before the band return for the first encore. The encore begins with the song “Chelsea Rodgers” which sounds like a classic pop song here. It begins with some nice bass and threatens to be funky, but when the band joins it becomes very pop. I do like the song, and this is a good performance of it. Prince's vocals aren’t heard very well, I can hear Shelby J better than him. The horn lines aren’t as intrusive as I expect, they lack sharpness, but they do have a break which gives them a chance to be heard. Maceo gets another break later in the song as does Greg Boyer on trombone, and both of them sound great to my ears. 

Prince calls for the lights to be turned off, and we hear the synthesizer sound of “Sexy Dancer.” The music is “Sexy Dancer,” but it's “Le Freak” that Shelby and the band sing over it. Prince himself doesn’t sing, but he does provide the rhythm guitar underneath. There’s not enough Prince in the song for my liking, it’s all Shelby and the horns, with Prince calling the shots. Renato does play a solo on the keyboards, it's note-perfect but fails to move me. Things improve immensely when Prince plays, we have a minute of funky rhythm guitar before the band moves back in. The song finishes with Prince's rhythm guitar and the band. 

 

“Play That Funky Music” finishes before it begins. The rhythm guitar kicks off nicely, but after the band joins in Prince ends it after only a few lines. It’s not a must-listen-to me, so I am not too upset by it at all. 

Shelby J comes to the spotlight again as she leads the band through “Crazy.” I like her vocals a lot, and she does a fine job singing this. As much as I enjoy it, once again there is very little Prince in it, so I find my attention waning. I love the vocoder sound playing in the background, and this is one part of the song I listen to the most. Shelby then proceeds to sing “I Can’t Get You Out of My Head,” but here I feel she overdoes it, and it’s not as good as the original. With a final shout-out to Shelby from Prince the song ends. 

Prince then comes back on to the microphone for “Nothing Compares 2 U.” It’s very much Prince’s song, but he only sings every second line here, preferring to let the crowd do the rest. It’s great for the crowd, but a frustrating listen here at home. Mike Phillips improves things no end with a fantastically enthusiastic sax solo. He gives it all he’s got, and it’s the best part of the song in my eyes. Prince then sings one more chorus with the crowd before the song ends. This song could have been so much more, but it feels like they skimmed over it a bit, the only thing that stood out was that great sax solo. 

The main show proper ends at this stage, but Prince does return for another encore with a sampler set. As you well know it’s going to be a lot of teases and short snippets, but we will give it a listen anyway. 

The first song to get an airing is “Sign O The Times.” Prince doesn’t mess around too long at the start and surprisingly sings the whole first verse before we jump right into “Pop Life.” 

“Pop Life” is another surprise, he doesn’t tease it at all and sings the entire verse and a chorus. Being the sampler, the music sounds exactly as on record. Prince sings from his stool, and freed from any instrument engages the audience with lots of eye contact and waving. 

“Mountains” is another pleasant surprise to my ears. Unfortunately, this time it is a tease, before just a few moments of “Irresistible Bitch” is played. 

“When Doves Cry” fairs a little better, Prince does sing the first verse and a chorus. As always I am hungry for more, but Prince moves on. 

The opening of “Erotic City” has me disappointed, as I know there was no way he was going to play it. Sure enough, after a few bars, he moves into something more suitable to his current convictions. 

“Alphabet St” has the crowd dancing. Once again there isn’t too much I can say about it, as it too only has the opening verse. It is good while it's there, but it's barely there at all. 

Prince takes the cheers of the crowd, before telling them “I gotta do this for me” and the funky shuffle of “D.M.S.R.” begins. Another 1999 song, it has me overjoyed. As is the way of the sampler set, I get my hopes up, and then it fades away. I am just thankful we get the first verse as we do. 

“Raspberry Beret” probably gets the best of the sampler set. Prince has the beat playing on the sampler but then plays piano live over the top of it, which gives it a nice simple feel. He trades lines with the crowd, for the first verse, and then finishes the chorus, and the song with the audience singing “I love her” and him replying “I love you too” There's nothing great musically here, but it is a nice way to finish the show with the audience. The recording and the concert end at this point, with no bombastic finish, just this easy sentiment. 

Asides from the sampler set, I thought this show was great. It can be broken down section by section, he started with a block of hits, then a nice piano set, the Superbowl set, a block of guitar-heavy songs, a dancey/party encore, and then the sampler set. Purple Rain was a disappointment as was the sampler, but everything else was about as much as I could ask for, especially hearing so much off the 1999 album. If I was choosing a good main show to listen to, I would choose this one. The fact that I was there is just the icing on the cake.