Brisbane 18 May 2012

 The Welcome 2 Australia concerts are normally a run-through of the hits, yet there are several special moments in the tour that make the circulating bootlegs interesting. The guest appearance of Public Enemy is one such moment, as are a couple of excellent after-shows currently circulating.  I have already written about the aftershow played on the same night as this concert, and I have it on good authority that the main show was just as good as the aftershow. A quick run-through of the setlist confirms this, I see "Empty Room" and "Extralovable" there, two songs that I need to hear. The recording is an audience recording, but Eye records have put together a complete package with the soundcheck, main show, and aftershow all presented together, something that I greatly appreciate. The completest in me is more than happy with the quality of recording when it comes all together like this. 

18th May 2012, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane 

The concert has a somewhat unusual beginning with Andy McKee playing an acoustic rendition of “Purple Rain”. It doesn’t feel like the beginning of the Prince concert, the crowd is quite chatty through his performance – although I do find their singing along with guitar endearing. It is an odd way to open and when Prince takes the stage there are further surprises with his first number being “Jam Of The Year”. It is one thing to read it on the liner notes, quite another to hear it, and I must admit I get a lot of pleasure from this version. The band plays it with a lighter touch than what was heard at The Jam Of The Year concerts, and there is a buoyant sound provided by the keyboard and horns. The dreariness of the late ’90s is all but forgotten with this luminescent performance. 

It is disappointing that the next few minutes can’t match these opening songs for interest. “$” and “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” are lighthearted, but instantly forgettable. Even listening to the bootleg, there is the feeling that we are being short-changed and Prince has so much more that he could have offered up instead. 

“Let’s Go Crazy” is one of the overplayed hits that the more hardcore fans rail against, but in this case, it serves its purpose in igniting the crowd and the concert. Prince’s guitar has an ominous tone through the introduction that hints at darkness, but once the song starts the curtain opens on music that is filled with warmth and pop fizz. Even if the song is played straight, the crowd can still be heard rising to the occasion, and shorn of its final guitar break it becomes an altogether more danceable number. 

 

Dance is the theme of the moment and “Delirious” is in the same vein. It is a lot of fun, the music skips by in a hurry, barely pausing, and it is only the solo by Mr. Hayes that makes it something substantial. This keyboard runs from a flowery opening to a percussive finish, leaving little doubt about the abilities of Mr. Hayes. 

The reprise of “Let’s Go Crazy” see’s Prince return to the guitar, and this time the sheering guitar finish is present and firmly sets the tone for the next few songs. 

With the energy levels remaining high, the band storms through “1999”. They show no regard for the history of the song, everyone is in the moment and the performance brings it firmly into the present. It is far more organic sounding, and the band injects it with their own life, giving it a contemporary feel that carries the song well across to the crowd. 

What can I say about “Shhh” that hasn’t been said before. Prince and the band play every song at the concert well, but “Shhh” is the song that they truly inhibit and the performance that follows is the most soulful part of the show. The first versus crackle and fizz with unresolved tension before the song boils over with a volcanic solo from Prince. It begins with the dense haze of an ash cloud, before Prince turns it up to an eruption of boiling lava, every note coming as part of an unending fiery river. 

 

The guitar doesn’t let up as Prince plays a hard and heavy “Anotherloverholenyohead”. It certainly is a heavy hitter, and Prince comes out punching from the start with several strong jabs from his guitar. The rest of the song lives up to these opening moments, and although not as soulful as “Shhh”, it is every bit as intense. Of special note is Prince’s solo midsong, although not the best recording we can still hear the intensity of the moment. The “Rock Lobster” coda he ends with is right up my alley, this is exactly the type of music I gravitated to before I discovered Prince and the several minutes he spends shredding through the song has me feeling like a teenager. 

As if the last three songs haven’t been guitar heaven enough, Prince chooses to finish with one of his show stoppers – “Empty Room”. This is the moment I have been waiting for and the reason that my friend Marti recommended this concert to me. It lives up to the occasion, and even with some audible crowd noise, I am transported away on the wings of Prince’s soaring guitar. The verses lose some power due to the audience chat, no doubt this song isn’t familiar to casual fans, but every other part of the song is divine and I am immediately grateful for the recommendation. 

 

The sampler set that follows is a buzz kill, although it begins well with an ever-youthful “When Doves Cry”. Even as part of the sampler set it’s hard not to like it, the beat and main hook as irresistible as ever. 

The funk gets stronger with a brief “Nasty Girl” serving as a doorstep into “Sign O The Times”. The latter has an insistent bass that nails it firmly to the dance floor and propels the concert forward.  Prince follows this with two more songs from the same album, “Hot Thing” and “Forever In My Life” might come from different ends of the spectrum, but they are both forever tied together by the groundbreaking album they first appeared on. Hearing them side by side heightens the contrast between them, leaving the fact that they are from the same album all the more amazing. 

“A Love Bizarre” and “Darlin Nikki” are merely tasters before we have something more nourishing in the form of “Pop Life”. It does indeed have that pop, but it isn’t as filling as it promises and Prince ends it at the first chorus. 

There comes another flurry of songs with “Housequake”, “Extralovable” and “Pheromone”. The titles promise so much, but it is a false hope as Prince skips through them. I am particularly disappointed with “Extralovable” when I saw it listed I was hoping for something substantial, but I can’t say I’m too surprised to see it treated like this in the sampler set. 

This set ends with “Dance For Me” as Prince calls the band back on stage. It's little more than a pounding beat and a chance for the band to rejoin the fray. 

The “I like funky music” chant has the band introduced by Prince, and in this case, it is Ida who is the highlight, she may not be loud and forceful, but she is undeniably funky. The rest of the band follows her lead, and although Prince doesn’t sing the song is one of the funkiest of the evening. 

 

“Take Me With U” is light, even by its own standards, and it is merely a piece of fluff on this recording. Raspberry Beret is equally pop, but more rewarding as it runs substantially longer and features Prince singing “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC (now there’s something I never thought I’d write). It is only the chant that features at the beginning, but it does make for an arresting moment. 

An unsophisticated  “Cream” follows and although the crowd loves it, it is hardly essential. The keyboard wheeze of Morris Hayes is great, but it is submerged beneath the bright and breezy band, dissipating any backbone he may bring to the song. 

Morris Hayes underpins all that is great about “Cool” and “Don’t Stop Until You Get Enough”, it is his keyboard swells that lift the song and carries it forward. It is equally a chance for the singers to have their moment, and Shelby, Liv, and Elise are just as essential to the song as Prince. After the sampler set, this comes as a reward, a six-minute rendition that reignites the party. 

Prince returns to the keyboard, this time for a piano set, and this part of the gig shines as for the next few minutes he plays delicate renditions of some of his finest ballads. The opening minute of “Purple Rain” is every fanboy’s dream, but “Diamonds And Pearls” is even better as Prince begins to sing. Both these songs are heavily abridged, and it is only as he tackles “The Beautiful Ones” that the crowd is treated to something special. The piano is more colorful, the singing slower and less intense, yet the song is just as riveting as it is on record. 

“How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore” struts across the stage, all swagger and spit as Prince brings a bold attitude to the performance. A song that we have heard countless times, this rendition holds my attention through the entire song and is a healthy update of a classic. It is one of the key songs of the concert, which is surprising for a 30-year-old B-side. 

The piano continues with a flourish and sparkle as the opening of “Purple Rain” is heard. It is played as the epic power ballad it is, the crowd singing their piece from the opening moments while the keyboards drape ever morphing chords over it, letting the song build slowly into its true form. This is my “Purple Rain”, nothing is rushed and Prince pulls every strand of emotion from the song as he talks to the crowd, plays an emotive guitar break, and generally turns it into an unforgettable event. All this emotional energy is finally released with his heartbreaking guitar solo that is both forlorn and life-affirming at the same time. I don’t know about the crowd at the arena, but I feel drained by the end of it. 

There is a chance to recover with an easy listening “Everyday People” ushering in the encore. There’s nothing too demanding to be heard and it slides by easily, which is just as well as the following “The Dance Electric” lives up to its name and is electrifying. It takes a minute to warm up, but once the band starts cooking it becomes one of the hottest songs of the concert. I would have liked to hear more of Prince’s vocals, but the groove and the guitar that flickers and flames beneath it are more than enough to satisfy, making this the standout performance of the night, and this bootleg. 

“Kiss” is a song without a center. All the components are in place, but it remains unfocused and passes by in a hazy blur. It is the final song of the evening but it doesn’t put an exclamation mark on the performance and is a wholly unsatisfying end to what has been a very good show. 

I am very quick to dismiss concerts from 2004-2012 as nothing more than greatest hits shows, yet time and time again I find that they offer something for even the most hardened fan. They aren’t as good as the after-shows of this period, but they do offer something for everyone. This concert didn’t immediately grab me when I first saw it, but I was drawn in by the quality of the performance, and there was just enough in the setlist to appeal to my jaded ears. Not a show I would immediately gravitate to, but I appreciate the recommendation and found it worth the time to take a close listen. 

Rotterdam 11 July 2011

 Before I take a listen to today’s show, I feel I must first apologize. Reading some of my more recent posts and comparing them to some of my earlier ones I see that my standards are slipping, and my recent posts have been shallow and empty. I read them, and I can see that I am not really feeling what I am writing. The problem is, like many people, I am very time-poor. You might think that it's easy to find a couple of hours to sit down and listen to a Prince show, but I barely have two hours to spare. Often I am racing against the clock, and I can see that my enjoyment and appreciation of the shows are dropping. So, instead of knocking this out quickly between other attention-grabbing activities, I am dedicating as much time to this as it takes. My doors are locked, my blinds drawn, and my mobile phone turned off. Prince and the third night of the North Sea Jazz Festival have my complete and undivided attention. 

I have quite a few Prince bootlegs, and there is plenty to choose from every time I have an urge to hear a live show. My criteria to decide on what to listen to are quite simple. The first and overriding consideration for me is the setlist. I want to hear something unusual, something I haven’t heard before- be it B-sides, deep album cuts, or unreleased tracks. Secondly, the intensity of the performance is important to me. Shows where Prince is on fire, and you can hear him singing and playing with a lot of passion. Thirdly, the quality of the recording. I can overlook this if the first two criteria are more than met, but if it's an average recording of an average show, then it's unlikely to get much play at my place. The last thing I look for is pretty shallow- a cool cover. Anything eye-catching and interesting, for example, any boot with a cover by The Reverend gets me interested. There is plenty of boots out there that look better than the album covers of Prince’s official albums, and that’s one thing that makes the bootleg scene interesting for me. 

This third show of the North Sea Jazz Festivals ticks several of the aforementioned boxes. The setlist looks great on paper, I see a couple of B-sides, some rare tracks, and a couple of internet-only releases, as well as an unreleased track -what could be better! I can’t comment on the intensity of the performance yet, but the quality of the recording is just fine, and the artwork is pretty to look at, so I have a confident feeling about the show. 

11 July 2011, Ahoy, Rotterdam 

Right from the start, the show lives up to expectations. “Laydown” is a song that sounds like it was written to open shows. Prince has so many great songs for opening a show, and this one is just as good as any other. What I like about it is that it’s a statement of intent from Prince. The sound of the music matches his lyrics, as he sings about laying it down there is an intensity that has me believing it. Even with it not sounding as sharp as I expect, I still find plenty to admire about it, and it does hook me. Prince’s guitar is to the fore, often I am torn between my love of rocking Prince and funky Prince, on this recording we start with rocking Prince, and that’s just fine with me. 

A sudden change of music and styles is common from Prince, and as a fan, I expect to hear a variety of styles from Prince throughout a show, throughout an album, and even within a song. He lives up to this as the intensity of “Laydown” quickly fades as the band lowers the mood with “The Question of U/The One.” The opening strains of “The Question Of U” sound, before the band quietens and Prince begins singing “The One.” “The One” is a fantastic song, and it's a shame it's not known by a wider audience. Sure, most Prince fans know and love it, but the “Purple Rain”/”Raspberry Beret” causal radio listeners never got a chance to hear this one, and that’s a travesty. Prince’s lyrics are clever and heartfelt, and at this show, he delivers his lines with a lot of passion that I don’t always hear in this song. Often he is very smooth as he sings it, here he is throaty and sings from a deeper place that gives me a sense that he singing for me as well as him. Maceo plays later in the song, at earlier shows he was outstanding, and in this song, he is much more restrained and sounds very good without ever taking over the song. It is to his credit that he plays within the song rather than over the top of it. I think the song is coming to an end, but Prince teases it out further, and it feels much more like an aftershow gig. He firstly plays some fragile-sounding guitar as the music comes up, and then after a couple of minutes steps back to let the band play -and play they do, the sound becomes freer as they progress. The music gains intensity as Maceo plays again, and then Prince returns with another guitar break that by now is sounding like a completely different song. The music pulls back once again, and over the top of “The Question Of U” Prince begins to sing the unreleased “Gingerbread man.” The lyrics are intriguing, a simple story of the “Gingerbread man” that with Prince’s vocal delivery sounds like it could mean so much more.  It is then that Prince brings out his secret weapon- Morris Hayes. Morris Hayes is the special ingredient of Prince’s band, even though it took me many years to recognize it. He has played with Prince for such a long time, and he delivers at every show, his playing filling out Prince's sound, and his solos are always right in the pocket. His playing should not be underestimated, and he deserves much more credit than he gets. I listen carefully to his organ break, and I have nothing but admiration for him. By now the song has been running for a good 15 minutes, and every minute of it has been worth the listen. Its Prince playing for the love of playing, and he is giving us a great vocal delivery, and some sweet-sounding guitar, while the band plays beautifully behind him. I am not sure the rest of the gig can match this, but I certainly hope so. 

 

Things stay on track as Prince next plays “When Eye Lay My Hands On U.” It is not the show stopper that the previous song was, the band is fine and so is Prince, it is just that I don’t enjoy the arrangement so much with Prince singing with the backup singers. Shelby is a shade too much for me, and I preferred earlier when I could hear Prince’s voice alone. I don’t have too long to think about this, as Prince begins to play his guitar, and with plenty of face pulling, he plays a very tidy solo. It is not one for the ages, I couldn’t pick it out of a line-up, but it's good in that it fits nicely in the song, and that is an art in itself. The second half of the song is much more to my tastes as Prince sings alone over a quieter band. I like that I hear his voice much better, and he adds some humanity and soul to a fairly clean-sounding song. It's enough to save it in my view, and he even adds some moans and howls that seal the deal. 

The song segues easily into “Brownskin,” with Shelby taking the lead on the vocals. This arrangement isn’t as intense as I have heard elsewhere, and usually, I dismiss it as a throwaway, at this show I like it much more, especially as Maceo comes and adds his sound to the mix. The song starts gently but soon is fiery and gains an added push as it goes. Prince is playing guitar, I can’t hear him in the mix, it is very much all Shelby and Maceo. Maceo’s second break is the one I like the best, it is a little longer, faster, and sharper. There is a bonus later in the song as Prince begins to play guitar matching Shelby’s vocals lick for lick. The song returns to its structure, but now I am satisfied as I can hear Prince much better and his guitar sound is what drives the latter part of the song. 

“Empty Room” sounds like the classic that it is. Prince’s opening guitar and vocals are soft and gentle before he ups the intensity and emotion. The music is good, but it is the lyrics, as well as Prince's guitar, that makes this song what it is. I can hear Prince's lyrics clearly, and the song gains a lot from that. He sings his lines with a full sound, before stepping back and playing his guitar, emphasizing the emotion with his playing while giving us time to digest his lyrics. The guitar and lyrics compliment each other well, both highlighting the emotion of the other. It is a fantastic balance, and even though I don’t always give this song a lot of thought, I can’t deny that it's great. 

 

“Calhoun Square” next, and even though we hear it plenty at aftershow gigs, it's still a surprise as he begins to play it here. It's missing something on this recording and I wonder if it's the sound or the venue. It's too relaxed sounding, that’s not a big criticism, it is just not as I usually hear it.  I can’t complain about the band sounding relaxed, they have sounded relaxed all show and it gives the sound of the show a joyful sound, the band sounds best when they are having fun. “Calhoun Square” feels very short compared to the previous songs, and it quickly ends as Prince stops and quickly speaks to the crowd. 

The following song is “People Pleaser” and Prince introduces Andy Allo to the crowd as she takes vocal duties. As a people pleaser myself, I like the title of this song, as well as the lyrical content. It sounds pretty good live, and Andy does a great job of getting it across to the crowd. Maceo also adds some weight to it with his playing, and it would be a pretty miserable sort of person that didn’t enjoy this song. It is not heavy with Prince, and not as funky as some of the other songs played tonight, but it does have its place in the setlist and gives us a fun break before Prince takes the show back. 

 

Prince claims the stage back in style as the opening riff of “She’s Always In My Hair” sounds. It is not as heavy as the 3rdEyegirl version of late, nevertheless, it’s still got Prince's distinctive guitar sound all over it. I find that even with Prince's guitar sound, there is still something missing. It’s too clean sounding to my ears and lacking that raw, impassioned sound. It's still great to listen to, and Prince's guitar break does have me smiling, yet it's much shorter than the current configuration and ends quickly after Prince's guitar break. It is a timely place to end, I am just hungry for more as Prince closes down. 

“Future Soul Song” pulls us gently into Prince's softer side. It is great to hear Prince play something off the current album at that time, and I applaud him for that, as it's something that doesn’t happen enough nowadays. I like it when Prince has confidence and faith in his current music and is wanting to share it with us. The song is very smooth, and Prince's spoken middle section adds to the gentle feel of the overall song. The band is quiet, and this only heightens the message Prince is singing. The guitar playing again has Prince pulling faces as he plays, and I can never quite decide if that means he is feeling it, or it is just part of the act. Although the singing is nice, it's Prince's guitar playing I keep coming back to, and he gives us another couple of guitar breaks, both short but heavy on his tone and feel. As a Prince fan, it is exactly as you might want to hear. The song ends just as softly as it began, it is not the most memorable song of the evening, but it is the most pleasant. 

 

I get a chance to collect my thoughts for a couple of minutes as Prince spends some time getting the sound just right on stage, he has learned his lesson from the first night. What happens next is a surprise and a casual moment that I appreciate. Prince begins to play, then tells the audience “this is what happens in practice” as he turns to John and talks him through the beat. The real surprise is what comes next as Prince begins to sing “Girl.” Now, this is one song I never expected to hear. An airy-sounding B-side, it stands up well in the live setting. I used to play this a lot in my early days, and I find myself singing easily along with it as they play. Prince sings the first verse, then the lovely Andy Allo sings the second, with the sweet lyric change of “boy..” The bass bobs along more prominently than in the original, and Prince adds a guitar sound, that although slight, fills it in a little more. Maceo has his horn also in the mix, and as much as I love it, I still think I prefer the original. With that said, I would love to hear more of it live, so Prince can do whatever he wants with it, so long as he plays it onstage. The latter part of the song is a very laid-back sounding groove, as Prince squeaks and tweaks his guitar. It is not captivating, instead just a lovely pleasant groove that has me in mind of a lazy Sunday. This feeling is heightened as Maceo plays the last minute, and for a second I close my eyes and imagine that I am in a Georges Seurat painting. 

 

A brief band intro and Prince tells us that the party is about to start “That kick drum ain’t going to stop.” The first song they play is “Partyman,” although I struggle to pick it, asides from the lyrics. Rather strangely Prince calls for the crowd to pull their cell phones out, this from a guy who is always telling us to enjoy the show in the old-fashioned way. It is just after this that the party begins, and Prince and the band hit their groove, with the keyboard horn sound especially prominent. I can’t complain about it all, but it's just not my thing, it's a little hollow and fake sounding. I change my mind somewhat as it drops to just the beat and the crowd very loudly sings “ohh way oohh” in a way that suggests that a great time is being had by all. 

What follows is “You’re The One For Me,” a song I didn’t previously know before I heard it here. Shelby takes the lead vocals, and it is a song that I immediately warm to and enjoy, I think I need to go back and hear the original of this. Once again, Prince introduces me to another song and act I hadn’t previously known. Prince plays guitar in the back half of the song, and he has that Santana sound that he often favors on the guitar. John Blackwell gets a chance to play a solo before the song moves on. 

 

With the kick drum still pounding, I am not the least bit surprised to hear “Controversy” next. What does surprise me is how fresh and raw it sounds here. Not raw in the rocked-out sense, rather it's the urgency of it that takes me. I find that in the last few years, about this stage in the show, Prince plays Controversy, and it is an uptempo dance number where the crowd gets to sing and jump. This performance gains some more of its funk sound, and the drum and synths are right in my ear, and they give it a big push. True to form, later in the song Prince has the crowd jumping up and down, but I am more than satisfied with what I have heard up until now. 

The kick drum continues as the keyboard sounds and Prince begins his spoken word intro to “Let’s Go Crazy.” It's disappointing that this is the arrangement of “Let's Go Crazy” that I don’t like. Prince and the band fair race through the song, and there’s not much left for me to enjoy. Prince sings the chorus a few times, briefly plays guitar, and then finishes it without a guitar break. It's a song I have heard thousands of times, so I didn’t feel I needed to hear a kick-ass version every night, but I would rather not hear it at all rather than hear this truncated version. 

“Delirious” is fun, as always, the band persists at breakneck speed, and I and the crowd both appreciate Prince's free spirit. Another aspect of the song I liked, was that the band got a chance to solo, only very briefly, but still they had that chance.  Prince then returns to “Let’s Go Crazy,” and this time he does close out the song with his guitar howling. 

 

The medley is dispensed with, and we again get a full proper song with “1999.” This is the type of “1999” I like to hear, there are no bells and whistles, and the song is heard just as it was 30 years ago (That sentence makes me feel old) The synths are nice and loud, and Prince sings in a strong voice. The only part that I would want to hear better is his rhythm guitar, but later in the song, I do indeed hear it much louder and clearer. Even played in full, the song still feels very short, and soon Prince is waving farewell to the crowd as the song ends. 

Prince takes a break now, and we get Maceo and the band playing “Pass The Peas.” It excited me, not one jot. It does have its time and place, but right now, listening close, it's something that I want to skip over to get to my next Prince fix. However the sound is good, the band is in fine form, and Maceo’s playing belies his age. 

 

Prince repays my patience with the always excellent “Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)” This was one song that I latched onto in my teenage years, and I am always thrilled to hear it live. Prince sings at the microphone, leaving the piano to be played by the band. I get the feeling that it maybe would have been better with him at the piano, as his hands move and swing with the music, making it look like a dance song rather than a plea to love lost. His vocal performance cannot be faulted and even though it is not as emotionally wrought as I like, it is still excellent. Prince ends the song by confirming that it is Cassandra on the keys. 

Another emotional love lost song next, this one has a completely different feel to it though, as Prince and Shelby give us a sonically full “Nothing Compares 2 U.” This song doesn’t mean as much to me as the previous song, and yet I can’t help but feel the emotion in it. Both Prince and Shelby are in fine voice, and they more than do the song justice. Asides from Shelby and Prince, the other highlight of the song is the Morris Hayes organ solo. He is great, and I am listening to him more and more carefully on every recording. 

 

There is barely enough time for us to catch our breaths before the band pound into “Take Me With U.” It is not a classic performance of it, but I haven’t heard it for a while, and I find myself easily enjoying it. Andy is stronger sounding on the mic than Apollonia ever was, and the song is sounding much stronger and fuller overall. 

The old one-two punch follows with “Raspberry Beret” very naturally coming next. There is plenty of space for the crowd to sing, but they are sounding rather quiet by this point. Perhaps the recording isn’t picking them up, or maybe they are jaded and a little over the “Take Me With U/Raspberry Beret” combo, much like myself. Prince still seems to be enjoying it, and it is uplifting to see him still playing pure pop. 

“Cream” has a strong Maceo presence, and it feels so natural and good I am wondering why this arrangement wasn’t played more often. Prince doesn’t sing too much, only the first verse and chorus, and from then on it's all Maceo. It is a good use of the sax, and something I find interesting. 

“Cool” is absolutely timeless. Prince does more than enough to reclaim the song, and he is indeed the epitome of cool as he sings and struts across the stage. The almost obligatory “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” is thrown into the song, and the band is sounding like they are having a lot of fun onstage. The groove comes effortlessly, and I could see the band just sitting on the groove for hours. After some time for dancing, Maceo gets a chance to play, and he gives a nice riff before Prince calls “Vegas” and the show comes to an end. 

I thought the second show of these three was outstanding, but in many ways, this one was just as good. It was a delight to hear some of these selections in a live setting, and in particular, I enjoyed hearing “Girl” live. There was a sense that perhaps Prince wasn’t entirely happy with the sound, but it certainly didn’t come across in the recording. All three of these shows had their unique character, and perhaps the best way to appreciate them is to listen to all three.  This one was my favorite, but any other given day I may well say the second night. 

Rotterdam 10 July 2011

 Following last week’s post on the first night of the North Sea Jazz Festival, this week I will be taking a listen to the second show. I would like to thank those that contacted me about the last blog post, especially Roy and John who were both at the show and provided me with some much-appreciated first-hand information. I was unaware that these Prince shows came after the main shows, and began after midnight. With that in mind, Prince is playing to a much more hardcore fan base, and I think that is reflected in the set-list of today’s show. The first show was plagued with sound issues, and the overall show was uneven. This second show has quite a few interesting song selections, and I am sure that with a good sound it will be an excellent show. I have heard many good things about this show, so I am eager to begin. 

10 July 2011, Ahoy, Rotterdam 

This is not your run-of-the-mill main show, and Prince lets us know that right from the start with his choice to open with “Joy In Repetition.” The opening bare piano playing to the hushed auditorium has a beautiful melancholy feel to it, and the swell as the rest of the band enter is equally clean, but brooding sounding. This is a fine choice to start with, and I’m sure many of the hardcore fans out there appreciate Prince’s intent. It would be easy to open with an up-tempo crowd pleaser, but this is a better choice for the audience and venue. Prince’s delivery is excellent, and he sings as if he is in a small club. There are times here that as I watch him, I can picture him delivering the same performance in the studio. His singing is very much part of the song, and it does sound as if he is living it and feeling it. I had expected him to sing with his guitar in hand, but instead, he clutches a small bunch of flowers in his hand as he sings, a much more feminine choice than the masculine guitar. Andy Allo is onstage drawing on her easel, and I could easily imagine David Bowie doing something like this in his stage show back in the 1970s and 1960s. Here it seems unnecessary and is out of place. I am disappointed to see that she has drawn the symbol, I was hoping for something more creative. I anticipate a great guitar solo from Prince, and I am surprised when he introduces Maceo for a solo on his saxophone. It’s not something I would want to hear every time I played this song, although I do like it here. Prince doesn’t let me down though and does bring out his guitar to play us out to the end of the song. The song ends with a sultry and alluring Prince and the bare beat. It’s an excellent opener and has set the bar high for the rest of the show. 

 

Andy Allo’s “Nothing More” throws me, for its similarity to “The Love We Make.” The music is close, and I temporarily start singing the wrong words as it begins. Andy’s voice seems very quiet, and although she sounds nice I wish she was a little louder in the mix. This point is highlighted by Maceo, as he begins to play he is nice and loud, and I find I am following him more than Andy’s vocals. Prince appears with his guitar, and the song very naturally becomes “The Love We Make.” Prince is in total command of his performance and he knows what the crowd has come for. He plays slow and takes his time with the guitar before he begins to sing. The difference between his vocals and Andy’s previous is quite glaring. He is much stronger on the microphone, and very confident and full sounding. I suppose thirty years of being a superstar will do that for you. This is another song that I often enjoy, both for the vocals, and the music. After being drawn in by the gentle melodies early in the song, Prince then unleashes his guitar break, and I find I mentally take a step back.  After listening carefully early on, I want to lean back and just soak up his guitar sound. 

Next, there comes another surprise as “Mountains” begins and Prince is joined on stage by Seal. I was going to say pleasant surprise, but I am less than impressed by Seal and his performance. He doesn’t sound great on the mic, and at times he seems to be mumbling. I’m not sure if he knows all the words, and he is mumbling to cover up. His voice initially isn’t strong, and I wonder if he is slightly hesitant. He does sound much bolder on the following lines, but I still don’t understand everything he is singing. Prince’s rhythm guitar is much more interesting to me, and after Seals exits the band begins to sing the song again from the beginning. Now it’s obvious Seal didn’t know the words, and I do feel for him. At least he made an effort, and his ad-libs will keep me amused on future listens. The song gets a lot of energy near the end, especially as Maceo begins to solo as the guitars get a nice rhythm going. The singing of “Come Together” at the end doesn’t do anything for me. Sure, the groove is still there, and it does add to the light atmosphere, it’s just that there is nothing very interesting going on for me to listen to. Prince does chastise the crowd for taking pictures and urges them to participate, and now that I am officially a grumpy old man, I agree with him. 

At this point, I must compare this show to the previous night. The first night Prince looked far more businesslike as he went about his playing, this second night he looks very much more relaxed, and you can hear that in the music, it does sound like they are having fun playing together. 

 

“Alphabet Street” has the crowd singing along to Prince and his guitar, and even as he speeds up they keep with him. The band enters and the song hits a deeper groove that sounds just like it did in the good old days. Prince plays a short honky tonk break as the organ leads the band in the groove. The song does get the extended treatment, and Prince strips the song back several times to encourage the crowd to sing. It’s all good fun, and I am ready for the next song by the end of it. 

Another treat for me next, as the bass groove begins for “Dear Mr. Man.” I am very surprised to hear it, and now that I am hearing it live I wonder why I don’t play it more on the album. Prince plays the bass himself and you can hear him adding his flourishes as Maceo plays a solo. He repeats the trick after another verse with Morris Hayes playing an organ break while he locks down the groove on the bass. I don’t just like this, I love it. And it gets even better for me when Prince begins to sing “If You Want Me To Stay.” This is one of my most played songs of all time, it’s on almost every playlist I make. To hear Prince sing it while playing bass is fantastic for me, and just when I think it couldn’t get any better, Prince plays a bass solo. This show is something else, and when Prince says “Ya’ll got the funky face, don’t ya” I swear he is talking directly to me. The song then finishes with Prince and Maceo playing side by side, and it’s a fitting funky finish for a funky song. 

 

Another funky cover version next as Prince sings “Stand!” Initially just him and his guitar, before the rest of the band join him later in the song. I prefer when it’s just him and the organ, and when the rest of the band joins in the song loses momentum. Order is restored when Maceo plays a staccato-sounding solo that sharpens the sound. 

Things take yet another twist as the song morphs into The Jackson's “I Want You Back.” Shelby takes the lead in the singing on this one, the beginning is very good, but she scats, raps, and talks later in the song and it loses some of its appeal. Prince singing the bass line though does make me smile and is a great touch, especially when the band stops and leaves just Prince singing the bass line to close out the song. 

 

There is a brief pause as Prince adjusts the onstage sound, but it’s nothing like the previous night's show, this time it’s just minor tweaks. The show resumes with a soft-sounding introduction to “When We’re Dancing Close And Slow.” It’s got a lush sound with plenty of atmospheric sounds to be heard. Prince’s vocals aren’t overly strong, but they are well worth listening to as he gives a beautiful clean performance. Andy serves as a counter-voice to Prince, and she trades verses with him. Again she is good, but she pales in comparison to Prince. Even when he is singing soft and slow there is a presence to his voice that Andy just doesn’t have. That’s no slight on her at all, she does a fine job, but she is no Prince. The song builds slowly, with Prince adding guitar lines and the piano playing an understated solo. It has a floating sound and feel to it, and I am impressed how Prince can create that feeling in a live situation. We float gently back to earth before a pounding beat moves things along. 

The next song is also sung by Andy Allo, and this time she wins me over completely. She sings “The Look Of Love,” and owns it. Having Maceo playing on it also adds to its depth and complexity and it’s the first Andy-centric song that I feel for. Her stage presence goes up several notches and she works the stage back and forth much better than previously. There is a more confident sound to her voice, and she is very a home in this song.  Prince doesn’t sing or play, so it’s even more surprising that I give this song plenty of praise. Maceo plays another hot-sounding solo, followed by a cooler one as the music slows down and the song comes to a gradual end. I wouldn’t have thought this would be a song I give attention to, so I have to hand it to the band, they got me on board for this one. 

Prince is again front and center and gives us a nice minute of guitar before the next song begins. Nothing too exciting, ‘nice’ more than adequately covers it, and it’s more for the benefit of the sound guys than for the audience. What follows is a stomping version of “Guitar.” “Guitar” is a little ‘by the numbers for my taste, its light and throw away, and yet I can’t deny it’s got an energy to it, and it certainly earns its place at this show. Knowing what is coming next, I can see that this is a transition song, signposting what is to follow. The sound is full, and there is the fat rock sound to the song that the recording picks up well. Prince's solos are solid and crowd-pleasing, and you get the sense that he is playing with a knowing smile. 

 

This show keeps delivering surprises, and what comes next is the best of them all. The band strips back to just a power trio of Prince, Ida, and John Blackwell and serves up some good old-fashioned rock. Ever since “The Undertaker,” there has been a chorus of voices online wishing for more of the same. Prince has done something similar in the Josh and Cora power trio after-show during his 21-night run in London, and this garnered a lot of online chat and excitement. In this show here the band strips down to a trio for only three songs, and it’s an exciting moment to hear these songs played in a raw form. The first played is “I Like It There” from his Chaos and Disorder album. Nowadays we have heard it a lot from the 3rd Eyegirl, at this Festival it’s still a rarity, and the crowd responds as such. The bass and the drums sound deep and heavy, and Prince emphasizes this with his strong guitar sound. His playing is loud and strong, it’s not free as you might expect, but it stays very heavy and in the rock vein. This song makes “Guitar” seem pale and weak in comparison. A great moment, and it’s about to get even better. 

Prince plays the opening to “Colonized Mind,” and I want to close my eyes and lean back and enjoy it. The guitar tone is much sharper than the previous two songs, and all the better for it. Prince is playing cleaner, and yet he sounds just as strong as ever. Less is more, and this is the song I prefer most in this selection of rock songs.  Princes’ playing is more emotional, and whereas in the other songs it sounds like he is playing for the sake of playing, here every note carries a weight to it. It’s so good I have to listen to it twice. 

 

“Bambi” is the obvious choice to round out this power trio segment. “Bambi” isn’t as heavy as I thought it may have been, I could easily name several other versions I prefer. It’s by no means bad though, and I do enjoy Prince’s soloing, especially later in the song when he plays lighter and faster. The song finishes with a couple of fast runs from Prince before his long howl brings this part of the show to an end. It was an interesting part of the show and something he has explored much more in the last couple of years with his 3rd Eyegirl band. 

Prince acknowledges the sound issues from the previous show with an apology to the crowd before they play a loose-sounding “Johnny B Goode.” Andy shares the mic with Prince, it's unfortunate that I can hardly hear her. It does improve as she sings alone, but then again she disappears as Prince begins to sing again. Maceo does a much better job at making himself heard, and his sax adds some nice top end after the previous guitar-heavy sound. Prince and the band blend “Peach” into the mix, and Prince plays a solo that sounds straight off the record. The sound strips back as the band play “Peach” and Prince has the crowd clapping and singing before he sings “Peach.” I am not so excited by the crowd singing “oowww weeee” but I do have a lot of time for Maceo as he plays a long solo. I am caught off guard as the song ends here, I was expecting it to go for some time, and I am again caught off guard as it starts again. I have been a fan long enough now not to be caught out by these things, or so you would think. 

 

Following all this noise, Prince takes another turn as he sings the classic “The Beautiful Ones.” He sounds great, not the same as when he was younger but still very good. This song has stood the test of time, and even if Prince’s voice isn’t as pure, he still gets plenty of emotion in there. The climax of the song is the part everyone is waiting for, and Prince does give his impassioned pleas to the crowd, without the shrieks and screams I had hoped for. As I said, he’s not a young man anymore, but he does give enough to the song that it strikes an emotional chord with me. 

Shelby implores the audience to put on their dancing shoes as the beat of “Dance (Disco Heat)” begins. It’s an ‘up’ way to finish the show and one last burst of energy from the band and crowd alike. The band keeps the groove going while Prince engages in some awkward-looking dancing. The song quickly segues into “Baby I’m A Star” without any let up in tempo or energy at all. This is a great song to finish the show with and harks back to some of his classic shows. The sound is good, and it is about now that usually, the band has a chance to show us what they’ve got. Instead, Prince sings the verses, engages with the crowd, and only leaves room for one quick solo and groove. Maceo does hit the groove in great style and this could have been drawn out so much more as we have heard in previous years. Prince elects not to do this, however, and instead, the song ends just as I thought it was really about to take off. Still, it’s a great end to a brilliant show. 

Listening to this show I can’t help but compare it to the first show. The difference between the two is night and day. Whereas the first show had its technical difficulties and the band sounded uptight, here the sound was sharp and the band played with a lot of confidence and freedom. I thought Prince's song choices were very good, and I like that he threw a power trio moment in the mix too. Not everything worked, but 90% of the show had me listening close and smiling. A nice comeback after the first show, and this one certainly lived up to the hype surrounding it. 

Thanks for reading, if you made it this far

Rotterdam 9 July 2011

 I seem to be listening to a lot of shows from 2010 and 2011 recently, and that will continue for the next few posts as I listen to the North Sea Jazz Festival shows from 2011. I missed a lot of shows between 2010 and 2011, at that time I separated from my wife, and in the same month my city was flattened by an earthquake- both events still impact my life daily. In 2011 listening to Prince and following his tours was far from a priority as I dealt with things on a day-by-day basis. Calmness has returned to my hometown now, and I finally have some time to go back and catch up with what I missed at that time. I had the shows, I just never got around to listening to them, so now as I pull them out, I find I am listening with freshness and new enthusiasm for what I am hearing. 

When Prince was at the peak of his powers in the 1980’s it would have been difficult to imagine him ever playing at a festival. He was too singular in his vision, and to see him on a bill with other artists would have been jarring. Of course, his tours celebrated his creativity and songs, and with his league of protégés and other projects, his concerts were a mini-festival of sorts, a festival of Prince. In recent years he has embraced festivals, in particular, 2010 and 2011 in Europe. 

These three shows at the North Sea Jazz provide an interesting mix of songs and styles. I do like that each of them has a sizable portion of songs that I could see lifted straight from a mainstream show, with some more interesting songs and moments grafted onto it. Also, every night is different from the other, and there are a few rarities in the mix that always keep me interested. This first show is not my favorite of the three, but I do have to start somewhere, so why not the beginning. So let’s wind back to 2011 and take a listen to the first night of the North Sea Jazz Festival. 

9 July 2011, Ahoy, Rotterdam 

I find the first few minutes of the show slightly usual, and a little confusing. The show starts with a comfortable beat, and the band plays a tepid version of “Foxy Lady.” You would think this would be tailor-made for Prince and his guitar histrionics, but he elects not to play, instead only appearing later in the song. Andy Allo handles the vocal duties, she does a serviceable job for a song that doesn’t seem to play to her strengths. The music behind her is insipid, the Hendrix guitar groove is carried by the bass, and an acoustic guitar that doesn’t give it the intensity of the original. I thought Prince could have used this song to make an immediate impression, but it’s all quite low-key -that is until mid-song when he finally appears and does indeed lurch into his guitar god mode. The latter part of the song is a definite improvement, Andy dispenses with the singing and Prince plays a guitar solo that you would expect. 

 

“Controversy” is much more conventional, although in the first minute of the song the Prince calls instructions to the soundman as he gets his set up on stage just right. It’s played as a groove with Prince playing his scratch guitar while chanting “Oh North Sea”. I like that he sounds relaxed, as asides from chanting he takes time to tell the crowd that he has plenty of surprises for the next few nights. He is having trouble with his sound as he calls again and again that the sound is too bright and brittle. For a perfectionist like Prince, I am sure it must be incredibly frustrating, and he does sound a little agitated as he strives for the right sound. These issues are resolved and he does begin to sing the song. The song sounds good to me, but the sound problems persist for Prince as he asks for the lights to turn down as again he calls for the sound to be adjusted “more bottom” Under normal circumstances, I would just like to hear the song, but I do listen with interest as Prince strives to get the sound right. You can feel that he is working hard on the stage. 

The “Sexy Dancer/ Le Freak” arrangement follows quickly on the heels of “Controversy,” and this time I am not the least bit surprised to hear it. With Shelby and Liv on the vocals, Prince retreats into the band, but this time he steps in after the first verse to play a tidy-sounding solo. He is much more in control at this gig, and his guitar playing is focused without being scorching. 

“(Theme song from) Which Way Is Up” is next, and this is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I can hear Maceo in the mix, and this is another song where the band is the real strength. Morris Hayes plays a solo, which I would like to heap praise upon if it was only more prominent in the mix. I am questioning Prince playing a song like this so early in the show, but to his credit, it is a jazz festival and I would assume the audience would be open to hearing much more than Prince playing the hits. 

 

I try very hard every week to enjoy “Play That Funky Music,” but I just can’t. The lyrics aren’t interesting, and the groove always sounds labored to me. This week’s arrangement is better, in that Prince plays a guitar break for most of the song, and listening to it I find my mind wanders from the main groove. The guitar break is as good as it gets, however, as they return to the chorus for a final refrain before the song ends. 

There is another odd twist as the band picks up the groove of “Controversy” again and Prince praises Maceo Parker in a speech to the crowd. This is a great moment, as Maceo lives up to all the hype and plays a scorching solo. The band is stomping and Maceo feeds off the energy and gets better and better as he goes. There is a good reason why Prince chooses to play with people like Maceo and Larry Graham. Not only does he learn from them, but he also introduces them to a new audience. But not only that, there is a reason why Maceo is a legend, his playing is fierce, and is a great addition to Prince’s band. 

 

Amazing how quickly my enthusiasm wanes, the next song is “Pass The Peas” with Maceo, and this time I am less enamored. Yes, I love Maceo and his playing, the problem for me here is that I have heard Prince and the band play “Pass The Peas” countless times, and I find very little in it that is new to my ears. Morris Hayes rescues the song somewhat, but not quite enough for me. However, there is a drum break and some more organ that sounds pretty cool, before the main groove resumes. 

The show loses its momentum next as Andy Allo sings “Let’s Get It On.” It’s nice enough, but nobody can touch the original. Her voice is beautiful and she is lovely to look at, it’s the choice of song I have trouble with. I can understand why Prince is giving her plenty of shine, and I wait patiently for the song to finish so we can get back to the Prince show proper. Prince does close out the song with some sweet-sounding guitar playing before the next song gets me up and out of my seat. 

 

I curse as “D.M.S.R” starts, the keyboards sound incredibly bold, and there is a great mix with plenty of bass and piano high in the mix. This is the Prince I signed up for back in the day, and I am overjoyed to hear “D.M.S.R” sound just as good as ever. Ida’s bass has great fatness to it, and I turn the stereo up to ‘neighbor annoying’ levels. The breakdown is my favorite part of the song, normally I’m not a fan of this part of the song -this time Ida has me completely revising my opinions. There is a further sound to listen to as Prince adds some percussion as the guitar and bass squelch along. This one I can feel deep inside of me.  Maceo gives the song some funk credentials as he adds his sound to the mix, and by now I am pretty close to heaven. What I wouldn’t give to be there. 

 

We go from funk with a capital F to some pure pop with “Pop Life.” Of his pop songs, this would have to be my favorite.  This arrangement is as we have heard previously from this period, after a poppy rendition of the first half of the song, the band then pulls back and plays a jazzy instrumental, with the piano featuring heavily. I love that Prince challenges the audience and widens their range. I know that he has introduced me to many new acts and genres that I would have never otherwise heard. The best thing is that as he changes he pulls us all along for the journey too. I have discovered so much music through him, and if I ever had a chance, this is what I would thank him for most. 

“Musicology” goes down a treat at this show. It’s tighter sounding than the Musicology tour, it’s still a jam, except without some of the excesses of those shows. Maceo is the star of the show, his horn is nice and loud and he gets plenty of time to play. There is another fun moment for me as Prince raps through “Prince And The Band.” I am never quite sure if I should take it seriously or not, but I always like to hear it. 

 

My recording is missing a couple of songs at this point, although I do have the full concert on other configurations, however, I am not too concerned as what comes next is fantastic. 

I was going to write off “A Love Bizarre” as Prince plays a long intro and asks Janelle Monae to join him. Boy, was I ever wrong, and this one is the highlight of the show for me. The sound is better than it has been at any other time in the show and after a lengthy guitar and drum intro, the song explodes. Everything brightens and at this point, the show sounds like it has finally turned into a party. Janelle sounds great with Prince and having Maceo in the mix is a real bonus. As Prince calls him, he steps out and shakes things up. This sounds great here at home, and the song becomes a loose jam. It rolls and rolls, and it holds my interest as it evolves. It does strip back to just guitar, drum, and audience singing and this is the great rock n roll moment that I look for in every show. There are the usual “Housequake” lines thrown in, followed by “jump up and down” but I completely forgive this as Prince plays a few seconds of funky guitar that jumps right out at me. 

 

I come back to earth as “Everyday People” begins and Larry Graham joins Prince on stage. I love Larry Graham, I love “Everyday People,” it’s just that I have heard it played in this way so many times that I am done with it, and I don’t feel the need to ever hear it at a Prince show again. That said, the song here is inoffensive and does keep the energy levels up at the gig. 

 

I get excited as Prince takes Ida’s bass and prepares for the next song. “Only Heaven Knows” isn’t familiar to me, but I hear a lot of the song “Johnny” in it. I am disappointed it’s not a bass-heavy song and Prince doesn’t work the bass as much as I was hoping. I do like the line “analog pimps and digital hoes”, asides from that it’s just a nice groove song. Some heavy keyboards keep me in the groove, and Morris and his organ are again well in the mix. Prince hits the effect pedal and plays a fuzzed-up sounding “America.” It is short, and the moment of the song that captures my attention the most. 

 

Every week I wonder how I am going to find something new to write about “Purple Rain,” and I know Prince must have the same problem finding a new way to make it interesting for himself too. This time we have Maceo playing over the introduction. I have heard Eric Leeds play a sax intro for Purple Rain, and I have to say I prefer Eric’s efforts to what we hear from Maceo here. I do applaud Prince and Maceo for making the effort to give us something different, but I don’t think Maceo adds anything interesting here. The verses are perfunctory, and I am waiting to see if Prince can find another level when he reaches the guitar break. The guitar break doesn’t reach the heights I’d hoped for and Prince compensates with his expressions as he plays. The sound is noticeable off through the song here, and it sums up how a lot of the evening has played out. 

 

“If I Was Your Girlfriend,” now this is more like it. Its sound is still off, but it does sound a lot bigger. Prince’s vocals do suffer, and I can understand why so many people complained about the sound through this gig. Ida’s bass should be the main component, and yet I can barely make it out, and that’s no fault of the recording, I’m sure.  Cassandra does sound nice on the piano, and this is one of the few positives I can find in what is normally my favorite song. 

Tonight’s arrangement of “Kiss” is keyboard driven, one plays sharp while the other provides a cool squelch.  The song still has its basic sound, but there is a tiredness to the sound of it, and I wonder if this has been a tough show and the band just want to finish. The one part of the song that does seem to work is the coda, as Prince dances in the spotlight. The drum sound is good, and with the instruments stripped back the sound is softened. The show ends with “Kiss,” and there is no big finale. 

 

This show was incredibly uneven. It’s obvious there were sound issues for Prince to contend with throughout, and although I ignored them early on, by the end they were too much for me to overlook. The high points of the show were “D.M.S.R” and “A Love Bizarre,” and both of these songs benefited from being party jams, and as they both played it was easy to lose myself in the groove rather than pick out various parts of the songs. 

Next week I will take a listen to the second show, which I believe is considerably better by all accounts. This one showed glimpses of brilliance, I am pinning my hopes on much more of those moments in the next two shows. 

Hollywood 12 May 2011 (am)

 I feel cheated. It seemed like a good idea last week to write about both the shows at the Troubadour, but there was one fatal flaw in my plan – the bootleg of the second concert is incomplete, and by a substantial amount. To be honest the recording that exists of the show is merely a taster as it takes in a scant twenty minutes of what was a two-and-a-half-hour performance. I was disappointed when I realized my error, but I have decided to plow on regardless. The tape we do have is short, and only an audience recording, yet I feel it is still worth giving some time and consideration to if nothing more to give me closure after listening to the first concert. The first concert set a high standard, and this later show promises to be even better. The setlist from this later show appears heavier, and with a much more aftershow feeling about it. Both aspects appeal to me, and I am sure this recording gives a good indication of what the concert was about. 

12th May, 2011 (am) Toubadour, Hollywood, California 

The party is well and truly underway as the recording comes in near the end of “Musicology.” The tape only catches “Musicology” in its final throes, nevertheless, we can hear and feel the swing in the music, and the audience’s reaction is more than enough to suggest that this has been quite a show already. “Musicology” appears about halfway in the setlist, so the audience has had plenty of time to marinate in the music, and their own juices, something readily apparent in the noise at the end of “Musicology” 

 

The four minutes of “Musicology” is mostly crowd noise after the song finished, and it is “Crimson And Clover” that ushers us properly into the concert. It has a natural elegance and an easy, delicate beauty that is beguiling, even when Prince isn’t at the forefront of the performance. Andy Allo is the star that the song orbits around and she has an understated radiance that spreads a warm glow across the recording, the performance, and life itself as she charms all with her honey-dipped vocals. The audience recording seems to fit the moment, with an out-of-focus softness that brushes all edges off the music. The rest of the band may be playing the music, but Prince is the song itself as he enters, and he appears as a thunderbolt for his crushing moment as the music rears its head briefly into “Wild Thing.” He personifies the song as he plays with a startlingly controlled fury, an exhilarating rock moment as the guitar embodies the true meaning of a wild thing while remaining tethered to the ideals of “Crimson And Clover.” This song makes up the bulk of the recording and is reason enough to give it a listen. 

The mix of “She’s Always In My Hair” is busy, and the drive and energy of the original are dissipated by the extra sounds that muffle the recording. There is a brief respite as Prince’s ax cuts through the baroque sound, it cleaves the song in two but isn’t quite as cleansing as I hope – the final minutes see it swamped by the bass and keyboards that the recording seems to crave. The final minute of the song features Prince’s guitar thrumming through the gears, but we never reach overdrive, the song finishing before Prince can fire us into the home straight. 

 

The final two minutes of the recording capture the first half of “Play That Funky Music.” Surprisingly I find myself deeply attracted to it, perhaps because I am denied the complete show and this absence leaves me with a hunger for more.  It is a loud and unruly performance with the crowd contributing their energy and buoyancy to the song and the show. There isn’t much to it, but it is eminently enjoyable, and that’s something I don’t say very often about “Play That Funky Music” 

And that’s all there is. A twenty-two-minute recording of what was a much longer show, and one that sounds as if it was going off. I would have loved to hear more, but alas this is all we get. Being short, it is easy to recommend this one, it takes no time to listen to, and even if people don’t like audience recordings it is only twenty minutes so there is no time lost to give it a try. 2011 is an odd year for me personally, and an odd year in Prince’s live performances. Shows like this give a little light, and I only wish there were more like this one for us to enjoy. No doubt a great concert to be at, the recording too is a nice listen. 

Finally, I would like to note the passing of Synnove Soe this week. Synnove was a good friend and a strong supporter of this blog. You can see her comments on many of the posts here, and she would often message me directly on Sunday night to offer her verdict on the concert I had listened to and my writing. She was, as my father would say, a straight shooter, and I always knew where I stood with her – she had opinions, and she wasn’t afraid to share them!  I shall miss her terribly, she was a strong figure and a great mentor. She was also a kind and gentle friend. Rest In Peace Synnove. 

Hollywood 11 May 2011

 On the afternoon of May 11th, 2011, it was suddenly announced that Prince would be doing two impromptu shows that very day at the Troubadour, Hollywood. Of course, this is completely in character for Prince, the attraction of playing shows at short notice has appealed to him since the early 80s. Not only was the show announced a short notice, but there were to be two of them, one starting in the early evening, and the other just after midnight. With Prince’s residency at the Forum in full swing, this is quite a feast of music for local music lovers to enjoy, and the subsequent bootlegs are equally enjoyable for the wider fan community. The bootlegs of these particular shows may not be the best sounding you have ever heard, but the concerts themselves are fantastic, and both concerts are well worth the listen. The first show of the evening is notable for the last live performance of “Power Fantastic,” something that every hardcore fan would love to hear. The rest of the setlist is a combination of after-show standards, and marquee concert mainstays, all contributing to a heady mix of all that is good and great about Prince and his band. 

11th May 2011. Toubadour,Hollywood, California 

The recording drops us right into the midst of the action, a swirling and ominous groove that parts to reveal some light in the form of a “One Nation Under A Groove” chorus. Without settling on any one direction it keeps the listener guessing while providing a showcase for this band comprised of John Blackwell, Ida Nielson, Morris Hayes, and Renato Neto. With Mike Phillips putting in an appearance, this is a band with the chops to move swiftly across the music Prince wishes to cover, and they tackle “Stratus” with plenty of finesse, along with a big chunk of pure music muscle, making Prince’s guitar contribution shine all the brighter and potent as it lasers its way through the dense murk of a groove the band creates. Time is irrelevant as the band crushes any other thought apart from the music itself, and Renato Neto's solo piece is otherworldly as it transports us from the confines of the room. 

 

There is hiding the fact that this is an audience recording. It doesn’t have the crackle and fades that sometimes plague such recordings, but it does have plenty of audience noise and this does at times detract from the music. “Power Fantastic” is undoubtedly the highlight of the recording, but there is a lot of audience noise that comes with it. The song allows a chance for the band to breathe, and the song plays as steady as a dreamer's breath. Mike Phillips adds to this slumber-like quality, and at just three minutes long I find I have to hit repeat a couple of times to fully appreciate the moment. 

Coming from a similar place is “Somewhere Here On Earth,” its lighter touch fills the recording with further dreamscape sounds. The song can’t match “Power Fantastic” for nostalgic weight though, and as good as it sounds, especially Mike Phillips again, it can’t compare to the previous few minutes. I wallow in the joy of Mike Phillips playing, and I would recommend this far more highly if not coming straight after “Power Fantastic” 

The cascading guitar at the beginning of “Boom” is inviting, before giving way to a heavier riff that is the signature of the song. From here the band surprises me with an instrumental jazz jam appearing, and again the best moments don’t belong to Prince, but rather to the superb players he has surrounded himself with. The performance is better than we hear in the recording, the audience is silenced from the outset, hinting that perhaps they are watching open-mouthed at this moment. I cannot understate how good Mike Phillips is during this song, and for me, that has been one of the most revealing aspects of the recording – previously under-recognized performers coming to the fore and demonstrating just why Prince bought them into the fold. The final frenzied combination of Renato Neto and Mike Phillips is an absolute treat, and eclipses all that has come before. 

The band is onto something good, and they continue to mine this rich vein with a ten-minute jazz instrumental. It is not as intensive as the previous jam, and there are portions where it threatens to meander. Overall though, it is another hit out for the band, with Renato Neto taking the lead in several fast piano passages that pique my interest. It’s an undemanding listen that contributes to the overall feel of the recording, without becoming essential in itself. 

 

“Let’s Get It On.” Figuratively and literally. What an inspired cover version this turns out to be, and with Andy Allo on hand to lend some vocals this becomes another surprising moment to be cherished. Andy doesn’t have the depth to her voice that Marvin Gaye does (does anyone?) but she brings her touch to the song and without ever threatening the original it becomes its own quiet storm. The appearance of a vocoder and lines lifted from elsewhere brings a unique aspect to an otherwise familiar song, as the band stretches it to their own means for the next few minutes. 

There is an unexpected “Colonized Mind,” featuring very little of the guitar that we have come to associate with the song. Instead, that guitar grunt and sinew have been replaced by a thoughtful delicacy provided by Renato Neto and Mike Phillips. They take the song and spin it the other way, molding it to fit the jazz sound of the previous few songs. It brings new life to the song, and it burns just as bright in this setting as it does in the fury of more guitar-orientated sets. 

“When She Comes” appeared on the 2015 album Hit N Run Phase 2, here we have a much earlier version that is far more of its time. Its sound comes from the same fertile soil as “Somewhere Here On Earth,” and it is a nice fit into the setlist. However, it fails to generate any sort of emotional response from me, and as nice as it sounds I just can’t connect to the music I am hearing. It does become a long jazz jam though, and this I find far more rewarding as again Mike Phillips comes to the fore with an array of new sounds and fresh ideas. 

Normally it is the punch at the start of “Shhh” that grabs me, in this case, that punch is neutered by the quality (or lack of) of the recording. It still delivers though, but like everything else in the evening, it is through the jazz lens that this band filters Prince’s songs through. It is Mike Phillips with the first contribution that signals what direction the song is going, rather than Prince’s vocals it is his horn that opens the door on the song. Prince’s vocals aren’t as in your face on this recording, it is the rest of the band that picks up the slack, along with some fantastic singing from the audience as Prince leads them into a soft rendition of “U Will Be” over the music of “Shhh” In many ways, it works better, and I am more attracted to the song without the sometimes hokey “Shhh” lyrics. It is far more mature sounding, and the lyrics match the direction the music is flowing. It takes a moment to adjust to the alluring sound, but the song draws me in over its ten minutes, and I find that this is the standout song on the recording. Ignore the quality of the recording, this is a performance that needs to be heard. The final guitar solo from Prince confirms this as he makes an emphatic statement in the final minutes with a whirlwind performance that sweeps all aside without ever becoming hurricane force. 

 

There is a good old-fashioned stomp towards the finish with the incisive guitar riff of “Controversy” appearing, along with John Blackwell’s trademark pound. After a funk intro, everything is seemingly turned up to ten at once with Prince's howling guitar leading the way. This is a misleading step and once again it is Mike Phillips who blasts his way through the bulk of the song, adding plenty of spice to its bare funk sound. The highlight for me though is the crowd chanting their way through the “people call me rude” chant for some time. This version has a unique feel and it reinvigorates my love for a familiar classic. 

“Musicology” shuffles into view, the intensity derived from the twin attack of Mike Phillips and Prince's vocals. They both carry the impetus that propels the music forward. On record, “Musicology” isn’t always the most appealing song to me, but I can’t deny that in a live situation it is a great song to get pulses rising and the crowd moving. The most interesting part of this performance is the final half of the song as it breaks down and the band noodle around various aspects of the riffs. No groundbreaking material to be found here, but it is a pleasant enough diversion. 

The recording doesn’t capture every song of the night, but it does finish on an all-time high with a divine version of “A Case Of U.” There are of course more famous versions in circulation, but I am delighted to hear it here at this concert. The bootleg isn’t perfect, but the performance sounds pretty close, Prince’s vocals and piano weaving a magical spell before Mike Phillips appears on the shoulder of the song, adding the sweetest of touches with his saxophone. All in all, it is an endearing performance, and one that we would all be talking about if only it was a soundboard recording. 

Sadly, the bootleg finishes here, missing the final two songs (“Pop Life” and “Beggin Woman Blues”). There is no need to be too disappointed, there have been plenty of treasures sprinkled throughout the show. Obviously, the final “A Case Of U” is breathtaking, as are “Shhh” and “Power Fantastic.”  It seems each week that I write that despite the quality of the recording, whatever show I am listening to is worth hearing. I can’t help it, I am a fan of bootlegs, and it matters little to me whether a recording is a soundboard or an audience recording. It is certainly the case with this recording, the setlist and performance far outshine the recording, and for a hardcore fan such as myself, it demands listening. Casual fans may skip this at their peril, for the rest of us there is plenty here to enjoy and reflect upon. 

Join me next week for the second performance from this evening, one that is equally good. 

New York 7 February 2011

 All thanks this week to Ryan Mark, who asked when I was going to write about this show. At first, I confessed that I didn’t recall it at all, but upon further prompting by Ryan I came around and decided to have a look. I am not one for the “Welcome 2” concerts, as much as I love the hits and enjoy Prince’s back catalog, I enjoy something more fresh and exciting to my ears. Ryan did point out that Prince was in a great mood on this particular night, and the show was extremely enjoyable, so with that in mind I sat down and revisited it- and oh boy was Ryan right. It looks like a typical greatest hits show, with the additional pluses of a couple of guest appearances, some great performances, and as stated earlier Prince is in a great mood and very playful. It was well worth a second look. 

7 February 2011, Madison Square Garden 

I had completely forgotten that this show opened with “Laydown.” After a brief spoken introduction Prince appears. It’s a surprise for me and a very welcome one. The heavy bass opening is greeted with screams from the crowd, and Prince responds with a strong aggressive vocal. He does work the crowd while singing, punching the air, and raising the roof. Things get more interesting from my perspective when he pulls out his guitar and begins to play. With plenty of concentration on his face, he plays a gritty break that captures the whole essence of the song in half a minute. There is another verse before Prince starts showboating on the guitar and the song winds down to its conclusion. I like this show already. 

 

“1999” is the more traditional opening I could have expected, and the crowd seems to rise as it’s played. I do like the fact that this is a nice clean version, that is the mix is closer to what we heard in the early 80s without too many embellishments. Prince’s guitar is well in the mix, as are his vocals with the girls. I’m not surprised to hear that this is the abridged version, and the crowd is soon singing ‘party’ with relish. As always my favorite part is near the end as Prince sings “Mommy, why does everybody have a bomb” with the guitar accompanying him. It’s all fairly predictable, and yet perfectly enjoyable.

 

A howl on the guitar as the band slows down and the light changing to red signals what’s coming next. After several moans on the guitar Prince sings the opening lines of “Little Red Corvette.” Another song aimed squarely at the nostalgic market, the crowd trades lines with Prince throughout. I do like the mournful sound of the guitar, I would like to see Prince push that sound much more. Most of the song is shallow in the emotional stakes, and it’s not until Prince goes into the guitar break does the feeling come out in the song. He first delivers the guitar break as heard on the album, before slowing down once again and beginning to stretch his notes out. With only slight prompting the audience joins in hand clapping, and it does give it a soft live sound. The best is yet to come as Prince gets on the microphone and recreates the moans of the guitar vocally. He moves to the slow-down section with some dancing that is suitably gentle, and the crowd softly sings “Slow down”. I had tired of this arrangement, here it once again draws me back in. 

 

Over the sound of a piano Prince begins some pillow talk to the ladies before the lights come up and “The Beautiful Ones” commences. This performance here is a knockout. Not only is Prince on the piano and singing well, but he is also joined on stage by Misty Copeland dancing. I don’t normally like dancers with Prince, I prefer to concentrate on the music, but Misty adds a lot to the show and I can’t take my eyes off her as she twirls around the stage. Any reservations I might have about the state of Prince's voice at this stage of his career are dispelled as he builds to the end of the song, singing to Misty on top of the piano before they both finally disappear into the stage. 

 

The sound of the “Controversy” guitar next, and I know exactly what to expect. This performance is very typical of how the song has sounded over the last 5 years. The beat is loud and full, and Prince's guitar adds the sharpness that the song needs. His vocals are a little lackluster, yet the guitar sound is so good I forgive him for that. I lose interest as the crowd and Prince sing “New York” before we have the typical “clap your hands and stomp your feet” chant. He never quite loses me though, and I do enjoy the guitar solo that follows a minute later, for me that is what saves the song from being mundane. Prince cracks me up as he asks Shelby to find him somebody to dance with “I want a big fine sexy Momma” One lucky woman is brought up on stage to dance the bump with him, and she looks like she enjoys every moment with him. There is further hilarity as Kim Kardashian comes on stage and stands still while Prince dances around her- before ordering her off the stage. Prince seems to be having a lot of fun with the crowd before eventually winding the song up. 

 

The set list seems to jump around a lot, there is a fast song, a slow song, and a fast song. He keeps to this as the gig again slows down as the opening music of “Purple Rain” begins. It’s a good one, with the crowd singing away for a bit before Prince picks some gentle figures out on his guitar. He sings all the verses and he puts plenty into his vocals, there is never the feeling that he is just going through the motions. One thing I have noticed about his shows is that every night he plays “Purple Rain,” it’s always as you expect to hear, and yet in the last minutes of the guitar break, he stretches out and finds new things to play. If not for that I would have probably given up listening to “Purple Rain,” as it is the one constant from all his shows and something I have heard hundreds of times. Here is no different and it’s the last minute of the guitar solo that I enjoy most. 

 

The concert takes an upbeat pop turn next as “Raspberry Beret” begins. Prince is absent at first, having disappeared into the stage after “Purple Rain,” but he does reappear a minute into the song to encourage the crowd to sing. It’s an interesting version, the first couple of minutes it is instrumental, and even once Prince appears it’s sometime before he sings. He does seem to be having a great time, playing with the crowd and teasing them, and encouraging them. 

 

The segue into “Cream” is smooth, and yet the energy levels seem to drop. The girls are very cool with their backing vocals, all fanning themselves as they sit on the piano. The song is neither here nor there for me, it's smooth sounding yet there is nothing in it that I can latch onto. A lot of people would enjoy it for its smoothness and I can’t fault the performance. 

 

I love hearing “Cool” live, and the performance at this show is something I get a lot of enjoyment out of. Prince gets ?uestlove out of the crowd to play cowbell on the drums with John, and I feel a little sorry for him as he has to reach over John to play- it looks very uncomfortable to me. Prince calls for just the drums and gives ?uestlove a couple of shouts for the crowd to acknowledge. The crowd energy picks up a lot during this song, and I can feel their energy here at home. I do cringe a little at Prince and Shelby dancing, but their smiles and laughter are very infectious and there is no denying that they are having a great time on stage. 

Prince runs the band well, as he calls the band to change and stops ?uestlove with a quick “Thanks ?uestlove”.  Ida starts “Let’s Work” with some excellent bass work before the band fills out the sound. As with the last song, there is plenty of Shelby and Prince dancing, and the vocals take the backseat a little as the dancing continues. 

I was surprised to hear “U Got The Look” next, after all that dancing the guitar sound catches me off guard. Prince doesn’t bother too much with the song, with a yell of “turn me up” he plays a short yet rocking solo before the song resumes with another chorus before Prince plays the riff out of the song. As he disappears into the stage again I realize that the song was only a couple of minutes. 

There is a lovely long piano intro into “Nothing Compares 2 U” next. Prince is initially off stage as Renato plays, but he reappears and begins to address the crowd. There is a very touching moment as Prince dedicates the song to Bobby Z and wishes him a quick recovery. He tells that many people helped him along the way and Bobby was “a good fine soldier” He goes on to mention several other causes, before singing the opening lines of the song. It was worth the wait, as his vocals are just brilliant, and he is well accompanied by Shelby. The much-maligned Shelby does a fine job, and her voice is strong and clear. The interplay between her and Prince is excellent, and there does seem to be genuine warmth between them. Mr. Haynes plays a full organ solo, and with a call of “take us to church” he ups the ante. Not to be outdone Prince gives his all for a final verse and chorus before the song ends. 

 

As the beat of “Crazy” begins I expect to hear Shelby take the lead vocals, instead is something unexpected, Ceelo Green appears to sing his song. He gets quite a cheer, but not as loud as Prince gets when he appears and picks up his guitar. His playing is restrained, yet has a touch of fire to it. He doesn’t steal the song from Ceelo, but he certainly puts his stamp on it, there’s no mistaking whose show this is. As much as I prefer to hear Prince sing and play, I do enjoy hearing him just contribute his guitar sound to someone’s song. He adds a lot, without ever taking over the song completely, which I am sure must be a very tempting thing to do. 

 

Prince keeps his guitar on and calls a series of chords that eventually leads us to “Let’s Go Crazy.” I do like his intro here, there is some extra guitar noodling which is fun and adds a sharpness to a sometimes tired song. I am not as enthused by the rest of the song, the keyboards are too bouncy for my tastes and the song doesn’t deviate from what I have heard plenty of times before. I am fortunate that it is kept short and halfway Prince transitions into “Delirious.” 

 

I was wondering what he could do to freshen up “Delirious,” but Renato plays a quirky keyboard solo, the likes of which I hadn’t heard before and I am happy with that. As Prince gets the crowd clapping Renato plays another more rockabilly-sounding solo on the piano before Mr. Hayes takes a turn with the organ. It’s all very Vegas and fun and Prince leads the crowd back into chants of “oh no let's go” over Johns's drum beat. 

I get my wish for something newer next as Prince plays “Dreamer.” The opening of it sounds very good as it sounds out, and Prince is focused on his playing. It’s strong on the guitar sound, but this changes midsong as Frédéric Yonnet strolls up on stage and plays energetic harmonica (He does stroll up on stage). It gives the song another sound and dimension, that is until Prince reclaims it a moment later with a guitar solo. There is another treat as Prince plays the unreleased “Welcome 2 America.” It’s little more than a few lines and a guitar solo, and a very good solo at that. 

 

Prince takes a break from the guitar as he sits at the piano. I was hoping for a piano set, but instead, he opens with a sample of “When Doves Cry.” He calls to the crowd “we gonna be here all night, who going to pay the bill?” He doesn’t play much over the sample, after playing the intro and a couple of lines he begins “Kiss.” 

He steps away from the piano to sing “Kiss.” It’s a very electric-sounding arrangement, the keyboards have a very electric sound to them. I am not feeling the music, but I do enjoy the performance. Prince is all smiles as he plays with the audience. There is a lot of interaction as he sings and he works most of the stage. The song ends with a single drum beat and Prince dancing alone in the spotlight. He’s not as young as he used to be, yet he still moves smoothly even if his dance moves aren’t as extreme as they used to be. It’s enough to elicit plenty of screams from the ladies in the crowd, and a few men too. 

I was half expecting the sampler set before, but it’s only now that he resorts to this box of tricks. He first teases the audience with “Nasty Girl” as the house lights come up, before another tease of “Forever In My Life.” 

 

He then settles on “Sign O The Times,” which is would be great if not interrupted by him looking at an imaginary watch and wondering aloud “how much time I got”. It does take me right out of the moment. “Alphabet Street” then gets a couple of lines before something better comes along. 

That something better is “A Love Bizarre,” and Prince gives it far more attention as he steps away from the keyboard. I can’t get enough of this song, and do generally enjoy it at every show I hear it. My only complaint here would be that the band sounds a little thin, but that may be the recording rather than the performance. There is a fantastic keyboard solo that sticks in my head. That is the high point of the song for me after this plenty of dancers come on stage as Prince begins to toy with “Hot Thing” on the sampler. 

 

I forgive this interlude as he plays a fuller version of “Pop Life.” It’s full of pop, and there are plenty of smiling faces as he plays it. Prince does hover near the keyboard, choosing not to engage with the dancers on stage too much. It is frustratingly cut short as he lurches into another crowd-pleasing “I Would Die 4 U.” 

As good as “I Would Die 4 U” sounds I don’t get my hopes up too much as I know it will be cut short soon enough. Prince doesn’t disappoint as he quickly dispenses with it and the sampler moves to the next tease. 

The next tease is “All The Single Ladies,” and although they don’t play the song it does provide a funny moment. One guy is enjoying it way too much, and Prince highlights him with the spotlight as he has his moment. It’s very light-hearted, and the guy makes the most of his moment. 

 

Prince calls for John to play something, and the band strikes up “If I Was Your Girlfriend.” Prince tells them “I can’t do that, someone might get pregnant” which, although corny, does bring a smile to my face. The band does however continue and brings sings it from on top of his piano. This is a good cleaning recording and the song shines. Prince’s vocals are clear and all the parts I want to hear in the song are there. I am pleased to report too that he does play the full song, now the sampler part of the show has been dispensed with. I have rarely heard this song sound so good, and it’s a good reflection of the show. I must make mention too of Renato, his piano near the end is a nice little touch. 

Prince calls the band to play “Insatiable,” and its sound is every bit as good as the previous song. It’s popular with the audience, I can hear them singing along clearly. The groove is nice and gentle and I love the sound of the organ quivering underneath. Prince does perform as he sings, but it’s mostly his vocals he is concentrating on, and the payoff is great. He does take time later in the song to acknowledge the band, and they do play very well. 

 

Prince continues in the same vein as next the opening notes of “Scandalous” sound. This is a great-sounding trio of songs, and I think to hear them all together is a great way to near the end of the show. I can’t decide which of them sounds best, but rest assured this one is just as good as the previous two songs. I can’t speak highly enough of the last 10 minutes we have just heard. 

 

Prince caps all this off with “Adore,” which has me beside myself. The crowd is on its feet singing and I know just as many people feel about this song as I do. Prince lets them sing at first but then picks up the microphone to deliver his lines. He sings in his falsetto, and yet still drops down to his natural voice in places. His vocals are passionate, playful, full of character, and just downright great to listen to. I have been listening to this song for almost 20 years now and this show is just as fresh as the day I first heard it. I am surprised by the very simple ending as Prince and the girls sink into the stage, a fantastic ending to the show. 

 

The encore starts with Prince and the band playing a smashing version of “Mountains.” Again it’s a nice surprise to hear an old favorite. The girls carry the vocal load well, and Prince isn’t heard until the chorus. The song is very much a band sound, and there is again a lovely moment as Prince calls Bobby Z right before the bridge. The song becomes a jam as they begin to play “Shake Your Body.” Prince roams the stage, apparently having a lot of fun, even playfully tossing a chair from the stage and encouraging a fan to take it. The crowd seems amused and Prince waves at the crowd as they move on to “Everyday People.” The mood is very upbeat, and this comes across well on the recording, you can almost hear the smiles. I can’t say I’m too surprised as “I Want To Take You Higher” follows, it's completely in character. The crowd is well and truly on their feet and dancing and Frédéric Yonnet returns for another shrill harmonica break. The band hit their groove for the last couple of minutes as Prince solos before dropping his guitar into the crowd. There is one final hurrah before he sinks into the stage for one last time. 

 

I could not have guessed how must I was going to enjoy this show. For a relatively recent hits show, I was caught off guard by the sheer fun of it. Although I couldn’t pinpoint one moment that made it great, there were enough very good moments to make the whole show one to enjoy. The last half hour of the show was the highlight for me, and a reminder of just how good Prince is every show.