Minneapolis 3 March 1986

 

Writing each week about these recordings, I find myself using the same words again and again “favorite” “best version” and “love this”. I try to avoid it, but the point of being a fan is that I am passionate about it, and there are many ‘favorites’ and ‘best versions’ Today I will be using these words a lot. I apologize in advance, but when I started listening to this one I just found that song after song I was thinking, “Man, this is the best ever”. I very rarely namedrop this as a favorite recording, but I think in the future I should. The Parade warm-up show from First Avenue is widely circulating on both DVD and CD. I have seen people talk passionately of it, but it doesn’t seem to get the same coverage as say Small Club or For Those Of You On Valium. It deserves to rank up there with the best, and I only hope that my words today can do the show justice.

3 March 1986, First Avenue, Minneapolis

“We only been rehearsing about a week, so we a little rusty” Prince informs the crowd as the show starts “But here goes”. Immediately the sound of “Around the World In a Day” can be heard, and Prince starts the gig with an “Aawwwhhh” as he does so many times. “Around the World In a Day” is one of those songs that have seemed to have fallen through the cracks. It’s an interesting song but never seems to quite fit with anything else he has done before or since. The first half of the song is delicate, but in the second half the lights come up and Prince and the band run through some fairly solid dance moves. It is a bit of a novelty song for me, so I enjoy the performance here.

A shout, and the band switch to “Christopher Tracey’s Parade.” A fun song, the audience and I start to relax more. The mood is pretty light throughout, and Prince ad-libs a nice little line in the middle with “Jimmy Jam, I don’t want to hear this on your record”! The extended Revolution shows off the new members, especially the horns are much more prominent. The song ends with Prince moving to the keyboards and jamming for half a minute. Oh, if only it was longer.

 

There is no rest as they immediately segue into “New Position.” My thoughts are already how well these three songs all work together. It’s a nice energy to all three of them, and they all demonstrate his nice clean sound at this stage. For a band that has supposedly only been rehearsing for a week, they all sound tight to me. One can only guess that the week involved some very long days.

“I Wonder U” slows us all down, and takes us somewhere different again. What a great mix of styles he had at the time. They play slightly faster than I normally hear on the record, and it takes a couple of lines before Wendy’s voice warms up and gets stronger.

Another nice moment is between songs when Prince says “oh, I like you guys already”. Again he explains they have only been rehearsing a week and may be rusty. No fear of that, I assure you, it’s all sounding great so far.

Next up is the first of many highlights for me, when Prince pulls out his guitar and delivers a rarely heard live version of “Paisley Park.” A favorite of mine on record, live it's something better again. I can’t explain what it is about this version that I enjoy, maybe the rawness of his voice, and the guitar. There is a lyric ad-lib as well, which only adds to the loose live feel of it. Prince is playing with a big smile, I am sure this comes across in the audio recording. Price plays a nice guitar break near the end, buts it’s the sound of all the instruments working together that I enjoy. And in a very nice moment, Prince plays the finger cymbals as the song has its long fade out. The fade-out goes for quite a while, and Prince gets up close and personal with some of the audience. I do love gigs like this when he is relaxed.

 

“Alex de Paris” is next, but sadly it’s just a mistake, with only Wendy playing. Obviously she has misread the setlist. Prince covers with an “oh man, you let someone new in the band and they wanna solo”, which seems like a strange comment considering Wendy had been in the band for almost 3 years by this stage.

A little bit of pop music next as they play “Raspberry Beret.” Usually, a crowd sing-along song this version is refreshing in that Prince himself sings most of it rather than leaving the crowd to sing it. Energy levels are high, with some choreographed dancing by Prince, as well as just some joyful jumping around. There is some excellent face-pulling by Prince at the crowd, then some humorous banter between Prince and Jerome- mostly about wiener size. (Seriously!) There is a final flourish by the band, the finally Wendy gets her moment with “Alex De Paris.”

 

It’s worth the wait, she takes center stage and plays a great version. Although her body language doesn’t show it, she speaks through her music and it sounds quite impassioned. Again, another gem that should be heard more often. She stalks back and forth across the stage, and I must admit I watch pretty enrapt as she plays. The Revolution certainly was a great band.

The pounding beginning of “Controversy” never fails to excite me, especially when that killer guitar enters, this time backed by the horn section. The balance is just right here, with the funk of the original still intact and the horns not overwhelming it. Prince himself doesn’t play guitar on it here, content with dancing and singing, and the energy seems to pore out of him during this performance.

“Get up!”, oh yes, this is my moment as “Mutiny” begins. I have said it before and I will say it again, this is my favorite part of any Parade show. Prince dances across the stage back by the dancers and then hits us for a few lines. There are many elements to this that I love- his dancing, Eric Leeds playing, the funky guitar line, the driving beat, and the lyrics. There is a breakdown mid-song, I think it sounds good, but somebody has missed a cue- Prince calls “breakdown, then I told you we were rusty.” Eric Leeds's sax solo is an absolute joy, especially while Prince and the backup singers have fun chanting “Paul, punk of the month” Prince teases me even further by singing ‘ this is what it’s like in the dream factory”. This performance is stellar, so much happening in it, and it’s all played with passion and fire. Prince clearly enjoys this song a lot at this stage, and it gets played to maximum impact.

 

I am very surprised to hear “Soft and Wet” next, although given the variety and quantity of music Prince has recorded anything could be heard at any time. This one isn’t as choreographed as some of the other songs, and at stages Prince looks like his younger self, just playing his music and moving how he feels to it. Fink plays a nice solo, and it feels straight out of 78 again. It’s a real contrast to the previous 40 minutes of music.

There is further nostalgia when he follows up by playing “I Wanna Be Your Lover.” It feels so simple after some of the more complex music he had been working on at the time but doesn’t lessen the enjoyment level in the slightest. It’s always going to be one of his catchiest songs and an essential part of his legend. The song segues into its funky second half and Prince tells the crowd “We gonna play everything we know tonight” There is a party atmosphere, and I find myself typing faster and faster as I listen to it. The crowd is clapping and singing and I find it hard to not get caught up in it all myself. Wendy gets a couple of guitar breaks, and the tone of her guitar sounds nice and sharp.

 

Of course, it moves easily into “Head,” seamlessly. I would say that this sound of Prince is the sound that made me a fan and probably introduced me to the world of funk. I should mention Brown Mark at this stage, his playing here is what I am listening to most throughout this song. The horns here really strengthen and fill out the sound. The keyboards are very much still the basis of the song, and this is highlighted by the solo that Dr. Fink plays. Never boring, he delivers every time I hear this song. Prince says “don’t play no keyboard unless you do that” and I know exactly what he means. Dr. Fink puts everything into it, and it’s a lot of fun to watch him bobbing and jerking behind the keyboard. Things take a dark turn after this as it slides into a long dark groove. There is plenty of Prince interplay with the dancers, as he moves through some of his more corny dance moves (Oaktree or wooden leg anyone?) It’s hard to dislike any of it, as the music is so strong and carries it.

 

There is some very funny interplay between Prince and the band between songs, difficult to transcribe here, but very insightful to the band dynamics.

A keyboard is placed center stage and Prince plays a nice rendition of “Under The Cherry Moon.” I am shaking my head at this stage, difficult to believe that just a minute ago we were getting funked up to “Head.” Prince plays the song, but there seems to be a lot of audience talk throughout the recording, so I am wondering how well it’s going across with the crowd. However, 30 years later I think it’s great.

 

“Pop Life,” is not only one of my favorites on the record but also a live favorite, here it gets a full treatment. A very well-titled song, it just oozes pop, with just a touch of funk underneath it all to satisfy most fans. Not many songs have a flute solo, but this one does, and somehow Eric Leeds still manages to look cool as ever as he plays it. The bass playing on this is excellent, I just wish there was more of it. The song has a long breakdown, with the male dancers singing “Pop Life” over and over while Prince breaks into some dancing. Doesn’t sound wonderful, but it is enjoyable. Especially when Prince tells the audience “we got plenty of time”

Eric Leeds gets further praise from me, as the next song is “Girls and Boys.” The band is well and truly in the groove now, and the audience is right behind them. This version is tight, my only quibble is the guitar isn’t in the mix as much as in other recordings I have heard. On the plus side, Princes’ singing is very strong here, and he does encourage the crowd to party throughout. The latter part of the song finds me with a big smile on my face. The band is heating up, and the song starts to take off as it goes along. Again Prince prowls back and forth across the stage, with plenty of audience interaction, and ad-libs, everyone has their hands in the air by now, and you know he owns them. Normally I dislike it when Prince tells me how funky he is, but here he is preaching to the converted, this song is funky as hell. Just when I think it can’t get any better Prince whips off his top, engages in some dancing, then moves to the organ and begins to jam. By now my greatest wish is that one day he will go back, pull a clean copy of this video from his vault, and release it. The song lasts for a good nine minutes, never repeats itself, showcases all his styles and talents, and I am breathless by the time it finishes.

 

There is no let-up as we get “Life Can Be So Nice” right on top of it. I don’t know where Prince gets his energy from, I feel tired just listening to it. Not just the energy of the song itself, but also all the stage antics and performance. If anyone ever doubts he’s the greatest ever, just show them this. The show to this point has been truly sublime. The song ends with the band leaving the stage one by one, leaving just Bobby Z and Eric Leeds playing. It lasts like this for a minute, until even those two leave.

The show to this point has been outstanding, but it’s about to get even better. The next song is undoubtedly the most overplayed of Prince’s career. When I look at my Prince recordings I have hundreds of versions of “Purple Rain.” No matter how good the song is, the fact is I have heard it too many times, and I will quite happily skip it on most recordings. The version here is the exception to that. The arrangement played at this gig is unlike any other I have heard, and it is my favorite recording of Prince’s most famous song.

“Purple Rain” begins with the simple guitar signature that we are all so familiar with and the steady beat. But where it takes off for me is when Eric Leeds starts playing saxophone all over the intro. Some people may feel that it shouldn’t be messed with, but for me, it adds a whole new element, and in no way at all detracts from the song. It’s another layer to it, and it’s very welcome for me. His playing gets more passionate and feeling as it goes, and it adds another emotional layer to the song. I don’t know how many times it was played like this, but I would love to hear more recordings of this arrangement.

Prince asks “Can I play just a little bit” and he adds a beautiful little run on the guitar. Although only 30 seconds, I find myself moved by it, there is a lot of feeling hanging on those few notes.
By the time he begins singing at the five-minute mark I have already had my money's worth, and already this is my favorite performance at this gig. Prince sings the verses the same as we have heard so many times, that’s not to say they are bad, but after the first five minutes I am already floored, nothing else can elevate this song more. The Prince solo is just as good as any other I have heard, and it deviates just enough to keep me interested. Actually, it gets better and better and by the end of it, I find myself just sitting there nodding, much like Billy in the Purple Rain movie. This is MY “Purple Rain.”

It’s a bit of a letdown when they follow up with “Whole Lotta Shakin.” But to its credit, it is short and energetic. Both the piano and horns get moments to shine, and it does lift the audience after “Purple Rain.” Hard to imagine anything to follow that, so this seems like not a bad choice!

 

Another personal favorite next is when the long deep sounds of Eric Leeds's sax introduce “Anotherloverholenyohead.” Prince immediately starts to gee up the crowd, but if they are anything like me, there is no need. Again it’s hard to believe that this is a new song for the band. They seem to have it down pretty well, and it’s another high point in a gig full of high points. Wendy and Suzanne share a mic for the backing vocals, and Eric and Atlanta deliver up a couple of nice little runs. The song quickly turns to a jam with the band playing while the singers sing “You need another lover, like you need a hole in yo head” It's songs like this that I enjoy most, the horns playing over the top of a long groove. Prince seems in a playful mood, bouncing around the stage and just moving to the music.

 

The songs keep on coming, next we have “Mountains.” Again it’s lively, with Prince doing plenty of dancing. Early in his career, he wasn’t much of a dancer, but by this stage, he has got it done, and he is excellent in this song, and indeed in every song. The horns sound nice and sharp in this one, and there is a brief moment for Wendy and Miko to play. Wendy is upfront and prominent for most of the gig, while Miko is fairly anonymous at the back in the shadows. It’s a shame because his funk playing is excellent. There is a nice long fade out, and I can hear his playing a little better. Prince ends the song with finger cymbals, I can’t help but smile when I see him play them.

 

Another favorite of mine from this era follows, with a shout of “A, B, A, B, C, D!!” “A Love Bizarre” almost has me leaping from my seat. It’s astonishing how much great music he was writing at this stage, not only for himself but for everyone. “A Love Bizarre” is a classic, and the performance here is brilliant, not just the audio, but also the onstage show. Prince again is all over the stage, dancing, and singing. The band doesn’t miss a single note, and the club is partying. Eric solo begins with Prince exclaiming “Eric Leeds, look at his suit!” The whole band is bouncing as Eric plays, and it sends my pulse racing. But the best is yet to come, as Prince plays some mean guitar next. He plays a nice minute on “A Love Bizarre,” but then continues playing as they move to the main riff of “America.”

It’s a shame there aren’t more performances of this song out there. I love the video performance of America recorded in Paris, and the “America” played at this gig is also outstanding. The Revolution plays the hell out of it, and Prince demonstrates that he hasn’t forgotten how to play guitar. This song is so sharp and tight, the band very cohesive and plays furiously. Listening to it, I wish he still played it today, but to be honest, I think it's The Revolution that elevates this song. Every member gets a moment, and the pace of it is just relentless. Prince puts down the guitar and dances hard as the band marches on. It’s about now that it turns into the jam as you knew it would. With Prince leading the dancing he also demonstrates his band leader skills and leads the band through several changes. Prince sings bits and pieces of several songs, but never for a moment does the groove let up. Prince further demonstrates his many talents by taking a turn at the drums later in the song. I am doing it an injustice here, this is one of those you have to hear or see.

 

There is a brief interlude, where Prince promises that he will come back and build a clubhouse and they can do this every day. It’s a nice thought, and I am reminded of his song uptown. With a call of “who’s house -Prince house” the band begins the final song of the night, “Kiss.” It feels light, after some of the songs we have heard previously, but it’s very enjoyable. I especially enjoy the last portion, after the verses have finished and it just moves to funky guitar and a beat. There is some more of Prince dancing with his ‘Wooden Leg’ (That didn’t catch on, did it?) while the band and audience stick with him. There is a final chorus and the show ends.

 

I have many thoughts about this one. It contains many of my favorite songs and favorite performances, yet it’s not often played by me. After listening to it the last few days, this would be number one on my wish list for a better soundboard recording to suddenly appear from the vault or a crystal clear video. In my list of top twenty shows, this deserves to be somewhere near the top. With a lot of new music here, an excellent performance, and some stellar reworkings of familiar songs, I can’t praise this show enough. The show is 10/10, even if the recording is not.

Minneapolis 7 June 1985

 

I have a confession. I listened to today’s recording twice and wrote two reviews for it. Last time I promised myself I would listen to something that was recorded in better quality. I found this birthday recording from 1985, and I thought it was just the thing. I listened to it but was disappointed to find it was less than ideal, it sounded like a 20th generation tape.

However, I did persevere and write a post about it, only to find that when I went to put it away I had a recent and much-improved copy of the gig. So I sat down, popped it on, and did it all again. And it was well worth the effort, the gig was very rewarding.

 June 7 1985 Minneapolis

A long bass intro begins the concert. It takes me a second to register what I am hearing – it is “Love Bizarre.” Prince sings alone, but you can hear Shelia singing the chorus with him. It’s a typically funky version, and there is some very nice sax interplay throughout. The song is more bass-heavy than other times I have heard it, and it’s all the better for it. I am not sure if the taper is picking up the bass better, or is it just more in the mix. I am thinking it’s the mix. Whatever the reason, I like it a lot. Prince calls out just kick drum and guitar and the funk takes off. He then calls out Eddie M for a sax solo, and boy does he deliver.

 

The song ends with Prince asking for a D minor, and the band slips into the next song. I fail to recognize “Mutiny” for the first minute, it is lacking the deep organ groove underneath I have heard elsewhere. The song starts pretty straight, but later there are a lot of adlibs and talking over the top. Again we have another couple of sax solos, with Prince directing musical stabs throughout. The sax then hits a riff and just sticks to it – sounds great. There is then some interplay between Suzanna and the band while the music continues, talking about kissing a man, then encouraging the crowd to get her to sing. She and Paul then trade lines for a minute. The song then loses its way a bit, it never settles back into the song, or a jam. It’s all a bit stop-start, with a lot of talk with the crowd. Paul introduces Prince’s birthday to the crowd and promises Prince will solo for them. But nothing ever seems to develop or gets drawn out.

It gets back on track a little when the sax hits its groove again. Prince gets back on the mic, calls for some chicken grease guitar, then Eddie blow your horn. The song ends with Eddie soloing.

 

There is a misleading moment just after this, Prince says “Sometimes in Snows in April” and then Shelia E delivers a drum solo. It’s enjoyable enough, but I am already waiting in anticipation for what comes next.

Sure enough, “Sometimes It Snows In April” follows. A new song at the time, Prince tells the crowd that if they want to get a drink, it’s cool. The song itself is beautiful, the guitar is slightly extended and the song is well-paced. Everything has time to breathe. The backing vocals are perfect, just one voice backing Prince. As always, less is more. The song is short but is a highlight.

The funky guitar of “Irresistible Bitch” is unmistakable as it begins. This is the sound that first got me into Prince. It starts as it's heard on the Purple Rain tour, all funky guitar and heavy bass. There is plenty of Prince calling directions to the band “stop on the One” “stop on the three” etc. I love it when he calls for just Wendy's guitar, or just guitar and drums. That stripped-back sound appeals to me. There is very little singing at all through the song, Prince sings a few lines, but it’s all about the band and the funk.

Prince calls for the horns, and they add a little light to the dark funk of the song. There is some great soloing from all the band members here. The song moves into another long jam and Prince directs Bobby Z. To my mind, Bobby Z is vastly underrated. Here he gives Prince exactly what he wanted and played everything as required, as he did throughout his time Prince. The song is funky as hell, and Bobby Z is right on it throughout. Prince strips the song down and continues to give calls to Bobby Z. Then over the top of the beat he sings a couple of verses from The Bird. There is a short call and response with the crowd.

 

Brown Mark keeps things moving along with some sharp bass playing, and Prince starts the crowd singing “Drawers burning”

Shelia delivers one of her trademark solos; there is no mistaking her distinctive sound. The band then transitions into “Hollyrock.” It’s a great version; Prince is playing with a lot of energy and passion. Again the saxophones have a couple of solos, at this stage, Prince was beginning to embrace the use of horns. A couple of the band are given a chance to shine, and then it is back to more of Eddie and blowing the horn. Of the songs on this recording, this is the one that is infused with the most energy. The crowd response had been muted all evening, but now they can be heard enthusiastically singing along. Most of these songs are new to the crowd, so this is one of the few times you can hear the audience on the recording enjoying it.

It then gets the full jam treatment, with a nice long groove with plenty of guitar and sax over the top. Then just as suddenly it stops and the recording ends.

 

All in all, a nice little recording. I wouldn’t be quite so praising if I only had the first copy I listened to, but the newer, cleaner version was definitely worth the listen. I am always a fan of these longer funky jams, and that is essentially all this gig is. I would say if this sounds like you, definitely make an effort to listen to the more recently circulating version.

Miami 7 April 1985

 

Last week I took a closer listen to one of the earliest shows of the Purple Rain tour, one of the opening concerts in Detroit. To close the circle, this week I will be taking a listen to the final performance of the Purple Rain tour, the finale from the Orange Bowl, Miami. This particular day is well covered, we have a stupendous soundboard of the rehearsal, which demonstrates that The Revolution have lost none of their fire as the tour progressed. If anything, they are playing harder, faster, and playing with just as much to prove on the opening nights. We also have the opening act of Sheila E. in soundboard quality which gives the main show added depth and context when these supplementary recordings are taken as a whole. The main show itself is widely circulating, and I know very few people who don’t have this in their collection. As such, you might think there is no need to cover this ground, but I do want to listen to it again with the hangover of that Detroit concert in my mind.

7th April 1985. Orange Bowl, Miami

When it comes to classic pop-rock songs, there is no song more pop, rock, or classic than “Let’s Go Crazy.” The phosphorescent guitar breaks by Prince paired with the contagious keyboard riffs fill every crack of the song. The rendition presented on this recording leans toward the pop end of the scale, a lot of the furious guitar work sits low in the mix, leaving Prince and the Linn drum to carry the song forward with their sparse rhythm. It is an energized start to the recording, and even 30 years on I can yet again feel myself being caught up in the fervor of the moment.

The 1999 songs that follow are only two or three years old at this time, yet sound light years away from the music Prince was currently producing. “Delirious” is bright and youthful, yet sounds less well-considered than the Purple Rain songs that will fill the setlist. The second half of the song features piano work from Prince and some horns that speaks far more of Prince at this time, and nicely update the song for the Purple Rain audience.

 

The song “1999” falls into the same category for me, even by this stage it already sounds dated, and although it keeps the energy levels up and provokes an enthusiastic response from the crowd, it does sound very much like the era that it is from. That aside, I like it. The verses, with their relay of lines from the Revolution, are very clean sounding, as is the greasy guitar line by Prince and I wholeheartedly approve of both. To my ears, the ending is overworked, but that is just my taste rather than anything that is happening at the concert.

I am warmed by the introduction of “Little Red Corvette,” and although it offers no surprises I welcome it like an old friend. Prince's vocals emerge from the soft fog of synthesizes, standing alone and stark in contrast. It doesn’t get any better than this opening moment, the rest of the song can’t carry the emotional weight that Prince sets out at the beginning. It is crowd-pleasing though, and I enjoy it for what it is here at home.

There is a wonderful jangle that first catches my ear in “Take Me With U,” the guitars creating a youthful and energetic fill that Prince and the rest of the song ride across. The bulk of the song is filled by a long rise that neatly joins the first part of the song to what promises to be a longer jam. This jam gets off to a fine start, in particular, Brown Mark and his bass pull the pop of “Take Me With U” back and instead root it firmly to the dance floor. This is sharpened with Wendy’s contribution on the funk guitar and although only two minutes it is one of the early highlights to be heard on this recording.

We can all catch a breath with the “Yankee Doodle” section, and even though I could easily skip it, I stick with it to complete the concert experience for myself. Prince’s spoken word section is interesting at first, but after numerous listens there is nothing more to be had from that section. The payoff for enduring this section is “Do Me, Baby” that follows, and for the first time, we have a direct comparison to what we heard at the Detroit concert earlier in the tour. “Do Me, Baby” isn’t quite as lush as the Detroit show, but on the same hand, it isn’t as indulgent either, which leaves us with a crisp, clean rendition of one of Prince’s most enduring ballads. I prefer it when Prince wrings every drop of yearning and lust from it, but having this in soundboard quality more than makes up for any thoughts.

The Detroit concert segued from “Do Me, Baby” to “Fathers Song.”  Prince has altered the setlist by the end of the tour, and we have an injection of James Brown-styled funk with “Irresistible Bitch” and “Possessed.” Both provide drive and focus, and drive the concert forward after the brief lull of “Yankee Doodle.”  The Revolution are sounding great, but it is the supplemental players that elevate these songs for me, the saxophone in particular used to great effect in the last minutes of the performance.

 

The contrast as Prince moves to the solo piano couldn’t be greater, and although he plays with plenty of swing and swagger, the previous funk quickly dissipates. “How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore” sees Prince playing the audience as much as he plays the piano. In fact, there is very little music after the first stanza, and most of the song consists of Prince teasing the audience with his smutty talk.

He also teases as he introduces the next song as “Temptation” from the new album. It is only that though, a tease, and all we get is a couple of lines as he plays the piano riff of “Let’s Pretend We’re Married.” With the saxophones present, it is infectious and is one to get the crowd moving. Wendy too gets things moving with a guitar contribution which nicely matches Prince on the piano and all in all it is a hit out for all the band before Prince pulls things back in the next few minutes.

With Prince at the piano, we get several minutes of audience  interplay before he finally settles on “God.” In the Detroit concert this was paired with “Father’s Song,” and even though we don’t get “Father’s Song” at this show, we do get a quieter and more respectful audience as Prince plays “God” It is a much better sounding performance than the Detroit concert, and I find I listen intently throughout. I’m not so thrilled about the final minutes of weirdness, but I am perfectly accepting that this is part of being a Prince fan.

 

The is a vicious snarl to “Computer Blue” that brings an animalistic fury back to the show. In the first minutes, there is a sense of shock and awe as Prince unleashes the Revolution, and before I can regain my senses the song is already morphing into the second half. I am always hoping for more with “Computer Blue,” but Prince always pitches it just right. Any more would just be tiring, and he brings it to a close as it climaxes, leaving me to indulge myself in a post-coital rendition of “Darling Nikki”

“Darling Nikki” is to be expected, and there are no surprises or extras tacked on here. It is a pleasing few minutes, it is never too challenging a listen and the minutes slip quickly by.

There is a sheen and polish to “The Beautiful Ones” that leaves me feeling less satisfied than a lot of recordings I have heard. Is the soundboard too clean? I just don’t know, but there does seem to be an element of intensity and emotion missing from the performance. It sounds beautiful though, and I can only think that this is one song where one would tire from investing too much into it. Maybe, just maybe, as the last show on the tour Prince is skating through this song.

The opening guitar riff of “When Doves Cry” rips through this soundscape, and tears up the previous gloss of “The Beautiful Ones.” The guitar gives way to that irresistible keyboard hook, and I know that it will stay with me for the rest of the day. Prince’s vocals sound shallow on this recording, but it does give us more space to hear Wendy and Lisa, and that’s no bad thing. It is mid-song that the song begins to fly, Brown Mark’s bass ushering in a harder, denser sound that brushes up hard against Wendy’s fearsome solo. She is formidable for the minutes she plays, and her piece is the strongest moment in the song.

Normally it is the drum machine that I hear most in “I Would Die 4 U,” in this case, it is the bass of Brown Mark that I gravitate towards. The song isn’t as bright as one might expect, and certainly not as sparkling as the show I listened to on the first days of the tour. However, it is a pop song and can carry itself despite a rather lackluster performance. The song explodes in the final minute as it becomes a jam that will eventually be “Baby I’m A Star.” One gets the feeling that this is the moment The Revolution have been waiting for, and they explode out of the gate with wings of funk.

“Baby I’m A Star” is flexible and on the Purple Rain tour could be dragged out for as long as needed. The performance at this concert is relatively short, and clocks in at a sprightly thirteen minutes. With Sheila E. and her band joining the fray there is plenty to take in. Her percussion adds an exotic quality to the song and coupled with the bass of Brown Mark, the song becomes a mixture of styles that removes it far from the album version. My only reservation is there is some tremendously busy saxophone to be heard, but it is low in the mix and one must strain hard to catch it all. It does come further forward later, but nearly as much as I would like. If it was louder and to the fore, I would rate this rendition highly, and even as it is I was thrilled to hear these new additions to Prince’s music at the time.

 

One would assume that the final “Purple Rain” of the tour would be an emotional one, and from the first moments, the guitar is infused with a sense of melancholy and finality. Like any great art, what you bring to it is what is reflected back at you, and in this case, I can feel the end of the era and the swirl of emotion that I associate with that time as Prince puts Purple Rain behind him and strides confidently into the future. It sounds big, as it should, and even though the introduction is long there is never the feeling that the band is dwelling on it, they are simply letting the song move in its own way. Prince’s opening move on the guitar is stunning, and I would be more than happy if the song ended simply at this point. However, there is so much more to come as Prince blazes a trail across the recording, his guitar a comet that lights up the arena sky. 55,000 move and sing with him, and that becomes 55,001 as I lose myself in the magic of the moment.  Even after 97 concerts, and 97 renditions of Purple Rain, Prince, and the band nail it one last time with a rendition that is just as good as any other heard on the tour. I expect the guitar solo to be overwrought, instead, Prince keeps it clinical and generates an inner intensity as he plays. A final goodbye from Prince closes the concert and there is a simplicity and power in his words.

A well-known show, one can see why this recording has retained its popularity over the years. Not only is it a noteworthy mark in history, but it is also an equally powerful and affecting concert. Comparing it to the show from the first week of the tour, we can see that Prince has streamlined the show, in particular, the sagging middle section is brightened with the addition of “Possessed” and “Irresistible Bitch.” Likewise, the piano set has been tightened up, and although still a little ponderous, it does engage the audience far more. There is no need for me to make a recommendation on this recording, most people already have it and are no doubt overly familiar with it. It has stood the test of time, and thirty years later I still label this as a must-listen.

Miami 7 April 1985 (Soundcheck)

 

David Bowie once sung “Gee my life’s a funny thing, am I still too young” and I know exactly what he means. After the last few weeks I have had I feel like I am watching my life from a distance, I have moved house, had no internet for two weeks, and on top of that I have been battling bureaucracy with Immigration trying to keep my girlfriend in the country (should we fail, the next blog post will be coming out of Tokyo). It’s now that I have discovered the great power of music. Today’s recording is simply astounding, and as I listen to it with headphones on I find all my troubles fade away as the real world disappears into the background. I have written about rehearsals and soundchecks before, and I decided that in the future I would shy away from them. This one though is so mind-blowingly good that I find I am compelled to write about it. A soundboard from 1985, this soundcheck has The Revolution playing an amazing set, and within minutes of beginning to play it, I was captivated. Already there is a lot of internet buzz about it, and I will say this – believe every word you read, this one is one of the greats.

7th April 1985, Soundcheck, Miami

As soon as the recording started I wanted to talk to someone about it and share the experience. All the elements I love are present right from the start, a crystal clear soundboard, a pounding beat, some delicate funky guitar, and then the sax shows up on the scene and I am mouth open and eyes bugging. The “Controversy/Mutiny” combination is so perfect, you need to hear it to believe it. The “Controversy” riff is full and dirty, I sweat just listening to it, and the sax playing the “Mutiny” riff, well it’s just unfair that anything could sound so good. Add in some lead guitar from Prince and this thing is TNT. No more writing here, I am going to spend the next few minutes strutting around the room with this blasting.

 

From funk to blues, Prince next shows his blues chops with “I Got Some Help I don’t Know I Need.” The Revolution shows their versatility as they turn their hand to this, in a heartbeat they go from a funky monster to a laidback deep blue’s groove. I love the feel of it, and once the singing stops and the sax and guitar take over it becomes something else again. Prince lets the sax play before upping the stakes with a stellar guitar break that leaves me with my eyes closed shaking my head, oh yes The Kid can play.

“Erotic City” is heavy on the drums, as it should be. It’s not much more than a minute, but in those sixty seconds, I am holding my breath hoping the packaging was wrong and we’d get much more.

The ‘much more’ that I had hoped for comes next. I read someone commenting that “Something In The Water” here is the best 12 minutes of your life, and they weren’t far wrong. It's 12 minutes of brain-melting music that is The Revolution at their very best. It’s a combination of things that make it such a standout, I don’t know where to start, the funky guitar groove that runs for several minutes as the song builds, the melancholy keyboard swells, or the surprising saxophone that leaves me floored. It’s not what’s played, it’s how it is played, and I soak all of it up, not wanting a single element to ever end. I keep coming back to the saxophone, it’s got such a feel to it that it stays with me for hours after I have finished listening. The guitar picks up seamlessly from where the sax finishes, and I swear I have never heard anything so beautiful in my life. It's a close-run thing, but I think the guitar just tops it.

 

The obligatory James Brown cover (“Bodyheat” in this case) gives the saxophone another chance to get front and center as it holds down the groove through the song. The band is just on fire at this point, and it amazes me that they can play such a variety of styles right after one another, and inject much life into each one. A few minutes ago I had tears in my eyes as they played the emotion-heavy “Something In The Water,” now they are a classic funk band, complete with a horn section, and jamming on a groove that demands I get up and dance. Don’t let anyone ever tell you The Revolution couldn’t do this or that, listen here, they can do it all.

I wonder what could possibly come after all this, and for the third time in the evening I have to pick my jaw up off the floor as the band play “Strange Relationship.” For real. I read it on the cover, but I don’t believe it until the song is deep in my ears.  It’s not as funky as it would become, but asides from that it is 98% the same song that would later be released. Did I mention it sounds good? Oh yes, it does, the keyboard swells rather than grooves, and there is a piano solo mid-song that pulls it all together. There is a part of me that wants to write “this is the best thing on the recording”, that would be a lie, there are many great moments on the recording, and this is right up there with the other ones. As a bonus though it does have a great Eric Leeds solo that gains it a few more credits in my book.

 

We get another rare treat next as “High Fashion” is heard. What a pleasant surprise, I smile as soon as I hear it begin. This is much more of a jam, and I love that distinctive rumble of Brown Mark. He has a great chugging sound, and it’s almost as unmistakable as the funky sound of Wendy’s guitar that plays over top. It’s got an undeniable summer sound and I sing along enthusiastically, much to my girlfriend’s dismay. As the riff plays over and over, I find I never tire of it and I am surprised as the song comes to an end.

With the horns playing the riff of “17 Days,” it has a different sound and leaves me off balance. The heavy keyboards feel safer as they begin and the song takes on its classic sound. The instrument that I pick out for special attention is Wendy’s guitar, she is something else, and the song has plenty of her sound that I love. The song becomes a jam, and it spins off in a direction I hadn’t expected. The bass and drums pick up a different groove as the sax solos, and surprisingly I like this even more.

“Groove In A” is an even better jam, with everyone contributing something. Listening to this, I find myself thinking that it’s a shame that The Revolution didn’t play after shows like Prince started doing a few years later, jams like this demonstrate to me that they would have killed it. In fact, this whole soundcheck would have worked brilliantly as an aftershow, just close your eyes and imagine hearing this at a small club. Groove In A has a nice funky thing going, with a sax riff, before Prince plugs in his guitar and begins to let loose. I say let loose, but in reality, he is playing well within the song, and nice and tight. It’s a claustrophobic sounding jam at this point, and I am still with it, every beat and pop, howl, and squeal. The song ends with an exchange between Prince and Wendy that has Prince telling her “say into the mic, “I’m weak”, which sets us up nicely for the final song which is a “Groove In F”

 

It starts fast, very fast, and Prince and Wendy have me laughing as she says “I hate this kind of music”. The bass the cymbals hold most of the sound, with a final appearance from the saxophone a minute into the song. Things take off at this point, Prince responds with a quick solo, before we drop back to the groove. It's funny guy Prince, with him talking funny before the last solo fades out the recording.

I have only had this recording for 24 hours, and already I know that it is one for the ages. We will be hearing a lot more about this in the future, I am sure over the coming days, weeks, and months everyone will be talking about it. I don’t know how many times I have felt like a jaded fan and the excitement is gone, only for a recording to surface that makes me just as excited as the first time I heard Prince’s music. This is one of those recordings, and listening to it this evening I was transported to another time and place, a time and place where The Revolution reigned supreme. Truly amazing performance and recording, this sounds just as fresh as the day it was recorded 31 years ago.