Sendai 1 February 1989

 

I had several choices of recordings to listen to from the Lovesexy tour. The most famous, and widely available would is the show from Dortmund Germany. I have decided not to listen to that one today, instead, I am listening to Sendai, Japan. It’s almost as well known and is an excellent soundboard recording. I like this one, especially as the setlist is a little different from the Dortmund gig. Lovesexy shows were an experience in themselves. Prince presented his new material, in a way that let you know that it was very important to him personally. At the same time his old material was played, but it was tweaked in such a way that it could contribute to the overall arc he was performing at the show. The shows started with Prince running quickly through his back catalog. It’s a medley, yet he plays just enough of each song that I never feel cheated. It’s a clever way to get the weight of history off his back so he can concentrate his, and the audience, attention on the new material. I am looking forward to this one, so let’s take a listen.

1 February 1989, Sendai Japan

“Snare drum pound on two and four, all the party people get on the floor – bass!” A simple but effective intro to “Housequake.” The drums sound great, right from the start I know I am going to love this one. “Housequake” sounds a little thin on record, but here it’s nice and round, and the drums and horns have me bobbing my head right from the start. The song is genius and as I listen I try to break it down. I have no idea how he could even conceive it and put it together, but listening here, and can see it’s all built around the drums and horns. The other great thing about the live version is the bass is much stronger- which is always a great thing for me! “Housequake” is the longest song played in the first half of the show, and it gives the band a good five minutes to get into it. The song sounds like it is going to end with a brief drum roll, but then after a few words from Prince, we are back to one final chorus.

 

When the song does end, Prince slips easily into the smooth “Slow Love.” I loved this on the Sign O The Times tour, but like everything for the next 40 minutes, it is cut down early, just as I was getting in the mood for love too!

Adore seems like a natural progression, following straight on. Prince’s voice is spot on here, and it showcases just how strong his vocals are. After some brief vocal gymnastics, Boni intercedes and there is some interplay between the two of them.

A sudden shout and a blast and things speed up considerable with a break-neck “Delirious.” The song has always been up-tempo, but here seems even quicker, and the 30 seconds it gets seem to go by in a flash.

In a similar vein, “Jack U Off” follows, but it gets a longer outing. Prince seems to have got his setlist very well constructed here, the songs are grouped in a way where they all seem well suited to what comes before and what follows. The three songs in this group are Delirious, Jack U Off, and Sister, and they seem like a natural family together. Jack U Off is quite sprightly and the horns add a nice element in contrast to the guitar-heavy version from earlier tours. There is even time for an organ solo before the guitar takes a short solo.

The song rolls into “Sister,” and unbelievably it’s even faster. However it only gets a verse and a chorus, but that is enough. Some nice solo guitar work ends it, one can only assume it's Prince. The band jumps back into the fray and the guitar work goes up another level again. A quick dash to the finish line, and then a lovely and surprising segue into “Do Me, Baby.”

 

“Do Me, Baby” slows things down nicely, not only is it a slow song, but here it is played longer than most songs in the first half, so we all have a chance to catch our collective breaths. The beauty of this recording is that I can hear Prince so well, and his vocals are magnificent. A couple of excellent squeals and then in his deeper voice some very cool seduction talk. He’s done it thousands of times, but it always sounds so good. The song ends with a couple of lines from “Adore.”

The energy levels are restored with the intro of “I Wanna Be Your Lover.” Before I get too excited about hearing it, things turn nasty with “Head.” It sounds good, but I think it's missing the visual element, I need to see it as well as hear it. One of my keystone songs, it’s the dark dirty early recordings of it I prefer, this one is a little too clean and sharp for my liking. However, Fink is still here to play his solo and that is always a plus.

‘On the one” brings us to “Girls and Boys.” I adore this song on Parade era recordings, however here it’s a pale imitation of itself. It only gets a minute and seems a little too sterile.

However “A Love Bizarre” seems to come out great, the bass and drum seem thicker and the horns a little stronger. Having Shelia E. on tour is a bonus, and it’s great to have her vocals on it. The song takes a very funky turn when Miko plays a break and the band and Prince chant “Who’s house, Mikos house!” I only wish that it went for longer.

 

“When You Were Mine” sounds almost the same as the day it was recorded. Prince’s guitar sounds the same, and the only difference is the band when they sing along. Again, this song gains a lot on this soundboard recording. It gets more exciting when Prince encourages the crowd to sing “Hey, hey!” and even I feel myself getting more excited. The horns playing at the end is an excellent touch, and it’s a nice update of something from his back catalog.

The pounding start of “Controversy” brings a big smile to my face, but sadly after a minute, it switches to the mournful keyboard intro of “Little Red Corvette.” But it's no bad thing, it’s a well-needed change of pace, and I can’t stop thinking what a great setlist this is. As he did for many years, the song ends abruptly after the guitar solo, and we go straight into “U Got The Look.”

I have mixed feelings about “U Got the Look,” I love the funky rhythm guitar underneath, but hate the loud rock guitar over the top. I am at war with myself over it. Luckily I don’t have too long to overthink it, as it ends soon enough.

“Superfunkycalifragisexy” is a favorite of mine from the Black Album. Here it is very enjoyable to listen to and sounds just as fresh as it does on record. I was very surprised to see Black Album songs in the setlist, but at the same time very grateful. These were creative little songs that deserved to be heard by a wider audience.

The song ends back where we started with a “Controversy” and then things get interesting.

“Bob George” is a strange choice for the Lovesexy tour, and yet it makes perfect sense. It’s dark and funky, and the antagonist of the song is at his lowest point. It makes sense in the wider context of the setlist, and the rebirth and redemption that follows. I wouldn’t want Prince to write too many songs like “Bob George,” but I do like it very much and I love the creativity he shows with it. It ends with the Lord’s Prayer here, and a bang, literally.

After a few seconds of silence and dark noise, the show resumes with Prince on the piano, playing “Anna Stesia.” The first time I ever heard the Lovesexy album this was the song that grabbed me. This was the song I was most intrigued by and the song that seemed to speak to me. Even today as I listen to it, I find I am asking myself questions and listening to it on many levels. “Anna Stesia” marks the end of the first half of the show, with no more medleys and shortened versions, from here on it's all Lovesexy, positivity, and full-length versions. “Anna Stesia” sounds great, I can’t tell you enough what a great soundboard this is. The song ends with Prince singing “God is love, love is God” and that tells you pretty much where we are heading for the rest of the show.

There are then a few minutes of intermission, and “Cross The Line.” It sounds a little corny now, but in the context of the whole show, it definitely belongs and has its place. There are all sorts of samples and noises, and I think if I had been there it would have kept me guessing about what was coming next.

 

I have to admit I was lying on the couch with my eyes closed, trying to digest all the parts of the intermission, when Prince’s voice burst out of the speakers and scared the life out of me! An “Ewww” and Prince strongly begins “Eye Know.” This is another one of those songs from Lovesexy that I never get tired of listening to. I like this one, I can hear Prince very well, and the song isn’t as ‘busy’ as it sounds on the record. Prince tells Miko he likes the guitar, it sounds funky, and he is so right. All the different parts of the song work, and I find I am trying to listen to them all individually and pick out what they are playing. It all works together and I finally decide that only a mad genius could have written this song.

The opening beat to “Lovesexy” grabs my attention, it’s so loud and full. All the Lovesexy songs sound strong live, and I am pleasantly surprised. I remember when I first heard the album I could never imagine how they would work in a live situation, but work they certainly do. The rhythm section in this song is outstanding. Again, it’s another song with plenty of layers, so there is always something new to listen to or pick out.

“Glam Slam” seems like a logical choice to follow with. It's fresh sounding and my only problem with it is that it finishes after 2 minutes.

“The Cross” is a natural fit in this portion of the show. It’s sounding better here than it did on The Sign O Times tour, a little less reverent, and a little more uplifting. I don’t know how the music changes to reflect that, maybe it’s the songs surrounding it than give me that feeling. Again, a testament to Prince’s great setlist. As you might expect, Prince’s guitar playing is a highlight, an absolute joy to listen to. The tone of the whole song is uplifted and it’s hard not to smile as I listen to it.

I find the beat of “I Wish U Heaven” very soothing, and the moment it starts I feel better. Shelia E is all over this one, and she is in fine form. The quality of Prince’s bands has always been the best of the best, and Shelia E is just another example. A star in her own right, she contributes so much to this show, and this song. Miko is another favorite of mine and his guitar playing at the end of this is nice and crisp.

Prince begins the next with “Sendai, come here and give me a Kiss”. If you have read any of my other blogs you will know my feelings about Kiss. This one, in particular, I am not so fond of. The guitar is buried and there is too much horn. Prince says “I like it” but unfortunately I can’t agree. No fault of his, or the band, they play well, the problem is all mine.

“Dance On” is another personal favorite from the album, I was hoping for a full version, but instead I get an intro then Shelia E brings out the “Transmississippi Rap.” It then becomes a Shelia E drum solo. I love Shelia, but I have never been one for drum solos (perhaps bitterness over my own lack of rhythm?), nor have I ever enjoyed the “Transmississippi Rap.” It’s unfortunate and combined with “Kiss,” this portion of the show loses me. It is no big thing, I can’t be a fan of everything, it’s just a shame, I had such high hopes when I saw “Dance On” on the tracklisting.

 

The keyboard swell, so familiar from the 1988/1989 era, begins “Let’s Go Crazy.” Prince delivers an abridged version of the intro before the crunching guitar cuts in. There isn’t anything new or different played here, but Prince does get a good chance to show off his guitar skills, and as usual, he delivers. He forgoes further guitar heroics in the latter part of the song to instead encourage the crowd to sing “go go go”. I am sure it was great if you were there, sitting on my comfy bean bag listening to the recording it didn’t move me. You can’t beat being at a live gig, that’s for sure.

This is obviously the purple part of the show as the classic riff of “When Doves Cry” follows. Plenty of horns on the intro, to my ears, it sounds a little funkier. The shortened variation that gets played doesn’t do the song justice, but I did enjoy all the additions, the bass, the horns, and the samples on top.

There is a very short guitar intro to “Purple Rain.” It feels fleeting compared to some of the long-drawn-out versions we have had over the years. As I guess, Prince sings on the first verses, and chorus before he launches into his trademark solo. Is there anything else to say about “Purple Rain?” It’s played at almost every gig, I have hundreds of recordings of it. This one is no better or worse than any other I have heard.

“1999,” does it sound better with horns or not? The jury is still out, I can’t decide. There is still a nice strong keyboard presence on this recording, so I get the best of both worlds. Prince skips over the bulk of the song and heads straight for the fade-out where he can engage the audience. Even then, by the three-minute mark, it’s all over with a rumble and Prince thanking the crowd, and assuring them that God will take care of them.

There is a feeling that the show may be over, but after a minute Prince is back, and for a final encore we get “Alphabet St.” Every show has a highlight for me, in this show, it would have to be this, along with “Anna Stesia.” Prince sounds very playful as he sings, and the band weaves in and out around him. Things get more interesting after Cats rap, and although it’s played tight, I get the feeling the band could have happily jammed on this one. It’s interesting to me that this show is so rehearsed, choreographed, and note-perfect, and yet this is the same band we hear at after-shows, where they spread their wings and fly. They always sound tight and well-reined in here.

 

The show ends with the sound of water running, and I guess it’s the noise of baptism and purity.

A show from yet another interesting period of Prince’s career, I overall enjoyed it very much. You may think from some of my negative comments above that I didn’t rate this very highly. And looking at it on paper, highly choreographed, rehearsed, and tight, I don’t think I was going to enjoy it too much. But the show is so well played, and Prince believes absolutely in what he is playing, that I can’t help but enjoy it. I will always feel it when someone believes in what they are playing. And I can’t forget, the strength of the songs themselves shines through, and there are some of my favorite songs here. This wouldn’t be the first CD I would grab out, but I always enjoy it when I hear it. Overall rating: Solid.

San Francisco 11 November 1988 (am)

 I haven’t heard or read many people talking about this recording, but it is a gig and a recording I like. Aftershows throw up a wide variety of songs, and no two are ever alike. This one has several songs that appear on numerous other recordings, but also a couple of others that aren’t played as often, and these are the ones that make me excited about this recording. The recording is muted, but clear, but it is short- clocking in at just over an hour. But a very enjoyable hour it was indeed. 

11 November 1988  Warfield Theatre, San Francisco 

Like many other Prince gigs, this starts with a steady beat. Just the drums playing a relatively simple beat. There is just a touch of bass, but I don’t recognize it at first until there is a loud cheer from the crowd and Prince starts to sing “Positivity.” The keys enter at the same time, and even though it’s somewhat quiet, it’s an excellent start to the gig. It’s hard for me to give an unbiased opinion about this song. Lovesexy is regarded as the highest creative peak, in terms of albums, that Prince ever reached. And I know that for many people, their favorite song on the album is “Anna Stesia.” I love “Anna Stesia” too, but I also have an equal amount of love for “Positivity.” Its tone and mood capture my imagination, and there is all sort of interesting moments in it that excite me. So for me, to have it open this show is fantastic, and I am all in right from the start. The song gets better and better as it progresses. The keyboard gets louder and more clunky. After a quiet first verse, Prince sings the second verse much more full-throated, and it has a nice full sound to it. It’s more human and not as mechanical as it sounds on the record. There are plenty of cheers (some of them might be from me on the couch) as a long sax solo begins. Ah yes, Eric Leeds, no need to tell you again how much I love his playing. He finishes one solo, there is a brief pause by Prince, and then he calls for another solo from Eric. Not a word of complaint from me, I could listen to this stuff all day. The song then moves into a form more in line with the album, with plenty of Princes singing. He’s not as cool and laid back as you might expect, and the song is so much stronger. The bass too is not so buried in the mix, and it is well heard in the last couple of minutes. With a “Hold on to your soul” the song comes to an end. What a brilliant opening to the show. 

The muted chord progression of “Dorothy Parker” begins. I am only listening to the show, but already in my mind, I picture it as a dark smoky type of gig. Both these songs have that sound to them. “Dorothy Parker” sounds good, there is some nice horn and piano playing, and a great moment when Prince ad-libs “Mind if I turn on the radio, Madhouse was on!” This is followed by a piano break, which has a cool jazzy feel to it, as you might imagine. The horns and piano are what this one is about, the horns never dominate, but they do add a lot of colors. The song drops down a bit, and over a repetitive couple of chords, the sax plays for a while. It’s a very cool couple of minutes.

 

Prince sounds pretty relaxed as he thanks the crowd for coming out, and tells them “this beats hanging out at the hotel watching Letterman” He immediately begins “Housequake,” and this is again a very strong version. He sounds like his heart is really in it on this night, and his vocals are quite impassioned. The band is very cohesive on this one, and there is nothing loose or wild about it. The horn solo is brief and tight, and it is played as heard on Sign O Times. It’s no bad thing at all, and this is one of my favorite renditions of this song. Not that there’s anything special about it, just it's played with a lot of heart. Later in the song things become a little more exciting, there is a couple of ad-libs from Prince, and the band begins to swing off a shade more. It has a funky false ending before Prince calls the band back for a final couple of lines. 

Prince then says “I think I want to play guitar” and we are treated to some beautiful lead guitar. He’s warming up and playing some nice lead lines. With a hushed “one, two” the familiar sound of “Just My Imagination” begins. The first couple of minutes of guitar set the bar high, and it’s almost disappointing when the song begins properly. Princes’ singing is warm and inviting, and I find myself falling under his spell as I listen to this. The guitar break is equally alluring, and it draws me in slowly before Prince begins to crank up the pressure. This is one of my favorite renditions of “Just My Imagination;” the guitar break is passionate, but not too fast or furious. Prince sounds like he is holding back but it sounds great. I especially like what comes next- some very impassioned singing of “Noon Rendezvous” by Prince. It takes me a few seconds to register what I am hearing, but when I realize what it is I am blown away. I love it when he sings “I don’t care what you got on your feet baby, I just want to meet you, I just want to greet you, I just want to take off all your clothes and eat you”. Oh yes, we miss you a lot ‘Dirty Prince’. There is a loud cheer as the song ends, but I don’t think the audience realizes just how great that was! 

 

There is the sound of some lead guitar next, before the more relaxed sound of “I’ll Take You” There begins. The crowd sounds as if they are enjoying it, there is plenty of handclapping, and a couple of whoops as Boni sings. I like the little guitar I can hear, but what I enjoy most is the singing of Boni. Usually, I find it hard to get into a song that Prince himself isn’t singing, but today I find myself enjoying this one a lot. There are a few minutes of the singers repeating “I’ll take you there” while some nice guitar is played underneath by Miko. Nothing too heavy or in your face, just some nice funky rhythm. Things pick up after this and Boni and the music both start pushing much harder. The song ends abruptly, but I think it’s my recording rather than the band itself. 

‘Take this beat, I don’t mind’ starts us into “I Wish U Heaven part 3 (Take this beat).” Another favorite of mine from this period, it’s played nice and upbeat, with plenty of funk. Prince is sounding like he is enjoying it a lot, and sings “I gave you Levi, you don’t want him” a few times before there is a great break for the bass. It gets better and faster as it goes, and it shows off some of Levis's talents nicely. Now the band begins to jam. Boni sings and we move into “Cold Sweat.” It’s played as we have heard before, pretty much the same as The Small Club gig. The band and Boni more than do it justice here, and it's part of a much longer medley. 

Next “Ladies and Gentlemen, on the drums, Prince!” He plays an enjoyable drum break, nothing too spectacular but it shows off plenty of his skills. The bass joins in after a bit, and there is a brief jam. Again, it all sounds very good, but there is nothing spectacular. A sharp “on the two” ends Prince's time on the drum before the very Shelia E percussive sound begins. 

Sheila E’s solo here is one of the more enjoyable ones I have heard from her. It’s much more colorful, and percussive sounding rather than just a basic rock solo. She plays some cool-sounding fast rhythms, and it’s a head bobber for me. As much as I love Shelia, I don’t always enjoy her solos, but this one plays to all her strengths, and it’s great. For the first time, I find myself thinking “I wish that went for longer”. The recording is worth listening to for this alone. 

 

There is a long pause after this, and then Prince instructs Boni to “Hit an F chord”. A moment of twinkling on the piano as Prince sings the first lines of “Lovesexy,” and then the beat comes in and we get a proper full-on rendition of Lovesexy. It sounds great live, the guitars can be heard much more, as can the bass. A lot is happening to listen to, but it still keeps a groove about it. The crowd starts singing “hey hey” with Prince's encouragement, and for a few seconds, I can close my eyes and imagine myself there. The music swirls around, and Prince sounds like he is having a great time. He sings ‘Hollyrock’ for a bit, and I get the feeling that this song is going to be stretched out. The bass and drums are right in front (mostly due to the recording I think) and it gives the song a much harder sound. There is a false ending, and then Prince starts pushing the band in different directions. All sorts of sounds and lines are thrown into the song. I hear a snatch of “Glamorous Life,” as well as “A Love Bizarre” before somewhat bizarrely Prince sings a line from ‘Born in the USA’. This is followed half a minute later by a line from ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’. The band starts smoking after this, there is a definite upturn in intensity, and then Boni starts singing “Chain Of Fools.” Unfortunately the recording isn’t great, and I don’t hear her as well as I might, but she sounds good. At this point the saxophone makes a very welcome return, this time playing fast and furious. The band is chugging along at great speed now, and moves effortlessly into a “It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night.” I often underestimate this band, but when I hear shows like this I am in total awe. They are awesome in every sense of the word. With a shout of “Vegas” Prince brings it all to a halt and the recording ends. 

 

I am very surprised that this recording doesn’t get more love. I have heard very few people mention it, but I thought it was outstanding. True, it’s an audience recording, and that does detract from it a lot. But the performance is hot, the setlist has enough in there to make it interesting, and the band is very tight. If this was a better recording it would be magnificent, but even as an audience recording I still find it absorbing. 

Hollywood 7 November 1988 (am)

 When it comes to bootlegs of after-shows in 1988, the Trojan Horse stands above all others. It is the most beloved and well-known of the after-shows, but there are several others from the same year that deserve attention. The Warfield aftershow from November is highly regarded, as is Große Freiheit ’36 (especially by me). There is also the aftershow from the Camden Palace in London (sadly incomplete) and then the bootleg I will be listening to today, the early morning performance from The Palace, Hollywood. Superficially all these concerts appear to be similar, but I find that when I listen to them each has its own character and feel, and so it is with The Palace. It appears to be a standard aftershow set of the time, but it is played with a heavy dose of swing that is missing in the other shows. There is an element of fun, and the intensity that smothers the other concerts is instead replaced with a bright and breezy performance. The audience recording isn’t too bad, considering the era in which it was recorded, and even if the sound is thin in places, the performance can always be heard without distortion. It can probably be best compared to the Warfield show, recorded just four days later, the setlists are almost identical, and although two different recordings of that later show are in circulation, I prefer the sound of this concert. 

 7th November 1988 (a.m.), The Palace, Hollywood.

It is the keyboards that roll out the red carpet and lead us into the show. The slow build into “Positivity” gives the song the solemnly that the lyric content demands, and as the rest of the band joins there is the feeling that something special is in the air. Without becoming too intense, the song lets the individual players feel their way into the music, along with the audience, and the song envelops the recording in its timeless mist.

 

A brightness enters the recording as Prince plays a sharp version of “Eye Know.” It is at this point that the recording briefly flickers, but the band and Prince remain upfront and loud, and there is extra energy as the song and concert bloom into something a whole lot more colorful and celebratory. Despite the wobble in the recording, it is apparent that Prince is giving another star performance, and he burns with supernova power even this early into the show. The song isn’t as complex as it is heard on record, but the band adds a baroque sound that melds well on top of Prince's bare funk that can be heard churning away beneath the song.

“Wade In The Water” gives the recording an extra depth, as Prince pulls us back to his roots while delivering some feathery guitar that sounds as if it has been handed down from God himself. Prince stays on this route, “God Is Alive” bringing spirituality and funk together in a mix that is Prince at his very best, bringing these two disparate strands together to create something unique that bestrides both sides of this religious gulf. There is the feeling of God in the air, while the bottom end of the music suggests all sorts of other sins, this unresolved tension creates a piece of music that never gets tiresome or stale.

 

The piano introduction to “The Ballard Of Dorothy Parker” shines in the darkness in this recording, and the rest of the song is equally well served by the quality of the tape.  The nuance of the song is captured well, and as it segues into “Four” the piano and horns can both be heard, without either taking precedence over the other, making for another colorful and three-dimensional moment caught on tape.

Boni Boyer does not disappoint as she comes forward for “Down Home Blues.” I prefer her performance here over what is heard at the Small Club gig (incidentally, the first live performance they did of the song), she is more subtle here and rather than belting it out she instead gives it to us piece by piece, making for easy digesting before Prince makes his first major guitar move of the show with some surgical playing that neatly dissects the song. Boni Boyer returns for a final “Rock Me, Baby,” but it is Prince who burns the house down with one last fiery burst from his guitar.

 

It takes some time for the band to build into “Cold Sweat,” but even these opening minutes are funk-fueled and one can almost hear the sweat dripping through the tape and the recording. Boni Boyer and Eric Leeds dominate the overall sound, and although the song is grounded in its forceful rhythm, it is these two that can be heard adding the most to the overall feel of it. For all that though, it is a Sheila E. solo that brings the song to a close with a simple and effective break, only to be outdone by the moment when Prince briefly sings the “Bad” bassline. Well worth checking out!

Some interlacing guitar work introduces “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me),” draping a soft lace of rhythm guitar across the sparse opening. At first, Prince is swallowed up by the song, but he does emerge from this aching sound with an emphatic plea from the heart as the song builds to its emotional core.  It is the first pillars of the guitar solo that are the gateway into the heart of the song, and as the guitar cries in the darkness the song slips away, only to be replaced by the raw emotion and the purity of music itself. It’s hard to know where to place this solo on the Pantheon of Prince guitar solos, but as it claws its way across the raw bloodied heart at the centre of the music, it speaks not to the ear, but the very soul, making for one of Prince’s most powerful performances.

 

It is a frantic “Supercalifragisexy” that banishes any such sentimentality from the show, and Prince gives a furious and mesmerizing performance. With guitar in hand, he ladles on great dollops of funk, all at a breakneck speed that never lets up through the ten minutes the song twists and turns in various shades of funk. It is Eric Leeds who is the foil to Prince’s kinetic sound, he matches him blow for blow through the song, both matching Prince and pushing him further. It is only in Prince’s final hurricane of a solo that he bests Eric, and after such a blitzkrieg it is hard to envisage what might come next.

What comes next is  “I Wish U Heaven (part 3).” With a heavy beat, the drums overwhelm the previous all-conquering guitar, a heavy march compared to the guitar’s earlier wild night flight. The song smolders with the appearance of the horns, and as Prince hits his lines the song heats up, but it never quite bursts into flame as it promises. The rhythm though is undeniable, and it never once lets up in its drive and momentum as it powers towards the end of the show. The music glowers and growls, there is no bite, only the threat of imminent danger and darkness. It is a decisive finish to the concert, and the band unfurls their strident brand of funk in these final minutes, making a lasting impression that lingers on long after the concert has finished.

 

It has been quite some time since I listened to this entire show, and I have to wonder why it doesn’t get more play at my place. An excellent show with Prince and the band at the height of their powers, there is a lot to love about this bootleg.  There is very little rock or pop to be heard here, it is all about the funk, and Prince gives us plenty of his unique style of funk as each song is brushed by his sound and sonic flavor. This bootleg is easy to overlook next to the highly esteemed Small Club, but it holds its own in comparison, and should not be discounted. As a record of Prince’s funk style at the time this recording is outstanding and is not to be missed

Detroit 30 October 1988

 

Continuing my rumble through Prince bootlegs emanating out of Detroit, this week we reach 1988 and the first of two nights at the Joe Louis Arena. One might imagine that excitement was high for this one, with the Sign O The Times tour never making it to US soil, this is the first chance for Detroit to see Prince since 1986. As with the other recordings, the Detroit crowd takes Prince to their heart, and they are just as much a part of the show as Prince is. The recording is again a poor audience recording, but it is better than the recording from the 1986 show that I listened to last week. However, it's one to be listened to quietly alone, rather than blasted out of the stereo or car at maximum volume. The other negative is that it is heavily incomplete, running out at barely half the length of a normal show. Large chunks are gutted out of the heart of the performance, so it will be interesting to see how the natural flow of the concert sounds in this form.

30th October 1988. Joe Louis Arena, Detroit.

The crowd is passionately loud, but the music is louder for the “Erotic City” opening number. With his arsenal consisting of heavy artillery in the form of the bass, and highly maneuverable cavalry made of Eric Leeds and Atlanta Bliss and their gleaming brass instruments, Prince’s opening salvo hits the mark, pushing the music far into the motor-city audience. I too am swept up by this charge, the blitzkrieg of this funk attack is only rebuffed by the quality of the recording, if not for the patchy sound it would be an unswerving opening to the show.

 

There is no time to linger on “Erotic City,” Prince sweeps it aside with an equally combative “Housequake.” He is staking out his place in the world of funk early on, and even on an audience recording one can hear his conviction and vibrant performance pitched squarely at the Detroit audience. Although the sound quality renders it a performance sounding one step removed, it is nevertheless a song that gives life to the recording,

At this point we reach the first of several cuts, resuming the concert at “Do Me, Baby.” It still has its sweeping luxurious sound, this time enhanced by the passionate Detroit audience and their delirious anticipation of every dripping line. The recording is steady enough, and although it would never be rated very good, it is good enough for us to wallow in Prince’s seduction patter against a veil of sumptuous music.

The steady flow of the concert and recording is restored by a timely injection of pop in the form of the effervescent “I Wanna Be Your Lover.” It is the most spontaneous sounding moment of the concert thus far, for the first time we hear Prince unbridled and singing in a voice that speaks of pure joy. It is a thrilling few minutes and one that draws a line back to the Prince of the early days.

 

“Head” brings a dark, heavy velvet curtain down on this uplifting sound, its salacious lyrical content matched by the dark intent of the music. If “I Wanna Be Your Lover” was all about bright melody, then “Head” is all about its dark groove. It slides on its belly throughout, the bass only raising its head in the final minutes as the horns briefly lift the song into “A Love Bizarre”

Prince has time to play with the band throughout “A Love Bizarre,” something that seems to give Detroit a great kick. The moment through belongs to Eric Leeds as he blows up a multitude of storms on his saxophone. From the opening eddy to the final tempestuous hurricane of music, he is a man in complete control. This is a Prince concert, no doubt, but all is forgotten in the minutes Eric plays.

We have further nostalgia shoehorned into the show as Prince sets his sights on “When You Were Mine.”  I must admit, I am caught up in the moment and find myself absentmindedly yelling “hey hey” with the crowd, but that’s no bad thing and usually a sign that the bootleg isn’t all that bad.

 

The is a definite swagger to “Blues In C (If I Had A Harem)” and the music itself steps firmly into the spotlight in the first minutes as Prince plays rather than sings. That changes with his vocals, and this immediately brings the Detroit crowd back into the recording. It’s not quite as enjoyable as the previous few minutes, although Prince’s talking to the crowd is always worth hearing, especially when he is as loose as he is at this concert.

Sadly we are missing “Little Red Corvette” and instead the recording jumps to a storming version of “Controversy.” The start is slightly muddied, but the quality of the recording can temporarily be forgotten as Prince and the band tears their way through the rest of the song. With “U Got The Look” and “Superfunkycalifragisexy” both sandwiched in the middle, it becomes a song that briefly is dipped in rock before being smothered in the funk that Prince was peddling at the time. It’s not the best-sounding recording, but it’s good enough for me to appreciate the performance that is happening on stage.

The recording is equally stable for “Bob George,” and with its cold stripped-back sound it is one of the better sounding parts of the recording. We can’t see what is unfolding onstage, but it is obvious that the Detroit crowd is embracing everything that is happening, with plenty of cheers and laughter to be heard through the song.

 

Prince’s speech that ends part one is very explicit in laying out his vision and is a great introduction to Lovesexy and its themes. Again, judging from the crowd noise, the Detroit audience is ready for anything Prince gives them.

I have heard more powerful versions of “Anna Stesia” in circulation, in this case, the song hits all the usual emotional sweet spots, but it lacks the clarity and spiritual force that I have come to associate with it, and again, sad to say, this is mostly down to the audience recording more than Prince himself.

“Eye Know” also greatly suffers from this problem and sounds paper-thin on this recording, far removed from the exquisitely crafted and exotic song that is heard on record. In a song that is normally so busy in sound, here it sounds flat and washed out. A great song that is cruelly undone by the bootleg.

As the recording continues I sigh in frustration as “Lovesexy” goes the same way as “Eye Know.” These complex and sophisticated songs aren’t matched by the recording, and it is hard to give an even assessment of them. Even the crowd seems to have disappeared from the recording at this stage, and I know it must be poor if I can’t hear the Detroit audience.

 

The bold strokes that come later in “Glam Slam” bring some strength back to the show, but these are the only parts of that song that stand out, and for the rest of the performance, it is business as usual.

Another cut sees us missing “The Cross,” instead we resume with “I Wish U Heaven.” It’s slight, and the boisterous audience participation I expect never materializes. Instead, it is Prince’s guitar that provides some fleeting excitement in the final minute, but it is only fleeting. The recording then fades out as the song moves towards its extended coda, a coda that no doubt holds the real riches of the song.

“Kiss” is only two years old at this point, but it sounds as if it’s from another time altogether, such is the speed at which Prince covers new ground. The horns update the sound nicely, and they aren’t overbearing at all, leaving the song closely resembling the rendition we are most familiar with. The recording remains heavily incomplete, and again the song fades just as it segues in “Dance On.”

The power of “Let’s Go Crazy” is diluted in this case, and like so many of these songs, it is just a pale facsimile of what we would normally expect at a concert such as this. The final audience participation and volcanic eruption of guitar from Prince does save things a little and makes the previous few minutes almost worthwhile.

 

I am surprised by how quickly “When Doves Cry” passes by. There is very little of it, merely the opening hook, verse, and chorus before Prince calls thank you and indulges Motorcity in some chanting. I don’t feel cheated, it’s a sharp rendition that gives the audience just enough without spoon-feeding them all the way. In this form, the attention remains firmly on the full-length Lovesexy songs that appeared earlier, and the story Prince is trying to tell.

The concert ends in the traditional “Purple Rain,” which in this case is little more than a guitar solo with a single verse and chorus tacked on to the front end. For me it is lacking, there is no building up to this final release, and shorn of this emotional release it is merely self-satisfying rather than delivering anything with real heart. It cuts abruptly into “1999,” and unfortunately my ears aren’t good enough to say if this is how it was at the concert, or if it’s another cut in the tape. The Lovesexy band is a good match for “1999” and one can hear the contributions they all bring to the music. Although crowd-pleasing, it does feel like an unsatisfying end to the concert, the music already sounding dated against the hugely creative Lovesexy material.

Okay, so obviously the recording isn’t great. But as is so often the case, the performance lies at the heart of the matter, and once again Prince delivers to the Detroit crowd. My biggest problem isn’t with the recording however, it is the cuts. Incomplete as it is we lose the continuity of Prince’s carefully crafted set-list, and without that continuity we have a collection of songs rather than the vision that Prince had. I enjoyed the music, but hard to recommend this to anyone based on the quality, and incomplete recording. An interesting diversion for a Saturday afternoon, I am unlikely to revisit this one anytime soon.

Hamburg 31 August 1988 (am)

 

I haven’t covered an after-show for a few weeks now, so today I look forward to listening to one of my favorites. Recorded on the Lovesexy tour, this after-show from Hamburg ticks all the boxes. A couple of covers, a guest appearance, and a few personal favorites make this one a joy to listen to. I can’t wait, so let’s take a listen.

 

31 August, 1988, Große Freiheit ’36 Hamburg

The show gets off to an excellent start with “Just My Imagination (running away with me).” There is very little in the way of build-up, Prince is right into the song from the jump. The recording is raw, and the audience is right in the microphone, it’s very much an audience recording of its time. It doesn’t detract too much from the song, Prince's vocals are strong and steady and after a few minutes, his guitar break begins. It’s not as soaring or as sheering as I have heard, but I still listen to it captivated. It segues beautifully into some horns and that rolls things up nicely. The recording doesn’t capture the guitar great, but when Prince comes back on the mic I can hear his vocals nice and loud, and I love his vocal ad-libs near the end as he sings “was that you, in your red dress?” The crowd sing with him “Just my imagination” and it has a fine intimate sound to it all. With the snare coming in, Prince plays another break, but again the recording doesn’t quite do it justice. Maybe I am just too used to hearing the quality of the Small Club gig. His solo here is quite different, and it would be interesting to compare the two if this was a quality recording. There is another guitar break, and I’m guessing it's Miko. It’s more relaxed sounding and clean, and in a lot of ways, I enjoy it more than Princes. Miko brings his style and sound to the band, and he adds a lot. It gives it a more rounded sound, and I find that listening after all these years is something that keeps me interested.

 

Prince briefly introduces a couple of the band, as well as his “new friend, the blue angel”. I wonder where we are going next as he says “we going make up something now, they don’t know what I’m going to do” and then calls for the beat. The recording gets a little rough, but I stick with it as the music is becoming more interesting. Two funky rhythms are running in and out of each other, and it’s very cool to hear. Prince starts to sing “Rave” and “Rave Into The Joy Fantastic” really begins to get cooking. It’s more laid back than the Small Club gig and the crowd seems to be much more with it too. Eric adds his sound to it, and we get something very different from what is heard on the Small Club gig. It’s fascinating to listen to, and you can hear the music unfolding right before you. I would soon tire of listening to these shows, if not for all the improvisations and jams we get. This one is outstanding, especially as Eric Leeds plays more and more as the song continues. As the crowd chants “Junior, play the bass” he more than obliges. Again, it’s unfortunate that the recording doesn’t capture his moment as well as I would have liked, but it’s still very listenable. The break for the drummer sounds good, the recording picks up the drums well, and for the rest of the song, the drums are all I find myself listening to. There is a nice guitar sound, and I am sure on subsequent listens I would get much more out of it.

 

Without pause, Prince begins to sing “I only knew her for a little while” before he proceeds to first sing a few lines a capella. The rest of the band joins, and the funk levels go up several notches with “Girls And Boys.” There are several instruments and sounds worth listening to but as always it's Eric Leeds that I dig. He comes in early with a break before Prince calls him later for a much longer sax solo. Just as I think he’s finishing up, Prince begins to chant “Eric blow your horn” and I am pretty happy as we get another minute of his work. There is a breakdown and some funky guitar before Prince plugs in and plays a scorching solo. Please excuse the cliché, but it’s an apt description as his guitar playing is so hot at this point. I wouldn’t have expected it to suit this song, but once again Prince proves me wrong.

Things take a gentle twist as the piano of “Venus De Milo” begins. It’s as brief as it is beautiful, however, I can’t complain as it’s the perfect intro to a short piano set.

“Starfish and Coffee” sounds equally good in this setting. The crowd is clapping along and I can feel them, as Prince plays and sings it feels so intimate I can almost feel the heat coming off the stage. Prince keeps it short, opting for a single verse and chorus before he segues into “Raspberry Beret.”

 

“Raspberry Beret” to my ears always sounds better solo on the piano. I love hearing that melody on the piano, and although I have heard it may be too much in my life, I still smile as it begins. It's only Prince and the piano, and he gives it the same treatment as the previous song, which is just a verse and a chorus. The crowd is appreciative, and Prince acknowledges this with an “Oh, you guys are too nice, I’m gonna stay here a while”

With the crowd steadily clapping I get my first surprise of the recording, as Prince solo at the piano begins to play “People Without.” I am so used to hearing it on the Small Club recording, that any other arrangement sounds new and fresh to my ears. It lacks some of the weight of the Small Club gig, and yet in some ways, I enjoy it much more as Prince plays the piano and sings. It’s not a fully formed song, and Prince sings a couple of lines, then the main refrain for a couple of minutes, and asides from that there’s nothing more to it. Still a good moment, and another reason I should listen to this more.

Next Prince plays “Condition Of The Heart.” It’s an excellent choice and wins me over right from the start. Prince sings the first verse before the crowd comes on board for a loud “Condition of the heeaarrrtttt”. Prince dryly comments that “oh my goodness, how many singers we got?” before telling them “Now I’ll play one you don’t know”

 

“Still Would Stand All Time” on record has never come close to the live versions I have heard. On record the soul of the song seems to be missing, it’s been so polished and worked that the emotion of the live performances is missing entirely. The arrangement of this recording is fantastic. Prince sings gently, but his voice aches with emotion as he sings the first chorus. I am so caught in it that I am practically holding my breath as he sings. He works the audience into it, coaching them through the first chorus, before delivering the lines himself dripping in an emotional quiver. The song does meander for a time, but it’s always pleasant even when its lacks direction. Things pick up as Prince works the crowd through the chorus before introducing Taylor Dayne for a vocal solo. I had forgotten just how good she was, in the 1980s I used to listen to her a lot, without giving any thought to just how good she was. She doesn’t get much time here, but having her vocals does add some color and interest. Things do slow down after this and Prince does his spoken/singing part. It’s not as crisp and clear as I have heard, and he is a little devoid of ideas on this one. There is a coda as the song suddenly takes on an upbeat swinging sound. It’s a lot of fun, and the singers can be heard having fun keeping up and adding their parts to the song. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I certainly enjoyed it. Still a great song, and another great performance.

 

A “One, two, three” brings on another firm favorite. “Strange Relationship” is irrepressible, and my head moves immediately as I hear it. Like the other songs, the recording doesn’t do it any favors, and I can’t hear the horns and keys as well as I would like. Prince’s vocals though sound great and the drum has a great sharp sound. The bass plays a solo, and I don’t remember hearing that in this song before. It’s a good sound and it segues beautifully into a keyboard solo, absolutely seamless. Dr. Fink plays the keyboard solo, and it’s got his distinctive sound all over it. It’s great to hear his style and sound are still present with Prince at these gigs, and it draws a line right back to his early sound. The song continues with Prince and his “Is he good to ya?” and many sounds are thrown into the mix. Prince calls for horns to swell, and the keyboard arrives back into the mix. It’s a lot looser the second time around and has a great live sound. The trumpet comes to my ears for the first time in the show, and its shrill sound easily sounds over the top of everything else. There is plenty to smile about as Prince and the crowd start barking before Prince says “Look at Boni’s face, she scared to death that groove gonna come back in”. There is plenty of chunky piano as the funk carries through right to the end of the song.

 

An elastic-sounding bass kicks off the next song, and it’s not immediately apparent to me what the song is. There is a classic Miko guitar line before Prince begins to sing “Love Bizarre.” This song is true to an after-show gig, it’s drawn out and has a different sound from this band. Eric’s playing is freer sounding, and the bass line is very strong underpinning the whole thing. It’s much less a pop song, and much more a jam. Levi is very prominent in the song as is Miko. Both of them sound very strong before Eric gets a nice long solo. He plays for quite some time, and the song becomes his as he asserts his saxophone style. There is the sound of Prince later in the song with his guitar, but it's lost in the mix somewhat, and Eric dominates.

 

For me, things become less interesting as Boni sings “I’ll Take You There.” I can’t deny, that she’s a fine singer, but the song itself doesn’t ignite, and as I listen I am waiting to see what’s coming next. The music does pick up as it goes, and Boni unleashes some great screams before things quickly change to the “Down Home Blues.”

 

The song starts relatively slowly, Boni speaks to the ladies in the crowd as she explains what the song is about. She sounds very confident in this song, and it’s obvious that this is a great fit for her voice, and a style she is very familiar with. The keyboards and horns play some nice swells in the background, and I am transported to another time and another place. Prince brings me back into the here and now as he plays a guitar break in his unique style. The song gets much better to my ears as Boni gets into the swing of things with some hearty screams before there is another guitar break that takes things off into a different space completely.

“Cold Sweat” is much more my thing, and even though it takes a minute to start properly I get into it straight away. There are some cool drum patterns played initially before things settle into a groove after a minute or two. There is very little Prince early on, and the first section of the song is Eric Leeds playing a much more laid-back solo than we have heard previously. There is another drum break, and I do wonder if it is Prince himself playing as I can’t hear him anywhere else on the song. There are several stops and starts, and then a funny moment as Prince briefly sings the bass line of Michael Jackson’s Bad. It’s very short and amusing.

 

Things go up a gear as the guitar chugs and grooves along with the keyboards into “God Is Alive.” This is another highlight, the groove is very heavy and strong. Prince is singing with a lot of passion and that is infectious to me. The keyboard plays a strong loop over the bass, as Prince and his guitar play. His vocals have a growl to them and he sounds like he is singing from the heart. It’s the vocals that get me, but then he stops and lets his guitar do the talking. The guitar sound doesn’t match the intensity of his singing, it is strong without being the main focus. The chant of “Cat, where is at?” is fun, my only problem with it is that it detracts from the earlier intensity of the song. However, that intensity returns as Prince sings “God is alive” and the guitar is turned up in the mix. The reason for the Cat chant becomes apparent as she raps her lines from Alphabet St. It’s not bad, although I am usually no great fan of it. The song becomes very interesting as Prince talks about Camille, and his influence. It’s fascinating and brilliant to listen to, and Prince even draws on Eric to play some smooth grooves as he talks. Prince talks about Camille making the album, then not naming it. The recording drops a little at this point, but once I adjust I can still hear everything OK. Prince ends the song talking about Lovesexy. It’s not what I expected to hear, but as a whole, it’s a must-listen. To hear Prince talk frankly about his beliefs is an insight into his inner world, and in this case, it’s not preachy at all.

 

I never would have guessed an appearance of “Purple Rain” at an after-show, but that is the song that closes the show. I am so surprised to hear it, it's halfway over before I even start listening properly. Prince plays the shorter arrangement here- skipping straight to the guitar break after a single verse and chorus. The audience sense that there may not be much in it, and I can hear them begin the “aww,awww” singing almost as soon as the guitar break begins. Prince ends his first guitar break to sing with them, and it’s at this point the recording ends, leaving me to wonder what happened next.

This show looked good on paper, and despite the flaws in the recording, it lived up to those expectations. There are plenty of highlights for me on this, and the two that immediately come to mind are “God Is Alive,” and “Still Would Stand All Time.” These 1988 after shows are something special, each one is similar and yet different in many ways. There is some tough competition for a favorite, but you would have to count this one up there.