Las Vegas 1 February 2004 (am)

 The House of Blues show from early 2004 is an average recording of a great show. The sound may not be the best, but as compensation, we have a show packed with interesting moments, one of the highlights being the opening ten minutes of “Sign O The Times.” The rest of the show lives up to the opening salvo, which makes it all the more disappointing that it is recorded in bad quality. As always I am a devoted fan, and I am prepared to listen to any quality to hear Prince doing this type of show. It is recorded just six weeks before the Musicology tour, and you can hear that Prince is ready to go with the band well prepared, and enjoying a couple of one-off shows before the tour begins. 

1st February 2004 (am), House Of Blues, Las Vegas 

There are no surprises with this recording, right from the start you know what you are in for, with a scratchy distorted sound from the first moment. The band is playing “Sign O The Times,” somewhere behind the noise of the recording I can hear the band is sounding good, but it is hard work to listen to, and even at this early stage I am questioning my dedication to the cause, this will be one tough listen. “Sign O The Times” is played mostly as an instrumental, the beats and rhythms play for a good five minutes before any singing is heard. The sax attack of Candy Dulfer and Maceo Parker are in the house, they help break the cold electronic sound of the song early on before Prince starts singing. It’s impossible to comment too much on Prince’s singing, the recording breaks up badly, but things become more settled as the crowd begins to chant and Prince sings the later verses. The best sounding part of the song is the keyboard near the end, the recording doesn’t distort so much and as Renato Neto plays the piano it finally becomes more listenable. 

 

Although “The Question Of U” suffers the same problems I stick with it for Prince's guitar playing, and we are rewarded with a solo that has plenty of vitality to it, and lifts the recording.  The second half of the guitar break is where the real treasures lie, as the music eases back further so does Prince's playing and he segues into “The One” as his guitar cries. It’s always a song I look for, I find the lyrics and guitar playing to be an emotional match, and as per usual Prince plays an emotive rendition. He closes out the song with the as-expected wail on the guitar, and it’s a great way to bring it to an end. 

I am very happy to hear “Let’s Work” next, even if it is accompanied by more distortion in the recording. This is one for hardcore fans, even I am struggling with the quality. Prince sounds bright on “Let’s Work,” there is an extra bounce in his vocal, and he does add some liveliness to the show. 

“U Got The Look” has the bonus of the horns playing, and when Prince does begin to play his guitar it’s in a brighter sharper way that fits nicely with the horns. The riff is heavily distorted, so I find myself listening between the riff, and what can be heard is Prince and the band playing a funky version of a song that shines in this new rendition. 

 

The horns stay the center of attention as “Life O’ The Party” begins. The song lives up to its title and the party can be heard starting, led by Prince on stage. He injects a lot of himself into the song, and the overall effect is uplifting. Likewise, Greg Boyers solo on the trombone is full of life, it is hard not to smile as I listen to him play, he makes it seem like such fun. The song heats up at this point, and the rest of the song goes by in a blur, even here at home I feel I am part of the party. 

We do get a couple of minutes of “Soul Man” next, which is crowd-pleasing, but not heavy on Prince. Chance Howard takes the lead vocals, he sounds fine and is a good match for the song. As much I enjoy him, he’s no Prince, and I am happier when the song finishes and the opening of “Kiss” sounds out. 

This is one funky version of “Kiss,” and for the first time, the recording becomes almost listenable.  The guitars are sharp, the horns dazzling, and the keyboard is doing all it can to rival them, it’s great to digest all of it, and Prince himself gives a vocal performance to match. This is easily the best moment of the show so far. 

It’s hard to dislike “Take Me With U,” and Prince plays it with some sincerity. The audience responds well, they can be heard making noise all through it, the only negative being again the reappearance of distortion on the recording. Prince is frisky and good-natured in his delivery, and there is a lot of joy in the song. 

We get a long funk workout with the “Everlasting Now,” there is plenty of time for everyone to contribute and give it some sparkle. Prince's guitar solo leads the way, and against a backdrop of horn swells he plays economically before Candy comes to the party with a hot solo of her own. The song continues in this vein, Prince calls for Renato to solo, then the rest of the band, before getting the crowd involved too. 

 

“Shake Everything You’ve Got” sees Maceo become the focal point. He is worth listening to, with all the years of experience you know he’s not going to let you down. The other horns all get a part to play too, it’s hard to single any one of them out, they all sound good to my ear. There is plenty of time to lose yourself in the music, they play for ten minutes, with all the horns having a part to play, along with Renato Neto. Although Prince isn’t to the fore, this is still worth the time to listen to, and the band is well in the groove. 

Maceo is still the main attraction as “Down By The Riverside” begins. His playing is quick and lively, and I can hear him working hard on the recording. The rest of the band is in the background as he leads from the front with yet another excellent break. 

Prince ends with a “Thank you -goodnight” but soon enough he returns for another show-stopper, a luscious sounding “The Beautiful Ones.” The intro has an ethereal synth sound, as a piano plays for some time. The recording is certainly bad, yet the beauty of this performance still shines through. Asides from the keyboards, we also have a sax playing early on, adding its shine to the song. Prince doesn’t actually sing until well past the four-minute mark, and by that time the scene is truly set, the music has laid out an exquisite carpet for him to sing over. He sounds quiet, yet his voice is note-perfect, and on any other recording, I would be gushing about this version. However, it is what it is, even with a perfect performance the recording drags it down, his final howls lost in a wave of distortion and buzz. 

Prince continues to tug at the heartstrings with a warm rendition of “Nothing Compares 2 U.” The crowd sings the chorus appreciatively, although it’s Candy Dulfer that steals the limelight, and the show, with a blistering sax solo that has me nodding my head in acknowledgment. It’s hard to follow such a performance and after a quick chorus Prince wraps it up, but not before I am once again reminded of how good Candy is. 

 

Seeing “America” listed on the setlist was another reason that I chose this recording, and I’m not disappointed in the slightest as Prince begins the chant as the band hit the deep groove. It’s hard to make out the sound, being a heavier song the distortion again raises its ugly head, but I do catch Maceo setting the stage on fire with his playing, and there is definitely some funk in the house as they play. The bulk of the song is a long-drawn-out groove that is not served well by the recording, for long periods it is very hard to work out what is happening as the beat continues. 

“Purple Rain” sounds better, being quieter there is less distortion, and the balance of the instruments is again restored. There is an intro played on guitar that is achingly beautiful before Prince sings his opening lines, and for me, the highlight of the song is right here. Most of the vocals are lost in the grubbiness of the recording, although thankfully it briefly improves during the guitar solo. It’s hard to say the recording is going out on a high when you can hardly make out most of the song, and I actually feel relieved as it finishes. 

I made a big mistake choosing to listen to this show. I never wanted this to be a blog complaining about recordings, I wanted to celebrate the music and performances of Prince, however, this recording was so bad it completely detracted from the show I was listening to. I let myself be fooled by an inviting-looking track list and venue and forgot the most important thing, it’s all about the listening experience, not just what was played but how it sounds. Being hard-headed, even once I realized my mistake, I continued with the blog post – it’s a lesson learned the hard way. This isn’t even a show for the hardcore fan, be content to read the set list on the vault, and know that it was probably a good show if you were there. 

Honolulu 17 December 2003 (am)

 Today’s show is a rather random selection – I was thinking about what I was going to listen to next, and I chanced upon this recording from 2003. There doesn’t seem to be too much to it, but Stretchin’ Out (In A Rubber Band) seems to feature prominently, and that has me a little excited. I often play this song when I am driving, but I don’t recall ever hearing Prince’s take on it. So, it’s with anticipation that I take a listen to today’s show, I am sure I have listened to it in the past, but right now I have no recollection of it all. Right, it’s time to stretch out and get this thing started. 

17th December 2003 Volcanoes Night Club, Honolulu, Hawaii 

My excitement is tempered somewhat by the crowd noise, and sound of an audience recording. It’s not bad by such standards, it just takes my ears a minute or two to adjust to the sound of it. The first song in the set is “Mama Feelgood,” and it does indeed make me feel good, especially with the sounds of the horn section and a sharp-sounding keyboard. The horn section is particularly strong, and I impress myself when I recognize the sound of Maceo Parker in the mix – I must have listened to too many of these shows now. Rose Ann Dimalanta is singing, and it’s a shame that the recording doesn’t do her justice, she sounds secondary to the band, and her vocals aren’t picked up very well. As always, there is something positive to counterbalance this, and in this case, it is the horns, which increase in intensity as the song progresses. The keyboards too get plenty of time to play, and the song stretches out as it gives us a good idea of how the rest of the gig will play out. It’s topped off by some funky guitar licks that whet my appetite. 

 

The funk continues as the next song begins, and it grooves right from the start. The band locks in nice and tight and my head starts bobbing. They slide through “Yes We Can,” and then we hear Prince singing for the first time “Ain’t It Funky Now”. Rose Ann Dimalanta quickly pickups with singing “Yes We Can,” and the band stays in this groove for some time. I like how smooth and seamless it sounds and, if not for the quality of the recording, I could easily close my eyes and groove out to it. It feels light and summer-like and conjures up all sorts of imagines as I nod along to it. The song takes another up turn as Prince begins to sing “Yes We Can,” he sounds much stronger and louder on the microphone, and the show seems to pick up some momentum too. At the same time my ears prick up, and I listen for more of him. I am rewarded by a simmering guitar break that gains in intensity as it plays us through the last couple of minutes.  On a soundboard recording, this guitar break would be excellent, as it is, it’s just very good. 

Things don’t let up as next we get a great version of “1+1+1=3.” It’s got a great funky intro, with plenty of guitar and groove. The scene is set as Prince has the crowd chanting “we like to party” early on, and they are very enthusiastic about doing so. There aren’t any lyrics sung, but at an after-show like this, that is irrelevant, It’s all about the music and the groove. The energetic trombone solo from Greg Boyer sounds like a lot of fun. All the horn section is in on the party, and Maceo plays a brief solo too before there is a horn riff from all of them. It’s nicely counterbalanced by Prince and a laid-back guitar solo which I didn’t expect to hear at this point. It’s refined and only takes on a heavier tone when the band pause and we catch a breath. The band picks up right where they left off and now the party gets serious, I can hear it oozing out of my headphones. This song has a little bit of everything, there is “Life O The Party” in the mix, as well as “Stretching Out (In A Rubber Band)” as well as instrumental “Hot Pants.” Although he played parts of “Stretching Out” in the last two songs, it wasn’t quite the full-on version I had hoped for. Still, what I have heard so far from these first three songs has been very good, so I have no complaints at all. 

 

“No Diggity” is bass-heavy, with a fat squelching bass at the start. It’s not until a minute in does it become apparent what the song is, with the introduction of the keyboards and Chance Howard singing. It’s missing some of the sharpness that I like in the song, but I put this down to the recording rather than the performance. What I like about the song is the solo from Candy on sax. It’s bold when it needs to be, and adds a brighter sound to the recording. The song doesn’t do much else later, but that chorus is so catchy that I sing heartily along to the finish. 

I love the next moment as someone in the crowd yells “play some old school!” I can’t help but laugh as he calls it out. Prince then does the opposite and plays something current from the time. “Ooh!” is another chance for Rose Ann Dimalanta to sing, and this time she sounds better, especially in those moments when she is backed by Prince. I do like the song, but compared to everything else in the show it seems to fall through the cracks. There’s not much of a chance for the band to play, and Prince is minimal throughout. There is a guitar break late in the song, and this is about the only moment when I feel any interest in it. It’s not a scorching solo, instead, it’s a sweet little sharp sound that is very enjoyable. 

 

“All The Critics Love U” initially sounds shallow. It’s got a hollow electric sound to it, however, this improves immeasurable when the bass gets stronger. The beat is hypnotic rather than insistent, and it sounds soft to my ears. Maceo’s solo sharpens things up, there is no denying that he is a master at what he does. For all that though, it doesn’t reach the heights of some of the earlier songs, and it’s a disappointing ending to the show. The shallow sound of it reminds me of some of the Diamond and Pearls era mixes, and for a show in 2003, it has a definite 1990’s sound for this last song. There is some chanting with the crowd, which I guess is a fun way for them to finish, but I can’t get past that dated sound. Greg Boyer makes amends with a spirited trombone solo to finish, and the show closes on a high, I’m smiling here at home. 

This was an odd little show, I can see how I easily overlooked it. Although it didn’t feature “Stretched Out (In A Rubber Band)” as much as I had hoped, there was still plenty there to recommend it. I enjoyed hearing the horn section and Prince himself sounded very at ease. It may be some time before I play this one again, there are too many classics out there to listen to, but next time I won’t wait so long before I give it another spin. 

Melbourne 23 October 2003 (am)

 Last week's blog about the Melbourne show of 2003 left me unsatisfied. As much as I enjoyed it, it was an incomplete recording that left me wanting more. As luck would have it, I have in my hand the aftershow from the same evening. This is a complete recording, but it is short – clocking in at just under an hour. I don’t mind that too much at all as the contents within are interesting – an unusual arrangement of Musicology (still five months away from being released), a slowed-down “The Work Pt 1.” and a left-field cover version in the form of “When The Saints Go Marching In.” It’s a tidy setlist that keeps the listener engaged throughout as Prince leads us down various musical alleys and backstreets. It is in contrast to the greatest hits package served up at the main show, making it an even more intriguing listen for me. 

23rd October 2003 (am) Melbourne, Australia 

Prince emerges regally through the crowd noise, although the audience recording cannot match the moment and is not quite good enough to make out his introduction. It matters little as the music takes its rightful place at the center of the recording for the live debut of “Musicology.”  In the smaller and more intimate venue, it sounds soulful and full, the drums especially sounding huge in the opening stanza. The horns are still busy, and Prince delivers his vocals with panache, but it is less Vegas sounding than on the Musicology tour, and for my ears, it resonates with its soulful roots showing. Maceo and Greg Boyer are well into their work early here, and they are infusing plenty of kinetic energy into the song, Maceo with his furious saxophone solo, and Greg with his mighty trombone solo that for my money tops him. It’s early days and Prince is still playing with the arrangement for this song, in this case, it is broken into two with  “Brick House” making a cameo appearance between the two sections. As much as I love “Brick House,” on this recording, I am not too fussed. Prince is bold with his vocals, and, unfortunately, there is a slight distortion in the recording at his loudest moments. It is left to the horns to save the day, and they segue back into Musicology with aplomb and remain the main focus of my listening experience for the rest of the song. 

 

It is Rad that sings “Ooh,” but she is far from the center of attention as it is the rest of the band that grabs the song and shakes it up into a cocktail of horn and keyboard funk. Another shot of trombone action from Greg Boyer leaves me drunk in its wake, the music a powerful mix of 100-proof funk that is overpowering and intoxicating. There is little I can do but lose myself in the moment as Prince demonstrates exactly what after-shows are all about – purity of the musical experience. 

“Peach” is lost to me in the general noisiness of the recording, the vocals washed away in the waves of crowd noise and general thinness of the recording. However, the recording does a good job of capturing the horns (here, and throughout) and especially Prince’s guitar. It is a shame then that he doesn’t engage with his instrument as much as you might expect, and aside from a couple of storming runs, there is very little guitar to be heard. 

Rising on the back of the horn motif comes “The Work Pt.1” My soul sings as the horns play, but for me, the meat and potatoes of the song are the rhythm guitar that arrives later in the song. Even as the sound becomes busy and spreads out in several directions I can still hear the guitar, a style I have always gravitated towards and held dear. The rest of the song goes by in a blur and there is much to admire in the way the band all play so uniquely but blend their styles and sounds seamless. This may not be the best-recorded version, but there is still plenty there for those that listen close. 

It is Chance Howard’s time to claim some spotlight as he comes forward for his take on “No Diggity.” It's a relaxed cover version, the rhythm section, however, is flawless in their work, and although this isn’t the most energetic version in circulation it is still interesting enough in its way, especially when Maceo adds his talents to the mix. Truly a legend, he elevates every song as soon as his saxophone is heard on the recording. 

Prince leads hand-clapping into “When The Saints Go Marching In,” and this version isn’t just about the horn section as you might expect. There is some excellent keyboard to be heard, but in only a few minutes there is not enough time for anyone to show off their abilities. However, the crowd liked it and it is a neat way to bring us to the last song of the evening. 

 

That last song is an instrumental jam and a fast and furious one at that. The key elements are all in place, chants, whoops, and the various band members playing sharply throughout. It isn’t an elongated jam as we often hear at after-shows it's one of the shortest jams I think I have heard at barely a couple of minutes. That doesn’t count against it in this case, as the crowd sounds as though they have been whipped into a frenzy, and it is easy to understand why as the music vortexes and increases intensity. It isn’t what is expected, but it is a good way to finish the show, putting an exclamation mark on all that has come before. 

An interesting little bootleg this one, it doesn’t sound quite like other after shows in circulation, yet it has its irresistible style and feel. There are a few nuggets sprinkled throughout the set that keeps the listener engaged, and it does come as a nice palate cleanser on top of the main show I covered last week. The recording is far from perfect, but the contents of the bootleg more than makeup for it, making for an engaging listen from start to finish. 

Melbourne 22 October 2003

 Prince didn’t jump straight from the ONA era into Musicology. There was a year gap, featuring a world tour that took only Australia and Hawaii. I find these shows interesting as they are the stepping stone between the two, and we can see the crowd-pleasing hits played with a trace of the ONA concerts heard in the smooth and easy style in which this band plays. The concerts in Australia should have been a great chance for me to see Prince play live, Australia is only a four-hour flight away, unfortunately, I was out exploring the wider world and was living in London at that time. My opportunity to see Prince play would come later. 

There are several releases of the concert I am listening to today, I am listening to the Overfunk’d release as to my ears it sounds slightly better than the other versions. An audience recording, it is pretty good – with no distortion, the mix is about right and I can clearly hear and enjoy the music throughout. The only thing that counts against it is that it is an incomplete recording, we are missing the opening bracket of ten songs, but it is a long show, and what we have is plenty enough to cover two discs. 

22nd October 2003, Melbourne Australia 

The recording begins with “The Beautiful Ones,” and it immediately puts me in mind of the ONA tour from the previous year. With Maceo Parker on saxophone, the introduction lingers and Maceo does what he does best and fills the room with a steamy atmosphere. With the band draping their sultry veil across the soundscape it could have easily been lifted from any 2002 show, and I am more than happy with that as I am infused with the ghost of concerts past. It’s not all about the past however, this is not Purple Rain Prince, and as he sings he is very much Prince of the time. His voice doesn’t ache and bend as it had previously, and as much as I love his performance here, I must admit it is workman-like in the most professional way, with no bells or whistles here, just a straight delivery that serves his maturing sound well. 

I have similar feelings about “Nothing Compares 2 U.”  Prince is good, without ever flooring me, and it is Maceo Parker whose brief moment stirs up the passion with me, and within the song. The recording shines though, and even though I haven’t shown any real enthusiasm for the first couple of songs, I am greatly enjoying the bootleg. 

 

It is “Insatiable” that first has me swallowing hard and listening close. Now, this is what I came for, a delicious delivery that has the crowd swooning at the show, and me having all sorts of feelings here at home. The more Prince croons, the louder the crowd swoons, and I am giddy with fanboy love as Prince walks us through a vocal maze, following the trail of bread crumbs that Renato Neto lays. It is a lethal combination, the song sneaking up on me and drawing all the oxygen from the room. 

Although “Sign O The Times” moves in the opposite direction, it demands listening to just as much as the previous “Insatiable” and drives out an irresistible funk groove. I am disappointed that the crowd gets to sing along, while here at home I have to stay quiet as my wife sleeps in the other room. It matters little, I lip-sync along with them in a happy delirium, and I am happy to report that “Sign O The Times” gets a whole nine minutes to funk and roll across the recording. The real action begins after Prince finishes his lyrics, Rad (Rose Ann Dimalanta)  gives a brief and electric keyboard solo that leaves me wanting more, and it gets better as John Blackwell plays us through a turnaround that leads the music into a swirl and even more keyboard work that excites me in ways that I never knew a keyboard could. 

The combination of “The Question Of U” and “The One” reached its peak during the tour of 2002, for my money those performances will never be bettered, and although this version is sonically very similar, it lacks that magical quality that was heard the previous year. It is slightly more labored, and deadened in sound, there is a lightness of touch that is missing, and although the song is guitar-heavy, it is this finesse and delicacy that makes it what it is. The chunky guitar by Prince midsong does briefly have me breaking into a sweat, but that sweat turns cold as the band goes through the motions later in the song. 

 

“Let’s Work” has things jumping again, and it sounds nice and sharp on the recording. The horns in particular leap out at me in their energy and brightness. Prince doesn’t work the song too long, it is only a couple of minutes, but it does signal the next upbeat part of the performance. 

In the same vein, “U Got The Look” is a short, sharp shock of energy and pace that accelerates the concert further. The guitar sounds strangely quiet as Prince solos, and for me, this is one of the key reasons to listen to the song and its muted sound leaves me silently frustrated. 

The show is gathering pace rapidly at this point of the bootleg, as Prince tears through a series of covers and upbeat numbers. We first get an embryonic version of “Life Of The Party,” which is too busy for its own good until it settles for the chorus. It is in the following “Hot Pants” where the groove gets hot and heavy, one can almost feel its hot breath on their neck as the groove becomes dark and dangerous, hinting at unseen sexuality. Prince breaks the mood with  “Life Of The Party” rap, and before I can fully immerse myself in the bass end of the song it transitions to Chance Howard and his lively rendition of “Soulman.”   It’s hard not to like it, and I find a smile spreading across my face as it plays though. It sounds so summery and easy, that for a minute I consider tackling it next time I go to karaoke. 

It is a keyboard push that drives “Kiss,” its pulse beating just under Prince’s lyrics throughout. I like the sound of the keyboard, but I could take or leave the rest of the song. I appreciate the new arrangement, but “Kiss” is one song that I have heard far too often. 

Prince’s cackle introduces “Take Me With U” and one can appreciate why the band and the crowd respond with energy and love. Like the previous “Kiss,” this is one song I have heard too many times, yet I fully understand why it has been a constant in the setlist over the years. An uplifting song from Prince’s most successful album, it never fails to elicit a response from the crowd and re-energizes the concert. 

 

The main set is rounded out by a full rendition of “The Everlasting Now.” It encapsulates the full talents and scope of the band as it moves quickly across the musical territory, throwing up all sorts of sounds and styles. The funk grows and evolves through the song, the ground never quite solid beneath my feet as the band moves swiftly through this soundscape. It is a fitting end to the main show and a great reminder of how good this band is. 

The piano set encore opens with an understated “Adore.” As much as I love bootlegs, I have never enjoyed hearing “Adore” on bootlegs, mostly because the screams and shouts of the audience ruin the moment for me as Prince plays the one song that truly connects to my heart. Here is no different, each line is greeted with rapturous shouts and squeals of excitement, and as much as I share their enthusiasm it does take me out of the moment. The song does get its full five minutes, which for me is an exercise in frustration as the crowd stays prominent. 

Prince keeps with humor as he segues into “Sleep On The Couch.” He takes his time over the delivery, each line hanging in the air so it can be fully digested by those listening. I laugh a little early on, but soon enough I am cocooned in Prince’s vocal delivery and lose myself in a soft delirium. A song that didn’t promise much, I am surprised by the emotions it brings to the surface. 

Emotion is the name of the game as Prince has the crowd clap as he plays a soulful version of “Forever In My Life.” Head bobbing, and hand-clapping, it has a unique rhythm that is offset by Prince's lyrics and vocal delivery that speaks of love and honesty. It's only brief, but it is the perfect fit with the two previous songs. 

“One Kiss At A Time” gets a different arrangement, and is a fine match for “Forever In My Life” I am surprised that Prince sticks with some of the risque lyrics, but he is doesn’t engage with any curse words, so I guess in his head that makes it all alright. It is a surprising end to the piano set, a set that I have found most enjoyable, my feelings about “Adore” notwithstanding. 

 

As much as I enjoyed the piano set, I am more than happy when the funk returns with “All The Critics Love U In Melbourne.” I like the insistent funk drive of it, and the color that the keyboards and saxophone add. Maceo is at his very best at this point, the music and concert orbiting around him as he plays. The keyboard rhythm later in the song is a match for him, and it is a devastating few minutes of funk that has me applauding at home in appreciation.  “Phew, can’t nobody mess with this band” is my only thought as the song ends. 

The keyboards are equally to the fore as a frenetic “Alphabet St.” follows. It is derailed by Prince's interruption to talk himself up to the crowd, but as a performer at the top of his game, he has every right to brag and enjoy the spotlight. The song never regains momentum though, and I feel the constant stoppages would be better left out. 

There is an easy jam that leads into “Days Of Wild”, a jam that tidily takes a low-key funk groove and allows Prince to chant with the crowd. The serious business comes with “Days Of Wild” as it stomps across the landscape, bringing tension to the previously lighthearted concert. It is not as quite as dangerous as other performances I have heard, Prince is enjoying himself too much, but the music has a touch of malice that keeps it just on the right side of the ledger. 

The final song of the night is of course “Purple Rain.”  as befitting a greatest hits show, the moment is milked for all its worth, with the usual introduction sweeping across the arena before Prince begins to punctuate it with some lead guitar. It's a worthy rendition of a much-loved classic, but there is nothing new here for anyone who has followed Prince’s career. The final guitar break has me interested only for nostalgic sake, Prince isn’t breaking new ground, but he is playing his signature song to an appreciative audience at the climax of the concert. 

This is a bootleg that you don’t hear much about, yet I would happily recommend it to anyone wanting to hear a quality audience recording of what is a standard hits show. The band is coming off some fantastic 2002 shows, and although different in style, they are just as good here in 2003 as they were the previous year. it may not be a complete show, but it never drags either, making for a bright and easy listen. For those that were there, this is an excellent document of that experience. 

Tokyo 18 November 2002

 My Japanese odyssey continues, we are still in Tokyo where today I visited the Budokan. For me, it is a venue that I was always associated with the Cheap Trick album Cheap Trick at Budokan, an album that was played ad nauseam when I was a child. Prince has played at the venue during two tours, he did four nights there during his 1996 tour of Japan, and another two nights in 2002 during the One Night Alone tour. Perhaps in this case we should call it the two nights alone tour. I am going to take a look at one of the shows played during the ONA tour, as much as I like the 1996 concerts the shows from 2002 are more attuned to my current tastes. Not everyone is a fan of the One Night Alone tour, I find the tour is divisive between fans – it is either one you really love or one you really hate. I have yet to find many people in the middle ground. I am going to stake my claim early, it is a tour I am a big fan of, so expect the following write-up to be completely biased for the positive. 

18th November 2002, Nippon Bodukan, Tokyo 

The audience knows what to expect from the start as is the norm for the ONA shows Prince begins with a distorted voice and heavily distorted drum solo. I like it, although it has no flow to it and is little more than a minute of sound that builds anticipation for the opening “The Rainbow Children.” The unease that “The Rainbow Children” creates can be heard in the music, but as always it is kept in balance by the band and their light sound that counteracts some of Prince's unsettling vocal effects. By the time Prince sings “Tokyo!” I am fully on board and ready for this song to roll on and on. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea (and I’m aware of plenty of people who downright hate it) but I can’t deny, Prince’s guitar work is pretty sweet on the ear, and I would hope most people would listen past the lyrical delivery and instead gravitate to this mesmerizing guitar performance. I like that the song continues to strike new ground, and it keeps me fixated without ever repeating itself. 

 

If anyone in the audience was worried about what might come next, Prince reassures them with the more accessible, and eminently more pop, “Pop Life.” Prince’s voice may not be as crisp as we have come to expect, but the rest of the song shines like polished silver, the recording sparkling as Prince turns the music this way and that under the lights. Renato and his jazz touch late in the song speak to me, and I am filled with regret that I never saw this band live. 

Prince brings discomfort to the pop audience with his introduction to “Xenophobia,” and the following song challenges expectations. At the time it came across as something new and shocking, fifteen years on I know what to expect and I am more than happy with the way the music unfolds over the next ten minutes. With Maceo playing there is very little to dislike, and as the horns run back and forth Prince's message gets lost in the raw sound of the music itself. It is the last half of the song that is the most challenging, and it feels good to hear this again, something far removed from his 80’s pop sheen, here is something with grit and body, something that looks both backward and forwards at the same time, a song that contains something new every time I hear it. 

Prince can’t quite keep to his promise to challenge and test the audience. It is “Purple Rain” that follows quickly after and soon enough any questions raised by “Xenophobia” is quickly painted over in the shade of purple. The audience recording is remarkably clean, there is very little background noise aside from cheers at the appropriate moments. Should I thank the recorder or the restrained crowd, I don’t know,  but I do know it sounds very good indeed and I am more than happy with the performance of “Purple Rain” that matches it. It never ignites into the blazing wildfire it sometimes becomes, but it delivers everything that one would expect at a Prince concert, be it your first concert or your 100th. 

 

“The Work Pt 1” surprisingly fails to fire. I had such hopes. I was expecting funk by the bucket load, instead, I get a series of solos that never quite build into a much wished-for payoff. I like the music just fine, but it is a platonic relationship and never becomes an intense love affair. Prince is too fickle and the music comes and goes as it pleases without giving me the time I need. I do like the “To-k-yo, woo-hoo” chant, something I may have been guilty of singing under my breath for the last three weeks as I wander the streets of Tokyo. The inevitable dancers on stage are the last straw for me, the heart of the song belongs to the audience in the building, and not to us listening here at home. 

For me, “Mellow” is all about sound and vibe. I have very little idea what Prince is singing about, but I do love the feel of the song. This performance is cool, and “Mellow” lives up to its name, aside from the occasional burst of a horn. It is unlike anything heard thus far on the recording, and for me, it again highlights the scope of music Prince created. It wouldn’t be the first song I’d put on, but it is one that I always like when I hear it. 

The concert energy again surges with an engaging rendition of “1+1+1 is 3.” Of course, it can’t lose with Maceo adding his years of experience with an instantly funky solo. Prince may claim that he is funky, but in this case, it is Maceo who brings the funk to the party. There is a funky guitar underneath that is pure Prince, but for my money, it is the horns that make this worth hearing. Nothing is added by appending “Housequake” and “Love Rollercoaster” to the second half of the song, and they could have easily been left off in my opinion. 

The melancholy dip and swoop of Prince’s guitar bring the concert into a more traditional realm, and the performance here could have come from any show in the last twenty years. That’s no bad thing, the guitar wail calling most Prince fans to duty with its mournful call. There is a heavy influence from the band, and the flashes of jazz later in the song remind you just what configuration of the NPG this is. The final few minutes belong all to John Blackwell, and that makes this rendition well worth a listen as he kicks and stutters around the kit. 

I am pleased to find that “Strange Relationship” is just as funky as it has ever been, the band locking together in a solid squelching riff. If anything, it is aged even better, and like a fine wine, I find it strong and more flavorsome than its 1980’s incarnation. Prince in particular seems to get a real kick out of playing this song, and he pulls the audience with him with his unbridled enthusiasm. It stands far above anything else heard on the recording with its energy and pure Princeliness. 

“Pass The Peas” I am happy to take a pass on. I like Maceo, but Prince and the band don’t add anything to the song we haven’t heard before. It does give the horn section a chance to strut, but it pales compared to the previous “Strange Relationship.” Although to be fair, almost anything would pale compared to that. 

A torrent of guitar notes flies from Prince’s hands, and serves as a great introduction to “The Ride.” What is great about this show is that every song gets a full rendition and plenty of time to marinate in its own juices. Every song runs five to ten minutes, and after years of feeling short-changed by Prince medleys with these concerts, I finally feel Prince is letting us fully appreciate his music. His comment “Can I take my time” gets full approval from me. The song contains the unrestrained howl of his guitar as he finally lets it off the leash and it runs rampant for the next few minutes. It is a biting performance that snaps and chews in equal measure. 

 

As a Prince fan I fail miserably, not recognizing “Sign O’ The Times” immediately as Prince elicits to shroud the intro with his chugging guitar. The song never really settles on a style from here on in, sometimes the horns come to the fore, giving it a brighter sound, while the record scratching pulls it in another direction entirely. And then pulling in a third direction is Prince’s guitar. I would happily take any style, but to my ears, all three don’t quite gel. There is some lighter guitar later in the song, which with the horns would be a much better fit for this band. 

Ahh, the old “Take Me With U,” “Raspberry Beret” combination. Regular readers will be familiar with my feelings about this. I like sweet pop sugariness as much as anyone, but not so much now I am older and, ahem, more mature. I happily digest “Take Me With U,” but by the time Prince segues into “Raspberry Beret,” I have had my fill and am ready for something more substantial. 

“The Everlasting Now” wouldn’t be my first choice for something more substantial, but I do find it more rewarding than the previous couple of songs.  The first few minutes are a nice little appetizer as Prince gives us a taste of what’s to come with parcels of funk and chants. The main course comes with some Santanaesque guitar before the rest of the band adds their sauce of horn riffs and piano twinkle. It’s a flavorsome combination and one that I happily indulge myself in. It is Maceo who rounds out this feast of sounds, with his dessert of saxophone sprinkling chocolate sprinkles over all that has come previously. I am sold on it, and as it all comes to an end I feel well-nourished and satisfied. 

 

A short break lets me digest what we have heard so far, before the encores open with Prince at the piano. “Condition Of The Heart” is simply divine, I am beyond words as I sit and listen to it, letting Prince's music and lyrics wash over me. It does become a medley, “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” getting a line before Prince indulges us with a slightly longer “Diamonds And Pearls.” It is “Adore” that gets the most time and attention, however, with John Blackwell ever so gently adding a heartbeat to the song. The crowd sits in an enraptured silence throughout, making this recording pristine and clean for the next few minutes. 

Prince piles on all his tender ballads at this part of the show, and “The Beautiful Ones” brings a further string of heart-tugging moments. It is almost too easy listening, some of the emotional strength of the song is sapped by its easy sheen and polish. I am engaged though, even if it is not the heart-stopper it used to be. 

It is very hard to clear my feelings about “Nothing Compares 2 U.” A song I heard countless times in the 80s from Sinead O’Connor, and then hundreds of times since from Prince, it is a song I am overly familiar with. Sometimes it breaks through and gets me in a soft moment, and sometimes it passes by making barely an impression. The rendition on this recording is good, but it fails to break my jaded exterior and I find I listen to it in an almost emotionless state. 

On the other hand, “The Ladder” shoots straight for my heart and does make the emotional impact I crave.  The drums are a little too much, but Prince’s vocals and delicate piano carry the moment. It is one of the shortest songs on the recording, barely a minute and a half, but it feels real to me and sincere. 

This pleasant stroll through Prince’s piano songs is rounded out by “Starfish And Coffee” It may not be on a par with the other ballads and emotional heavyweights in the setlist, but it does keep things light. 

The final song featuring the piano is “Sometimes It Snows In April,” a song that has taken on an extra significance since Prince’s passing. This rendition is a fitting tribute, his vocals alone out front in the recording, smooth and velvety and carrying a hint of emotion that makes it all the more powerful. A moment to sit back, listen and reflect. 

“Days Of Wild” isn’t as sinister and threatening as sometimes heard, but it is still a stone-cold classic. There are better versions on this tour (see Antwerp a month earlier where I swear Prince tears the roof of the place), but it is still eminently enjoyable, and as always I find my head bobbing and without even being aware of it I am singing along with Prince. The grind and churn of the song bring several different players to the surface, Dudley D can be heard on the turn tables midsong, and it is the horns that bring a different feel to the song. The song drops intensity halfway through though, and as the bass is pumped up for the first time the recording distorts. This mars the occasion as the final few minutes become a difficult listen. The rest of the recording sounded great, making this part sound all the worse. 

This show is fairly typical of the ONA tour but is very well recorded (asides from the final “Days Of Wild.”) There is a plethora of material available from the ONA tour, I would happily listen to any one of them, but I do enjoy this concert for the  quality of the performance and the recording. The setlist doesn’t throw up anything too much in the way of excitement, but this bootleg does a nice job of capturing the standard ONA show. Very good without being essential. 

Paris 29 October 2002 (am)

 When it comes to these shows from Le Bataclan, I have saved the best for last. The last couple of shows I have written about were good, today’s one is another level altogether. In my research, for this one, I found that many people spoke of it as being one of the greats, and some thought it was even better than the small club show of 88. I have already praised one show from the ONA tour as one of the greatest (Copenhagen aftershow), and my first impression of this one is that it might just trump it. The setlist has some highlights, and some great song selections are in there. It’s also better than the Copenhagen gig in that it runs for two and a half hours, so there’s a whole extra hour for me to enjoy right from the go. I have been looking forward to listening to this one for some time, and I think it’s a fitting way to end this Bataclan trilogy. 

29 October, 2002. Le Bataclan Paris. 

The show has barely started, and already I am saying wow, wow, and wow. The first song of the night is an instrumental, not that there is anything too unusual about that, except this one gets me. The drum shimmers and Renato Neto plays some figures over it, and it’s a mature jazz sound that I warm to right away. It’s not too often that I feel Renato’s playing, here is an exception. There are drums, a piano, and a bass, and it starts the show in fine style. The playing gets hotter and then cools off before it begins to build again. Each movement draws me in more, and Prince plays his part for the first time of the night with some guitar playing that has his loud strong style that was often heard at this time. It’s not crunching, but it’s the heaviest instrument playing. Things get serious later when everyone hits the same groove, and I get the feeling that the warm-up is over, and the band is together, and tight. A brief drum solo, and then we spin off into another direction, the horns appear and we hear a hint of funk. It’s doing the song a disservice to write about it, this has to be listened to rather than written about. This is a fantastic opener, and if the rest of the show is this good then it will certainly be one of the greats. 

 

The guitar jam that follows has a very different vibe. Prince riffs as he sings to the crowd “Good morning to you”. I can’t think of anything more fitting, and after this initial riff, there is some suitably heavy guitar playing as the horns join in. The crowd joins in next, picking up the chant of “Good morning to you”. It seems so simple, and yet I find myself enjoying it just as much as I enjoyed the complexity of the opening jam. 

The song morphs into “Bambi,” and I am not surprised to hear it in this context. The sound of the show changes, and I find I don’t have to listen as hard as I am so familiar with the song. It’s not as heavy as I have heard, the guitar is nice and clean sounding, and I am impressed by how much guitar noise Prince can generate just by himself. His soloing in the latter part of the song swirls around in my head, it’s something I could listen to for days. It does stop unexpectedly, giving Prince a chance to sing another verse before his guitar re-enters the fray. As with the previous two songs, I rate this very highly. 

We rock on well and truly next with Prince’s take on “A Whole Lotta Love.” Prince nails the main riff and then Renato Neto surprises me again with a fantastically futuristic solo. Prince backs it up with one of his own before a howl signals a break down a chance for the crowd to sing. This leads to Prince singing as the band quietly plays behind him. I keep waiting for the music to explode back, but Prince strings me and the crowd along for some time before switching to “Family Name.” 

“Family Name” starts with just Prince and his guitar, and soon enough the rest of the band joins. The horns and the guitar are what I hear most, and the song moves along quite quickly. Things get more interesting later in the song, Prince stops singing and lets the music speak.  There is some loud guitar work, which Prince acknowledges at the end of the song as he asks the audience “Ain’t too loud am I?” 

 

A guitar strum and clap throw me initially, but the band joins and we get a very different take on “Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)” It’s very mellow sounding, and the cold feel of the drum machine is missing, replaced with an organ sound, and some sharp and loud guitar work by Prince. The organ is quiet and holds it together while Candy plays a sweet-sounding solo. It’s totally in keeping with this band’s sound and they make it their own. What I like most is a drum break on the tom-toms near the end of the song while Prince plays sharps of guitar, it’s very cool, and makes me feel like a Beatnik. 

The opening riff of The “Question Of U” snaps me back to reality, as Prince plays the riff over the drum sound. His voice is sounding as good as ever, and before I know it I am singing along. Renato adds his sound with a piano solo that fits the mood very well. Prince returns for his stark-sounding guitar break as I nod along, smiling knowingly. 

I love hearing “The One” in this setting, my only negative is it’s only a minute, which is a real shame because I could have easily listened to it all night long. Prince sings, and then as he begins his solo we switch to “Fallin’.” He only sings a line or two before his guitar work takes over, and his playing is superb. I don’t have any words for it, it's short, and yet every note is perfectly placed. 

Prince steps back as the band shows their chops with an easy take on “Take 5.” Renato excels in this, and his solo early on is just as good as Prince’s solo we have just heard. Very different in sound, but just as brilliant. Maceo adds his sound to the mix, and the crowd can be heard yelling their approval. As Prince sings “Ain’t No Sunshine” the song takes a darker and quieter sound, and at this stage, there is some very sweet singing and interaction between Prince and the crowd. Like everything previous at this show, everything has its place and sounds perfectly in line and as it should. The song ends with the men and women in the crowd trading lines, something that sounds surprisingly good. 

Surprisingly good is apt for the next song, for it is both surprising and outstandingly good. “She’s Always In My Hair” is always a must-listen for me, and this one has some of the best guitar work of the show. It’s heavy when it needs to be, and also light when Prince demands it. His latter solo in particular is a show stopper, it certainly stops me and I just sit and listen. The song doesn’t have the breakdown that I have come to expect, and it ends in just under three minutes. 

 

It doesn’t matter too much for people who like Prince’s guitar work, as he next gives us some guitar soloing for a minute or two before the band picks up a groove. He continues to solo as the crowd chant “It ain’t over” – nothing too fierce, he plays in and out of the music before the horns enter with the “It Ain’t Over” riff. I did expect it to go like this for some time until Prince begins to talk about “here she comes in them hot pants” and I know a change will be coming soon. He does draw it out, with the crowd providing a soul clap as the horns and band swirl around. The moment I am waiting for never comes, as Greg begins to solo on the trombone, with not a guitar in sight. The other horns join and I think the guitar will never enter until suddenly it does for a minute. The chant of “It ain’t over” quickly returns and the song ends with Prince singing us straight into “Shake.” 

“Shake,” now I didn’t see that coming. Prince leads the crowd in the singing of “Shake!” while he provides the lines in between. It’s very refreshing to hear Shake again, and Candy gives it a new sound with her energetic solo. Prince sings her praises as the ‘it ain’t over’ refrain sounds on the horns and the audience keeps up the shake chant. It ties together beautifully, and I am beginning to understand how some people lose their heads over this recording. 

The band picks up a funky groove, and I am not surprised that it’s James Brown's “I Don’t Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door, I’ll Get It Myself).” Prince does well to weld it to his own “The Work, Pt 1.” There is a natural fit there, and Maceo is right in his element as he takes an early solo.  The band pulls back and there is some funky play between the horns and Prince’s guitar which I just love. When the groove resumes it's much more horn-infused and it’s the riffing of the horns that carry it along. “The Work Pt 1” is much more evident at this stage as Prince sings it properly. There’s plenty more of Candy to come, and I don’t mind that at all. Even John has a chance to play a drum solo before the song eventually comes to a close. 

“777-9311” is short, and leaves me floored. Prince is jamming on the bass, and he is sounding fierce. Normally it’s the drum pattern that I listen for, in this case, it’s Prince’s bass work that demands my attention. This alone is worth the price of admission. 

Prince thumbs us easily into Hair. It’s considerably more laid back than anything else we have heard in the last half hour. It’s twice as long as “777-9311,” but still much too short for my liking. Prince plays a brief bass solo which I hope will go on, instead he defers to Renato who plays a cool-sounding solo that takes us to the end of the song. 

“Brick House” continues this easy flow, Prince’s bass playing is loud, and for this one the horns make their presence felt especially Maceo’s solo. The song is not much more than a verse and a solo from Maceo, and I dig every second of it. 

Things stay in this vein as Prince gives us a laid-back “Skin Tight.” I have heard this very funked up on other recordings, tonight he sounds more laid back as they play it. Prince chooses not to play the whole song, and it gets a brief treatment before they segue into “Cool.” 

“Cool” is indeed cool. It’s not overworked, and the mood stays laid back. What I appreciate about it is that Greg gets to play a trombone solo, which generally isn’t cool, but in this case, most definitely is. The pace quickens mid-song and the bass work of Prince and Rhonda catches fire. There is some great stuff in there, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. As the crowd cheers, Prince calls “touch the bass” but I feel like it is the bass that has touched me. 

There is some spirited clapping and chanting by the crowd before the music returns with “All The Critics Love U In Paris.” A pounding beat and some great electronic noises get things moving, there is a futurist keyboard solo that starts things off very nicely. It’s the keyboards for the first couple of minutes that get my attention, much more than the groove and the beat. There is no singing, and it’s very much a jam over the top of the rhythm track. Both keyboards sound excellent, and the song is fantastic. 

The guitar is back to front and center as Prince plays “Alphabet Street” (Including “The Ballard Of Jed Clampett”). It’s light sounding coming after “All The Critics,” and yet just as enjoyable. Prince doesn’t jam on it at all, and it’s just a pause before the next song begins. 

Prince begins a slow groove and the crowd picks up the chant “NPG in the motherfuckin house”. I am laughing as Prince stops the music and tells the crowd they got the wrong chant “We aren’t going to do nothing to nobody’s mamma up here tonight” The music resumes with the crowd chanting “NPG in this funky house”. Over the groove Candy begins to play. Everything is slow and very relaxed sounding. I like her solo, and I like when Prince has the crowd singing “Oh Candy” as she plays. Things stay on this gentle course with a piano solo following. Like everything tonight it’s a joy to sit back and listen to. 

 

“All The Critics Love U In Paris” is next, and this time it’s in a different form. It’s much more insistent, and Prince sings the lines as you expect. The guitar and keyboards are lively and the horns too add their sense of urgency. Prince commands Maceo to blow the roof off, and he gives it a good effort. It has me wanting to get up and dance, and that’s a sure sign that it’s pretty damn good. Renato too seems to have found an extra gear and he more than does his part in keeping the up-tempo groove going. 

I couldn’t imagine what they might follow with, and I am delighted to hear that it is “Dolphin.” The opening guitar is full of emotion, and it’s a credit to Prince and this band that they can still play something so heartfelt after such an extraordinary show. Prince’s vocals are just as clean and beautiful as his guitar playing, and during the chorus, he switches from singing the chorus to playing it on his guitar instead, just the sort of thing I like to hear. I can’t decide what I like most about this, his vocals, his guitar, or the piano playing behind him. All of it is worthy of my time and attention and truly the sum is greater than the parts, and the parts are mind-blowing. It’s one of those songs that I never want to end, and as soon as it finishes I decide that this is my new favorite bootleg. 

The “Santana medley” that follows seals the deal, and there’s plenty of Prince on the guitar as well as some frenetic keyboard from Renato. Prince excels in these medleys and he does the sound of Santana so well, as does Renato Neto on the keyboards. The two of them trade solos on their respective instruments. I am running out of words for this show, I would love just to switch off the computer and sit back and enjoy it. If ever a show deserved to be called a ‘headbuster’, this would be it. It has it all, and there’s so much to enjoy at such high quality. 

Even after two and a bit hours, the crowd still chants for more, and they are rewarded with an instrumental Come On. The bass is fat and full which is nicely offset by the keys and some scratching. Prince starts a chant and very aptly it’s “party till the sun come up” The choppy rhythm guitar has me bobbing, and I find myself subconsciously chanting along. 

Prince sings “Housequake” so slow and relaxed it’s far removed from the album. A rhythm guitar, bass, and drum are the main building blocks as Prince sings his lines slowly before building the crowd to a chant of “Time to get funky”. The horns swell through the song, and there are a couple of solos, all of them on point. I am thinking it might slide by in this way until the end, but there are more fireworks from Prince and his guitar, and the song gains in intensity. Suitably he finishes his solo and the song as the crowd continues the chant for another minute. 

I admit it, I slept on this one. I have to agree with what others have said about this recording- it certainly is one of the greats. I can’t fault it, the performance is tight, the band is on form, the setlist is perfect, and the crowd is a big part of the fun. I may have overlooked this show in the past, but it will be on high rotation now for a very long time. Just fantastic in every way, and a fitting way to remember all the great shows from the Le Bataclan. I am going to go listen to it again right now, have a great day where ever you are, and see you next time. 

Copenhagen 26 October 2002 (am)

 I am going to go out on a limb here. This recording, in my opinion, is the greatest Prince bootleg of all time. The default setting for most Prince Fans is to say Small Club is the greatest bootleg, but I feel this one slightly edges it. There are a few reasons for my opinions on this. Firstly the quality of the recording is fantastic. It's a soundboard, but it is better than 90% of the other soundboard recordings I have heard, the mix on this is outstanding. The band and the playing are excellent, and the setlist contains a great mix that showcases all of Prince’s styles. The first part of the gig is guitar-heavy rock before he moves through funky jams, ballads, and ends with a knock-out version of “Dolphin.” Top-notch in every aspect. This recording is not my favorite bootleg, but it’s definitely the best out there. So let’s have a look at ‘The Greatest Of All Time’ 

 

26 October 2002, Copenhagen 

The recording starts with the end of the DJ's set. It’s a nice touch and sets the scene for what will follow. Even this part of the recording is pristine. The DJ spins “Gett Off,” “Poom Poom,” and then a hip hop song before a flurry of guitar work has Prince warming up his fingers. He plays fast and furious from the start, and after a minute of fretwork the band begins with “Who Knows.” It is, as you might expect, just a showcase for Prince to dazzle us with his guitar work and he delivers. I have found throughout writing this blog that it is impossible to properly express the sound of his guitar. Let’s just say, that in this case, it’s hot. 

Keeping with the guitar-based songs he follows up with “Bambi.” The band sounds very strong behind him, he is way out front with the guitar sound, but the band is pushing it along – especially the drums and bass. I feel the buzz in the room when Prince calls “Turn me up Scotty, want to feel it in the whole house” Cue more guitar heroics. The guitar comes in waves before it pulls back to give Prince space to sing “All your lovers look just like you”. This bit is quite enjoyable as Prince sings it in his deeper speaking voice, something I want to hear more of. 

The song segues straight into the main riff of Led Zeppelins ‘Whole Lotta Love.’ I love this intro, especially as the riff blasts out, in the left speaker you can hear someone lose themselves in the moment and yell “Whhhooooaaaa” I love that! If I could have been there I think I would have done the same thing. The guitar is deep and throaty and it's a nice contrast with Prince singing in his usual falsetto. A couple of verse-chorus and Prince pulls out not one, but two spectacular psychedelic guitar solos. You gotta hear these. I’m still flying as the crowd gets a quiet moment to sing along with “A whole lotta love” Prince ends their moment with a “Turn it up!” and yet another (short) killer guitar solo. 

The pace is brought down a lot following this when Prince plays the opening refrains of “The Question of U.” The keys enter and the whole mood and tempo of the evening are changed. As he sings “What is the answer to the question of you?” I realize just how great this recording is. The quality is apparent when I listen to him sing, you can hear just how great his voice is, perhaps the one instrument people forget that he is most proficient with. After the verse, I half expected another guitar outburst but instead, we are hit with sublime piano playing. There are a good variety and variation throughout this show. Of course, there is an inevitable guitar break after the piano, but again he surprises me by moving on to singing “The One”. This is one of my favorite sons, and I think it is one of the most underrated songs in his catalog. For me the lyrics are fantastic and heartfelt, I feel every word. My pulse quickens when Prince says “Go ahead Eric”- any band that has Eric Leeds in it is alright by me! The sax here is very nice indeed, and Eric demonstrates that less is more. Very delicate, and missing the “Honk” that I usually associate with Eric Leeds. (I mean that in a good way!) 

“On the one” Prince stops the band in an instant. “Didn’t they tell you no cameras?” he asks the audience. I wonder what is about to unfold as Prince chastens the crowd for taking photos. I laughed when he said “I got a nice warm hotel bed waiting for me” then instructs the crowd that next time someone takes a picture the person next to them should grab them and twist their neck. After saying one more time “No pictures please” the band resumes with another verse before Candy Dulfer has a chance to shine with a sax solo. It is better than I am making it sound, trust me. Prince sings a couple of lines of “fallin” by Alicia Keyes, which I think is a nice touch. The horns and piano then take center stage and we have “Take Five” played into the mix, you’d be surprised by how good it all sounds. The song then ends with a drum solo. How about that, a bit of everything! What a sequence, the last ten minutes have been amazing. 

Things take a funky turn with the bass taking a prominent stand. First, we have “Brick House.” The bass leads in before the horns and band join in. Prince is singing, but it’s the bass and horns that are the heroes here. Prince name-checks Eric for a solo and then we stay in the funky vain as the band starts playing “Skin Tight.” Another favorite of mine from back in the day, this version is just too short for me, I want more, more, more. Prince's singing has a funky sound to it, especially as he sings “She’s a bad, bad lady, in skin-tight britches.” Another call of “on the one” and the bass plays the distinctive intro to “777-9311.” But before I disappear into a cloud of excitement they quickly move into Hair. Oh such a shame, I would kill to hear a full version of “777-9311.” The song “Hair” itself is good enough, and it does have a very fine trombone solo (it is not very often I get to write those words), and Candy also gets another chance to do her thing. The song ends with a very distorted prince guitar drowning out everything else. Again it’s another spectacular ten-minute sequence that leaves me hungry for more. 

The next songs begin with a steady drumbeat and surprisingly some record scratching and sampling. It’s not a bad thing, and I enjoy it. To hear it, I could have never guessed what song was coming next. The band enters and there is a nice groove going, the horns play a very good rising line and then Prince hits us with “One more jam, one more Jam, for Prince and the band” The crowd immediately takes up the cause and keeps the chant going. Candy starts to play, and I still have no idea where this song will go next. I can’t help but laugh when he says “Ain’t you gotta go somewhere tomorrow, Ya’ll as crazy as me!” “It ain’t over, it ain’t over” The crowd loves the “It ain’t over” chant and keeps it going. They definitely don’t need any encouragement from Prince. 

Finally, Prince plays the main riff of “Peach” and I know where this is going. Normally I ain’t a fan of “Peach”, but of all the recordings of it, this is my favorite version. This one is not so saturated in guitar, the verses have plenty of horns, keyboard, and sampling, the guitar only really dominates at the end of each chorus when Prince lurches into a solo. The solos are excellent, as always. The solos end, and the band groove on and on. Prince leads the crowd into “Copenhagen, we be shaking” while there are a couple more solos from the horns. The groove sounds effortless, and I could listen to it all day. There is some very funky sax to be heard here. With a “From NPG we love you all, good night” from Prince and the song comes to its climax and ends. 

 

But it ain’t over! The crowd claps and chants “Copenhagen, we be shaking” for two minutes, without pause. It is impressive and adds to the feeling of this whole recording. The band obliges and the drums take up a new beat, supported by some sort of sampler and scratching. Prince sings “Prince And The Band,” but to be honest it’s a little disjointed and messy. There seems to be some sort of problem and a couple of times the song breaks down. I always have liked this song, but this version is one to forget. I’m not sure who’s playing what, or why it doesn’t work. It is obviously distracting to Prince who loses his flow a couple of times. For all that though, I think it doesn’t detract from the recording. It’s good to see that even Prince can have his problems on stage, and he is at the mercy of temperamental technology. Phew, I’m not the only one! 

“All The Critics Love You In Denmark” follows up. Although crowd-pleasing by title, it hits my sweet spot too. The long groove gives plenty of time for the horns to play their thing. The track isn’t too busy, and Candy plays some very nice sax on it. I find that I am not writing much, I am too busy drumming along with it on my desk. Sometimes it’s good to just enjoy a song rather than overthinking it. The keyboard in this song was outstanding, and it was nice to have something not so guitar-heavy near the end of the show. 

I failed to pick “Dolphin” when it first began to play. It starts very slow with some nice gentle guitar playing. The whole song is played in this way, slow and minimal. For me, this is an outstanding performance on the recording. I don’t normally enjoy Dolphin, but I find this more slow and more soulful version very moving. It suited the lyrical content much better, and one can feel Prince’s emotion in it as he sings. I think the best word to describe this song here would be beautiful. It’s overused, but in this case, this is one very beautiful song. Prince’s guitar solo that closes the song is retrained and right on the money. A great way to end the show. 

For me, this is the greatest Prince bootleg. I know 90% of people would disagree with me, most choosing Small Club over this. But by the time this had finished, it did feel like I had been on a musical journey. I feel this had a better variety than small club, the recording quality was about the same, but the audience is more in the mix giving it a better live feel. Some might say that the disastrous performance of “Prince and The Band” detracts from it, but to me, it adds a more human aspect to the show, it is a bit more Rock n Roll. Also having the horns on this give it more color and again shows another aspect of Prince as the bandleader. 

In fairness, I will look at Small Club next week, something that I don’t listen to too often having overplayed it when I was younger. Another knockout show, it’s something I will look forward to writing about.