Detroit 9 April 2015

 It’s been quite a journey over the past couple of months as we trawl through the bootlegs originating from Prince’s Detroit shows, but today we reach the end of that journey with his Fox Theatre concert of 2015. There is some sadness to this post, in the last few weeks we have covered the full gamut of Prince’s career, the highs, the lows, and all the in-betweens, but today’s concert is his last from Detroit, and sadly just a year before his passing. Prince may be gone, but what remains is a testament to his unwavering dedication to live music, and ever-expanding musical horizons, both for himself and his audience. I will treat today’s listening experience as a celebration of Prince’s life, and the hours of pleasure I have gained from his music. 

9th April 2015, Fox Theatre, Detroit 

Hello 3rdeyegirl, it’s been too long. This blog started when 3rdeyegirl were at their peak, and as much as I always enjoyed the shows at the time, I have been rare to revisit them since. It is with fresh ears that I listen to the introduction music “Million $ Show,” here sounds far more like a manifesto for the next two hours than I had previously realized. The lyric ” Welcome to the million $ show, this is something that you never seen before, welcome to the million $ show, this the kind music make you lose control” jumps out to me as a statement of intent. I was thinking as I started this, that it had been a while since Prince had last played Detroit, and this is confirmed by his statement that it had been eleven years. “Let’s Go Crazy,” begins the onslaught of music, the rhythm section heavy and lumbering, yet the guitar packed with a crunch and thrilling excitement that this is something new for Prince. The solo feels embedded deep in the bedrock of the song, this is no solo that disappears off into oblivion, instead, it remains a servant of the heavy riff, pushing at the edges of the music without breaking through the constraints of the sound.  It comes as a heavy blow, a strong body shot that hits you in the gut rather than snapping your head back. 

From the same era, “Take Me With U,” excites both in its familiar uplifting refrain and in the way the band lifts it far beyond the heavy grind of the previous song. It is at this point that I remember that it is a soundboard recording, thus every nuance and inflection Prince adorns the song with can be heard. In particular, the vocals of Liv Warfield bring a further lightness that was nowhere to be seen in the opening minutes.  It’s not a particularly important part of the concert, but it does play to the more nostalgic of those in the audience. 

There springs forth a new sound in “Raspberry Beret,” an almost child-like sounding keyboard that at moments sounds like a kid's toy. This only heightens the feeling of youthfulness in the music, and although I find myself distracted by it, it is an essential part of the mood and spirit that Prince is evoking onstage. 

A guitar playing a funk riff underpins “U Got The Look,” and although I spent a long time listening to it, I can’t quite pinpoint where I have heard it before. It matters little, but it does add some slip and glide to the song, even as Prince does his best to weigh it down with his guitar work. The song has its own energy, it lifts off without Prince’s help, and his guitar merely colors it rather than controls it. In a longer rendition, Prince may have had more time to readdress this balance, but I like it for what it is, a refreshed and revamped version of a song that had become stale. 

It is 10 years on since the Musicology tour, and the song itself takes on a different feel with this pared-down band. With the NPG horns supplementing 3rdeyegirl it does have the full sound of the 2004 tour, yet at the same time, it feels sharper, less flabby, and far more precise than previously. It is no longer an extended showcase for real music played by real musicians, rather it touches on the feeling of an aftershow as Saeeda Wright takes the band through “Mama Feelgood,” before a quick sax solo again gives it an aftershow feel. 

The sampler set falls early in the overall setlist, it feels rushed to me, as if Prince wants to display all his gifts as early as possible. I have no problem with the music however, “When Doves Cry,” comes as a plaintive cry in the dark, a cry that is picked up by the crowd, bringing the song full circle as they take it from its barren and lonely sound to a communal experience for the singalong chorus. This is further heightened with the briefest call and response that ends the song, both Prince and the audience reliving a younger version of themselves. 

Contrasts and tensions build “Sign O The Times,” into something that threatens and comforts in equal measure. There is vitriol in the underlying guitar work, but Prince’s vocals have a warmth and looseness to them, he even ad-libs a line about “This ain’t September, it’s June.” This casualness does nothing to undermine the seriousness of the songs, and despite the light touches, it remains a dark warning from the front page of the newspapers. 

With its alien synth sound, “Hot Thing” beams in with its intergalactic funk leading us willingly back to the dance floor. Lyrically it is no match for the preceding “Sign O The Times,” but it wears its own funk credentials with pride, and the next few minutes leave us marinating in the funk of 1987. 

“Nasty Girl” is barely worth mentioning, 2015 Prince was never going to pull those lyrics out, despite his willingness to indulge us with an instrumental that barely makes it to the minute mark. He is far more indulgent when it comes to “Housequake.” It is not as demanding as we heard in the 1980s, it asks no questions that we don’t have the answer to, but it is a sweet indulgence. I miss the days of Eric Leeds as the horns come to the party, but in compensation, we have the most delicate of guitar solo’s from Donna that tip-toes across the end of the song, lifting it gently from the heavy funk and briefly showing us the stars before she lowers it back to the rhythm section. 

There is a flatness to “I Would Die 4 U,” a lack of energy, that surprises me. This is one song that finds a way to sparkle even in the most dreary of circumstances, but here it remains firmly 2-dimensional and stuck to the page. Perhaps Prince senses this, and after a minute he quickly calls for the segue into “Cool.” It is the horns that both lead the music, and drive it forward, their rich sound not just supplementing the synth, but in places supplanting it. Normal service resumes as the vocal trio of Liv, Saeeda, and Ashley pick up the song and bend it to their style. There is never any doubt though, that this is Prince’s song, and as he throws down his boastful lyrics there is no mistaking this is a song that he may well have written about himself. 

The funk that lies in Prince’s guitar stings is revealed in the opening of “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” as he gives a brief masterclass in the sound of the funk guitar. The rest of the song doesn’t live up to this opening promise, the band is too smooth, too polished, to stink up the funk sound, but they are more than capable of keeping up with Prince and his musical whims. As he leads them down a rabbit hole of funk, they gladly follow him, disappearing into the swirl of “Play That Funky Music” Any thoughts of the band vanish as Prince’s guitar stands proud at the heart of the song, a raised fist in the face of the previously sedate sound. It brings danger to the moment, there is no sign of a riot, but it does suggest an undertone of aggression that I wouldn’t normally associate with the song. 

“Controversy” isn’t just revamped, it is completely overhauled to reveal the massive groove engine that lies beneath its sleek exterior.  Through the first few gears, it remains as expected, but by the time the horns arrive we are into overdrive and the horns punch it forward with an exhilarating rush of acceleration and sense of purpose. 30 years on, and “Controversy” still delivers. 

Prince stays in the past with a plodding version of “1999.” I applaud it for being a full version, and an arrangement that remains loyal to the album, but it fails to spark anything inside of me, and indeed sounds rather lifeless itself. I wait hopefully for something, anything, to happen, but it remains willfully low-key and flat. 

We are reconnected for “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore,” as Prince pulls me close with his lyrics and piano playing, a piano that sounds just as emotionally invested, and playful, as his vocal delivery. It is more delicate than heard on other tours, there are tours where he bangs it out with a great swing, pivoting on the rhythm in his hands, but in this case, it remains a delicate operation, Prince delicately picking the notes purposefully and letting them carry the weight of the song. An old favorite, this rendition reminds me why I keep going back to the older material. 

“Little Red Corvette” has a smooth pop sheen that seems more in tune with modern radio, and one could easily see this arrangement appearing on modern playlists. It is a mature rendition, befitting a man in his fifties, and the raw emotional edge that the original had is burnished to a fine, almost too delicate, point. It is the final minutes where Prince has to inject the emotion into the song, breaking it down to speak directly to the crowd before the emotive sing-a-long gives the song to the audience, their singing washing back and forth across the bootleg, bringing the concert right into the room. 

The most striking thing about “Nothing Compares 2 U” is the opening keyboard which sounds as if it could well have been lifted from the Beatles during their late 60s heyday. It pulls me out of the concert temporarily and leaves me floating with a whiff of nostalgia, heartbreak, and loss. Prince builds on these feelings with his lyrics, especially as he injects himself right into the story with his line “Where did Prince go wrong” It is lacking the female counterpoint that has been previously present in all of Prince’s previous performances, but Prince carries the song himself, and there is a female influence with Cassandra O’Neal’s keyboard solo that spins the song further into psychedelic landscapes. 

“Kiss” is lightweight in comparison to these two songs, and as good as it is, there is no doubt in my mind that it suffers for its position in the setlist. 

Contemporary might be the first word that springs to mind for “Clouds,” and after a string of Prince’s older tunes, it is refreshing to be again thrust into the present. The concert may have firmly rocked for the first half hour, but we are far from that with “Clouds” and the concert feels a lot fresher for it. 

A medley dominates the next ten minutes, and Prince lets Liz, Saeeda, and Ashley loose on a string of songs from the musical past, demonstrating his sense of place in the music continuum and a willingness to educate the audience.  He is open to sharing the spotlight with the other players on stage, and Liz, Saeeda, and Ashley all take their turns to keep this medley flowing. “Yes We Can Can,” “Thankful N’ Thoughtful,” “You’re The One,” and “Green Garden” all make an appearance, causing me to go back myself and search out the originals, thus stretching my own musical knowledge further than expected. “Green Garden” is the emphatic exclamation mark that finishes this medley, Judith Hill stirring the music into a different flavor with her fully bodied vocal performance, a vocal perfection that would be called barn-burning, if not for the final blazing guitar break by Prince that burns the song to the ground, leaving us standing in the smoldering remains as the vocals return to cool the heat and close out the song. 

3rdeyegirl emerges from the ashes for “She’s Always In My Hair.” The song plugs into something raw and real and is one of the few genuine moments of the recording that stirs the heart. Donna’s guitar break opens the door on the heart of the song, and it is Prince who plummets to the core of emotion, his guitar solo fluttering ribbons of euphoria behind him as he plunges deeper into the raw nerved center. His axe carves out great swathes of emotion, each too big to digest fully in one listening, his playing conveying the intensity of emotional landscapes he is walking through, thoughtfully plucking notes from the air late in the song as less and less becomes more and more. 

There is a thoughtful opening to “Purple Rain” as Prince treads his way slowly into the song from “She’s Always In My Hair.” It is only a short opening, but long enough to let the dust settle from the previous song. “Purple Rain” makes its entrance with a familiarity that undoes some of the emotional depths I wish to draw from it, but it retains enough of its former grandeur for me to lose myself in the next few minutes. The band strolls easily through the opening verses and chorus, and it is at the guitar solo where we are suddenly confronted by the reality of the song, it is merely a vehicle to carry the most epic of Prince guitar solos, everything building to this point where he releases all that the Purple Rain era and experiences promised, here it is made real as his guitar builds a wall of wailing, howling, shuddering, emotion turned into music, and then it reaches the point where Prince is not longer channeling music, but instead channels everything else that music carries to us- joy, loss, sadness, heartbreak and hope, all of it wrapped up in a three-minute solo that no matter how often I hear it still shakes me to the core. 

From such epic heights, we are brought firmly into the here and now, and back inside the four walls, for a party-starting version of “Act Of God.” Sure, the lyrics speak of some serious matters, but the music is instantly playful, and it’s hard not to feel my feet moving as I listen. With its infectious rhythm, it gets things moving, and we have a delightful few minutes of keyboard work that gives way to Marcus and his horn, which for me is the real heart of the song and the highlight of the next few minutes. 

This is swing and funk is maintained and the band effortlessly glides into “What Have You Done For Me Lately,” a song that belongs to the band for the next few minutes as they dust it off,  infuse it with some energy, and send it spinning out into the crowd. There is no drama at all, it's all groove, and music that one can’t help but smile with. The medley continues through  “Northside,” “Theme From Which Way Is Up,” “Partyman,” and “Dancing Machine.” Some squelching bass underpins all of it, and with the horns adding flurries of brass over top, it becomes a storming performance, Liv and Shelby guiding us through this blizzard of a performance. There is the feeling that we are avalanching towards the end of the show, all tumbling and upside down, and downside up, as we rush through these songs, one last chance for the band to demonstrate their skills before we emerge from the other side and into the bright light of another sampler set. 

With only the piano for accompaniment, Prince gives us a taste of “Diamonds And Pearls.” It is merely an entree to a piano set that will soon enough give way to the sampler set. “The Beautiful Ones” pick up where “Diamonds and Pearls” left off, the piano flourishes thrilling it their briefness and suggestion of a colorful performance to suit, and it is a disappointment to hear “Darling Nikki” cut it short as it opens a second sampler set. 

“Darling Nikki” teases the audience beyond comprehension, and “If I Was Your Girlfriend” has the same effect on me here at home. Neither goes anywhere beyond an opening tease, and it is a reverb infused “Forever In My Life” that gets a much longer play. And by much longer, I mean a verse and chorus. It’s not much, but I’ll take it at this time. 

These teases continue, “Alphabet St” giving no time to ripen, it is criminally cut short before it comes to fruition and the following “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” fares even worse, as Prince makes it clear in his speaking, he is just staking out his territory as far as hits go. 

“A Love Bizarre” signals that perhaps Prince will give a complete performance, but that too quickly morphs into “The X’s Face” and “U Know,” both so short that there is barely enough time to register them before Prince moves to the next song. 

There is some hope for me with “Pop Life,” I enjoy the verse that Prince delivers, and at least I get to sing along with the chorus before he switches to bass for “777-9311.” I don’t enjoy the sampler aspect, but Prince’s bass makes it all worthwhile, bringing a hardness to the sound, and grounding it firmly in the category of real music by real musicians. A better mix, with the bass turned right up, would have been heart-stopping, but even as it is I am thrilled with its inclusion. 

Although from another era, “The Love We Make,” feels like the right way, the only way, to end this gig. Prince’s lyrics strip back all the glamour and glitz, revealing another spiritual message that speaks to everyone, a message of hope, positivity, and universal love that he has sung about so often. The song stands alone at the end of this show, the band paying homage at its feet with a rendition that cuts to the core of the song and makes it resonate in a way that is seldom heard elsewhere in this show. Donna’s final guitar break reaches for the heavens, the sound of righteous joy and a spiritual fulfillment found through the pureness of the music itself. It's a quiet ending to a concert that started with a whirlwind of rock n roll, but it leaves me with a feeling of satisfaction and a well-rounded experience. 

This show is a balancing act between the rock of 3rdeyegirl and the funk of the NPG horns. Prince treads a fine line, and with a soundboard bootleg to match the concert, it is more apparent than ever just how good he was at taking disparate styles and blending them in a concert that retains balance. Some of the sampler moments were overworked, but this is tempered by the emotional highs that are achieved on several songs, and to be fair, if the concert was all emotional highs I would be exhausted by the end of it. One of the most well-known of Prince’s bootlegs in the last five years, one can appreciate why this is held in high regard. It never threatens his 1980s work, but it does play with a maturity that as an adult I can clutch onto in turbulent times. Like warm comfort food, this bootleg always makes me feel good, and I guess there can be no better recommendation than that. 

London 2 February 2015

This week's recording -I am going to take a gamble with this one. Today's recording is not a favorite, much-loved recording, but instead a recent one that I have never heard before. Today I will be taking a listen to Prince playing at Koko London from last week. Before I have even heard a note, I already have mixed feelings about this one. At first glance, there are a couple of positives and also a couple of negatives. Firstly the negatives – it is an audience recording, and a greatest hit show to boot. I am not a great fan of either. On the plus side – it is a smaller venue, and also a recent show, so it will be something new to my ears and I won’t have any preconceptions about it. The other thing about it which is making me curious is the songs from Art Official Age and Plectrumelectrum. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue as they say. So, let's drop the needle and see what we got

February 2nd, 2015 Koko London

 

As the recording begins you can hear the anticipation as the audience awaits the music to start. The opening chords of “Purple Rain” is greeted with plenty of cheers and squeals as you might expect. The recording is not too bad- I can hear everything I need to hear. The crowd is all onboard right from the start and you can hear them singing along, line for line. Prince himself sounds fairly relaxed, there is no intensity to his singing, and the whole vibe comes across as casual and happy. His guitar sound early on sounds like this may be a pretty rocking gig. It was just after I thought this that I can hear some audience members talking, which instantly takes me out of the song. Soon enough Prince and the band get a little louder and rawer and I am happy again. Throughout I can hear his guitar sound nice and deep and I hold my breath as I wait for the solo. And, it’s a good one! All the usual elements are there, as well as some nice deviations by Prince. Nothing too off the chart, but it does have a good rocking sound to it. The crowd is well in the mood for “ahhh, ahhh, ahhh” but Prince closes them down soon enough. The reprise is short, there is a minute of crowd singing before Prince brings it to an end with his guitar. We are off to a good start.

Prince tells the crowd that they are going to play 14 hits in a row and the band starts the grind of the modern take of “Let’s Go Crazy.” I am not always the greatest fan of this one, but I haven’t listened to any 3rdeyegirl recordings for a while, and it’s not the chore that I sometimes find it is. It sounds like it's going across well tonight, and I enjoy the guitar divergence midsong. It adds a little lightness to a song that sometimes sounds bogged down in its modern incarnation. The band sounds tighter than some of the other shows I have listened to, and looking at it I guess they have been together quite a while now. They have certainly lasted longer than I expected, and full credit to them. My only quibble would be that perhaps the song lasts a minute longer than my attention span does, but as always that’s my problem rather than a recording problem.

“Take Me With U” takes me by surprise with its nice fresh sound. There is a nice guitar sound at the beginning that is playing what was originally a keyboard on record. It’s only a small thing, but it has me listening right from the start. The song is nicely balanced, and although the guitar leads it, it still feels light and has a pop shine to it. Liv’s singing is very good, and it’s nice to hear her adding to the fullness of the song. I should have tired of this song years ago, but today it’s still getting me moving in my chair.

And joy of joys, the next song isn’t “Raspberry Beret!” Instead, we are treated to a solid performance of “U Got The Look.” Sure, I have been critical of this in recent blog posts, but again on the recording, it’s a nice crisp performance. Both the guitars have a clean but heavy sound, and I can clearly hear what they are playing. It’s a change from some other performances where the guitar is lost in muddy sound or distortion. Liv can once again be heard doing her thing, and I admire her voice for standing up against all the guitar sound. For a minute I thought it was going to degenerate into a guitarfest, but the band quickly moves into “Funknroll,” much to the delight of the crowd I might add.

 

It’s very cool, and as usual, I like the live performance of it much more than the album recording. The band owns this one and it’s very obvious that this is one song that they all buy into, and belong on. The breakdown and Prince's guitar sounds like a lot of fun and gets plenty of shouts from the crowd. It sounds very much like a good time, and I can only imagine what it would have been like to be there. I think cool is the word that suits this song tonight, and Prince plays us out with some more cool guitar playing.

I have tried to avoid using the word funky too much when writing this blog, but I can’t help but use it at the beginning of “Controversy.” 3rdEyeGirl strikes me as being a very unfunky band, the opening guitar rhythm is right on the money. They don’t let up as the song kicks off properly, and this stripped-down band takes me right back to the original sound in the eighties. I have to be honest, I was even clapping in the air at one point. The crowd is feeling funky too, with a chant of “Ow wee ow” starting mid-song. Prince comments “I see you all come to jam tonight” before singing controversy. There is then some very fun call and response between Prince and the audience, they can’t quite match his squeals and sounds, but they more than makeup for it with volume when he says “now somebody scream!” The song ends, and I find myself thinking this was the best version of this song I have heard for ages.

The timeless intro of “1999” moves us right along, and I can feel the smallness of the venue and the vibe of the band. It’s very heavy on bass, with everything else floating along over the top. Prince sounds like he is having as much fun as the crowd and I marvel at his ability to play at such a level still after all these years. An average gig by Prince is still better than 90% of everyone else’s, and this gig is far from average. They more than do the song justice, and like all the best versions I can hear plenty of Prince's guitar in the mix.

Staying with the 1999 album, the next song up is “Little Red Corvette.” It’s played in his modern ‘slow down style’ but it is not as drawn out and emotional at the start as other times I have heard. It’s slightly let down by crowd noise in places, and although Prince's voice isn’t always clear, his guitar certainly is. After 30 years I still feel a rush as he plays the guitar solo, before pulling it back and taking it down a notch to his slow hand guitar, and eventual “slow down” refrain. There is a lovely moment before his slow-down lines, where he emotionally sings “I know what I want, I want you” The crowd gently sings “slow down” in the background while Prince delivers his lines. For me, it was a surprising highlight, and I find myself totally in the moment. Mindfulness with Prince, who would have thought. The song continues to offer surprises as it ends with Prince and the women of the audience singing “oohhh oohh ”

 

It gets even better when Prince sings “Nothing Compares 2 U” over a bare keyboard. In my mind, this is the way it should always sound. The band joins after the first verse, but the song still holds its emotion, and Prince ups his delivery when the drums and bass enter. I have to say, I was a little worried when he says “on the guitar, Donna”, but her solo is pitched just right, and is kept nice and short. Prince comes back with plenty more character in his voice, and the crowd carries us home. It’s short, but all done in the best possible taste, and like all good things leaves me wanting more.

I love this version of “Kiss.” Anyone who has read any of these blog posts knows that this is quite a statement from me, I am what they call “a hater” when it comes to this song. But here on this recording, I find it very appealing. It has some interesting keyboard running through it and is seriously lacking its distinctive guitar signature. Although not a fan of the song, I have always liked its guitar sound, so for him to drop it out, and I find I like it, even more, I am very surprised. That same guitar sound returns in the second half of the song, and it’s nice and strong. I could just listen to that rhythm all day. If you want to hear a different take on a classic, I recommend you bend your ear to this. The band jam on it a little later in the song, and it's all good to me.

I am not very familiar with Paloma Faith, but Prince's cover of her song “Only Love Can Hurt Like This” is just divine, and Liv gets a chance to do what she does best on it too. Gentle at the start with some beautiful singing during the verses, the chorus skyrockets when Liv gets her lungs right behind it. As an unfamiliar song to me, this will certainly be one that I will be revisiting. There is some very decent lead guitar in the latter part of the song, but it’s Liv that holds it all down, and the second half is very much her voice versus the power of Prince’s guitar. Princes guitar wins out, but I am never going to complain about that. I would like to hear a better recording of this one, and maybe a better mix from the desk, but it is a cover with potential and I’d like to hear more of it.

 

Prince then asks for the lights to be turned off with the comment “it’s not a country and western show” and that brings a smile to my face. That smile gets even bigger when I hear the opening of “When Doves Cry.” Although not a pristine recording, it’s good enough when the music is this good. After a few bars, the music stops and leaves the crowd singing. Yes, it is the dreaded sampler set. But tonight Prince plays this one pretty straight and I am pleasantly surprised as we get four minutes of the song played in the form I know and love. There is some interaction between Prince and the crowd, with a few “owww owwws” from both.

I wait with bated breath as “Sign O The Times” begins. Will this be cut short, or will I get a good chunk of the song? Thankfully it’s the latter, and there’s also some meaty guitar work in there for me to enjoy. It’s not particularly sharp, but it is suitable grime and has a heaviness to it. Once again the crowd is in good voice, and Hannah on the drums gets a good workout near the end of the song. On a better quality recording, this would be a standout.

“Hot Thing” gets the familiar sampler set treatment, as Prince teases us at the start, before delivering the song proper. It’s got a nice groove to it, but the beat is slightly weaker. Prince pushes it out forcefully in compensation, and both I and the audience enjoy it. I am happy to see this one get a real play rather than a sampler tease, and by the end, I wish it was longer.

One of my all-time favorites is next with the big sound of “A Love Bizarre.” I would just seconds from leaping to my feet and dancing, but instead, I am bitterly disappointed when it ends after just 40 seconds of the intro. Such a lost opportunity, I think it would have gone down a storm.

The sampler tease continues as the music of “Darling Nikki” is played next. There is no way in the world he was ever going to sing it, and as we all expect it ends after 30 seconds.

“Pop Life” has me back on board, although it’s played very short at least we get a verse and a chorus. A classic pop song, it’s impossible to hear this without feeling some sort of joy. I find myself singing along loudly with it, and I am sure my neighbors are thankful when it quickly ends.

“I Would Die 4 U” sounds upbeat and fits with this ‘pop’ section of the gig. I would have loved to hear a little more of it, but Prince ends it after the first chorus with a simple “Thank you so much, good night”

It is of course another tease, and immediately the beat of “Forever In My Life” begins. This is no tease, and Prince takes his time with the intro, before singing the words we all know so well. I mouth the words rather than sing along, I don’t want to miss a note of this. Prince sounds great and I find myself inwardly moaning again that this isn’t a soundboard recording. The arrangement played here somewhat resembles the one that appears in Sign O The Times movie, and there is plenty of time for the crowd to sing along with “alright, alright”. The only thing missing is Boni Boyer singing the house down, but we are nicely compensated by Prince providing some bass lines. A very electric sound cuts through the vibe as we near the end, but the mood is restored by some great singing by Prince, and the audience doing their best to emulate him.

I’m not sure this is the band for “Housequake,” but in the sampler set, they seem to get away with it. My ears aren’t sharp enough to tell you who is playing what, but it all comes together alright. Not the funkiest version in the world, but the sampler provides the kicking beat while Prince keeps the energy levels high. Ida gets a moment on her bass, and this is probably the high point of the song for me. Donna also plays a brief solo, but I find it takes me out of the song, and I am pleased they don’t play on it too much longer. They hold it together long enough to get through it, but I fear it may unravel after another minute.

Oh WOW, was my first thought as they begin “U Know.” It sounds like it is going to be fantastic, but Prince says “You’ll can't have that” and I know we aren’t going to get too much more. Sure enough, it ends before it even starts. There are a few boos to be heard from the crowd, and I can fully understand their feelings… I am quietly booing here at home. You can’t always get what you want.

I feel similarly cheated when he plays only the intro to “Gold Standard.” It’s good to see he isn’t biased, both old and new songs get the short shrift, but I would have liked to have seen a little more faith in the newer songs, especially the ones that get an obvious reaction from the crowd.

“If I Was Your Girlfriend” gets the same shabby treatment, it’s barely worth mentioning here for the time we hear it. I barely register it before it ends.

Normal service resumes with a loud, slightly heavy rendition of “Guitar.” Prince’s voice on the recording comes across as a little muffled, but the guitar is the real star of this one. It sounds great not only during the verses but also when the solos start. Of course, this suits Donna very well, and her solo is on point throughout. I am even happier when Prince adds his guitar to the mix later in the song. At this stage, I find the recording slightly uneven, but there is not a huge dip in quality. Once again Prince wishes the crowd “Good night” before bringing us right into “Plectrumelectrum.”

I like the song well enough, but it just sounds a touch labored here. It has plenty of rock flourishes, but they do sound heavy-handed to my ears. Of course, I am listening too carefully to it, and I find that once I close my eyes and go with the sound it’s much more enjoyable. To me, it sounds like a good rehearsal song rather than a song that got a proper release. I have no real problem with the song, but it does outstay its welcome by a minute or two.

Prince begins again by saying “I would like to dedicate this to a friend of mine”. There is a brief moment while he gets the stage sound right, before a gentle intro to “Breakdown.” My favorite song on the Art Official Age Album, when I saw this on the setlist I was immediately very excited to hear it. I was not disappointed in the slightest. Sure, the recording isn’t the greatest, but I can still hear that Prince's voice is note-perfect. The song sounds a little lighter in the live setting, it seems to be lacking some gravitas, but I can’t quite pinpoint what it is that’s missing. Maybe it’s the fact that I can hear the audience talking during several segments of the song. But there is enough there for me to love every moment, and when the guitar enters it adds just a shade more emotion. Very good song, and on a better recording it would have been excellent.

It’s followed up by a fantastic intro to “What's My Name.” I love that this is getting an airing. There are better renditions of this song out there, I enjoy hearing this one but it's not top shelf. A lot of the crowd sounds somewhat disinterested, and again it does affect the quality of the recording and listening experience. All the pieces are there, but it’s not as strong as I would like. This song could be much more muscular and beefed up, it’s a shame it’s not at its full potential here. Things get better when the guitars are in full flight, buts it is not quite there.

“Stratus” is sometimes great, and sometimes not so great. I know its purpose is to show off the different band members' talents, but sometimes I just don’t feel it. This is one of those occasions. Donna’s first solo is nice enough (the fact I used the word nice rather than something else should tell you enough) but by midway through the keys, I find I am beginning to tune out. Things are better in the second half, a little more heavy sounding and some good bass and drum. And surprisingly, to my mind, it’s enough to save the song. By the time it finishes I am pretty happy with what I have heard.

The opening chords of “Sometimes It Snows In April” fill me with joy, and as Prince sings the opening lines I am off to my happy place. But sadly he ends it after the first couple of lines, and the guitars jump in with “Dreamer.”

This band is well suited to “Dreamer,” and even though I was disappointed about “Sometime It Snows In April,” I am very happy with “Dreamer” and its performance here. The guitar playing is less pedestrian and the band sounds like they are energized once again. The song is saturated in guitar solos and all of them are sounding good. After the solos ease back, there is some nice heavy guitar work that sounds good, before Prince sings the title a few more times. The song ends just after this, and despite clocking in at almost seven minutes it still feels like a shorter song, the energy kept me in it throughout.

“Let's Work” caught me off guard, with its heavy intro. I am much more comfortable once its classic groove takes up the song proper. Late into the show now, yet Prince's voice still sounds fresh and he does a nice impersonation of his younger self. The bass playing on this is excellent, and I find myself grooving along to it nicely. I didn’t expect this band to play it so well, but it is very good.

I am further surprised when 3rdeyegirl take on “Cool,” and they make a good job of it. Liv takes on a lot of the load here, especially when she first starts to sing “Don’t Stop Until You Get Enough.” It does sound a lot like other renditions we have heard in the last few years, but that’s not a complaint at all. The first half of the song is all Liv singing “Don’t Stop Until You Get Enough,” before Prince sings “Cool” proper in the second part of the song. This is very much a crowd-pleasing song, and there sounds like a lot of fun is being had when Prince gets them singing. There is a couple of cool moments when Prince gets the crowd to soul clap and I am instantly transported to his 1980s heyday. The song ends with the classic Prince “Las Vegasss!”

So all in all a very fun gig. The setlist and performance are good without being great. The recording is as one would expect for an audience recording, it is fine- it’s far from being terrible, but there were moments when I found myself wishing for a soundboard. This is not an essential must-listen, but if you have access to it then it’s a fun couple of hours.

Vienna 7 June 2014

 It feels like a long time since I started listening to the concerts that Prince played in Austria. After a diversion through the latest EYE releases, today I finally come back to the final Austria concert featuring 3rdeyegirl. 

I have had a lot of interesting feedback from fans who were at last week's 2010 concert in Vienna, a rash of fans declaring vehemently that it was the best concert they ever went to. And not just casual-type fans either, some of these people have seen 50+ concerts, making me wonder if Prince really did play the best concerts in Austria. The concert from 2010 sounded good, but not great as those attending tell me, which serves as a reminder that these bootlegs only give us half the story, and there is no replacing the experience of actually being at the concert. 

Today’s show from Vienna is the last concert of the European leg of the 2014 Hit n Run tour. I have previously written about a lot of these 3rdeyegirl concerts before, at the time there was quite a buzz about Prince playing in this smaller format, although looking back three years later some of this luster has worn off. The concept was initially thrilling, but not strong enough to carry a whole tour. 3rdeyegirl was great for the rock side of Prince’s Gemini personality, but of course, Prince wanted to push a range of genres across his concerts. The outcome of this was naturally enough an elongated sampler set, additional musicians brought into the fold, a longer piano set, and new arrangements of some songs to fit in with 3rdeyegirl’s style. None of these are negative, but it does make for an uneven and bumpy ride through the gig. To my ears there is an odd inconsistency and the concerts never quite settle into a groove – Prince is always changing things up as the concert evolves. Still, it does keep people like me guessing and interested in these shows, something that can’t be dismissed. 

7th June 2014, Vienna, Austria  

There is no explosive opening to the concert and bootleg. Skipping Hannah’s spoken introduction and a couple of songs over the P.A. the first song performed is a limp “Let’s Go Crazy.” While I admire the intent in the rearrangement of the song, with its low and slow riff, it does take away all that is good and great. The strength of the original “Let’s Go Crazy” is its combination of rock and pure pop, giving it an uplifting joy and energy. This arrangement strips out all the pop, and most of the joy, leaving it as a soulless plod. Prince does this with other songs too, usually to fit in with whatever mood he is creating at a concert (“1999” and “Kiss” are two that immediately spring to mind), but in the new arrangement of these songs who loses what it is that makes them what they are, the alchemy is undone and these once golden pop moments become leaden and dull. “Let’s Go Crazy” isn’t bad, but it’s certainly a far cry from what it once was, and I could happily skip over this arrangement. 

 

The appearance of “Take Me With U” lights up the concert, even if the sound on the bootleg is rather one-dimensional.  The recording has very little depth to it, and even though I can hear the music fine, it doesn’t jump off the page. Along with its sister “Raspberry Beret,” this is where Prince’s pop side comes to the fore, something people may not expect when they first see 3rdeyegirl take the stage. With Cassandra and Josh adding their keyboard talents to the core of 3rdeyegirl, the band is well-rounded and better equipped to tackle some of these gems from the back-catalog. 

“U Got The Look” is paper thin and a real disappointment. It is the weak man of this concert, and describing it as thin and sickly would be an understatement. Prince’s guitar break normally reinvigorates even the illest of patients, in this case, it is the death rattle that puts both the song and me out of our misery. 

In contrast, “Cool” is the best performance so far heard on the recording. The recording is clear, but still not strong, and it does just enough to catch Prince and the band finally giving us a song I can connect to. It is the keyboards that are the pulse that keeps this song moving, and for several minutes the rest of the concert disappears under this wave of keyboard swells and Prince’s cool. 

I have previously been dismissive of the sampler set, but I must admit it has grown on me over the years. It is a nostalgic romp through some of Prince’s beloved 80’s material, a treat for those that have been with him through his musical journey. “Dove’s Cry” is the gold standard when it comes to his 1980s output, and he matches it in this case with yet another funky version of “Sign O The Times” I can tell you both are great., and that’s not 1980’s me speaking, that is me in the here and now 2017 asserting that they sound just as good here as they did thirty years (how it hurts to realize that) ago. 

“Hot Thing” is notable for the eclectic keyboard solo that Cassandra delivers, its quirkiness elevating the song and bringing something fresh to the table. The song doesn’t reach any great heights asides from this, but I do recommend giving her solo a second listen. 

I did yawn through the opening minutes of “Alphabet St,” but like the previous song, one of the band members comes to the fore with something interesting. In this case, it is Ida Nielsen with some sharp bass work that has me leaning forward to try and catch every note. She is one sharp player and I only wish there was more here for me to enjoy. 

This sampler set closes out with “Forever In My Life,” the bass again being the most interesting aspect. It may start slow, but the final minutes are intoxicating as the bass comes from a variety of angles both providing something unexpected and joyful. 

There is a full band rendition of “Controversy,” a song that hits the reset button on the concert as suddenly both the music and crowd come alive. There is finally some muscle to the music, and the concert rises in my estimation from this point onwards. Maybe it is because I have listened to so many earlier bootlegs recently, but “Controversy” does bring out the best of this recording, and it towers above the earlier tepid material. 

Earlier I wrote that sometimes the soul of “1999” is sacrificed for the greater good of the concert, I am pleased to say that in this case, that doesn’t happen. It is the full version, with all the correct sounds in the correct places, and the magic from 35 years ago is still in the air as Prince plays. 

 

Prince sticks with the 1999 album for an electrifying performance of “Little Red Corvette” It has a rather conventional opening, but there is an appearance of the “slow down” refrain midsong that is captivating and goes for some time, enticing the listener with its warmth while retaining a sense of regret. The song disappears and leaves Prince and the crowd singing, a poignant moment that hangs a veil of sadness across the show. 

“Nothing Compares 2 U” stays with this sense of regret and loss but doesn’t quite scale the same heights as the previous few minutes. Again, Prince has the crowd singing with him, but it doesn’t generate the same heat as the previous number. I find redemption in Cassandra's solo, and I am again surprised at just how much of herself she injects into the performance, all for the better of course. 

The is an extra kick in the bass of “Kiss” that has me listening carefully. It is another different take on this well-worn classic, and although it doesn’t sparkle like the original it still has its attention-grabbing way. Laid back, with only the merest sprinklings of guitar from Prince, it is a deeper and darker listen. It has me eating my words from earlier, with its own soul it is a nice rework of a song that has had more different live arrangements than any other. The climax is the extended coda when the funk guitar appears, reminding us of the original sound on record. 

There was the sampler set earlier, and at this stage of the concert Prince again takes a seat with the piano set. No surprise to hear “Diamonds And Pearls” first, the audience lapping it up and offering up their backing vocals early. The segue into “The Beautiful Ones” is also equally predictable, and although Prince sounds heavenly on vocals, the song itself suffers for being part of this set. Abridged, it is stripped of the climatic nature of the original, and there is no payoff for the pretty opening verses. The song rises, but never boils over, even with Prince’s final yelps there is a sense he is holding back. 

I sit transfixed as Prince plays “Empty Room.” It’s a delicate trap, Prince drawing me in with his floating keyboard riffs, before Donna smites all with her axe. The guitar playing is sublime, playing with intensity without overwhelming at any stage, Donna strikes her blows with maximum impact without overexerting the guitar. If there was a song on this recording that needed to be turned up to eleven, this would be it. 

Guitars stay at the front of my thoughts, and Prince’s, with an energetic performance of “Guitar.” Although lightweight in its subject matter, and carrying no emotional baggage, it is still a worthy listen. It can’t match any of the previous songs on any level but keeps things moving and brings 3rdeyegirl to the fore as we move into the rock-orientated section of the concert. 

The energy levels drop for “Plectrumelectrum,” although there is the feeling that Prince is merely using this as a warm-up for the next few songs. There is plenty of guitars, but no heroics, and my overall feeling is that it is a couple of minutes too long. 

I was no great fan of Prince’s cover of “Crimson And Clover” when he first started playing it (although I do have the Tommy James and the Shondells version on 45, somewhere). However, his take on it has grown on me the last couple of years, and the version heard on this bootleg is a fair representation of what his arrangement sounds like. The “Wild Thing” chorus works well, and the final cascade of the guitar is undemanding yet has plenty of fireworks for guitar aficionados. 

Things have been building up to these next two songs, and Prince and the band deliver first up with yet another great rendition of “She’s Always In My Hair.” The recording is nowhere near as good as the performance itself, the two dimension sound of the recording sapping a lot of the intensity from the song. The music sounds intoxicating, but I feel like I am watching from a distance with the flat sound of the recording rendering Prince a paper doll. Still, the song is what is important, and it is another chance for 3rdeyegirl to rise up and make it their own. 

 

“Purple Rain” is alluring from the outset, the first guitar runs glistening in a newness that I haven’t heard before. It meanders for a moment, before setting off in a new direction, the introduction briefly covering new ground before Prince brings it back with his first line. I am almost disappointed, but Prince is too good to give us just another version going through the motions, he injects what he needs to into the performance and the crowd responds as they always do. It is not one for the ages, but it does maintain Prince’s high standards, and again the only disappointment is the flatness of the recording. 

After the highs of these two rock songs, “Play That Funky Music” as the first encore is a come done. It has never been one of my favorite songs, and the blandness of the recording certainly does it no favors here. On a positive note, Cassandra provides yet another excellent solo, and there is just enough slippery guitar to bring a smile to my face. 

I am far more enthused for “Screwdriver.” It has kinetic energy about it and Prince sounds far more youthful than he really is. It doesn’t stand on the same pedestal as Prince’s classic hits, but it is a modern song that fits well into these setlists. 

From the same place comes “Funknroll.” It doesn’t do it as well as the previous “Screwdriver,” there is a sense of purpose missing, and the song feels like it is by the numbers in places. An uneven performance that perhaps would have been saved by a better recording. 

The bass and drum of “Housequake” are strong, and wash away any recording limitations. It has a lot more backbone than “Funknroll,” something that is highlighted further as the song progresses, especially as Prince pulls it back to “listen to the drums.” With the bass rooting the song in funky soil, the music blooms and grows into a sprawling vine of sounds and rhythms. This is easily the best part of the last thirty minutes and something of a surprise with 3rdeyegirl. 

 

There are further surprises with a strong electric version of “Sometimes It Snows In April.” It may not be to everyone’s taste, there is very little that is delicate about it, and it is in stark contrast to the original. It still has a softness to it, but it is more fleshed out and certainly a lot louder. I still rate it, especially the guitar break which shines new light on a song that is often constrained by its own history. 

“Bambi” is far closer to what we expect from 3rdeyegirl, and the version heard here comes as a hammer blow placed as it is near the end of the concert. With guitars fighting over each other to be heard, it is a gleeful romp that at times descends into a cacophony of guitar white noise. I revel in its sound, and although I know it is old and almost a parody of itself I still find it excites me. 

“Stratus” twists and turns through an array of eclectic movements, all of them highlighting the band's collective talent pool, and Prince’s prowess as a bandleader. The guitar break may grab all the headlines, but there is much more to this performance that that one lightning bolt moment. It is a chance to sit back and reflect on the abilities of this band, a band that is sometimes underrated while a closer listen reveals they do what they do very well. 

I haven’t done enough research to tell you how often “What’s My Name” was played on this tour, but I do know that it sounds fresh whenever I hear it and comes as one final surprise at the end of the concert. It still has a lingering sense of anger about it and retains the sense of outrage first heard in the original. Twenty years on it still sounds biting, and Prince spits his lyrics with plenty of venom. There is still a fire burning within him, and it may have taken two and a half hours, but here it is in full effect, the concert ending on a note of real intensity. 

The recording finishes with the “Funknroll” remix playing over the P.A. Good for the completists, but I don’t really need to hear it, the previous “What’s My Name” the blazing finish that raises everything to the ground, there is nothing more to hear after such a rendition. 

I would like this concert a whole lot more if the recording wasn’t so flat. Looking past that though, I can see that this is a great way to finish the Hit N Run II tour of Europe, and it neatly encapsulates all the shows that have come previously, while highlighting the continuing evolution of 3rdeyegirl as they adapt to new styles and songs. Normally I wouldn’t give my time to a recording of this type, especially as there are so many good recordings of these later tours available, but as the fans say, Prince always put on a good show in Austria. A hidden gem, I might just play this a few more times before I put it back into storage. 

A wordy entry, congratulations if you made it this far.

Birmingham 15 May 2014

 Last week we went way back to 1981, this week something a little more recent- a 3rdeyegirl gig. I know what you are thinking, oh no another rock guitar-based gig. It’s not on purpose, I promise! Next week I will make it up to you with a funk gig. To be honest I randomly choose this one as it was on top of my pile of recently listened-to gigs. Next week something to make you move, this week… 

 May 15th, 2014, 3rdeyegirl, Birmingham 

First of all, I would like to thank and give praise to all tapers of gigs. Without your efforts and generosity, we would never have access to gigs like this. In this case, I would like to thank Spangleman who taped this one. Thanks. 

Again, another audience recording. But things have changed in recent years, with more sophisticated equipment and more thought put into the set up there are some really good audience recordings floating around. Although still not perfect by any means, they are still a vast improvement from what used to be. 

This recording is pretty good, the band and Prince are clear though out, and there is no talking through the gig, which sometimes surfaces on recordings like this. There is one recording in particular, and I can’t quite remember what one it is, where through one song members of the audience can be heard talking about skiing. I can’t remember the song, but the chat is very distracting. Thankfully there is nothing like that in this recording. 

 

The gig opens with “Funknroll.” It’s an interesting choice to open with, not being well known at the time. Although the song itself is good enough, it doesn’t quite have that show-opening feel to it. It doesn’t have that energy or surprise of a good opener. 3rdeyegirl is known for being a very rock-orientated unit, but in this case, they barely rock at all. Nothing wrong with the playing, but the song doesn’t seem to go anywhere. 

From there they kick into “Take Me With U.” The crowd seems more receptive, something well known to the general public and casual fans. But still, it seems here to miss the pop and snap of the album version. Everything feels a little damp and slow. Prince throws in a couple of his catchphrases “I wish someone would sing” and “Put the house lights up”, but he’s just going through the motions at this point. So far it's ‘Prince by numbers’ Being a guitar-based rock outfit I would have loved to hear them give this song the long guitar-heavy Purple rain video version, with Prince's extended guitar solo, but they play well within themselves and play it safe. It could have been so much more. 

As is his way for the last 10 years he segues straight into “Raspberry Beret.” No surprise there! It’s predictable, but it raises a cheer from the crowd. The version here is played very straight, and it’s a little boring. But maybe I am just biased; to be honest I have never heard a live version of this that I like. 

“U Got The Look” fails to take off too, it’s surprisingly un-rocky apart from a couple of chunky guitar bursts. Maybe it’s the recording, or maybe the band. But the guitar sound isn’t there like I expected it to be. I like what Prince has done with a lot of his songs recently, in his reinterpreting them live, but I feel the concept could have been pushed further. With this band, he could have turned this song into something else. Or maybe I am too predictable with my Rock band = Rock songs. 

The following song is “Musicology,” and although I am a fan of the song, in this case, I found it a little uneven; it is up and down throughout. Maybe it’s missing the full band, but I feel it’s never really getting into the groove. Overall, the first half a dozen songs seem insipid, it’s a slow start to the gig. There is some nice light guitar playing by Prince near the end of the song, reminiscent of the soft solo he plays on the Hohner at the start of Purple Rain Syracuse 1985. I like this guitar sound and playing, I would buy albums worth of it if I could. 

“Kiss” is very different. The familiar jangle guitar is absent, it’s heavy on bass and synth. It's the singing that carries it. It’s an odd little version, and I can’t decide if I like it or not. This one will take multiple listens. Prince throws in his line “Desperate housewives” but that’s starting to get a little tired now. Prince – you need to watch some more recent TV. The song ends as a good sing-a-long for the crowd, so I guess it serves its purpose. 

I wonder how many of the crowd recognize “Empty Room.” The crowd is very quiet as it begins, and I am not sure if they are being respectful, or they just don’t know it. The drumming pulls me in, and when Prince sings it sounds like he is beginning to engage. Finally, it feels like he is putting more of himself into this gig. This song has grown on me recently and I enjoyed this version. Prince’s vocals sound stronger and near the end, he unleashes a couple of decent shrieks and guitar work. The gig has finally started! 

I used to like “Let’s Go Crazy(Reloaded)” but I feel a bit over it now. Often it is a little pedestrian for my taste. Tonight it sounds good, I think it would have been better if I was there (I could say that for every song!) To be there with the guitar and bass rumbling through you would be a much more visceral experience. The strong electric sound of the guitar at three minutes thirty caught my attention. Sounded very electric and buzzy. 

Prince finishes the song by announcing “soundcheck is over”, and I couldn’t agree more. From here on in, we are into it! 

 

After a very brief guitar interlude, the band kicks into “She’s Always In My Hair.” For me, this song has always sounded better live. It’s not so crisp and sharp as it sounds on the record, and to my ears, it’s more emotional in the live form like this. I can’t help but think of the Digital Underground “Sex Packets” as Prince plays the main riff. To my mind, this is the best sample ever used by a hip-hop group, and even now I can’t dissociate the two songs from each other. The band plays a nice heavy version of “She’s Always In My Hair”, Prince’s solo is a good rock solo, and the band is finally playing a song that suits their sound and style. Just as Prince sounds like this solo is going to spin right out, he pulls it back into the song and gives it that great Prince sound. 

The breakdown of the song is a highlight, the twinkling guitar reminiscent of some of my favorite rock songs over the years. Prince sings his lines “Maybe I’ll marry her, maybe I won’t” with such passion. He still feels this song, and I can’t help but have the same feeling. It just grabs me. I can feel it. It’s during this part of the song that the limitations of the audience recording can be heard. It’s not as good as earlier songs. The crowd is behind Prince as he finishes with call and response and another guitar solo. 

I can’t help but wonder what casual fans make of this song? Do they know it’s a B-side? Do they walk out of the gig hoping it’s a new song that will be on the next album? One hopes they dig back into the catalog and dig it out. I was once at a Smashing Pumpkins gig, and they did a cover of Girls Aloud “Call the shots” and for days after the gig I was wondering about the song, and where it came from. I am sure more than a few casual fans were wondering the same about “She’s Always In My Hair.” 

At a gig where guitars are to the fore, it’s only natural that the next song is in fact “Guitar.” I see a theme emerging here! “Guitar” is played with a lot of energy and sounds great. There’s not much to it as a song, but it comes across as great live. This is what “Take Me With U” should have been played like, all energy and enthusiasm. Donna’s playing is freer and less heavy, and it sounds better for it. 

“Plectrum Electrum” is not so fluid. It sounds like a song of two halves. It’s quite good, played with no vocals, and the first half is better than the second half. The first half is more song and structure, while the second half becomes a whining guitar. 

“Fixurlifeup” sounds better than on record. It’s short and sweet. It almost passes before I register it. A nice song, I would have liked to hear more of it. 

The upbeat guitar songs end when Prince brings it all down with “Something In The Water (Does Not Compute).” I will be honest here, I am very biased. This is one of my favorite songs, I have always had a real soft spot for it. It opens just Prince and the piano, and it sounds just great. This is how I like to hear it played. The guitar and slow drums kick in and the song changes gear a little. It has a great melancholy sound that suits the theme of the song so well, and I can’t help but just wallow in it all. The guitar line is so simple and repetitive, it has a great hypnotic quality to it. Prince gives a few good shrieks and howls and plays a nice three-four-minute solo to finish the song. The guitar has the classic Prince tone to it, and it closes out the song perfectly. 

 

Another song that sounds better here than the studio recording is “Pretzelbodylogic.” Although I am not a fan of the song itself, so that’s not really adding much to it. Lots of these recent songs live are a slow heavy riffs and a couple of solos. I am not such a fan of this one, there doesn’t seem to be much variety or texture. It’s missing something playful, or something deeper. Either direction would be better than the middle of the road. 

“Stratus” I have heard plenty over the last years, mostly at after-shows. By now there is almost too much guitar at the gig, it's lacking variety. 3rdeyegirl is good, but they need more color and variation. 

“What’s My Name” is another song from the past which seems well suited for this band. I enjoyed it here, I would like to hear it played more often. I think he could ratchet it right up and make it much more intense if he wanted. 

There is a respite from all the guitar heroics when Prince begins the piano set. The first song he plays is “How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore.” It still sounds fresh after all these years. The song stands on its own and shines. It still sounds as good as the day I first heard it. 

After the opening song in the piano set, I had high hopes, but Prince quickly turns it into a disappointing medley. “Diamonds and Pearls” gets 40 seconds (more than enough in my book) and then “The Beautiful Ones” managers to stretch out to a minute and a half. It’s very soft with his piano and voice very low, but it’s far too short and left me hungry for more. 

“Electric Intercourse” gets longer, which is a good thing, but it lacks the emotion and power of the earlier performances over the years. One gets the feeling that Prince is just tinkling the keys and playing what comes to him. 

The electric introduction to “Controversy” grabs my attention -I love the beginning of this version. The band is back on board now. Unfortunately, it lacks the electro-funk feel of the original for the rest of the song that I love so much. It's seven minutes, but after the first couple of minutes, I am over it and have a longing to hear the original. It outstays its welcome and is one of the few songs where I wish it was a shorter version. 

There is redemption with “1999.” It’s not too bad at all, more like the original. The mood lightens up and it’s something fun that the crowd can enjoy. I hadn’t heard it for a while, so it was a nice surprise. 

True to form “Little Red Corvette” is played in the slow mournful version that we have heard a lot of in the last 5 years. When he first unveiled this version I was an instant fan, although I have tired of it in the last couple of years. The novelty had worn off for me, but this performance got me back on board. I liked this performance and I completely changed my mind. The sing-a-long section sounded great. It was a great way to close the main set. 

Next is the sampler set. Ugh, do I have to listen to it? As you can tell I am not a fan of this. Every song is just a tease and makes me frustrated I can’t hear more. It’s like handing a TV remote to someone who skims through the channels. So infuriating!

The sampler starts not so bad with “When Doves Cry.” This elicits a loud cheer of recognition from the crowd. Unfortunately, we only get two short verses before he skips to the next song. I am thankful we got that much, but I would trade the whole sampler set just to hear a full version of one or two of these songs. This ends just as it's getting good. 

“Sign Of The Times” survives for one minute and two verses before it gets the chop. The whole sampler set is an exercise in frustration, I am trying not to rant, but it’s a waste. 

At 10 seconds is it even worth sampling “Alphabet St?” Grrrrr! 

“Forever in My Life” suffers from sound issues. There were sound problems throughout the gig, but only a few times in the recording is it apparent. During this song, we can hear the distortion and I can only guess how it was there throughout the gig. The song itself is good, and he gets through it, but I long to one day hear the long version as played at the Trojan Horse gig. We all need a dream to cling to. 

Although it’s only 2 minutes, “Hot Thing” sounds good. I particularly like the lyric change “Hot thing, barely 25, hot thing looking to come alive.” He has raised his standards! There is a nice moment halfway through when he thanks the crowd for putting their phones away, he loves it when he can see their faces. It’s a nice sentiment. There is a fair amount of distortion here, not sure if it is the recording or the venue sound. I am guessing it’s the venue’s problem. 

A very stop/start beginning to “Housequake,” and it suits the song. When he finally settles on the steady beat Prince sings in his classic funk voice, I can almost picture him pulling his funk face. Unfortunately, the song is again in a truncated form and it stops much too soon for my liking. I could have danced to this for much longer- two minutes is just not enough. 

The next few songs are just tasters and tease, “Nasty Girl” gets barely 20 seconds, and “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” gets one line. 

“Pop Life” fares a little better, we hear one full minute, enough time for one verse and one chorus. A disappointment for one of my favorite songs. 

“I Would Die 4 U” finishes the set with one minute before Prince closes it with “Thank you all so much” 

 

I am much relieved when he plays “Purple Rain” as a full song with the band. Although it’s very much overplayed (I think I have more than 200 versions of this song) it’s still good to hear it played in full here. Prince opens it with a longer intro as he speaks to the crowd and thanks them. I have heard many versions where he sings the first verse, a chorus, and then skips to the guitar solo. Thankfully he doesn’t do that here, he plays it straight, and surprisingly it feels fresh because of that. It lasts the whole 9 minutes before he fades it down, and after the sampler set, it feels much longer. Not that I am complaining at all. 

If the gig had ended here I would have been well satisfied. But there is an encore of “Play That Funky Music” that I could do without. I am not sure why Prince is so enamored with this song, but for me, it appears in his setlists far too often. For me, this is the one track of the evening that I would skip over in an instant.

The gig has plenty of good things going for it, and despite my criticism, I enjoyed the bulk of it. For every negative there was a positive, so all in all it balanced out. It was worth it just for “Something In The Water,” and “She’s Always In My Hair.” I feel the sampler set and some of the more mediocre songs let it down, but as most fans know, that is par for the course. It will never be the first recording I reach for when I want to hear something but on the right day, it is a fair record of where Prince is at right now. 

Next time we are going to look at something funkier. I am not sure what it will be yet, but I did see a tape kicking around the other day with “Chicken Grease” written on it, so that might be the one if I can find some sort of machine to play it! 

Paisley Park 6 April 2014 (am)

 Today’s recording is short, less than half an hour, but I thought I would take a listen as it shows a different side of Prince. It is the second of Paisley Parks after dark events where Prince makes a surprise appearance but only plays thirty minutes as he experiences guitar problems. And this is what I want to hear. I have hundreds, no, make that thousands, of Prince recordings where everything goes well and sounds amazing. What interests me about this performance is the sound problems he has with the guitar and the way he curtails the performance because of this. We all have bad days in the office, and there is a part of me that wants to experience what it sounds like when Prince has one of these days. The accompanying notes say that one can hear when Prince unplugs his guitar from the board as the sound gets worse, I have listened but my rapidly fading hearing isn’t good enough to hear him unplug, but one can hear the problems he is having on some levels. It’s an unusual choice for me to listen to, but I want a well-rounded bootleg experience and take both the bad and the good together. 

 

6th April 2014 (am), Paisley Park 

I immediately regret that this recording is so short, the opening burst of the guitar is incisive and inspiring, and I am instantly caught up in the excitement of hearing “I’m Yours” from Prince’s debut album. It is fresh out the box and if I wasn’t a fan I would have said it was something far younger than 30 years. The song wears barely a wrinkle on its face as Prince reveals it to the Paisley Park crowd, its simple beauty forever timeless. 

In comparison “Bambi” is an ex-girlfriend, and despite Prince retaining the same guitar tone as the previous song, it fails to get a second look from me. It is the typical 3rdeyegirl treatment of the song, and although I rejoiced in its rock sound at the time, three years later I find I have quickly tired of it. Everything is in its place, and there are very few secrets or surprises to be heard here. 

I do like Prince's spoken intro to “Peach,” and it threatens to be a devastating performance. However, this is where his problems start and the song is quickly aborted. The next few minutes though highlight what a consummate professional Prince is, and after apparently fixing whatever is wrong, the band picks up right where they left off in the song. Prince may be having trouble with his sound, but the song erupts in the next few minutes, Prince's vocals just as raw and loud as the guitar licks he plays. The audience recording sounds great, there is zero audience noise and the next few minutes are pure guitar heaven as Prince blazes across the recording. 

 

The bright pop-rock of “So Far, So Pleased” is subverted by the weight of 3rdeyegirl. The verses retain their pop sheen, but the chorus is where the real action is with plenty of grit added by the band. It’s easy on the ear while retaining enough for those that want a further challenge, and the change to a funk jam midsong is surprising given the rock credentials of the band. The jam is initially slow-moving, it isn’t until Prince brings his lead guitar into the mix does it begin to come into focus, slowly circling Prince at the center of this almost silent storm. The music unwinds from this point though as Prince foregoes the guitar and the song continues in the most subtle of jams. This time I do hear the point where Prince unplugs the guitar as the band carries on their simple groove for another five minutes. It picks up again as Prince takes the drum kit for a final flourish, but I can’t say it’s particularly impressive, asides from demonstrating that he can play any position, a point he ably demonstrates by taking the bass next for something that I do like a whole lot more. This final jam runs for fifteen minutes, but truth be told there isn’t much in it, even with Prince's various musical contributions, and there is almost a sense of relief when it comes to an end. 

I can’t say I was surprised by anything I heard on the recording, the notes did say it was plagued by sound problems and Prince cuts it short. However, I thought the opening two songs were great, and even near the end when Prince became overwhelmed by sound issues, the music still sounded sharp and the band well invested. The final jam did meander, but all credit to Prince he did try and make something out of nothing with his drum break and bass playing adding an element of interest to an otherwise dull moment on the recording. Even as the show wound down, Prince retained his professionalism and what we do hear on the recording is very good by anyone’s standings. This is a recording that I will probably never come back to, but I will keep in my mind how good those opening songs were, and what a craftsman Prince was when it came to live performance. I couldn’t say I recommend this one, but as someone who has to hear everything, it’s pretty cool. 

Manchester 22 February 2014

 “Guitar groups are on their way out, Mr. Epstein.” 

-Dick Rowe of Decca rejecting the Beatles in 1962 

Dick Rowe was wrong. He was wrong in 1962 when he turned down the Beatles, and he was still wrong in 2013 when Prince put together his own guitar group, the all-women 3rdEyeGirl. 2013 saw Prince put his years of ever-increasing bands behind him as he stripped back to just a gritty guitar sound, the sound that many fans had longed for. After electrifying US audience’s through 2013, 3rdEyeGirl took their rock’n’roll circus to the UK and Europe for the first couple of months of 2014. With the guitar to the fore, Prince and his guitar group were far from the way out. If 1964 was firmly stamped by the guitar group sound of the Beatles, then 2014 is just as firmly stamped with the guitar group sound of Prince and 3rdEyeGirl. 

22nd February 2014, Manchester Academy. 

“The Unexpected” is indeed unexpected as it gets played through the P.A. It is somewhat of a disservice to the song, as Prince’s version plays strongly one gets the impression that a live performance of it would have gone down well with the audience. However, we are rewarded for our patience with a forceful rendition of “Let’s Go Crazy.” Time has been kind to this slow downed version, while I wasn’t totally won over by it in the past now I find I am far more patient with it and I have a new appreciation for its steady and surefooted sound. What it lacks in flair it makes up for with its purposeful and studious guitar sound. It may not be as carefree and dashing as in the past, but now it takes the sound of the guitar, slows it down, turns it up, and drives that sound right through your heart. It is a dagger I would gladly die on, and I am immediately pleased with the drive and intent of this ‘guitar group’ 

 

“Guitar” by name and guitar by nature, the following song seems perfectly built for this band. The band hones in on what is important and all else is dispensed with as Prince and his guitar blow the song to a series of blazing fragments. Each burns brightly, before quickly fading from memory, but the overall impression is one of never-ending starbursts emanating from the band onstage. 

The concert takes a gear change as Prince and the band turn their attention to “Plectrum Electrum” It’s a change down as the wild gusts of guitar from “Guitar” becomes a sea breeze of fretwork from Prince and Donna for “Plectrum Electrum.” Prince’s query of “what is Plectrum Electrum” remains unanswered, but I know I like it for its sense of cool after the flash of “Guitar”. 

From the same album comes “Fixurlifeup,” another song that has aged well. It remains an unchallenging moment, but it doesn’t dwell on its lack of intellectualism, instead aiming for the gut in a couple of minutes that are about feel as much as the song itself. 

 

The undisputed highlight of this first part of the show is undoubtedly “Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)”, a song that carries its emotional baggage well in the decades since it was first written. In this context, Prince lifts it from the cold electronic page upon which it was originally written and casts it in a new light with an organic sound built upon a spidery guitar line and an impassioned vocal. Each vocal line comes as a punch from the emotionally hurt character Prince inhibits throughout the song, the audience responding with their own plea before Prince scoops up all the hurt and pain with an all-encompassing guitar solo that compresses the emotion into a hard diamond sound the resonates through the recording before crushing my heart with it’s enveloping steel. 

To have another song in a similar vein would be all too much, and Prince pulls back the intensity with a delicate “When We’re Dancing Close And Slow.” It gives the concert space, and while it’s quickly forgotten, I do appreciate the sense of clarity it brings to the show. 

While not every song is a perfect fit for this guitar group, “She’s Always In My Hair” fits the bill and gives the entire band a chance to shine. Donna is first to impress with her guitar bravado before the song collapses around Prince’s own chain-driven guitar sound. At moments the song resembles a war zone as Prince’s guitar stands proud amidst the rubble, all other instruments cast into the shadows by the blinding light of his performance. As he continues to blaze, the other sounds seek shelter, the bass taking refuge under the drumbeat while the guitar continues its blind rage. It is a different intensity from “Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)”, far rawer as Prince turns his guitar into a weapon rather than an expression of pain. There is a relief at the breakdown, and a chance for the rest of the band to rebuild the sound. While Prince sings back and forth, Josh emerges with a soothing keyboard line. It is a line that offers a platform for the audience to be heard again and their vocals lift us from the war zone and into the cool meadows of the following song. 

“Funknroll” prepares the audience for what is next with its funk groove rolling through the concert. The guitar group concept is temporarily retired as the band becomes more groovecentric and the guitar sinks back into the general sound of the concert. 

From the darkness comes the “Sign O The Times” loop, and the concert changes its appearance again, shedding its guitar fury for a well-rounded sound, while not letting up on the intensity. The guitar hasn’t entirely vanished, and several times through the song it raises its head snake-like, hissing its venomous sound. It doesn’t quite make for a cohesive sound, and one wishes that Prince would jump one way or another rather than leaving it with this double-headed sound. 

The tease of “Nasty Girl” flares briefly, before burning into a smoldering “Hot Thing” It has a quiet intensity, but never flames into much more, the funk embers keeping the song true to its Sign O The Times roots. 

From the same album, “Forever In My Life” harks back to that bygone era as Prince indulges the nostalgia in the audience. The opening minutes are lifted from that time, but the joy arrives in the bass work of Prince that adorns the second half of the song. He had flirted with this several times in later years, and this version is true to form as Prince plucks and funks the song, weaving a new sound from something that is otherwise all too familiar. The final electric buzz is far from the acoustic roots of the song, and the crowd responds well to this new challenge. 

 

The icing on the cake of this trio of Sign O The Times songs is Prince’s barn-burning, bluesy version of “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man” Stripped of all its flash, the song wallows in the true despair of the lyrics. With Prince’s guitar turning the air blue in its mournful cry the song becomes the story it is sketching out, no future to be heard in the music as Prince pulls the curtain down on any sort of hope. When he says “I could never take the place of your man” his guitar whirls into a gale that blows away any sense of celebration, the music pulling the song ever downwards with its hopeless sound and empty cry. 

A psychedelic dipped “Crimson And Clover” brings color and balance as it emerges from the shadow of the previous song. A loud audience response gives the song more credit than it deserves, for all its guitar finery it is still riding on the coattails of “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man.” It continues to grow in stature on the back of Prince’s guitar sketchbook, and one can’t help but like it for the joy it brings to the audience. 

That joy bursts out of the speakers with the opening riff of “When Doves Cry,” the song sounding far more youthful than its thirty years at the time. That is in no small part to the energy that the crowd injects into it, their singing lifting away any familiarity and contempt that Prince might have towards it. The clouds part, a light emerging through the song as Prince takes to his work, pushing the crowd ever higher, before releasing them for a downhill run through “Alphabet St.” 

There isn’t much sizzle to “Alphabet St” and it relies on the good nature of the audience to carry the moment. Prince referencing Manchester brings a wild cheer, and this is the most enjoyable part of a song that is otherwise strangely flat. 

 

“777-9311” brings the sizzle I had been craving. With its propulsive and hopping drum beat, Prince matches it with his snappy basswork. A heavenly concoction, it holds my ear for the all-too-short minutes it plays. 

From a similar cloth comes “Housequake,” although it can’t better what we have just heard. It has a shallow sound that is made all the starker by the intensity of the first half of the concert, and overall it lacks depth. On the plus side, it does have some notable stick work from Hannah later in the song, and a lightning bolt solo from Donna that briefly brings the guitar back into the show with murderous intent. 

My heart sings upon hearing “I Would Die 4 U.” I am temporarily fifteen years old again as I hear it – such is the power of music, especially Prince’s music. As a musical time machine it can’t be matched, but in the context of the concert, it is a lighter moment. It can’t be compared to some of the other epic songs in the setlist and as such is soon forgotten, especially as “If I Was Your Girlfriend” comes quickly nipping at its heels. 

Buttressing these two songs is the monumental “Purple Rain,” a song that has always taken on an epic mantel since it was first heard in 1983. Prince drizzles the lyrics and surprisingly, given the guitar nature of the band, there is no downpour of guitar, the audience instead providing their own climax on the back of their soulful singing under the direction of Prince. 

The guitar is back at full force for “Screwdriver,” a song that I liked at the time and has only gone up in my estimation since that time. With furious intent the band tears through the song, the wistful ending of “Purple Rain” blown away by this onstage storm of electrified guitar wash and crashing cymbals. There’s not much to cling onto, the wild performance tearing up all that came before, leaving it tattered and torn in the face of this guitar frenzy. 

 

“Chaos And Disorder” is a welcome addition to the setlist. Saturated in a buzzing and angry guitar it fits the bill for the evening and is a lively contribution to the concert. Prince and the band cast it all to the wind in the final minutes, the song set free from all constraints and lifted on the gusts of Prince’s guitar. 

The concert takes another sharp turn with the piano firmly anchoring the next section of the show. Under these circumstances “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?” is entirely predictable. It is the most well-rounded of these piano songs, and although not the highlight of the piano set, sets the template for the following minutes. 

“Starfish And Coffee,” is light enough to be forgettable, as is “Diamonds And Pearls.” It is “The Beautiful Ones” that brings seriousness to the occasion, and its lingering sense of loss resonates just as much in 2014 as it did in 1984. There is a stillness to the performance that centers it and holds the music firmly to the front of your mind. Nothing else exists as Prince plays his much-loved ballad, in the end, this is what it is all about, a man and his music. 

“Under The Cherry Moon” conjures up images of the era from which it was conceived, but it is “Sometimes It Snows In April” that is more affecting. It draws not just from the era, but from the history and life story of Prince, and hearing it one can’t help but reflect on the passing of Prince. Hearing it pulls me out of the concert, but it is a beautiful rendition that stands alone from its own history. 

The final throwback comes with “Nothing Compares 2 U.” Building from a quiet piano, the guitar is reintroduced with a punchy solo that reminds us what this band is about, before retreating into the cover of the band. 

Cue chanting, and a shaking version of “The Max” that jumps and rattles the concert. With its keyboard riff as a foundation, Donna’s guitar slides back and forth across the top – before Prince takes all the headlines with a flurry of piano leaping from the mix mid-song. He continues to command the song from his piano, and as much as the audience chants and Donna’s guitar wails, it is his sound that remains at the center of all things. 

There is another flat spot at the concert as Prince plays some crowd-pleasers that don’t quite stand up to the surrounding material. “Play That Funky Music,” delights in its snarling guitar solo, but otherwise is toothless. “Take Me With U” and its soulmate “Raspberry Beret” bask in the warmth of their familiarity, the audience giving them more credit than perhaps they deserve. Their sunshine pop is overwhelmed by the dense surrounding material, leaving them in shadow for this concert. 

“Cool” will always be cool, no matter the band, no matter the place. It’s not as airy as the concerts in the years before 2014, but with Prince on the microphone the vibe is right and the song drips with coolness throughout. A surprising choice for this band, they pull it off well. 

There is a lot of hustle and bustle with “Endorphinmachine,” but in the end, it only rages against itself. It is not as incisive as early versions I have heard, and as much as I enjoy it I know it has been better. I take a big breath, and turn it up a couple of notches, it does blow out the cobwebs and gives another burst of energy to this concert. 

From “Endorphinmachine” onward the concert goes into guitar-driven overdrive. “Bambi” matches “Endorphinmachine” for ragged energy, and while it doesn’t quite have the same finesse it does come with a bucket load of more intensity. It comes as a short sharp punch to the face, a punch I’d gladly take backed with Prince’s guitar fury. 

The concert settles, but is no less guitar-focused with “Colonized Mind.” From its gentle roots, it branches out into guitar-fueled vines – the importance of the lyrics lost in the tangle of guitar that Prince unleashes. It’s built on thoughtful guitar, there is no frenzy to Prince’s playing, and although there are a lot of guitars to cut through, all of it feels essential. 

The last song of the night is “Cause And Effect” It doesn’t reach the highs of earlier in the show but is good enough to close out the concert with a feeling of elation and togetherness. The band is still tight, and Prince’s guitar as rock-solid as ever, but it isn’t anything we haven’t already heard at the concert and as such is redundant. 

Mr. Dick Rowe may have thought that guitar groups are on the way out, but this guitar group just played forty-two (count ’em, forty-two) songs in what can only be described as a guitar extravaganza. Prince is well known for his guitar mastery, but it was rare in his years to see it celebrated in such a way as it was during the 3rdEyeGirl era. Concerts like this are a glorious celebration of six-string excellence, and in a smaller group, Prince has never shined as bright, nor has his instrument sounded as loud. There are many Princes’; funky Prince, pop Prince, ballad Prince, but is pure rock Prince and the guitar has never sounded as good as it does in his hands and surrounded by this mere ‘guitar group.’ I’m sorry Dick Rowe, guitar groups are here to stay.