violetcrush said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

April 5. 1988
Lovesexy Tour Rehearsal@Paisley Park Chanhassen

1.Erotic City
2.HouseQuake
3.Slow Love
4.Adore
5.Delirious
6.Jack U Off
7.Sister
8.Adore
9.DMSR
10.Soft And Wet
11.I Wanna Be Your Lover
12.Head
13.When U Were Mine
14.Little Red Corvette
15.Pop Life
16.Controversy
17.Dirty Mind
18.Superfunkycalifragisexy
19.Bob George

Do you know if there is footage of this show out there?

I haven't seen any 'directly' but indirectly I've seen clips from certain documentaries

violetcrush said:

violetcrush said:

What a great shot of the stage. That is great. I think Steve Parke helped on this one - or maybe it was just the Glam Slam set??

Nevermind....just saw the note in between the pics

That had to a fun stage setup, that helped take the show into fantasy mode
I still prefer the SOTT stage/backdrop, but I enjoyed this one too

OldFriends4Sale said:

Could this be Prince's handwriting? There are quite a few French words though: 'pas le debut' (meaning 'not the beginning'), 'contre-jour' (against the light), 'bleu-mauve' and 'Assis' (seating)...

OldFriends4Sale said:

violetcrush said:

Nevermind....just saw the note in between the pics

That had to a fun stage setup, that helped take the show into fantasy mode
I still prefer the SOTT stage/backdrop, but I enjoyed this one too

Steve is quite talented. He's from my town - Baltimore, and we both lived in the city during those years. When I found that out I thought, dang - if we had been friends I could have hitched a ride with him to MN

CherryMoon57 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Could this be Prince's handwriting? There are quite a few French words though: 'pas le debut' (meaning 'not the beginning'), 'contre-jour' (against the light), 'bleu-mauve' and 'Assis' (seating)...

Seems this would be Prince's writing as it is very specific to the show. He may have learned some French doing UTCM since he was in France for quite a while. He also incorporated the French spoken word in Girls and Boys...

^Thank you. Yes, I guess that's very possible, he always seemed to have a soft spot for the French culture.

1988 was just crazy weird.

I saw the show, bought the album (and sought out The Black Album too) and while it's all mystifyingly great, to me, it was a bit of a let down from the heights of SoTT. I dug a lot of it - most of it really - but the show felt too choreographed, over produced and synthetic a lot of the time. Piped in, pre-recorded, unspontaneous, stiff and over thought. For instance, if you watch Livesexy, Prince is NOT playing that keyboard solo during Anna Stesia when the riser goes up. A LOT of the show was obviously pre-recorded.

The "message" was often ham fisted and over wraught; often feeling like it was trying too hard. The clothes were insane and usually very rough on the eyes. It's intense and cool in its way but also equally silly and ridiculous. When I left the show I had the feeling that if I came again the next night, I'd hear and see the EXACT same thing, which didn't entirely "click" for me or give me what I wanted to see and hear Prince do.

The aftershow and rehearsal footage I've seen and heard bears this out.

I did find myself gradually peeling layers off the record and penetrating it as I got stoned and went into headphone mode, gradually discovering its brilliance. It's hard to argue against the sheer audacity, talent, passion, musicianship and and grandiosity of the whole thing but there's a part of it all that left me cold and disconnected from some of it. It's hard to explain but I tried.

herb4 said:

1988 was just crazy weird.

I saw the show, bought the album (and sought out The Black Album too) and while it's all mystifyingly great, to me, it was a bit of a let down from the heights of SoTT. I dug a lot of it - most of it really - but the show felt too choreographed, over produced and synthetic a lot of the time. Piped in, pre-recorded, unspontaneous, stiff and over thought. For instance, if you watch Livesexy, Prince is NOT playing that keyboard solo during Anna Stesia when the riser goes up. A LOT of the show was obviously pre-recorded.

The "message" was often ham fisted and over wraught; often feeling like it was trying too hard. The clothes were insane and usually very rough on the eyes. It's intense and cool in its way but also equally silly and ridiculous. When I left the show I had the feeling that if I came again the next night, I'd hear and see the EXACT same thing, which didn't entirely "click" for me or give me what I wanted to see and hear Prince do.

The aftershow and rehearsal footage I've seen and heard bears this out.

I did find myself gradually peeling layers off the record and penetrating it as I got stoned and went into headphone mode, gradually discovering its brilliance. It's hard to argue against the sheer audacity, talent, passion, musicianship and and grandiosity of the whole thing but there's a part of it all that left me cold and disconnected from some of it. It's hard to explain but I tried.

Your points are well taken. The album wasn't very well received, and I think that had to do with the general public not knowing what to make of the music in relation to the message he was trying to convey. Looking at the footage of the concerts, it definitely has that "over the top" feel to it - more of a theatre/musical then rock concert. But, that is what Prince really gravitated toward - he always wanted to tell a story or send a message with his music. I agree, the outfits were crazy and "loud", but then again, it was the 80's - the era of "big and loud" styles!!

I remember sitting on the grass outside Birmingham NEC listening to the soundcheck. A transit van pulled up in front of me and 2 girls jumped out the of the back doors followed by Noddy Holder. Surreal. I put my memories of that nights performance on face cloth the day prince died. I was blown away by that show. It was out of this world.

indiedisco said:

My best Prince day ever

Went down to London to see him at Wembley, July 1988, me and a friend were wasting a bit of time in the Harrods Hifi dept when he heard that Prince was doing an album signing at HMV on Oxford street. Running like shoplifters out of the shop (luckily we were both into running) we managed to get to HMV just as he arrived, I shook his hand as he walked in and what followed was probably the most stressful time of my life. HMV was rammed and I wasn't sure I was going to get my Lovesexy album signed, after a bit of pushing (yes we Brits do sometimes push) I managed to get myself into the line.

Still can't quite belive I got to meet him, Levi, Atlanta Bliss, Doctor Fink, Miko and Eric Leeds, my mate went down the 2nd line and got Sheila E's and Cat's autographs as well.

As if we hadn't had enough Prince we then went to see the Sign O the times movie on Tottenham Court Road and then went to Wembley to see him for the first time. He really was the best.

Didn't sleep much that night

Still got the signed album, really must get it framed, I'm sure my daughters won't mind having a naked man on the wall

You had a full on Prince day there, to rank up there with the best of them any of us have had I reckon. Great memories no doubt. How time flies.

herb4 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

I was at this show!