What a performance on Saturday evening in DC! This marked the 9th time I've seen Prince in concert and this was MUSICALLY the best (Lovesexy still holds the "top concert" title for its showmanship, theatrics, and it being my first Prince experience). Much props to Prince, the NPG, and Paisley staff for a nite to remember.

Arrived at the venue at 4:30 to meet Cliff from Columbia, MD who was able to attend in place of my girlfriend. While we eagerly awaited outside, the Warner staff gave us continual conflicting information about where to line up, how to get in, etc. What seemed like forever due to our anticipation was actually not that bad. The box office began to give tickets and laminates about 5:30 and by 5:45 we were inside! The soundcheck allowed us to see the band work. Prince and NPG (with Larry Graham) worked on "Alphabet Street" and "The Jam." Prince made a few comments to the NPGMC members about "trouble tonight". He joked that he might put on a wig and sit in the crowd. Prince worried that members in front couldn't really hear well Friday night. He gave props to Maceo and encouraged us to check his band out. After allowing a lady in the front row to pick out the incense for the evening (and joking that it was a bad choice), he asked if we missed "Kiss." He replied he didn't miss it nor "Little Red Corvette." Then, P proceeded to the back of the auditorium while the band worked on a jazzy instrumental. Next, a jazzy song followed possibly entitled "My Analyst Told Me" which was somewhat reminiscent of Blues in C. As he headed back to the front, a lady behind me asked about "Blue Light." Prince jokingly looked up at the ceiling and then said the band didn't know it yet but it would be a good choice. He stopped in the front row and led the band through "Extraordinary". It was amazing to see the band work out the changes and tempo of the song. They are so keyed on his leads that he asked for a G and they responded and then he asked for a H and they all started to play before realizing his joke!! At the end of Extra, he said he thought it was ready for tomorrow night which had Renato and Rhonda looking a bit scared! Finally, P played "Beautiful Strange" as requested by a fam and bid us adieu.

The show: Get to the theatres on time, folks. The lights dimmed at 8:08 and Blackwell began his drumbeat from behind the curtain. Maceo then appeared at the back of the theatre and approached the stage blowing his horn. Eventually, "The Rainbow Children" broke out as the curtain raised. The "bass" voice narration was even supplied by Prince. The first 30 minutes consisted of "TRC", "Muse 2 the Pharoah", and "Xenophobia"...a pure, rocked-out, jazz-infused beginning that showed MUSICIANSHIP is what is important. The "WNPG radio" portion included great songs from the past that had us all wishing such a station existed. Satellite radio anyone? FULL versions of classics such as "Take Me With U", "When You Were Mine", "Raspberry Beret", "Adore", "I Wanna Be Your Lover", "Do Me, Baby", "Sometimes It Snows in April", "Nothing Compares 2 U", "I Love U But Don't Trust U Anymore", and "Joy in Repetition" allowed us to remember the great past of Prince's history but did not take away from getting to hear the exciting NEW songs! My faves of the night were "Joy in Rep", "Snows in April", all the TRC songs, and "Xenophobia" (I cannot get that song out of my head and cannot wait for my NPGMC CD that contains it).

Finally, Prince led us through the "Love is God" AnnaStesia chorus over a loop after reminding us about his "love 4 Christ" and the importance of Easter. At how many concerts does that happen?

Throughout the night, Prince was in a good mood. He asked a guy in the front row if it was better to give or receive and the guy replied "give." So, Prince gave his seat to someone further back! Then, he gave the fellow a 2nd chance and did the "leader or follower" routine. During "Cool as the Other Side of the Pillow", he said Maceo's horn was making him "dance like an uncle." One woman dancing on stage was told "you know you got kids at home." Another dancer came up behind him and he joked that he didn't even know her name ("Linda" she replied in a sexy voice) and he had her move away. When a male and female were dancing suggestively, he remarked, "You're putting your butt up against her without a ring?! You didn't even ask her name!" During "Rollercoaster", P seemed surprised when we all joined in on the "ooh ooh ooh" without prompting. He responded, "you're showing your age." While he and Larry had a duel on crowd noise, he played a country riff on his guitar and told those in the middle they shouldn't admit that they recognized it! He also made references to leaving early so we could all go to church for Easter. Yet, he played for THREE hours!

Complete setlist:

The Rainbow Children
Muse 2 the Pharoah
Xenophobia
A Case of You
Mellow
1+1+1 = 3 --Love Rollercoaster
Bustin' Loose
Cool as the Other Side of the Pillow
Strange Relationship
Pass the Peas
Sing a Simple Song
La, La, La Means I Love You
Didn't You Know
When You Were Mine
Avalanche
Family Name
Take Me With U
Raspberry Beret
Soul Sacrifice/Santana Medley

Encore:

Joy In Repetition
It's Alright
Alphabet St
The Jam (w/Freaks on this Side chant)
Adore (solo)
I Wanna Be Your Lover (solo)
Do Me, Baby (solo)
Sometimes It Snows in April
Nothing Compares 2 U
I Love U, But Don't Trust U Anymore
How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore
Loop w/Anna Stesia chorus

As for the band, Blackwell continues to amaze. Rhonda: 3 fine and what an ability to lay the foundation for the music. Renato is a great addition who adds the jazz chops that allow the band to expand its horizons. Maceo is truly THE legendary sax player. Greg Boyer brings a P-Funk sensibility and how refreshing to hear trombone in a Prince concert. Larry Graham is THE bass master who joined for 3 songs. Prince = the piece the brings it all together.

What a MUSICAL night and one I'll be hearing in my head for awhile. Note to Prince: PLEASE release these shows on CD like Pearl Jam does or consider allowing taping like Dave Matthews Band. That way, more people could hear your band's musicality and the message you are spreading.

Love4oneanother,
Steve Bass

Thank you for this awesome review!

jsb23nc said:

On the "My Analyst Told Me" song I think he was just adlibbing lyrics. He was joking about how John B. missed a drumbeat, and renato missed a couple of notes the night before. And how he was going to get money from them for fines. But he was just joking.


I could be totally wrong on this, but that is what I got from it.

tnt, I agree with your assessment. That's one of the reasons I compared it to Blues in C which started off as an improvised song and eventually gained "real" lyrics.

jsb23nc said:

That sounds like the Joni Mitchell song "Twisted". It starts:

"My analyst told me That I was right out of my head..."

Joni's is not the original version of that but it is the best known. I think it was originally done by the woman from Lambert Hendricks and Ross.

JSmooth, does it end with "two heads are better than one"? If so, that's the song. Thanks.

Jsmooth, you were right!!! Here are the lyrics to the song....


TWISTED


My analyst told me
That I was right out of my head
The way he described it
He said I'd be better dead than live
I didn't listen to his jive
I knew all along
That he was all wrong
And I knew that he thought
I was crazy but I'm not
Oh no

My analyst told me
That I was right out of my head
He said I'd need treatment
But I'm not that easily led
He said I was the type
That was most inclined
When out of his sight
To be out of my mind
And he thought I was nuts
No more ifs or ands or buts

They say as a child
I appeared a little bit wild
With all my crazy ideas
But I knew what was happening
I knew I was a genius...
What's so strange when you know
That you're a wizard at three
I knew that this was meant to be

Now I heard little children
Were supposed to sleep tight
That's why I got into the vodka one night
My parents got frantic
Didn't know what to do
But I saw some crazy scenes
Before I came to
Now do you think I was crazy
I may have been only three
But I was swinging

They all laugh at angry young men
They all laugh at Edison
And also at Einstein
So why should I feel sorry
If they just couldn't understand
The idiomatic logic
That went on in my head
I had a brain
It was insane
Oh they used to laugh at me
When I refused to ride
On all those double decker buses
All because there was no driver on the top

My analyst told me
That I was right out of my head
But I said dear doctor
I think that it's you instead
Because I have got a thing
That's unique and new
To prove it I'll have
The last laugh on you
'Cause instead of one head
I got two
And you know two heads are better than one.