I was going to wait on this because I just got 6 hours sleep and have to leave for work in an hour, but, here goes:

I've seen Prince 9 times now (88, 93, 3 times in 97, 00, 02 & 04) plus seen and heard recordings from shows from every tour.

The band just does not compare to any of his previous bands.
Hannah was sloppy, even my wife (her first show) noticed.
Ida was decent, but not great.

Donna surprised me, thought she was better than expected.

Josh (I assume it was Josh, Prince didn't introduce him) SUCKED big time. His keys on Nothing Compares were... YUCK.

Liv was great, barely heard the other 2 (not introduced) singers.
Prince barely played guitar and never really "smoked" it, didn't play bass, didn't even have a piano. When he played the synth along with the sampler sets was the only time he seemed to be "jamming". I dug that.

And then there's the sampler set. Look, I know we've all talked back and forth on this topic and I've heard recordings of sampler sets but seeing it live really turned me off. Of the other 8 times I've seen him, 7 of the shows had piano medleys then at musicology that was changed to an acoustic guitar medley. These were some of the best parts of the shows and the most memorable to me. Now we have a sampler set that really is Prince Karaoke. That's the only way to describe it. Why? Can the band not play those songs? The other bands I saw played these songs and they sounded great. If I want to hear a sample of the record I can do that at home. Sure, Prince jammed along to them on the synth and sang along with them but they're still samples instead of the band playing. This from the real music, real musicians guy?!? Plus, the audience around me seemed oblivious to the fact that the band wasn't playing (or was quitely strumming along with the sampler). The stage was pretty dark during the set and it was hard to see the girls weren't playing the music then he brought dancers on stage to obscure them even more. I swear everyone around me had no idea that they were listening to recordings of SOTT or When Doves Cry. It's just gross. And disappointing.

I expected a hits show and even though it's not what I want it's not why this show ranks at the bottom of the 9 I've seen. It's simply that every band I've seen play with him is of a much higher class than this one and I'm baffled that Prince or any of his fans find the sampler set to be acceptable in any way. The only way the sampler would be cool is if he toured as a one man show. That might be interesting. As it is the only thing I come away with is this band isn't good enough to play these songs so he has to sing along to recordings of the classic tracks.

I'm happy for everyone who wants the hits. If I see Bowie I want to hear all classic hits with NOTHING new. I get it. But anyone who compares this band with any of his old bands or defends the sampler set is... well, I question your taste.

That said: It was still a Prince show. I'd rather see him do this than just about anybody else. The Louisville Palace sounded GREAT, just like it did in 02 (the BEST Prince show I've seen). Prince looked great. His voice was great. I loved the hell out of hearing more new songs than I expected (Clouds & X's Face!!) The 2 WAV files in my email was FUGGIN AWESOME!!! Thanks Prince!!!! I might even see him again on this tour. I love Prince and anyone who wants to put me in the hater camp because I have an objective opinion that they find too negative can basically suck it. For those that haven't seen him, I'm sure you'll have a great time. Everyone seemed to be loving it. For the veterans, know what you're getting and set your expectations appropriately.

I'm off to work...

[Edited 3/15/15 9:42am]

djThunderfunk said:

Thanks for your review. You are being fair. Prince needs to expand the band so he can incorporate his more electronic sound as well as the rock numbers. In fact your right, the npg could do both, but 3rdeyegirl, as they are, cannot. The sampler set worked well at the manchester show i went to last year. But didnt work as well at the arena show. I do think he needs to retire it, and play less hits but more complete songs. who knows, perhaps Prince likes having a bit of a breather, and the sampler set, allows him too. But if thats the case, hell prince , play one show per night!

purplethunder3121 said:

[Edited 3/15/15 10:24am]

ZachAttack said:

Since my first show was in a tiny theater I'm going to be spoiled now, I can't imagine paying the same amount or more to sit in nosebleeds in a huge arena! I was first row in the balcony and even there it felt like you could reach over and touch him.

.

I had the same thought after my first prince show, which was is a small venue. I've seen prince twice more after that in a big arena. I had nosebleeds for one show and pretty decent seats for the other. For some reason I liked the show with nosebleeds better than the show with decent seats. I think the sound was better that night and Prince seemed more into it.

.

i'll be getting nosebleeds for any arena show from now on, I'm totally happy with that.

[Edited 3/15/15 12:36pm]

KingSausage said:

skywalker said:

- Yeah, that village voice review would suggest otherwise.

Some people like stale hits and sampler sets. It must be genetic.

People scream and yell for anything. I love Charlotte, NC...but they nearly had asthma attacks screaming for Doug E Fresh's 15 minutes of assualt and battery on good taste as he bumbled and fumbled his way through nothing at a 2000 show.

And as awful as the Prince karaoke is, as long as fans scream for it, he'll keep doing it. It's an awful fact that he has done this waste of time at nearly every show since 2007. It was cute for the London shows...but awful. Now it looks like just another boring lifeless fact that he refuses to be creative with live performances. Only Prince has a script where he ABSOLUTELY HAS TO sing over backing tapes, and also in the script: he ABSOLUTELY HAS TO yell out "real music by real musicians." Sad.

3rdEyeGirl has gone on far, far too long. It was good for a short period to see Prince playing in a traditional 2 guitars, bass and drums set up. However, the novelty has wore off and they are just not at the standard you expect from a Prince band. They limit him and what he can do hence the need for the sampler set.

I love it when Prince is the band leader of WORLD CLASS musicians.

I can live with 3EG, I can even live with the sampler sets (just). I just wish that he'd throw a few more curveballs in. The diehards went mad for Electric Intercourse last year and it's the chance that I might get to see rarities like that that keeps me coming back for more.

I really hope he throws a curveball in for the 'proper' fans tonight and on the rest of the tour. Personally, I've never seen Empty Room live, that'd be my choice but hey, I'm not fussy

dandan said:

The London shows last year were imense, just watch the boot of Shepherd's Bush Empire or the videos posted on 3rdeyegirl youtube of Something in the Water, Let's Go Crazy, and Chaos and Disorder or the videos you can find of Dreamer, Bambi, Sometimes It Snows in April and She's Always in My Hair from Montruex 2013. 3rdeyegirl can put on a show.

However, since them it seems like they've tamed. Since Hit and Run Pt II they've been less rock. Seeing both parts of the Hit and Run tour the change was really clear. Obviously part II were arena shows and more hit-oriented, but now they seem stuck in that format, and they lack the energy of their earlier shows.



EDIT: THE SAMPLER SET NEEDS TO GO! The sampler set

[Edited 3/15/15 13:53pm]

thisisreece said:

The London shows last year were imense, just watch the boot of Shepherd's Bush Empire or the videos posted on 3rdeyegirl youtube of Something in the Water, Let's Go Crazy, and Chaos and Disorder or the videos you can find of Dreamer, Bambi, Sometimes It Snows in April and She's Always in My Hair from Montruex 2013. 3rdeyegirl can put on a show.

However, since them it seems like they've tamed. Since Hit and Run Pt II they've been less rock. Seeing both parts of the Hit and Run tour the change was really clear. Obviously part II were arena shows and more hit-oriented, but now they seem stuck in that format, and they lack the energy of their earlier shows.



EDIT: THE SAMPLER SET NEEDS TO GO! The sampler set

[Edited 3/15/15 13:53pm]

I started a sampler set discussion. Please contribute: http://prince.org/msg/7/414877

2Y2D was played on the P.A. Can anyone tell me if it was the original Prince version, or the rock version played by 3rdeyegirl?

antonb said:

2Y2D was played on the P.A. Can anyone tell me if it was the original Prince version, or the rock version played by 3rdeyegirl?

I think it was Prince's version but it was not loud enough to be sure.

That funny u get caught and the bootleggers r recording both showes each nite!U can't stop them!! HA-HA

crutnacker said:

I was at 11PM. It was a great show, but I too was hoping for a least a little post 80s (or at least a little deeper show than what he played). Honestly though, many of the people there probably have little knowledge of his music past 1992 or so. I was hoping the setlist would have been a bit more varied from Louisville show to Louisville show if only to say "we saw X and you didn't." I was happy it started on time (but that sucks for 8 PM concert goers, who got a very short set for their money).

Regarding security, before the final encore took out my phone and turned on my flashlight (since I didn't have a lighter). Security was on me in about 20 seconds and had me walk out with them. They asked me to show them my pictures. Let's just say that through some divine intervention by way of Steve Jobs, my phone said "No Photos or Videos". The guy let me go back to see Purple Rain.

Honeslty, I understand the cell phone policy, (and the photos I had were all taken when he asked us to pull them out), but the amount of people getting pulled was a bit ridiculous.

Question. There was a song played that sounded quite a bit like the riff from Led Zep's The Ocean. What was it?

djThunderfunk said:

antonb said:

2Y2D was played on the P.A. Can anyone tell me if it was the original Prince version, or the rock version played by 3rdeyegirl?

I think it was Prince's version but it was not loud enough to be sure.

I hope 3EG have recorded a version. Their live version rocked.

purplethunder3121 said:

Prince will probably change up the setlists as time goes on. At the two shows I went to last March I heard some songs I thought I'd never hear played live: The Max, The Ride, Chaos and Disorder, Cause and Effect, and (gasp!) Something In The Water. He even did Do Me, Baby, which I'll never tire of hearing. 3rd Eye Girl and the NPG were both there. Prince switched between playing blazing guitar and keyboard. Old Prince songs, several new ones, a few rarities thrown in, and, yes, the dreaded sampler set. Two great concerts that ran until 3:30 in the morning and a small club experience I'll never forget.

First Show Setlist

1. Let's Go Crazy
2. Play That Funky Music
3. Sometimes It Snow In April
4. The Max
5. Nothing Compares 2 U
6. PretzelBody Logic
7. U Got The Look
8. The Ride
9. Diamonds and Pearls
10. The Beautiful Ones
11. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore
12. Starfish and Coffee
13. The Ballad of Dorothy Parker
14. Little Red Corvette
15. When Doves Cry
16. Sign O' The Times
17. Nasty Girl (sample)
18. If I Was Your Girlfriend (sample)
19. The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (sample)
20. Pop Life (sample)
21. A Love Bizarre
22. Forever In My Life
23. 777-9311 (sample)
24. Guitar
25. Plectrum Electrum
26. Bambi
27. Crimson & Clover
28. Take Me With You
29. Raspberry Beret
30. Hot Thing
31. Housequake
32. Mr. Goodnight (sample)
33. I Would Die 4 U
34. The Dance Electric (sample)
35. Love (sample)
36. Mr. Goodnight(sample)
37. Purple Rain

Second Show Setlist

1. Let's Go Crazy
   (Includ. Frankenstein interpolation)
2. Endorphinemachine
3. Screwdriver
4. She's Always In My Hair
5. The Love We Make
6. I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man
7. Guitar
8. Plectrum Electrum
9. FixUrLifeUp
10. Something in the Water (includ. Computer Blue)
11. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore
12. Do Me Baby
13. I Wanna Be Your Lover
14. When We're Dancing Close and Slow
15. Alphabet St.
16. 777-9311(sample)
17. I Like It There
18. Bambi
19. Chaos and Disorder
20. Cause and Effect
21. Funknroll remix (recording)
22. Dreamer
23. Play That Funky Music
24. Funknroll
25. Purple Rain
26. The Breakdown (recording)
27. Stop This Train (recording)
28. Unidentified new song (recording)

[Edited 3/15/15 10:24am]

I saw those Fillmore shows too. They were terrific and I have seen him with other bands. Sure, I miss the harmonizing but one does not get everything. As a rule, I always try to get tickets for the second or third night of a run. He seems to warm up and play different things, maybe just to amuse himself.

PurpleSkipper58 said:

Some people will never be satisfied

This is your response to criticism? It was your first show so you are comparing it to NOT seeing Prince. Let me tell you I agree, last night's 11pm show was better than not seeing Prince.

Since you have seen no other show you can't compare it to any other. I'm saying the other 8 times I saw him were better, but, yeah, this one was better than not seeing him...

PurpleSkipper58 said:

philmoreliz said:

purplethunder3121 said:

Second Show Setlist

1. Let's Go Crazy
   (Includ. Frankenstein interpolation)
2. Endorphinemachine
3. Screwdriver
4. She's Always In My Hair
5. The Love We Make
6. I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man
7. Guitar
8. Plectrum Electrum
9. FixUrLifeUp
10. Something in the Water (includ. Computer Blue)
11. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore
12. Do Me Baby
13. I Wanna Be Your Lover
14. When We're Dancing Close and Slow
15. Alphabet St.
16. 777-9311(sample)
17. Bambi
18. Chaos and Disorder
19. I Like It There
20. Cause and Effect
21. Funknroll remix (recording)
22. Dreamer
23. Play That Funky Music
24. Funknroll
25. Purple Rain
26. The Breakdown (recording)
27. Stop This Train (recording)
28. Unidentified new song (recording)

[Edited 3/15/15 10:24am]

I saw those Fillmore shows too. They were terrific and I have seen him with other bands. Sure, I miss the harmonizing but one does not get everything. As a rule, I always try to get tickets for the second or third night of a run. He seems to warm up and play different things, maybe just to amuse himself.

WOW!! This might be his most impressive, unexpectedly diverse set list in a LONG TIME. I'm jealous!!

Review from my blog... I'm sure there's typos... I didn't get much sleep:

CONCERT REVIEW: PRINCE & 3RDEYEGIRL – THE PALACE, LOUISVILLE, KY 3/154/15 (8PM)

Saturday night, Almost exactly 30 years since the day my mom surprised my one day with my first LP, Purple Rain, I finally got to see the man who more than anyone else is responsible for beginning my music obsession. Prince set the house on fire last night at the Louisville Palace. With him was his most recent band, 3RDEYEGIRL. Three very talented women who have brought out a side of Prince that I've thought had been lacking in recent years, his primal rock & roll side. The Palace is a gorgeous ornate building with very detailed architecture and lighting. The sound was very clear. I overheard that the place only seats about 3,000 people. No wonder he sold out four back to back shows in minutes. The excitement was peaked for me and my partner Terry. Both of us have been lifelong fans and have followed him even when some had written him off. I knew this show would have a special vibe because Hannah, the drummer, is from Louisville. A few minutes before the show, Hannah's voice came over the speakers to a massive roar. She thanked everyone sincerely on behalf of Prince and the band and asked that phones be put away. This was much nicer than the signs in the bar area that said something like "NO - Cellphones, Picture/Video Taking, Heckling, Yelling Out Anything, Texting, Talking During The Show- Violators Will Be Ejected". Yelling Out Anything? Oh Lord.

A couple minutes later the lights cut off and a mix of Prince Intros hyped the crowd up, starting with the beginning of For You, 1999, and somewhere in there a couple new songs I believe. What would the night hold? As I had predicted, the opening note of "Let's Go Crazy"... as Prince steps up and announces "Dearly Beloved... We have gathered today to get through this thing called life!". This kicked off the new "reloaded" version of "Let's Go Crazy" that had a lot on common with Led Zeppelin. The girls rocked out awful damn hard and breathing some new life into a song that's been played so many times. After a lot of soloing, especially by Donna, they launched into "Take Me With U". Now I've already read a few reviews critical of this being a "greatest hits" show so to speak. But I can tell you the energy and excitement level was so high in that place and so many smiles and people singing along. Myself included. I've never been able to enjoy the experience of hearing some of my favorite songs of all time played live by the man himself. Tonight was all about the throwback.

Seamlessly Prince and 3EG launched into "U Got The Look". He has a couple more members on stage, namely two female backing singers up top of the stage, and Josh Welton, Hannah's husband, who produced some of Art Official Age on keyboards. The band brought a harder rock edge to the favorites, but it sounded great. Next up was the first new jam of the night, one of my favorites from Plectrumelectrum "FunkNRoll". The band was hot on this one. Not everyone in the crowd knew it, but it still moved butts. Then there was an extended rave up that became the funk classic "Controversy". This one got the crowd movin' and singin' along quite a bit as Prince asked "who here was born in the 80s?". Ida really brought her bass playing on this one.

"1999" followed... Prince with his jokester face "what year is it??". Prince really seemed more than happy this particular night to get lost in the hits and help people get to that good time they were hoping to have. One thing 3EG brings to Prince that to me is a major improvement is he has slowed some of the songs down to the speed he recorded them at. I am not really a fan of when musicians speed the songs up in concert. Especially on a song with an exceptional groove, you loose the detail and ultimately loose some of the funk. "1999" was played all the way through, with the crowd screaming the "paaaaaartaaaaaaaay". This went into, just like the album "Little Red Corvette". Only now, he has changed it up a bit, making the verses more steamy something like "Do Me Baby", then kicking it up on the choruses. Prince was happy tonight to let the girls take the spotlight several times, and letting Donna Grantis rip it up on the guitar. This may have been the point where he half-joked about "security... that woman right there... you need to cut her off!" and something about Hannah warning him about Kentucky and what to put in his mouth. Ha! He then launched into a beautiful performance of "Nothing Compares 2 U", once again joined by crowd singalong. "How many hits we got?", he teased. Then the band launched into a really hot version of "Kiss". Now I know this song is one of his biggest and most played. But I've rarely liked the way any band since the Revolution ever played this song live. There were too many instruments. This was stripped down, but still had the girls, and the sparse funky guitar from the 12" version too.

"That's it we don't have any more hits"... and then the opening guitar burst of "When Doves Cry". This started what is now known as the "sampler set". Prince has a keyboard programmed with the really intricate drum beats that were electronic on the recordings. Unfortunately though this has become a big teaser medley. We still sang along to every one. It started with "Doves" for about a verse or so. I may get the order wrong but I think "Housequake" was next. HOUSEQUAKE! If I were to name the five funkiest Prince songs ever this one would be on that list. Great job on this and they played a fair amount of the song. No, he still doesn't curse. He just says other stuff like "wait a minute!". Who cares... Housequake! Then there was a quick tease of "Nasty Girl" (the 1982 Vanity 6 hit), then about half of "Sign "O" The Times". Great to hear that one. He then broke into "Hot Thing"! That might also make that list. He was really feeling Sign 'O' The Times that night. The band joined in and stayed on "Hot Thing" for a while. I will *never* tire of this one. Then awkwardly, he cut into "I Would Die 4 U.. not an easy transition... nice to hear but only got about a verse. I kind of wish he'd do a full jam version of this one. Then he started an unfamiliar song. This one was "The Ex's Face", a song premiered on a New York radio broadcast one day before, and sent out along with another new song "What If" to ticketholders by email about an hour before the show. Nobody really seemed familiar but the song has one hell of a groove so it worked. He played through a verse of two of that. Then another massive highlight "Forever In My Life". This has always been a special song for me, and one I doubted I'd hear.

The band left the stage and the lights stayed out. After massive cheering, they returned and broke into the newer song "PretzelBodyLogic". One the album this is a short song but live... oh my goodness. They rocked this song for a while! This is where the girls got in some jam-time and Hannah was given some time to shine and solo. No doubt so she could really be seen by friends and family from her hometown. She definitely did them proud.

After another pause, there it was in all its glory, the opening strums of "Purple Rain". Yes I've heard this song countless times. But the chill of hearing it played to a live audience, singing along is something to experience. This was about the time the couple massively drunken idiots in front of us started to interfere... with one getting up on his seat and air guitaring at the crowd. A little evil part of me was hoping he'd fall. But that subsided and "Purple Rain" continued. Full song, tons and tons of inspired, O-Face soloing by Prince that sent chills, and that moment we never wanted to end.

And then it was over. About an hour and a half of purple magic. Because of the way the shows were planned back to back, we got the shorter show. I read complaints that there weren't many surprises. But for me, who has never been able to see him, this was perfect. Maybe next time around there will be more rarities. But complaining that one of my musical heroes just played me the songs that are a massive part of my entire life and still gave me goosebumps... well that makes no sense to me to have anything bad to say. The energy of the show was absolutely electric. The entire experience, along with the sudden getaway road trip on the first nice warm weekend of the year is something I will never forget.

Setlist 8:00pm show (in rough order - please feel free to correct me):

Let's Go Crazy (Reloaded)
Take Me With U
U Got The Look
FunkNRoll
Controversy
1999
Little Red Corvette
Nothing Compares 2 U
Kiss
When Doves Cry (partial)
Housequake
Nasty Girl (tease)
Sign 'O' The Times (partial)
Hot Thing
I Would Die 4 U (partial)
Forever In My Life

encore 1:
PretzelbodyLogic

encore 2:
Purple Rain

djThunderfunk said:

PurpleSkipper58 said:

Some people will never be satisfied

well there's that, but also no artist really has a fan base with unified taste, but Prince's fan base is probably way more diverse than most since he's probably the only major star who can go from christian rock to rap to r&b and pop-EDM so this board is perhaps more divisive than most. that said, there are occasionally critiques that people make that would be broadly shared the majority here. the only thing that really matters though is what you appreciate, not what others think of things.

cjethomas said:

YES! Tonight's show is quite a bit different from last night's shows... Security is being extra vigilant about cellphones. Sorry I can't report more than that. But my disappointment from last night is gone.

Great news! Hope it's a good one.

vinaysfunk said:

I just can't believe my eyes when I read some of yours posts here. This is directed to all of those people who keep saying they are disappointed by the fact that he played alot of his older hits with hardly any new music off his new cds. If you feel that way then just move on. I mean why even to take the time to post your not interested in not seeing this guy live on this tour?

I get it. Everyone has a right to an opionion. But there are some really downers here on this org site. Would I love so see some new music being performed live? Sure. But for me and many others its the raw energy and emotion that Prince puts into a hall or arena that I am addicted to. I have seen many of these songs performed like you all dozens of times live. But it never has made it less special for me.

The way we treat others is a reflection of ourselves, who we are. Prince can do whatever he wants and how he wants and I bet I will be buying a ticket to see him live. Because he infuses whatever he performs with sincere gratitude for his fans and loves to share his music in a very selfless way and almost always wants everyone to have a great time. To say this or that in how we would change his new tour that just started is absurd to me. But hey to each their own.

When he did musicology he gave the masses what they wanted and in kind he resurfaced on RS and was just about everywhere. So maybe he is doing that just in a small club format. In the end let Prince do Prince. I bet you the people there had a great time and were glad they went vs not going at all.

Long live the funk. Count me in on this tour. Prince is back!

It doesn't disappoint you that Prince has 2 new albums on the market and only plays 2 songs in full from them? I can't speak to why he doesn't play more new songs when he tours, but the old argument that he has to play all the hits is BS. There are a lot of other artists of his caliber who tour and play a lot of their new material. Yes, I'll be going to see this tour if he does a show in Minneapolis, so the hits won't keep me away, but ultimately I wish he would play some more new material.

PurpleSkipper58 said:

djThunderfunk said:

This is your response to criticism? It was your first show so you are comparing it to NOT seeing Prince. Let me tell you I agree, last night's 11pm show was better than not seeing Prince.

Since you have seen no other show you can't compare it to any other. I'm saying the other 8 times I saw him were better, but, yeah, this one was better than not seeing him...

Nah, this is just a theory I have in general.

Ok, cool. Just gotta say I was satisfied with last night. That said, I was THRILLED with at least 6 or 7 of the other shows I saw, so, there's the difference.