http://www.timesstar.com/...,00.htmlBy Jim Harrington

CONTRIBUTOR
PRINCE has been playing possum.


There's simply no other way to explain the Purple One's astounding resurgence.


Once nearly a recluse, the man born Prince Rogers Nelson has been everywhere this year, from sharing the stage at the Grammy Awards with Beyonc to stealing the show during his induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.


Where is the man who once railed against commercialism by changing his name to a symbol, writing "slave" across his check and releasing a string of, shall we say, curious albums?


He's been on daytime talk shows, cuddling up next to Ellen DeGeneres like some cutesy purple Tickle Me Elmo doll and pimping the newly released "Musicology," his most accessible work in at least a decade.


This kinder, gentler and once-again commercially viable Prince found his way to San Jose on Tuesday for the first

half of a two-night stand at the HP Pavilion.


Known for putting on shows that can be as puzzling as his recent records, Prince finally delivered an uncommonly fan-friendly 21/2-hour set of booty-shaking hits and solid new material. The Musicology Tour is one of the summer season's hottest tickets and, based on the San Jose show, the tour should solidify 2004 as "The Year of Prince."


But is it really 2004? Or did his highness somehow manage to transport us back to 1984?


Twenty years after the release of his masterpiece, "Purple Rain," Prince once again reigns supreme.


Although he will celebrate his 46th birthday Monday, Prince showed the same type of youthful passion and unbridled energy Tuesday that made him one of the world's biggest stars back in the mid-'80s.


Performing on a cross-shaped stage at the center of the arena, with four catwalks extending out to the capacity crowd, Prince looked absolutely dapper.


Backed by the great New Power Generation (NPG), one of the funkiest bands of any generation, Prince launched into the title track of his new album. The old-school feel was definitely in the air as he sang the line "Don't you miss the feeling that music gave you back in the day?"


The crowd wasn't missing it this night. Prince made sure of that, delivering songs that truly felt like old friends to these

feverish followers.


One main draw on this tour is that Prince is allegedly playing some of his greatest hits for the last time. Let's hope that was just the marketing folks talking, because not a single song played Tuesday should be retired.


Following "Musicology," Prince drenched the crowd in a downpour of "Purple Rain." Beginning with the famed opening line of from "Let's Go Crazy" -- "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life" -- the main man drove the audience nuts with a steady onslaught of "Purple" favorites.


After "Crazy" wrapped up amid a downfall of purple ribbons and confetti, Prince slowed down the groove for a slinky rendition of "I Would Die 4 U" that moved gracefully into a heavily remixed version of "When Doves Cry."


He pranced about the stage during the understatement of the night, "Baby I'm a Star," and then moved out of the "Rain" for a guitar-hero turn on "Shhh" from 1995's "The Gold Experience.


Prince was absolutely radiant this night. He looked as if there was no place in the world he'd rather be and nothing else he'd rather be doing. He smiled broadly and joked freely with the crowd.


During the particularly funky "D.M.S.R.," from his classic "1999," Prince boogied as hard as anyone in the audience to the sounds of the NPG.


"I want to do that stuff," he said. "But I ain't got no booty. San Jose, can somebody loan me some booty tonight?"


That would have sounded like a come-on a few years ago. But remember, this is a kinder, gentler and, most surprisingly, cleaner Prince.


That's not necessarily a good thing. Since becoming a Jehovah's Witness, Prince has stopped swearing and he reportedly will no longer perform his racier material such as "Darling Nikki."


More jarring was to hear Prince change the lyrics to his immortal "Purple Rain" to "I think you'd better close (your mind) / Open up your Bible / And let God guide you."


But that's really just nitpicking. There was so much to cheer about in this show, which included an extended solo-acoustic set that was as rich in personality as it was in songs, to do anything but hail it as one of the year's best.

E-mail music critic Jim Harrington at

jimthecritic@yahoo.com .

ohhh, no he won't.

Seening the tour schedule causes one to rend one's clothes, throw dirt and ashes and pull out one's hair: the "Musicology" tour is not stopping in Vancouver, Canada. The last "big" tour he passed through these parts had a jam-packed stadium rocking the rafters for three hours. What's a Canadian west-coast Prince fan to do but hope. . . and hope some more?

when i first saw the title of this thread, i will admit i was confused....



...i gotta stop reading things so quickly...