THIS IS VERY LONG!

I am much too tired to write a real review but I'll go through some highlights that I can still remember. Before the show started there was a clip of all the happenings of this passed week mixed with old footage and music videos. The stage was not decorated AT ALL. It was very "no frills". Just the instruments and a big screen that the "footage" was played on. During the songs the screen changed scenery and sometimes had some words pop up. It looked very cheap...but who cares. He kicked off with "Anna Stesia". There was a keyboard set up in the center of the stage and that's where he sang it from. He came out in black slacks and a white shirt with flared arms...just like that baggy one from the "Tick Tick Bang" clip in Grafitti Bridge. He had every sing the "God is Love...." chant and exclaimed that there is nothing without God and that if you don't believe in Jesus he "aint got nuttin to say to ya". Anna Stesia was cool to hear live but to start out with it and continue in such a low key vibe with "Greatest Romance..." really showed some balls! There were two girls dancing on the stage at different points in the night. They didn't really add much, in my opinion. And we've all seen Cat and Mayte do it much better. "TGRES" turned into "The Greatest" and Prince started talking about God again. Claiming he is the "The Greatest". Then, during the loop for "TGRES" Prince started doing the verses for "4 The Tears In Your Eyes", which was kind of interesting. He kicked off the next song saying, "Let's see if ya'll remember this one..." and launched into an abbreviated version of "Uptown." It was SO GOOD to hear that song live again!! He did flub the words a bit...maybe he couldn't see his lyric book (he was using it quite a bit during the show). He continued with the "Let's Work/Delerious" medley which is always fun. After that it was "Purple Rain" time and he did the FULL version (which is always nice to hear) and changed some of the words a little bit. At the end of the second verse he sang to the fans, "I believe your love is uncondtional...I believe this friendship will never end". Aww shucks. That was kinda nice. After some of the usual blistering guitar that ends "Purple Rain", Prince started talking to the audience. He noticed Dr. Fink in the crowd and told him he'd better come on up and jam before the night is through. He also made a crack at how much Fink has aged by saying that he looked like he did on the cover of "Around The World In A Day", in which he 's painted as an old man. But then he told Fink not let anyone make fun of how he looked and if they did to reply, "Don't hate me cuz I'm beautiful" and into "Pretty Man" we go! This song live is SO MUCH better than the recorded version. And the Hornheadz and Maceo Parker definitely spruced it up. During the "If there comes a time that it just wont grow" part he sang, "i'll just do like Elton John and buy some more" (referring to his hair, obviously). After the song, he started talkin shit. About how great he is...in so many words. He was utilizing the phrase, "Y should I do that, when I can do this" repeatedly and even rhymed with "pissed". And I thought he didn't curse! Larry was standing there and everything! Ooooooh! All of a sudden the groove for "Breathe and Stop" was kickin and before we knew it Q Tip was out there doin it. Doug E Fresh came out and did his beatbox thang and a bit of "La Di Da Di"...it was pretty cool. Then, Tip did "Vivrant Thing" and they were gone. After "Come On" which featured some audience members onstage dancing and Prince singing the guitar solo harmonized with the keys, he left the stage and turned it over to Najee for some smooth jazz while he changed clothes. He came back wearing what looked like a copper colored velvet two piece. He picked up a guitar and launched into a very pretty intrumental version of "The Question Of U". Him and Najee were trading licks at one point which was very dramatic. After that, Prince immediately went into "When You Were Mine". This got cut in half and suddlenly Prince grabbed the one eyed bass and funked up "Days Of Wild". This tune lasted quite awhile and was missing ALL of the swearing. Prince even admonished the crowd for chanting his coined phrased, "play that muthafuckin bass" and said "we dont use them words no more!" The song was pretty funky but NOT '95 era NPG funky, if you know what I mean. Before Prince ended the song, he started doing this really freaky little monologue whilst playing some spooky minor key bass notes. He was saying something about "a man who thinks he's self created is a FOOL!" and that he was standing behind him "with an army behind him" and that he was "sneakin up on you"....VERY weird! He was tryin to get deep but sounded even more insane that the whole "who screamed" shit during Purple Rain! After this some music started that I thought was for sure, "Silly Game" but it was actually an Angie Stone song (maybe called "Sunshine"?) and out comes Angie and her back up singers. The sound was very bad during this song and it was kind of disappointing. But it got noticably better when they TORE UP Aretha's "Dr. Feelgood." It was like CHURCH up in there. After that, they left and Prince, at the keyboards, dueted with Kip on a 2nd verse-less version of "Nothing Compares 2 U". I was waiting for Rosie to come out but she never did. Hmm. It was great to hear, never the less. Vocally, was top notch tonight. I was VERY impressed. Follwing "Nothing..." was the "Take Me with U/Raspberry Beret" medley but even MORE abbreviated. It got a great response but I'm sure everyone wishes he wouldve done them longer. Then it was Larry's turn. We politely listened to "The Jam" and "Everyday People" which were ever-funky as always but I for one have heard these songs TOO many times. Then it was encore time and it was like we were screaming for 7 years! He finally came back out the the strains of the instrumental "Man O War" strings and counted off into the actual song. That's one of my favorites off of Rave so I was certainly pleased to hear it (even thought the backup samples were failing) but he only sang one verse/chorus before a key change that signaled the beginning of a LONG horn-laden version of "Adore"!!!! This song was absolutely PERFECT!!! The vocals on it were stellar and unquestionably the best of the night. Those high notes just shoot out of him with almost NO effort! It was very beautiful! Then he started launching into some rythym guitar taking a look around for his old buddies. Brownmark was first on the stage, then Dr. Fink (in full hospital scrubs!) and finally Bobby Z!!! After he introduced each one of them he wisecracked, "Mmmmmm! SHAPELY!" I knew they'd be there but it still sent chills up my spine to see them up there playing together. Prince said to them "So, if I call out something you gonna know it?" They didn't look too scared of that. So Prince said to Mark, "What country you from?" repeatedly before yelling out "Lead line!" and we were off into "America"!!!!! This was by far the hilight, for me. I almost was a little misty-eyed. And if Wendy and Lisa came out I wouldve been weeping! But they didnt. This continued for a verse and chorus and Prince gave each of the guys a chance to solo. After Bobby's solo, Prince called out "kickdrum!".....and it sounded like that's what Bobby gave him but Prince laughed and said, "What, man! Dont you remember?" And Prince proceeded to KICK HIM OFF THE DRUMS calling Kirk back saying something like, "accept NO substitutions!"...I was like, NO HE DIDNT! I felt really bad for Bobby. "America" turned into the end of the "Sign O the Times" movie version of "Beautiful Night". The audience was even yelping out the Princely "Yaow" parts on the last horn vamp that he did in the movie! Now you KNOW it was nothing but REAL FANS in the house after hearing that! Ya know, even though the Revolution is all old and everything, I still think it would be incredible to see them together playing a show, ONE LAST TIME! That one verse of "America" alone was worth the 70 bucks! Anyway, Prince closed the show by doing "Kiss" (with A LOT of audience participation) and "Gett Off"/"Housestyle" that turned into a LONG funky jam utilizing Doug E Fresh's beatbox and Tip's....well...presence? More people were brought out to dance and Prince ended the song by singing the "Push It Up" rap with Doug E. And that was it! It was quite a show! Even though it wasn't planned and it definitely had it's flaws, Prince really turned out a set that had a little bit for everyone! He can't do them ALL but he sure did try...and I was definitely pleased. And by the way, if your in MPLS tomorrow night...come see my band play at The FIne Line, downtown....we'll be playing all night from 9-ish to 1am. plug plug! Anyway, thanks PRINCE!!! The tour was the bomb that show was great! I appreciated it all!


Oh, that plug for my band is for Wednesday night 6/14/00 and we play a mix of funk and r & b.