Lemme give you a quick report from Nashville. First however, let me say, to anyone that has read set lists and felt this tour was just a quick rehash of the JOTY tour, its certainly not. This was the third Prince concert I've been too and definately the best one yet. I'm sure I cant remember the set list perfect, but it was fairly standard, Uptown, Controversy, Rasberry Beret, ICNTTPOYM, Ballad of Dorothy parker, Housequake, do me baby, scandalous, Pretty much the entire album of Purple Rain, oh yeah I wanna be your lover, Darling Nikki, Cream, Diamonds and Pearls, Kiss, Get Off, Come On, and the show ended with Pop Life. Im sure I missed a few songs, and there are a few I remembered out of order. Now on to the juice. Prince left the stage after the third song, Im fairly certain this is because everytime he ran to the left riser the stage light did not follow him and he was dancing in pitch black... he returned shortly after and the stage light was suddenly doing what it was supposed to. In my opinion the show started out a little slow. I was pretty worried when i first got there because the stage was SOOO small. My worries were soon set to ease after a few songs of warming up and before long prince was all over the place doing what we all love and adore him for. Geneva was fabulous. She really added to the show in my opinion... When she came out in a little school girl outfit with pig tails to perform during Darling Nikki, hehe well that was cool. The drummer was magnificent... But the best part of the show however was at the end when prince brought some friends up from the audience to play. Prince has done this at all three shows I have been at, but never have I seen him be so playful with the fans on stage than at this show. he must have pulled 15 or more people up on this tiny stage, and took turns holding their hands and dancing with them. He picked three girls during a very funky version of Kiss, and let them each sing a line. One girl choaked and forgot the lyrics and prince laughed his butt of at her. Then a guy told prince he could rap. Prince put the light on him and heckled him a bit, "This guy says he can rap? Can you rap?" then finally handed the guy the microphone. The guy obviously didnt realize what he had gotten himself into because for a minute or two he just stood there drawing a blank and asking for more time. Prince heckled him more pretending to look at his watch and yawn... Finally the guy started rapping something i couldnt even hear, and within a verse or less ran dry and couldnt flow. Prince quickly took the microphone from him and screamed "Brother I think you owe us an explanation!" Prince traded hats with someone in the audience for a while and played around, then at the very end took a guy that was on the stage that obviously knew how to dance, walked him to the platform on back of the stage and moved geneva aside.. He then Asked us all "Check this guy out" and the lights were on him... This guy didnt choke. He just broke it down and danced like you wouldnt believe... Everyone laughed and applauded and soon the friends were taken off the stage and prince performed pop life and said good night.



And it certainly was.



Much to my suprise Most of the songs played in this show were played almost exactly like the album versions. Right down to your favorite guitar solo prince was fairly faithful to the record versions on MOST of the songs. This is quite a bit different from shows I have seen in the past. However, for one show, it was a pretty welcome suprise. It was nice to hear my favorite songs and solos played just as I have jammed to them for years and years. However, I dont think I would want to see him play them like that again. Lets keep our fingers crossed for a new album and a fresh tour of new material early next year folks!