A boot LP I had 13 years ago had this to say about Princes after-shows.

The Purple One’s post-show jam sessions have evolved with a consistency that demands they be discussed as an entertainment onto themselves. These after-midnight soirees are largely instrumental programs, designed to loosen up a prolific musician coming off an arena-sized concert performance-a cigarette after the climax, if you will. Some of The Naked One’s more recent appearances include parties at Minneapolis’ First Avenue and New York’s Roseland. So why should Paris’ New Morning Club gig of June 87 be remembered on this particular LP? An Erotic City of orgiastic proportions, Paris seems to excite the most fertile of musicians to new aphrodisiacal heights. Take the sizzling cover versions of James Brown’s Sex Machine, Hendrix’s Red House and The Temptations’ Just My Imagination, for example. Or the unique blues/bebop hybrid of the dedicative Charlie Parker. Or even a familiar, self-penned concert number like Housequake.
Hearing is believing.
Erotic City come alive.
He’s got the look.

When I got this boot LP, I really felt like I had something special in my hands and in my ears. Reading about such shows in Rolling Stones years before and as blurbs in the same magazine, I was more and more intrigued with the after show experience. Since then, Prince has had countless after-shows and club dates. Club dates are just as fulfilling as after-shows because of the intimacy and the likelihood of different material played as well as his playfulness during them. Hell, the famed Purple Rain recording session may be the most heralded club date ever, which again was posted in Rolling Stone’s random notes section.

The after-show or club dates have been the best shows for me as a Prince fan. From seeing him at his own Glam Slam club, to HOB shows and Nokia shows, they have always proven to be the best forum to witness the greatest living musician do his thing. When I see him do these shows I am reminded of what it must have been like to see Hendrix, Zeppelin, Miles, and others. Because at the after-show and club date is where he really becomes inspired and transcends from being just a performer but to something that should be witnessed by anyone with eyes or ears.

There’s always the good and bad to these shows as anyone who has attended can attest to. You know how he always asks you to clap? I always think, "how can I clap when we are all bunched up together like sardines? I can barely get my arms up as I am packed tightly to each side of me." Plus a lot of people have been in line for hours. I don’t want their underarms exposed lol. I will end up clapping like a seal with my forearms close together.

You begin to do an equation breakdown of exactly what you will do tomorrow: what time you will get up, how much sleep time will be left for you before you have to get up. You begin to analyze what exactly to do the next day by the hour to get you on track. All while the funk rock jazz is sizzling onstage.
And your feet. Oh, your feet. They began to ache hours ago but then they either took a reprieve from the ache or you got used to the ache. Either way, you swear next time you will wear sensible shoes and fashion be damned to hell.

It can be 2 in the morning Sunday Christmas day when he comes on but when he does you just resign yourself to forget all of the rest…the work that’s due, the feet aching, the bad early morning breathe, the yearning for a Gatorade or a bottled water, because you are figuring that while others are snuggled up in their blankets with visions of sugar plumb faeries dancing in their dreams, you are witnessing a secret society of sorts. At the same time you are wishing that all of your friends and family could see you at this moment and what is happening on stage but then it is also something that is special enough to warrant only something to be written about and spoken about in later stories. A you had to be there experience that some folks just will never understand or be able to fully appreciate. Sort of like boot-camp. Because that’s what it is like. You have to have stamina, be in shape, because you are working just a much as Prince is up there. It took a lot for you to get here but after you get to see the show and whatever move he made or song he played, you feel like you did 150 reps or 150 pushups.

You zone in on him, leaving everything to the fates as it is a special moment with god knows what being played fantastically.And no matter what time it is, no matter how late and how tired you may be, he comes out with the energy that it’s only 1 p.m. to him. You think, "did he just wake up and hour ago or has he been up all day?" Either way, with all of this, he seems to feed off of us sweating, hungry, tired, wilted audience members. It must be an awesome spectacle to witness from his side of the stage. I think we do the same. We feed off of his inspiration and what we have been through to be /get here. I dare say one should avoid the regular concert and focus on getting tickets for whatever happens after. Go to the after-show. Get a nap. Get some food. Get some nourishment. Get a work out in the day before. It’s worth a lifetime of performances.

absolutely beautiful post.

Thank you for sharing...I loved reading your post and it must have been exciting to be in the room for these events. "Funk rock jazz," very cute.