having recently watched some classic live Prince gigs from 1980/81 [and being blown away by how badass he was at such a young age] how many of you were around to witness the young genuis in action. Did anyone in Europe see the Controversy tour at all?.

The Controversy Tour is the one that got me sold on Prince. I bought the album while visiting some cousins and got screamed at for supporting an artist that dared to use the Lord's Prayer in a song. I figured I had to give Prince another look live. I was too distracted by his persona during the Dirty Mind Tour to pay attention to the music. Plus, I thought the whole band kicked ass on that tour, not just Prince.

Back then, concerts were more of a party, and they still are for me. I still don't understand people being able to quote setlists.

I don't even remeber the Dec 18th show that specifically

Two tings I remeber from that show. THE TIME! damn. I wasn't ready for that. They ripped into Cool and Get it Up like it was a frigging audition. I thought "Prince messed up letting these guys open" Of course, Prince came on and held his own. I was still unimpressed until Do Me Baby. This was Prince at his finest-making it funky in the south before the south became derty; when Prince was still basically an R n B artist. The girls went nuts. I honestly got jealous, and I wasn't there with anyone. I hadn't really listened to the whole song yet, so when Prince started on the piano I thought " this is nice, he can do slow jams too" Prince built that mother up into an onstage musical orgasm. I was like wtf? I had never seen anyone wet the crowd like that. I was hooked. Been going to his live shows since.

Wow that was an awesome story It's always good for us fans who weren't "existedly-able" to go to these concerts, so it's always awesome to live these moments through other people's memories. Keep em comin u guys!

funkyhead said:

having recently watched some classic live Prince gigs from 1980/81 [and being blown away by how badass he was at such a young age] how many of you were around to witness the young genuis in action. Did anyone in Europe see the Controversy tour at all?.

I saw him before Controversy, at a small place called Flippers, in 80 or 81 not sure, .I watched him practice for about an hour, then i watched the best entertainer i had ever seen, I would have to say that compared to todays Prince , HE WAS VERY MUCH IN RARE FOURM. I know im very fortunate to have witnessed the begining!!!!!!!

[Edited 12/22/10 9:10am]

rgsince81 said:

funkyhead said:

having recently watched some classic live Prince gigs from 1980/81 [and being blown away by how badass he was at such a young age] how many of you were around to witness the young genuis in action. Did anyone in Europe see the Controversy tour at all?.

I saw him before Controversy, at a small place called Flippers, in 80 or 81 not sure, .I watched him practice for about an hour, then i watched the best entertainer i had ever seen, I would have to say that compared to todays Prince , HE WAS VERY MUCH IN RARE FOURM. I know im very fortunate to have witnessed the begining!!!!!!!

[Edited 12/22/10 9:10am]

Thanks rgsince81. Nice to know I am not the only one with a hazy recall. Flippers pre show? Wow. I'm glad someone was there that appreciated it

Oh god...not me, but my brother did. He was at a Rolling Stones concert when Prince was the opening act, and had to watch people through stuff at Prince.

PaisleyPark5083 said:

Oh god...not me, but my brother did. He was at a Rolling Stones concert when Prince was the opening act, and had to watch people through stuff at Prince.

Not just Prince. At the whole band. I remember Brown Mark saying a cup or something hit his bass while he was playing.

I smoked alot of weed in those days but uh, his energy was through the roof. He kept working the crowd to clap and sing along. He spun alot. Band was tight. He played some keyboards and guitar I think. Mixed, majority black audience. He looked like a new wave hippy. Girls let you freak em in the audience. I remember trying to tell a buddy that P and Morris day were the same person! I really thought that cuz I knew that was the same person singing on both of those albums. lol The cardboard cut out in the record shop looked close enough to the same dude on The Time album to my high azz. I think he said he saw both of them on stage together and I didnt believe him. Wow, thats way back in the day!