Lovesexy era 1988-1989

http://prince.org/msg/7/454304

A discussion only of the tour, not the album/videos/outtakes/lovesexy lifestyle, just the tours

I caught the Cincinnati show.

http://www.princevault.co...ember_1988

I had tickets to the Lexington, KY show, but, it was cancelled.

http://www.princevault.co...d_Concerts

I saw the Oakland show on November 11,1988 and it was truly the best concert I ever seen

My first ever concert was the last night of the London leg of the Parade tour. It was an unforgettable experience, which left me dying to see him again the following year when he was due to return with the SOTT set. As all British fans will know, the dates were cancelled, rescheduled, and cancelled again. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. I ended up throwing out the peach and black clothes I'd bought specially for the tour as I couldn't stand looking at them.

There was absolutely no way I was going to miss out in 1988, so I was on the ferry to France for the opening night of the Lovesexy tour at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy. With no idea of what to expect, I was left stunned by the spectacle Prince put on. I still remember walking away from that night with my head spinning. It's impossible to put into words the effect that show had on me.

I went on to see 5 of the 7 London shows a few weeks later. My only regret is not getting tickets to the 2 dates I skipped. Even though the show was tightly choreographed, every night seemed unique to me. I manged to see the stage from most angles, so there was always something I hadn't noticed before. And of course, Prince was always able to make each show feel special with a look, a move, a difference in phrasing, or a lick on the guitar.

My memory is fuzzy all these years on, but it's no exaggeration to say that those nights will live on in my heart forever.

Having seen the Parade show, I was struck by how choreographed the Sign Of The Times tour was. It didn't really cut loose until Beautiful Night. This was taken to an extreme with the Lovesexy shows. Very little in the way of improvisations or spur of the moment, apart from the piano medleys he played from time to time.

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This was the most "concept" show of his I saw. It was fun, in a way, but I hated the preaching and religious/moral tone.

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For my money, if the Sign Of The Times film footage hadn't been too grainy, causing the movie that eventually was released to feel a bit plastic, and killed by the awful vignettes between songs, that would have been the shows people would point to as the greatest documentation of Prince live. Lovesexy, while not bad per se, is great by comparison, because there is no proper film evidence of the Parade/Sign Of The Times tours.

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Just my opinion, of course.

April 5. 1988
Lovesexy Tour Rehearsal@Paisley Park Chanhassen

1.Erotic City
2.HouseQuake
3.Slow Love
4.Adore
5.Delirious
6.Jack U Off
7.Sister
8.Adore
9.DMSR
10.Soft And Wet
11.I Wanna Be Your Lover
12.Head
13.When U Were Mine
14.Little Red Corvette
15.Pop Life
16.Controversy
17.Dirty Mind
18.Superfunkycalifragisexy
19.Bob George

My first Prince concert was the 11/07.88 Los Angeles show at the L.A. Sports Arena. I bought four tickets, had two people bail on me, and ended up next to two people who I knew for sure didn't have tickets for the seats they were in.

stage design drawing by Steve Park

My very first Prince show. I still feel so lucky to have been able to see it. 1987-88 was when my true Prince superfandom started, and Lovesexy was the first album I bought as a superfan. So, when the tour was announced, there was just no way my mom wasn't going to let it happen for me.

I was worried because she had just bought tickets to the Bad tour, at a $10 mark-up from a neighbor, and we were poor. But sure enough, when it was announced that Northern Lights record store on 7th and Hennepin would be selling tickets, my mom woke up early and went and waited in line for me and got those tickets.

I remember being at the show and losing my mind at finally seeing all of my favorite songs from Lovesexy being played live (especially Eye No), and looking down at my mom, seated, and patiently smiling. Prince wasn't really her thing but she knew he was IT for me.

The Dortmund footage is cool to have, but it doesn't really capture what it felt like to see it in person. I wish the show had gotten the SOTT treatment, in terms of shots and editing, so folks who weren't there could get a better idea of what the experience was like.

It's still incredible to me that year after year, Prince would come back with a new record, new image, and a completely new stage show to showcase the material. He did many other great tours and shows, but Lovesexy '88 was the capstone for me.

7. 8.1988 @ the Palais Omnisports de Paris -Bercy

1.Erotic City
2.Housequake
3.Slow Love
4.Adore
5.Delirious
6.Jack U Off
7.Sister
8.U Got The Look
9.I Wanna Be Your Lover
10.Head
11.When You Were Mine
12.Little Red Corvette
13.Pop Life
14.Controversy
15.Dirty Mind
16.Superfunkycalifragisexy
17.Bob George
18.Anna Stasia
-Interlude-
19.Eye No
20.Alphabet St.
21.Glam Slam
22.The Cross
23.I Wish U Heaven/God Is Alive
24.Kiss
25.Dance On
26.When 2 R In Love
27.Let's Go Crazy
28.When Doves Cry
29.Purple Rain
30.1999
31.Positivity
32.Lovesexy - It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night

To get tickets for this show,I camped out in front of a ticket outlet.Remember when you had to do that?

SoulAlive said:

To get tickets for this show,I camped out in front of a ticket outlet.Remember when you had to do that?

Yup, great fun.

SoulAlive said:

To get tickets for this show,I camped out in front of a ticket outlet.Remember when you had to do that?

LOL it is a cultural happening lol and social

SoulAlive said:

To get tickets for this show,I camped out in front of a ticket outlet.Remember when you had to do that?

I met my best friend (and brotha from anotha motha) of 30 years, camping out front of a ticket outlet... waiting to get tickets to the Lovesexy concert!!! Ran into him after the show and been bros ever since!!!

My first show.

My best Prince day ever

Went down to London to see him at Wembley, July 1988, me and a friend were wasting a bit of time in the Harrods Hifi dept when he heard that Prince was doing an album signing at HMV on Oxford street. Running like shoplifters out of the shop (luckily we were both into running) we managed to get to HMV just as he arrived, I shook his hand as he walked in and what followed was probably the most stressful time of my life. HMV was rammed and I wasn't sure I was going to get my Lovesexy album signed, after a bit of pushing (yes we Brits do sometimes push) I managed to get myself into the line.

Still can't quite belive I got to meet him, Levi, Atlanta Bliss, Doctor Fink, Miko and Eric Leeds, my mate went down the 2nd line and got Sheila E's and Cat's autographs as well.

As if we hadn't had enough Prince we then went to see the Sign O the times movie on Tottenham Court Road and then went to Wembley to see him for the first time. He really was the best.

Didn't sleep much that night

Still got the signed album, really must get it framed, I'm sure my daughters won't mind having a naked man on the wall

OldFriends4Sale said:

April 5. 1988
Lovesexy Tour Rehearsal@Paisley Park Chanhassen

1.Erotic City
2.HouseQuake
3.Slow Love
4.Adore
5.Delirious
6.Jack U Off
7.Sister
8.Adore
9.DMSR
10.Soft And Wet
11.I Wanna Be Your Lover
12.Head
13.When U Were Mine
14.Little Red Corvette
15.Pop Life
16.Controversy
17.Dirty Mind
18.Superfunkycalifragisexy
19.Bob George

Do you know if there is footage of this show out there?

OldFriends4Sale said:

stage design drawing by Steve Park

What a great shot of the stage. That is great. I think Steve Parke helped on this one - or maybe it was just the Glam Slam set??

violetcrush said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

stage design drawing by Steve Park

What a great shot of the stage. That is great. I think Steve Parke helped on this one - or maybe it was just the Glam Slam set??

Nevermind....just saw the note in between the pics