Since there doesn't seem to be a ton of activity on the forum these days, I felt it was okay to venture in with a topic that might trigger some people.

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The Jam of the Year tour from 1997.

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Specifically, the opening sets by Larry Graham and Chaka Khan. I did do a cursory search here to see if this had been posted and didn't find what I was looking for. Does anyone remember or have notes on the set lists of what Larry and Chaka performed during their respective sets? Doesn't have to be complete, or for a specific show, just any memories of what songs were played as a typical opening set.

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I went to three of these shows, the Vancouver, George, and Portland ones. Larry opened in BC and Chaka at the other two. But for the life of me I don't really remember their sets. I'm particularly bothered by the fact that I can't remember much about seeing Chaka twice. And did either or both of them join Prince near the end of the shows on that tour, typically? I seem to remember that, but my memory is hazy.

Larry opened in Milwaukee - no Chaka. I don't remember what he played - I just remember he was very sweaty.

I saw three shows and Larry opened for two and Chaka none. I don't think Chaka joined until it turned into the New Power Soul tour in 1998. I don't remember Larry's set list, but no doubt included Everyday People and I Want To Take You Higher.

I have a VHS of his show in Philadelphia, I believe. It's a one-cam shot from a higher elevation, no soundboard, but the sound is decent.

Princevault says there was no opening act, and there isn't one on the tape. But Pierre Baptiste was on saxophone.

Looks like from August onward, Marva King was doing backing vox (which is only about a week or so into the tour).

I forget if I've digitized it, but maybe I should, and send it to one of those YT channels that puts that stuff up.

nosajd said:

I saw one show in ATL, but there was no opening act if my memory serves me correctly. Just Prince. It was a great show, and my first. He played predominantly Emancipation songs which was really cool.

Was that the Fox Theatre? I noticed it was one of the very last dates of the tour (only 2 or 3 after 3 Fox Theatre shows). Felt sorta ironic that was his last show venue ever.

There was another Atlanta show on August 3 at the Coca-Cola Lakewood Amphitheater. The set list expanded a bit later in the tour, especially those latter Atlanta shows. The set list earlier in the tour stayed relatively the same, give or take.

My ticket stub from 4/20ish 1998 at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago says "Jam O The Year" tour. Prince played a three hour set with Larry and Chaka on stage most of the night (and Doug E. Fresh IIRC came out toward the end.) They did three Prince songs the entire night "Purple Rain" Face Down" and the longest sleeziest nastiest "Days of Wild" you ever want to hear. Every other song the entire three hour set was a Sly/GCC song or else a Rufus/Chaka song. That he almost completely stayed away from his own catalog that night barely crossed my mind. He was leaping off pianos into splits and shamelessly talking about fucking. It was completely perfectly transcendent in every way. I will be in awe of that show until they put me in the ground.

Hey, I was at that Portland show. Couldn't tell you what Chaka sang in her opening set, but I do remember her venturing onstage during Prince's.

Prince(r.i.p.) brought Chaka on stage with him during a surprise show I attended during his New Power Soul album promotion that included The New Power Pack of albums by Chaka & Larry Graham. it was the week he appeared a few times on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 1998. The Jam Of The Year tour date I attended he didn't have ANY opening acts.

I caught the show at MSG/NYC in Sept 98. P and GCS were great, but Chaka blew them both off the stage. She had everyone in the building in the palm of her hand performing hit after hit. I've been to a lot of concerts over the years, but her show (to this day) was probably one of the best I've ever seen. She's always been one of my favorite singers, so maybe I'm biased.

hardwork said:

My ticket stub from 4/20ish 1998 at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago says "Jam O The Year" tour. Prince played a three hour set with Larry and Chaka on stage most of the night (and Doug E. Fresh IIRC came out toward the end.) They did three Prince songs the entire night "Purple Rain" Face Down" and the longest sleeziest nastiest "Days of Wild" you ever want to hear. Every other song the entire three hour set was a Sly/GCC song or else a Rufus/Chaka song. That he almost completely stayed away from his own catalog that night barely crossed my mind. He was leaping off pianos into splits and shamelessly talking about fucking. It was completely perfectly transcendent in every way. I will be in awe of that show until they put me in the ground.

For what it might be worth, I can recall quite clearly what Prince was wearing that evening: Immaculate white suit with open, large-collared white shirt and matching white hat and white pumps. And I should not neglect to mention the matching white baby grand piano. Curiously enough, I cannot recall anything about his guitar other than that he played the living fucking shit out of it the entire evening.

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Larry opened for Prince in Calgary during JotY tour, was a surprise. Could not tell you what he played but he was a presence and exciting, a nice bonus

in Cleveland, Chaka came out and said "Thank you, Cincinatti!", which led to some awkward boos. When Prince joined her onstage, he made sure to shout out to Cleveland.

Saw Larry and Chaka open for Prince on the NewPowerSoul tour in Brixton London.

Chaka started I Feel 4 U. A voice comes over the PA, "Hey girl that's my song". Prince strolled out, dueted the song with her and casually strolled back off again.

Place went mental

EnglishGent2 said:

Saw Larry and Chaka open for Prince on the NewPowerSoul tour in Brixton London.

Chaka started I Feel 4 U. A voice comes over the PA, "Hey girl that's my song". Prince strolled out, dueted the song with her and casually strolled back off again.

Place went mental

This is so Prince, and so awesome.

prolly the talk with larry and the swear jar were born out of the xtranasty days of wild jam ..

GCS opened for the Las Cruces JOTY show I attended. Nothing to add to what's been said here. Played the SLY hits.

LoveGalore said:

Larry and Chaka were opening on the NPS tour. There was no scheduled opener for the vast majority of the JOTY tour (including the stop I saw in late 1997).

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Huh, guess I just got lucky as they played sets to open the three JOTY shows I saw... Larry opened on in Vancouver BC and then Chaka opened in both George, WA and in Portland. Sept 26-28, '97.

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I just wish I could recall specifics of their sets. Oh well, sounds like a lot of other folks have pretty vague memories of it too.