Prince entertains, educates

Prince
• Where: Conseco Fieldhouse.
• Bottom line: Meet the new Prince, same as the old Prince.

By David Lindquist
david.lindquist@indystar.com
April 13, 2004


Without question, school was in session during Prince's "Musicology" concert Monday night at Conseco Fieldhouse.

The Minneapolis-based marvel is on the road to promote his upcoming album, but he's also hosting large-scale study sessions on styles he's mastered and charts he's conquered during a 25-year recording career.

This proved to be effortless learning and primarily a joy for the local audience of 12,000 pupils.

It was the kind of night when you sang along perfectly to lyrics even though you weren't sure you remembered the words. And at the height of tremendous instrumental segments, songs in progress simply melted away.

It's been 20 years since the release of Prince's classic "Purple Rain" album and film. He devoted the early stages of Monday's show to a rapid ride through the timeless tracks "Let's Go Crazy," "I Would Die 4 U," "When Doves Cry" and "Baby I'm a Star."

"Doves" was the standout. The amazing thing about this song, as Roots drummer Ahmir Thompson pointed out recently in Rolling Stone magazine, is that it's built upon one -- and only one -- chord.

The simplicity allowed Prince to have some fun with his wardrobe of a white suit accented by red pinstripes. He used a scarlet handkerchief to clean a microphone stand, detail the brim of his hat and -- in an up-to-minute gesture of club culture -- motion as if he were wiping dirt off his shoulders.

Although this was more or less an oldies show, the 45-year-old proved he's paying attention to the new. When his horn players quoted the hook from Beyonce Knowles' "Crazy in Love" (actually an update of a Chi-Lites riff), Prince danced and joked, "Somebody loan me some booty."

Three other lessons from Prince in teaching mode:

• He shared his displeasure that lip-synching has become an accepted practice.

• For the record, the best funk arrives on the "1."

• Music can transcend time. Although his guitar solos were unapologetically pop-metal, they reflected genuine emotion.

During a lengthy stretch of solo acoustic material, Prince showed that he hasn't abandoned the sensuality business. The falsetto of a "Musicology" selection "On the Couch" supplied more than enough evidence.

The acoustic run also showcased the rockabilly of "Delirious," the pop sensibility of "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" and old-school Delta blues on a seemingly improvised song in which he teased a lover about a case of bad breath.

Call Star reporter David Lindquist at (317) 444-6404.

i just posted this is in the concert forum.....