Prince Dazzles Fans at the Warner Theatre with Short but Powerful Performance

Prince doesn't waste any time on his "Hit & Run" tour. Social media was all abuzz this past Wednesday as word slowly leaked out that Prince and his excellent touring band, 3RDEYEGIRL, along with vocalist Judith Hill, would be appearing at the 1,800 seat Warner Theatre in D.C. on Sunday night. Tickets were to go on sale Thursday at noon. Hysteria reached a fever pitch as noon on the fateful day approached, and perhaps predictably the tickets were gone instantaneously. Just as predictably, they showed up on StubHub with remarkable haste. Then came the news that a second show -- beginning at 11:00 p.m. on Sunday -- was added. It sold out immediately as well.

Despite the time constraints imposed by having a second show beginning in only three hours, Prince didn't stroll out on stage until 8:30. The fans went nuts, as expected. Prince seemed to be in good spirits as he rollicked through a greatest hits set that touched on most of his big classic singles. True to his recent form, he mostly neglected recent material and stuck with his '80s classics.

The frustrating thing about seeing Prince in concert is that his whiplash run through the hits, while thrilling and exciting, is basically a glorified medley. NONE of the songs were performed in their entirety. If you're lucky, you get two full verses and choruses. The snarl of guitar that opens "When Doves Cry" was greeted with wild applause, but Prince allowed the song to fizzle out at the end of the third chorus, neglecting the best part of the song -- the extended ending with the wild guitar solo, screams, and virtuoso keyboard section at the end. His other hits were treated with similar slapdash fashion. He sounded inspired, he hopped from searing guitar to piano and back with effortless ease. His vocals are as good as ever - when he hit those high notes on "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore" it sounded every bit as good as when he recorded the song over 30 years ago. The 57-year old wunderkind moved around the stage with a manic energy of someone half his age. Prince is an artist still in his prime.

A shame, then, that he doesn't respect his catalog enough to actually play the songs. Some tracks were mere teasers, a few chords and perhaps the first line or two. He teased the instrumental opening of "Darling Nikki" before veering away into something less risque.

More troubling was the brevity of the show. Prince seemed to be rushing as the cascade of hits continued. He mentioned several times "We got people waiting outside!!" which at one point drew a chorus of boos from the crowd. It was almost as if he wanted to get this over with so the REAL show could begin at 11:00.  He played an hour and 40 minutes. Subtract 10 minutes for the two breaks (one between the main two sets, and one for the encore), and then subtract another 10 minutes for two songs performed by Judith Hill, and you have 80 minutes of Prince. Considering the hefty prices tickets were sold at face value -- and the even heftier prices many of the fans had to pay on StubHub -- it was very poor bang for the buck. As an emotional "Purple Rain" faded into silence and the house lights came on, there was an undeniable sense that while Prince gave an amazing performance, it was just way, way too short. One look at his recent set-lists makes it crystal clear that the 8pm show at the Warner Theater was much shorter than the shows he's been playing recently.

This could have been resolved any number of ways - first and foremost, by not having a second show. Then Prince could have played as long as he wanted. But perhaps he wanted to get before as many fans as possible, a laudable goal for sure. Then why not have the show at a bigger venue? Or, if he wanted to keep things intimate, which they undoubtably were at the cozy Warner Theater, why not schedule a run of several nights?  Having two shows in one night means that the early show fans got the short end of a very very expensive stick.

It was a remarkable performance, and Prince showed without question that he is still at the top of his game (as he did in the studio with his two recent gems, Art Official Age and Plectrum Electrum). But as good as the show was - - and, make no mistake, the man and his stellar band were phenomenal -- it's hard not to feel like it was over before it even began.

Setlist:
As Trains Go By (Judith Hill)
Let's Go Crazy (abbreviated)
Take Me With U (abbreviated)
Raspberry Beret (abbreviated)
U Got the Look (abbreviated)
Shake! (The Time Cover, abbreviated)
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (Michael Jackson cover, abbreviated)
Cool (The Time Cover, abbreviated)

- break -

When Doves Cry (Abbreviated)
Sign o' The Times (abbreviated)
Hot Thing (abbreviated)
Nasty Girl (Vanity 6 cover - tiny snippet)
A Love Bizarre (Sheila E. cover - tiny snippet)
Darling Nikki (a few instrumental bars of the intro)
The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (a few lines)
Pop Life
How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore? (abbreviated)
Diamonds and Pearls (a few lines)
The Beautiful Ones (a few lines)
Controversy (abbreviated)
1999 (abbreviated)
Little Red Corvette (abbreviated)
Nothing Compares 2U
Play That Funky Music (Wild Cherry cover, abbreviated)

Encore:
Kiss
Purple Rain

** Note - the 11:00 p.m. show was longer, and featured guest Stevie Wonder on "Superstition," ""I Wish," "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)," and "Signed, Sealed Delivered"

Prince: "Lotusflow3er"

Been in something of a Prince mood lately, since his new album "20ten" hit newsstands.   Ordered the "Lotusflow3r" 2-LP set on vinyl from Amazon.com.  It arrived yesterday, and getting a chance to listen to it now.

Sounds remarkably rich and full.   In my view, "Lotusflow3r" has been criminally underrated, and it may be Prince's best album of the last decade.   It has a very warm, vibey sound to it that gives it more depth than some of his other work, which can sometimes sound overly clean and sterile to me.   The songwriting on this record also seems to be at a higher level than other recent albums.   This album lends itself to the advantages of vinyl, for sure.  Another interesting thing about listening to the vinyl version is envisioning the album in "sides".    Growing up listening to vinyl (and even cassettes), there was always a distinct impression about a particular side of an album.  That has been lost with the ascension of first CDs, and then the digital mp3 takeover.   But to me its part of the whole process of absorbing an album.

I do prefer "The Morning After" in place of "Crimson & Clover", though.  It sounds evident to me that "Crimson & Clover" was a late addition to the record.  It sounds a bit out of place and less natural than "The Morning After", and mars the record a little in my opinion.    Maybe at the last minute Prince decided he needed something with more commercial spark, but at this stage in his career he should just focus on putting out the best records possible.   His days of having multiple Top 40 hits from each album are sadly over.

Not that there aren't some strongly commercial tunes on this record.  "Dance 4 Me", "Dreamer", "Feel Good, Feel Better Feel Wonderful", "$" and others - - all would have been potential major singles if Prince still had the commercial appeal as in the 80s.   "Dance 4 Me" in particular has the sound of a classic Prince hit - - very funky, groovin' tune.  Nowadays the only Prince songs radio stations play are his classics, and it's mostly the die-hard fans (of which there are still plenty) paying much attention to his more recent work.

I also think one of the reasons why this album doesn't get more acclaim is lingering fan resentment over the website fiasco that accompanied this album's release.  $77.00 for a years membership that basically got you the album (which could be purchased at Target for $12.00), the ability to navigate a few videos, and pictures.  That's about it.   Huge scam, and a miracle Prince didn't get hit with a suit of some sort. 

Anyway, it's a true shame this album is so neglected.  "Lotusflow3r" (with "MPLSound" comprising the 2nd disc), is a terrific Prince record, and I'm definitely enjoying it tonight.

Prince: "20ten"

Prince releases his latest studio album, "20Ten", tomorrow via a unique distribution method that he's used before.   It will appear free in various magazines throughout Europe - in the UK, it's the Daily Record.   He used a similar tactic with his "Planet Earth" album, although it was released via more traditional means in the US.   No word yet on a US distribution of "20Ten", but diehard fans who care enough about Prince's music will no doubt have little trouble getting their hands on a copy.

Prince has taken some heat and been the object of some scorn lately for his comments that seemed to suggest the internet is "dead."   Well, let's examine what he is doing here.   He is getting paid upfront by these magazines - presumably huge sums.   He then walks away.   The magazines have the burden of promotion, and they are the ones on the line for production costs and making their sales goals.  Let's face it, Prince is no longer selling huge numbers through traditional music outlets (nor is most everybody else.)   He gets paid without the risk of having a flop album, he gets music to the fans, and is free from the shackles of a major label deal.    He's making far more $$$ on "20ten" by doing this than if he had released it via more traditional means.  If you're Prince, or a Prince fan, what's not to like?  

So from his perspective, maybe the internet IS dead.   He's getting "20ten" into the homes of far more people this way than if he'd released it on iTunes or in record stores.   People who wouldn't bother surfing the web to pay for and download the newest Prince album, or go to the mall and spend $14.99 at FYE, or who may only know Prince from "Purple Rain" will see stacks of the album in their daily newsstand.   It has a far greater reach.    It's really quite a brilliant move.

The paradigm has shifted and the music industry is forever changed.   Prince has been able to successfully manuever through the different landscapes in this industry for 30 years.  He releases what he wants, when he wants, on his own terms.   

It's good to be Prince.

Blue Groove Soundz - Arlington, VA

Last day before going back to work, so I thought I'd do a little record shopping while I still have the opportunity.


First went to the CD Cellar in Falls Church, VA.  I had been a big fan of this place back in my CD-buying days, but I hadn't been back in a while - and actually thought they had closed.   They are very much open, and in fact now have a large vinyl section, so I'm very happy about that. 

I picked up the following:

Eurythmics - Touch.  Yes, already have this but they had a nice UK pressing with a Tour Book as an added extra for $10.00.   Very cool.

Robert Fripp - Exposure

 
















Warren Zevon - Sentimental Hygiene

We then headed to Blue Groove Soundz in Arlington, the newest local record shop.    It was my first time there, and I quite liked it.  It's a fairly small shop in a basement store area, but they had a nice sized collection.   Certainly comparable to a couple of the DC stores.   I ended up getting Prince's "Rave un2 The Joy Fantastic" LP.   Not his best work, but it does have some good stuff, and I'd never seen in on vinyl before.

Nice day shopping.

Joe's Record Paradise - 6/20/10

Very nice trip to Silver Spring and Joe's Record Paradise today. It's only my 2nd time there and I have a feeling I'll be going back more frequently. Terrific selection and some great rarities.


Picked up the following:

10CC's "The Original Soundtrack" which, of course, features their masterpiece "I'm Not in Love."



Prince's "Kiss" 12" single. Exclusive extended mixes of both "Kiss" and it's stellar b-side, "Love or Money" - one of Prince's best obscure tracks.



The Records self-titled 1979 album featuring their classic single "Starry Eyes"




The Chameleon's amazing "Strange Times" LP



and a sealed copy of The Dead Boys "We Have Come For Your Children"




very happy with my haul today.

Prince: "Sign o' The Times"

Prince recently announced that he will release 2 new albums, ‘Lotusflow3r’ and ‘MPLSound’ later this month exclusively at Target department stores. These days Prince makes more news for his marketing innovations – and sending angry missives via his attorneys to fan sites – than his music. But while he might not be shaking the foundations of pop music with every new album like he did in the 80s, new Prince music is still cause for excitement. He’s waxed and waned and waxed again over the years in terms of commercial and artistic success; he’s capable of producing both dreadful misfires (‘New Power Soul’, anyone?) as well as stone-cold classics. Only time will tell where the new albums will rank amongst the pantheon of Princedom, but in the meantime he has a peerless back catalog brimming with amazing tunes that can tide fans over until the new albums arrive.

Prince was arguably at his creative peak in 1986 as he wrote and assembled the wildly diverse collection of songs that would end up on his acclaimed 1987 double-album ‘Sign o’ the Times.’ It was a cobbled together patchwork of songs that had originally been recorded for various unreleased projects - the aborted ‘Dream Factory’ LP, an album to be credited to the alter-ego “Camille” featuring Prince’s vocals manipulated and sped-up, and the proposed 3-LP set ‘Crystal Ball’ which was whittled down to 2 discs at the record company’s insistence. Many of the tracks recorded during this period remain unreleased but have been widely bootlegged, so in some respects the mystique of ‘Sign o’ the Times’ has always suffered a bit for imaging what it might have been. But while diehard fans will continue to pine for the release of outtakes from the era, it hardly seems fair to judge an album by what it doesn’t include – and without question ‘Sign o’ The Times’ is still a phenomenal record. The diversity, perhaps owing to the unfocused nature of its genesis, is its greatest strength. The title track opens the album on a stark and somber note. With lyrics about AIDS, drugs, violence and poverty over a stripped-down dark funk backdrop, “Sign o’ The Times” was a bold choice for debut single. Mostly known in the past for sweat-drenched and lascivious funk-rock like “When Doves Cry,” “Kiss” and “Little Red Corvette,” this was something unlike anything Prince had ever released. Despite its heavy subject matter, and its lack of a video in an age when MTV was all-powerful, it became an instant smash.

From that starting point, the album whirls and twists in almost every direction imaginable. “Housequake,” with its shout-and-response vocals, rapid-fire horn blasts and kinetic rhythm is a certifiable Prince classic. “Hot Thing” is blistering funk. The off-kilter “Ballad of Dorothy Parker” is a comically obtuse take on a one-night stand. The semi-psychedelic “Starfish and Coffee” is an oddly touching song about a young girl with developmental disabilities. It showed a sentimentality in Prince’s songwriting largely missing from past records. Then there’s the sweet soul of “Slow Love,” an unabashedly lush old-school ballad with romantic strings, horns and a sweeping vocal performance. Disc one closes with the bluesy “Forever In My Life,” a song of naked devotion that doesn’t fall into the usual mode of the slow, weepy ballad. It’s basically Prince just singing over a slightly discordant drum machine pattern with a few strands of guitar at the end, but the vocal performance is so emotive and powerful that more instrumentation would have smothered it.

Disc two is, if anything, even stronger. “U Got the Look,” a wickedly clever pop song with a killer hook provided by Sheena Easton, was the album’s biggest hit single. Another smash was the rocker “I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man,” with an extended instrumental ending giving Prince free reign on his blistering guitar. “If I Was Your Girlfriend” is arguably one of Prince’s greatest accomplishments. Twisted and funky, it’s a sly take on the dynamics within a relationship, with distorted vocals and an insistent, creeping rhythm and a serpentine keyboard riff that crawls into your brain and takes hold. “The Cross” morphs from a solemn devotional ballad into a thundering blues-rock finale. “It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night,” mixing a live backing track with studio overdubs, is 9 minutes of hip shaking funk that is irrepressibly joyous. The album closes with perhaps Prince’s most famous ballad, the achingly beautiful “Adore.” Prince’s soaring falsetto never sounded better. When “until the end of time, I’ll be there for you…” eases out of the speakers, lights suddenly dim and candles light all of their own accord.

Prince has released tons of great music since ‘Sign o’ the Times,’ including some solid work this decade, but he never again over the course of an entire record reached the dizzying heights achieved on this masterwork. It showed his seemingly effortless versatility in full display, and has become the benchmark by which every new Prince album is judged. Experimental while still being accessible, ‘Sign o’ The Times’ is the type of extraordinary album that shows the limitless possibilities of pop music.

Originally posted on NBC-4 March 17, 2009