My introduction to music started back in 1983. The 80’s were a phenomenal era, and rock music was everywhere, every artist was different, pop music and r&b music had the same sound, and Michael Jackson ruled world. And then Purple Rain happened….changing everything I thought about music. Prince wasn’t like anyone. He didn’t sound like anyone. He didn’t want to be like anyone…and this movie, this movie was just cool. Here was a guy who was bad ass, didn’t care what you thought about what he wore or how he looked and was going to sing and play his ass off. The more I heard from him the more I realized that I need more. This bad ass could do no wrong. His music, not perfect, but provided hit after hit after hit. You couldn’t copy Prince, he was just too original. He was so un-realistic to me, that he didn’t exist in real life, just in music, stories, and the occasional television appearance. He toured, playing in other states, countries, and even here but pushing new material, which may have been good but wasn’t quite up to that standards of the Prince I wanted to see. I wanted the hits. I wanted prince at his best, no restrictions. Finally I got my chance when Prince hit Chicago for a 3 day stint at the United Center.
From top to bottom most people who attended the first show on Monday will tell you it was a disaster. That won’t change hear. Prince is anything but perfect, yet seemingly a perfectionist. Let’s go on to the last show on Wednesday, which was short on the encore yet had the strongest opening of any of the concerts so far. I’ve seen many shows from some of the greatest artist of my time; nevertheless the opening to Prince’s final show was easily the best I’ve ever experienced. From starting with “Controversy”, Let’s go crazy” Delirious” “1999” “Little Red Corvette”….hit after hit after hit. Prince gave Chicago the proper ending his “Welcome 2 Chicago” stint deserved. With an incredible horn section, including some incredible work done by the legendary Maceo Parker. Prince also has a serious appreciation of the work his cousin Morris Day has done, as he ended the Wednesday show partying it up with fans to “The Bird” and “Jungle Love”.
So with the bad start, and the properly-fitting ending, its Tuesday’s performance that makes Prince’s stay at the UC memorable.
From the get-go Prince was determined to make up for the rough start that was Monday. With the stage set up in the round in the form of his love symbol, prince stomped all over the stage wearing a pair of heels better than most of the women attending the concert. Big on fan participation, Prince often let the crowd do the singing, if not the three lovely (not so) background singers who performed almost every song with him. The show kept a steady rhythm of hits until falling flat when Prince turned over the stage to his latest protégé Andy Allo. While she wasn’t bad, the crowd came specifically to see prince, not Allo, so the energy fell flat.
As if on cue Prince returned and picked up steam quickly, albeit, with a few slow songs. All crowd pleasers, he brought down the house with “Sometimes it snows in April”, Shhh (a song written for Tevin Campbell), and a slowed down version of “I could never take the place of your man”. The biggest reaction of the night came next, with the performance of “Nothing compares 2 u”, as midway through the first verse Chicago’s own Jennifer Hudson took the stage. With a voice bigger than the arena holding her, she owned her part of the duet, bringing tears to eyes and fans out of their seats. It was very funny watching Jennifer (wearing heels) tower over prince (also wearing heels) like Andre the Giant staring down at Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania III. Prince followed that performance with “Purple Rain”, a powerful and magical ending with included confetti and glitter and everything else you’d expect from a Prince performance of the song.
Prince had a lot to make up for on Monday, so four encores didn’t hurt. The fans weren’t leaving, and when they did it only made prince want to come out even more. Whether it was a one song encore, or a musical medley of over 10 songs, prince gave the crowd everything he got, even once screaming “you know how many hit’s I got? We’ll be here all night!”
The end of the night concluded much like Wednesday’s show with fans dancing on stage, with the houselights on (he did this frequently, wanting to see the crowd dance), jamming out to the Batman soundtrack rarity “Partyman”, a fitting song for a man who held the crowd in his hands since the rumors of a prince concert were mentioned.
And just like that, Thursday morning it was over…like it had never happened, life was back to normal. But for the fans of Chicago who attended, whether the good, the bad, or the great, it was clear (using his own words) that “can’t nobody do it like Prince”.
The Tuesday Night Set-list:
(thunderstorm show intro)
(with Let's Go Crazy)
Shhh…
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man
(with Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough)
(with Jennifer Hudson)
How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore
Encore 3:
What Have You Done For Me Lately
(Janet Jackson cover)
