1988 Prince Aftershow at the Warfield
I sound like a broken record with my Prince posts, so let me sum it up:
Prince + after-hours performance + 1980’s output = Best Prince
Hmm, I guess I have to conjure up a Not So Best Prince formula.
I’ll try: Prince + Tony M. + “Jughead” = Not So Best Prince.
“Jughead”, from ‘Diamonds and Pearls’, is THE worst Prince song of all time. Totally unlistenable. Not far behind is the title track from ‘Graffiti Bridge’. LOTS of good tunes on the album (“Question of U”, “We Can Funk”, “Joy in Repetition”), but “Graffiti Bridge” itself is cringe-inducing for sure.
For the Comments section below: What are your Best and Not So Best Prince formulas [formulae?]. Worst song?
But back to the best of Prince. The Lovesexy tour was my first live Prince experience (two shows at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago, Sept, ’88). This aftershow came a couple months later. After playing the Oakland Coliseum, Prince and his band zipped across the Bay Bridge and set up at the Warfield Theater.
That evening, the lucky Warfield audience caught great versions of “Positivity” (the closing song on ‘Lovesexy’), “The Ballad of Dorothy Parker”, and the Temptations’ “Just My Imagination” (and a lot more). Question for the Prince fans…. “Imagination” turns into a refrain of “Sitting in this cafe, waiting for my baby.” I’m wondering about this song, namely what it is. The age old trick of plugging lyrics into Google gets me nowhere! Does .. not .. compute.
Prince
Warfield Theatre
San Francisco, CA
November 10, 1988 (aftershow)
Lineup:
Prince (everything)
Mico Weaver (guitar)
Levi Seacer (bass)
Sheila E. (drums, percussion)
Cat (eye candy)
Matt (Dr.) Fink (keys, synth)
Boni Boyer (keys, vox) [who sadly passed away in 1996 at age 38 due to a brain aneurysm]
Eric Leeds (sax)
Matt (Atlanta Bliss) Blistan (trumpet)
1. Positivity
2. The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker / Four (Madhouse)
3. Housequake > Take The A-Train
4. Housequake (ending)
5. Just My Imagination > Sitting In This Cafe (Waiting For My Baby)
6. I’ll Take You There > Take this Beat (from “I Wish U Heaven” 12″ version; it is hard to get funkier than this)
7. Cold Sweat
8. Prince Drum Solo > Sheila E. Percussion Solo
9. Lovesexy > It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night > Chain Of Fools > Beautiful Night
28 Comments
Pete
A quick note about the track sequencing… It ain’t pretty at some points. Some songs don’t start until a minute in. But this minor annoyance is well worth it.
Patanoia
Best: Prince + Wendy + Lisa
Worst: Prince + any kind of rapping
Charlie
I love any post about prince, but can I request a Wendy and Lisa post or anything about the Time.
Charlie
This has nothing to do with Prince, but how about a post for a local band that I’ve just discovered…Fred Green.
Pete
Charlie – That Wendy & Lisa post is waiting for a guest blogger: YOU! Now as for your requests, dude, I work next to you, turn around and put in a request in person! đ
Mean
Pete,
Thanks for the link to our podcast. When we ever get to review the Graffiti Bridge, I got sumthin to say about the song ‘Graffiti Bridge’. đ
Sal Nunziato
âll try: Prince + Tony M. + âJugheadâ = Not So Best Prince.
That is the funniest thing I’ve read all week.
I
Anonymous
prince plus warner bros = great music
prince minus warner = no quality control
Anonymous
ps sorry forgot to say thanks for the great download!
B2
Pete ~ You Rock! Thanks, Man…
It’s hard to beat Prince plus anything… And you’ve already mentioned the whole rap angle being bad.
All I can add is this:
prince + electric guitar = heaven
Adam
I live in Minneapolis, so I’ve been fortunate enough to only see Prince do private gigs and after hours shows. And that’s really the only way to see him.
So I’ve seen Tony M with Prince, and it wasn’t that bad, but with a couple of hundred other people, Tony M is very tolerable.
Today, August 18, is the anniversary of *the* club show in 1988. That show is completely different than what was performed at the Warfield show just a few months later. Both, however, are essential in the canon of aftershows.
Toni
The worst formula in my opinion was whoever dreamed up the disaster that was/is the Lovesexy album. One continuous track??
I’m a huge Prince fan, own anything I’ve gotten my hands on but that is the least listened to album in my collection.
Jeff
Yeah, I’m all for an artist’s control over his own art, but after parting ways with WB, it did seem to get a little more out of hand. His recent stuff’s been good though.
Chris
This is coming from a guy who made money off “goldnigger”. Well, actually I’am glad someone else did beside Prince. Of course you know Pedro I’am computer Illiterate, but I have been trying o send you an attachment of NYC aftershow complete so let me know how my non computer self can do so.
Thanks for the good music “big brother is listening” not just Steve ,
GUFF
Pete
Adam –
Yeah the 8/18/88 Holland show is the aftershow of aftershows. Funny how today is the anniversary (19 yrs ago – gulp). You’ve inspired me to pull out my CD’s and take a listen! I still have the price tag on them from Recycle Records in Colorado Springs… $69.99. Back when you could find these cool bootlegs in a record store.
Pete
Toni,
Yeah the single track concept of ‘Lovesexy’ was a little strange (and annoying when I had to hit search through the CD). Actually, that’s still the only copy I have. Aren’t the Lovesexy CD’s sold today tracked out? Anyone? Might have to invest in another one…
Beyond that, I still love the tunes on the album. It was cool at the time to listen to the contrast between Lovesexy and the Black Album. Good vs. evil.
Paul
Many thanks! “Sitting in this cafe, waiting for my baby” is a line from the song ‘Noon Rendezvous’ by Shelia E. It’s on the Glamorous Life CD
Pete
You’re the man, Paul. My vinyl copy has been sitting on the shelf pretty much for the last 21 years. I just picked up the Glamorous Life CD on eBay (for $6.49!). Time for a fresh listen!
Paul wrote:
>> âSitting in this cafe, waiting for my babyâ is a line from the song âNoon Rendezvousâ by Shelia E. Itâs on the Glamorous Life CD
B2
Ooohh 8-18-88… The Trojan Horse… I forgot all about that! I’ll have to give that a spin this evening. Thanks for the reminder.
Zack
Man – here I am without Internet access at home for a few weeks (just moved), and you go posting what looks to be a great aftershow. For shame!
I’m with you on GB. In fact, the trilogy of Melody Cool – Still Would Stand All Time and GB is pretty difficult for me to get through (although the versions of Still Would Stand All Time from the 88 aftershows are great). Worst Prince – most of Diamonds and Pearls, all but 3 songs on Chaos & Disorder, New Power Soul, Rave. I also recently listened to Emancipation recently for the first time in a while. Talk about an album that doesn’t hold up!
Justin
Thanks! As always, love the Prince posts. As someone who didn’t get into prince until my 20’s (late 90’s), I missed out on the “golden era” of Prince with all these great bootlegs. I have all the “official” stuff, but I am still searching for Crystal Ball, Dream Factory, etc.
PS I used to be subscribed for Prince updates, but I don’t get them. How do I fix this? Thanks again.
Arthur
Your formula is THE formula! I was at the Warfield show — 18 years old, trying to get in a 21 and over show. Security was NOT having it, but I wouldn’t go home. Finally, the theater’s manager came outside and let me in because it was past 2am and California law prohibited the sale of liquor after that time. Me and my friend were escorted to some seats in the balcony (damn good seats, too!) and we saw the best Prince show I’ve yet to see. The only thing that comes close to it is the Valentine’s Day show at the Filmore in 2004.
If you can stay up — you’ll see the best shows. You’ll wonder why you went to the regular concert!
Pete
Paul – doesn’t look like the “Sitting in this cafe…” line is from Sheila E.’s “Noon Rendezvous”. I’ve listened and relistened, and I ain’t hearing it! đ
Jcingles
That’s because it ain’t there… But when prince performed it live at First Avenue in 1984 before Purple Rain came out and with Sheila E in the audience, those lines were included… Seek the bday bootleg!
tobias
hey, thanks for the big ups….we just posted a new one.
Please Repost!!
“Psychodelic Wallpaper” does anyone have the music from this never seen in theaters Prince Movie?
Alex
Man, the Warfield show ’88! I’m listening to Levi’s bass solo right now! I searched the web about the Warfield show and found this site.
I’m glad that a lot of you guys/gals agree that this show and the “Paard van Troje” show are the best. I remember that 18 th august 1988. I was 14 and it was my first Prince concert in De Kuip that day. The rumour there was that Prince would go to The Hague for the aftershow. Unfortunately I was too young to get in…
By the way: don’t forget the show at Camden Palace London 1988, awesome!!
theos
How can I get a copy of this and the live show with Morris day and the Time?