Prince Plays Rare Concert At Paisley Park Studios

(photo courtesy of David Joles at the Star Tribune)

Prince played a surprise private concert Saturday, October 24 at Paisley Park studios in Chanhassen, MN.

Show review and set list courtesy of Jon Bream at the Star Tribune Minneapolis - St. Paul, Minnesota and idolator.

Prince showed more versatility and musicality in his first hour onstage than Michael Jackson did in his entire career. He started with a bunch of tunes from this year's "Lotusflow3r" collection and then paraded through his hits, especially from the 1980s. In fact, there wasn't one tune from the '90s and only "Feel 4 U" from the '70s.

With his horn-less band, Prince has never sounded funkier at Paisley. He was talkative and humorous, loose and spontaneous, calling out songs and arrangements as well as an occasional "so-low" for himself on guitar. To witness that kind of organic musicmaking always feels special -- especially when it's a well-drilled, first-rate band like Prince's -- even if you have to put up with the bandleader frequently telling the sound guy how to adjust the mix.

Prince saluted the Time, the Doobie Brothers and the Jackson 5 in song and verbally acknowledged his debt ("I wouldn't be who I am without...") to James Brown, the Jacksons, Chaka Khan, Rufus, Stevie Wonder, Sly Stone, Joni Mitchell and Tower of Power. His pal Larry Graham sat in on bass for a series of Sly & the Family Stone tunes, and backup singer Shelby J, a powerhouse from the southern soul/gospel school, stepped out front on a couple of selections, most notably "The Arms Of An Angel."

Read more of the show review here:
Star Tribune - Paisley Park's night to remember





Prince's Paisley Park Set list:

No More Candy 4 U
Ol Skool Company
Stand (Sly Stone cover)
Turn Me Loose
I Want You Back (Jackson 5 cover)
Dance with Me
1999
Feel 4 U
Controversy
Sexy Dancer
Le Freak (Chic cover)
Shake That Moneymaker
Controversy
Why U Wanna Treat Me So Bad
Take Me with U
Anotherholeinthehead/Rock Lobster (the B-52's)
Guitar
Raspberry Beret
Arms Of An Angel (Sarah McLachlan cover sung by Shelby J)
Forever in My Life
Mountains
Shake Your Booty (Jackson 5 cover)
begins Sly Stone medley: Everyday People
I Want To Take You Higher
You Can Make It If You Try
Long Train Runnin (Doobie Brothers cover, sung by Shelby J)
Thankuforlettinmebemyself (back to Sly Stone)
Dancin' Machine (The Jacksons cover)
Sing a Simple Song (more Sly Stone)
Play That Funky Music (Wild Cherry cover)

Encore #1
Uptown
Let's Work
Cool (The Time)
Kiss
Sometimes it Snows in April
The Bird (The Time, playfully introduced as "another ballad")
Jungle Love
Love Bizarre
Glamourous Life

Encore #2
Purple Rain