Prince tribute show draws 18,000, brings closure for many

The hastily organised tribute to Prince late last week drew 18,000 fans to the Xcel Energy Center hockey arena in St. Paul.

The 45-song five-hour show, put together by Prince’s family with help from music executives and sold out in 30 minutes, obviously gave them the chance to experience the talents of legends like Stevie Wonder, Purple Rain co-star Morris Day, Chaka Khan, Doug E. Fresh, Tori Kelly, Jessie J alongside Prince’s band mates in New Power Generation and 3rdEyeGirl.

There were some conspicuous absences. The Revolution did a tribute last month but couldn’t reconvene for this big one. But Revolution drummer Bobby Z came and shared some Prince memories with the fans. Sheila E was in New York that night on tour but is headlining a tribute this weekend.

John Mayer (recording commitments), Christina Aguilera (vocal infection) and Anita Baker (injury) dropped off the bill at the last minute.

But for many fans (who paid between $19.99 and $225 a ticket) and artists, the tribute show was less about names and more about closure. Prince passed six months ago, and no-one quite knew how to deal with it until this show.

Long time associate Shelby J, formerly of New Power Generation summed it up telling a local newspaper, “I cried earlier today, but now that we’re here, I’m excited. I needed this.”

It also gave Minnesota the chance to thank the prolific man who not only single-handedly put it on the world’s music atlas but fought through his career to maintain his artistic integrity.

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman proclaimed it Prince Day. At the start of the show, following montages of the late superstar, President Obama also sent a message – receiving a rock star cheer – “Thank you, Prince, for all your works. You’ll be in our hearts forever.”

Morris Hayes, Prince’s long time keyboard player and music director lead the house band under the name New Power Generation..

The music aspect began with local R&B group Mint Condition who performed D.M.S.R. and When Doves Cry. One of his first bands Time, lead by a canary yellow-suit sporting Morris Day took the audience back to Prince’s early days, when he played clubs like First Avenue, and fans would do bird hand gestures to The Bird and strut to Jungle Love.

X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger joined 3rdEyeGirl for Nasty Girl, a hit single for Prince protegees Vanity 6 in 1982. Other lesser-known protégés Shelby J, Liv Warfield, Marva King, Kip Blackshire, Elisa Fiorillo Dease and Judith Hill tackled hits as Kiss and Cream, and album tracks including How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore.

Prince’s ex-wife Mayte Garcia did her belly routine balancing a sword on her head. André Cymone, his childhood friend who was with him when he started writing songs in the basement of the family home, did five songs.

Jessie J got a standing ovation for I Wanna Be Your Lover and Nothing Compares 2 U. It was an impressive performance given she was a last minute replacement for Christina Aguilera who had reportedly been heard by fans waiting outside running through I Wanna Be Your Lover during afternoon soundcheck.

A highlight was when Chaka Khan, after Betcha and Sweet Thing, was joined by Stevie Wonder on harmonica for I Feel for You (which Khan covered in the early ‘80s) and 1999.

Wonder later returned with solo keyboards to close the show with a rendition of Donnie Hathaway’s Someday We’ll All Be Free (he and Prince used to play it together) and an extended funk-out of his own Superstition. He told the crowd he would “miss Prince forever. He had so many plans to make this world a better place to live in.”

Wonder was visibly weeping as New Power Generation then went into Purple Rain as the finale at midnight, with Prince’s pre-recorded vocals. Purple confetti rained from the ceiling while a giant Prince symbol flashed from giant screens. As fans filed out, Prince’s voice called out “I love you!”

CONCERT SET LIST

America – Mint Condition
D.M.S.R. – Mint Condition
When Doves Cry – Mint Condition
The Bird – Morris Day and the Time
Jungle Love – Morris Day and the Time
Spoken tribute by Bobby Z
Uptown – André Cymone
Erotic City – Shelby J.
Hot Thing – Liv Warfield
Kiss – Marva King
Anotherloverholeinyohead – Kip Blackshire
For You – Tyka Nelson
Nasty Girl – Nicole Scherzinger
Baby, I’m a Star – Nicole Scherzinger
Do Me, Baby – Luke James
The Most Beautiful Girl in the World – Luke James
The Cross – Judith Hill
How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore – Judith Hill
The Ladder – André Cymone
Cream – Elisa Fiorillo Dease
Ballad of Dorothy Parker – André Cymone
Pop Life – Doug E. Fresh with André Cymone
Housequake – Doug E. Fresh
Walk in Sand – Ana Maura
Little Red Corvette – Ana Maura
Betcha – Chaka Khan
Sweet Thing – Chaka Khan
I Feel For You – Chaka Khan with Stevie Wonder
1999 – Chaka Khan with Stevie Wonder
Pretzelbodylogic – 3rdeyegirl with Shelby J
Plectrumelectrum – 3rdeyegirl
Wow – 3rdeyegirl with Liv Warfield
The Beautiful Ones – Bilal
If I Was Your Girlfriend – Bilal
Musicology – Shelby J
Dance performance by Mayte Garcia
Computer Blue – André Cymone
I Would Die 4 U – Marva King
Sexy M.F. – Tony Mosley
Gett Off – Doug E. Fresh
Sometimes It Snows in April – Elisa Fiorillo Dease
Girls & Boys – Marva King
She’s Always in My Hair – Kip Blackshire
Controversy – André Cymone
La Di Da Di – Doug E. Fresh
Let’s Go Crazy – Tori Kelly
Diamonds and Pearls – Tori Kelly
Take Me With You – Tori Kelly with Stevie Wonder
Raspberry Beret – Tori Kelly with Stevie Wonder
I Wanna Be Your Lover – Jessie J.
Nothing Compares 2 U – Jessie J. with Kip Blackshire
Someday We’ll All Be Free – Stevie Wonder
Superstition – Stevie Wonder
Instrumental jam
Purple Rain – Stevie Wonder