Prince & the Band Invade The Troubadour: Nuit Onze (et Douze)

[PRINCE @ the Troubadour | May 11, 2011 & May 12, 2011]

Page 77 in the "How to be a Hardcore Prince Fan" Handbook states that you must be ready for whenever Prince decides he wants to do an impromptu random club date with little to no notice. True to regular fashion, Prince did exactly this when he booked two shows in one night at the Troubadour. Just as everyone got comfortable with the Forum routine --- shows going on sale at the beginning of the week for THAT weekend, he threw us a zinger to find out who was still awake. And only a select few fans and A-listers were able to hustle and attend these two shows.

Since the $100 ticket price was too steep for me on such short notice, I wasn't one of the lucky folks to attend.

Here is the setlist...taken from setlist.com:


FIRST SHOW:

STRATUS (with One Nation Under a Groove)
POWER FANTASTIC
SOMEWHERE HERE ON EARTH
BOOM
JAZZ SWING IN C
LET'S GET IT ON (Andy Allo on vocals)
COLONIZED MIND (Mike Phillips on sax)
WHEN SHE COMES (new song??)
SHHH/U WILL B WITH ME
CONTROVERSY
MUSICOLOGY
A CASE OF U (Joni Mitchell cover)
POP LIFE
BEGGIN' WOMAN BLUES



SECOND SHOW:

I LIKE IT THERE
ENDORPHINMACHINE
DREAMER
COLONIZED MIND
BAMBI
BROWN SKIN (Shelby J. on vocals)
SAME PAGE (Elisa Fiorillo-Dease on vocals)
MISTY BLUE (Shelby J. on vocals)
MUSICOLOGY
CRIMSON & CLOVER
WAITING IN VAIN (Andy Allo on vocals)
SHE'S ALWAYS IN MY HAIR
WILD THING
PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC

ENCORE:
PEACH
FUTURE SOUL SONG
I WANT TO BE FREE
STRATUS (with Get Up, Stand Up Interpolation)

ENCORE 2:
ANOTHERLOVERHOLEINYOHEAD/ROCK LOBSTER (w/ Let's Go Crazy guitar coda)



IMHO, it seems like the second show was the better of the two, although this would depend on who you ask. I, for one, love it when Prince breaks out the hard core rock tunes at his shows. And while I certainly appreciate it when he is feeling the jazzier grooves, I prefer watching him wail on his guitar like he wants to break it in two. BUT, I wasn't there, so I my opinion really doesn't matter. LOL

As luck would have it, some mystery person was streaming the first show somehow...and I was able to hear some of it. But I'm guessing whatever he was using to stream ran out of steam, because I didn't hear any of the rock-laden 2nd show.

For those of you counting — and with the benefit of hindsight as I'm writing these last few setlist/reviews weeks later — these two Troubadour shows DO count in the 21 Nights...#11 & 12.

Onward!