One Nite Alone...Live! (2002)
Disc One
1. Rainbow Children
2. Muse 2 the Pharaoh
3. Xenophobia
4. Extraordinary
5. Mellow
6. 1+1+1 is 3
7. Other Side of the Pillow
8. Strange Relationship
9. When U Were Mine
10.Avalanche
Disc Two
1. Family Name
2. Take Me With U
3. Raspberry Beret
4. Everlasting Now
5. One Nite Alone
6. Adore
7. I Wanna B Your Lover
8. Do Me Baby
9. Condition of the Heart
10.Diamonds and Pearls
11.The Beautiful Ones
12.Nothing Compares 2 U
13.Free
14.Starfish and Coffee
15.Sometimes it Snows in April
16.How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
17.Anna Stesia
Disc Three
1. Joy in Repitition
2. We Do This
3. Medley: Just Friends (Sunny)/If You Want Me To Stay
4. 2 Nigs United 4 West Compton
5. Alpahbet Street
6. Peach
7. Dorothy Parker
8. Girls and Boys
9. Everlasting Now
For a man who had put out as much studio material as Prince had over the decades, it’s almost a bit shocking how long it took him to finally release a proper live album. To the best of my knowledge, this was the first official live recording of any of his performances—unless you count a few stray concert DVDs here and there. Sadly, as is sometimes the case with Prince, the end result isn’t quite what most fans might have been hoping for.
This set documents performances from his Rainbow Children tour—an “intimate” string of dates with a much looser, jazz-oriented approach than what most fans might associate with his stadium-level heyday. Now, if you're a huge fan of that album (and some are), you'll be right at home here. But for those of us hoping for a high-energy hits-laden spectacle from one of the greatest live performers of his generation, this release can feel like something of a letdown.
The band sounds great, no question. Prince himself is clearly in the zone, playing, joking, and even chatting with audience members. It’s one of the few times on record where he actually sounds comfortable in front of a crowd, and the atmosphere is warm and personable. The playing is first-rate, and there's no shortage of musicianship throughout.
The problem is the setlist. It leans heavily on newer and more obscure material, much of it from the Rainbow Children album. Yes, he was touring behind that record, so it makes sense. But it’s a challenging album to begin with, and the live renditions—while performed with conviction—aren’t likely to win over anyone who wasn’t already a believer. He throws in a few crowd-pleasers here and there, but they’re few and far between. And the extended jam sessions—five tracks clock in at over ten minutes—tend to wear out their welcome after a while. Nice if you were there. Not so much if you’re listening at home hoping to hear Let’s Go Crazy or Kiss.
One disc does feature Prince at the piano running through abbreviated versions of some of the old favorites, and while it’s charming, it also feels a little frustrating. It’s like being served a sampler plate when you were really hoping for a full meal. The moments are nice, but they pass far too quickly.
Other artists—Springsteen, Rush, The Stones—have released so many live albums that you can afford to get creative from time to time. But when it’s your first official live document, and possibly your last, a little more familiarity wouldn’t have hurt. As well-made as it is, this album plays more like a niche offering for the die-hards than the definitive live release it could have—and should have—been.
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