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He may call himself the Artist these days, but the man formerly known as Prince took on so many roles during his concert at the Rose Garden on Sunday night that he could more accurately be referred to as the Entertainer. Within seconds of emerging on stage through a smokescreen, the Artist danced, twirled, hopped up on his purple piano and did a few tawdry push-ups that incited high-pitched screams from women in the 10,000-plus crowd. Leading the latest version of his New Power Generation, a six-member ensemble that includes a female bassist wearing a Bodyglove-like mini-dress and stiletto heels, the Artist also served as singer, guitarist, preacher, actor and even mime during a two-hour set that began with a teasing recorded overture of well-known Prince riffs before yielding to the tour's title track, "Jam of the Year." Quickly, the Artist retreated to familiar territory, strutting around an appropriately lit stage as the band struck up "Purple Rain," then performing a transfixing and languid interpretive dance to an extended intro for "Little Red Corvette." Dressed in a white, oversized blouse, tight matching pants and high-heeled shoes, he spun, slid and did splits before singing a dramatically abbreviated version of the 1982 hit. Instances such as this were the downfall of an otherwise wildly entertaining show. Throughout the set, the Artist electrified the arena by starting beloved songs from every phase in his career, only to cut them short with jarring segues. After leaving the stage for a costume change, he sat at the piano and performed a brash medley of some of his best-known works, including a too-short segment of "Delirious," that made a poor substitute for the original compositions. When the Artist allowed a song to develop, however, the results were often dazzling. In arrangements that differed from recorded versions, "If I Was Your Girlfriend" pulsated to a funky mid-tempo beat, and "The Cross" swirled with a heady mix of religious and pop fervor. Early in the show, he strapped on his glyph-shaped guitar and played a nimble-fingered solo take on "A Case of You" that was closer in style to Hendrix than to the song's author, Joni Mitchell. New material shined as well--especially the flamboyantly erotic "Face Down," which showcased the Artist's deft rapping and his band's ability to rock. If there was an up side to the clipped recitations of many songs, it's that the Artist was allowed more time to drift through his various personae. The most obvious reference point is James Brown, another multifaceted entertainer who dances, acts and sings with equal aplomb. But the ex-Prince doesn't stop there. His mini piano recital recalled the soulfulness of Stevie Wonder, both in the Artist's emotive vocals and in the tones emanating from his clandestinely electric piano. During a cover of Joan Osborne's schlocky "One of Us," the Artist sermonized and shifted the song into a gospel groove that hinted at Al Green's work. When inciting the New Power Generation into a psychedelic groove, as he did in "Raspberry Beret," the Artist evoked Funkadelic ringleader George Clinton. With his signature shrieks, awe-inspiring dance moves and coy skits in which he mimicked the emotions of a spurned lover and mock-moped "You don't love me, Portland," the Artist displayed his originality throughout. Late in the set, he energized the crowd with a flawlessly funked-up "Sexy M.F." For an encore, he invited five women and one man from the audience to dance on stage, then ushered them off before launching into the brilliant closer, "1999." As an opening act, aging R&B diva Chaka Khan led a nine-piece ensemble through a set of funk, smooth jazz, soul and rock, trotting out songs from her days in Rufus, adding a few covers and virtually ignoring the mid-'80s period when she ruled the dance charts. Songs from her new album, Epiphany, were glossed over with shimmering sax runs and prominent synth parts, as were versions of "My Funny Valentine" and Fleetwood Mac's "Everywhere." Khan also appeared during the Artist's set, bellowing and wailing through the finale of "One of Us." Though the Artist bowed to Khan as if she were a queen when she left the stage, the spectacle of slick moves and stylistically divergent tunes he presented at the Rose Garden proved that no matter what this eccentric, eclectic musician from Minneapolis chooses to call himself, he's still the prince of pop. |
