Prince / Paradiso (4CDR)

Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland Show 1 August 11, 2013

Disc 1
1.Intro by Hannah
2.Let’s Go Crazy (Reloaded)
3. Endorphinmachine
4.Screwdriver (aborted)
5.Screwdriver
6.She's Always In My Hair
7.Liathach
8.I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man
9.Guitar
10.Plectrum Electrum
11.Fixurlifeup
12.I Like It There

Disc 2
1.Bambi
2.Cause & Effect
3.Some

times It Snows In April
4.Dreamer
5.Stratus
6.Purple Rain

Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland, Show 2 August 11, 2013

Disc 3
1.The Breakdown
2.Endorphinmachine
3.Screwdriver
4.Stratus
5.The Question Of U - The One
6.The Love We Make
7.So Far, So Pleased
8.Guitar
9.Plectrum Electrum
10.Fixurlifeup
11.The Max - Party At Paradiso
12.Crimson & Clover - I’ll Take You There

Disc 4
1.Bambi
2.Cause & Effect
3.Let’s Go Crazy Reloaded
4.Fixurlifeup Remix (Played over PA)

This release features a complete audience recording of both the early and late shows from a 2013 concert at the legendary venue, Paradiso.

On August 8, during a live stream on 3rdEyeTV, 3RDEYEGIRL dropped a hint in the chat: "Any fans in Amsterdam? Next week." Tickets went on sale the following day, August 9, and sold out in an instant—hardly a surprise, given that Paradiso is the kind of venue typically reserved for aftershows. The sound quality is superb; while the cheers of the crowd are audible, they never overwhelm the recording. It truly captures the authentic atmosphere of a live performance inside the Paradiso.

The early show begins with the audience reacting with incredible enthusiasm—even during Hannah’s standard pre-show announcements. Unlike a typical crowd, there are no disruptive heckles; instead, the audience responds as one, with a massive, unified roar. The moment the drums kick in for "Let's Go Crazy Reloaded," the entire venue becomes a single, cohesive entity. A deep, horn-like sound emerges—actually produced by Prince on his keyboard—building the anticipation until, finally, Prince’s guitar riff cuts through, followed by the vocals. The call-and-response between Prince and the audience is absolutely electrifying. A sudden, explosive sound—likely the release of confetti—is punctuated by Ida’s bass, and Prince, clearly thrilled by the audience's fantastic energy, plays with even greater intensity. It seems his enthusiasm may have gotten the better of him, as he broke a guitar string, forcing a switch from his black Vox guitar to one with a flamboyant, painted finish. Following a bass solo by Ida, Prince launches into a blistering, extended guitar sequence. However, around the seven-minute mark—just after he shouts "Holland!"—the guitar suddenly drops out; this is likely when the string snapped. It was an incredibly professional performance—you would never even guess that such a mishap had occurred. During "Endorphinmachine," Prince lets out an intense, piercing shout—as if he’s completely forgotten there’s even a second show to follow. The drumming is relentless, with Hannah playing in a state of pure, manic energy. In his MC, Prince asks the crowd, "How are you feeling? I can see your faces clearly!" Before starting "Screwdriver," he brings the music to a sudden halt; he had noticed an issue with one of Donna’s effects pedals. In reality, the stage went dark for five minutes while the audience waited—a gap that has been edited out of this recording. Then, with another fierce cry of "I'm your driver, you are my screw," the song kicks off in earnest, the performance charged with a heightened sense of tension. By the time they move into "She's Always In My Hair," the audience is already singing along, yet the band’s performance remains just as powerful. The crowd claps in perfect unison, engaging in precise call-and-response. Prince doesn’t waste time with tedious preaching; he simply keeps the music driving forward. Perhaps to help settle the crowd, they play the instrumental "Liathach"—and it works; the audience falls quiet. While there are occasional whistles or cheers, the crowd knows exactly when to applaud—during the song’s crescendos or when a particularly brilliant musical passage unfolds. As the track concludes, the transition into "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man" sparks a fresh wave of applause. Without any MC, they launch straight into "Guitar," yet the performance continues to race forward, deeply moving in its intensity. Prince tosses a quick, affectionate remark to Donna—"Give us a little guitar, love"—and as she launches into her solo, the audience erupts with excitement. "Plectrum Electrum" is delivered with rock-solid precision, while the crowd keeps the rhythm going with steady clapping. During "FixUrLifeUp," many in the audience seem to be savoring the song, taking it in as a brand-new piece of music. During the line "You need to fix ur life up," the entire audience erupts—a sudden, explosive shout that shows they know exactly what’s happening. Prince joins in, shouting along, and introduces a guitar riff unlike his usual style. Then, there’s an abrupt shift into "I Like It There." Though the instrumentation is understated, the audience’s clapping provides a rhythmic accent, and the call-and-response becomes the lifeblood of the performance. Clocking in at just over four minutes, "I Like It There" is incredibly dense and truly overwhelming. "Bambi" is quieter than usual, yet it possesses an immense, latent power that seems to seize the listener’s heart. During "Cause And Effect," the band—including Joshua—is introduced; the guitar tone that follows is profoundly moving. The call-and-response in "Compassion" creates a sense of unity and an enduring, timeless quality, perhaps the most intense connection felt throughout the entire concert. Prince delivers a funky solo on a sharp-toned keyboard, then stops singing, playing a slightly off-key phrase on the piano to bring the song to a close. Next comes the classic "Sometimes It Snows In April," which, as expected, features a massive singalong during the chorus. As the song ends, the lingering atmosphere is soon joined by a guitar, transitioning into "Dreamer." The crowd’s shouts of "Dreamer!" function just like an additional vocal section for the band; responding to this largely spontaneous chorus, Prince’s guitar work takes on an improvisational, fluid quality. At the very end, he leaves his guitar behind, incorporating even the fading, resonant notes left in its wake into the performance. The set effectively concludes here, followed by "Stratus"—a track where Prince appears to participate on guitar rather than piano. While there are sounds that could be his piano, it’s unclear whether he is playing both guitar and keyboards—without the footage, it’s hard to say for sure. However, since the performance transitions into a piano-based version of "Purple Rain," it is clear that Prince is indeed playing the piano at this point. As the second half of the show progresses, Prince lets the audience sing most of the lyrics. The "hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" call-and-response isn't prompted by Prince; it emerges spontaneously—a testament to the unique spirit of the fans in Amsterdam. Even Prince himself remarks that it is a "beautiful night."

Then comes the late show, which kicks off with an incredibly intense rendition of "The Breakdown." While "Let's Go Crazy Reloaded" is omitted, the band tears through "Endorphinmachine" and "Screwdriver" at breakneck speed. At the end of "Screwdriver," Prince shouts, "I'm your driver, you are my..."—a moment that might suggest another pass through the song, but it concludes right there. Following "Stratus," the band performs a mashup of "The Question of U" and "The One"—a track not featured during the 3rdEyeGirl era—delivered as a simple, bluesy version defined by a heavy bassline and a melancholic guitar. A "hoo-hoo-hoo" call-and-response weaves in, serving as the song's outro, which transitions seamlessly into the mellow, atmospheric "The Love We Make." Prince introduces the next song—"So Far, So Pleased"—by asking if it’s the one the audience is most happy to hear. His vocals are steady and controlled; he captures the melody perfectly while adding subtle, masterful variations. His guitar work is equally superb, driving a lively, rock-oriented performance that truly shines in a live setting. The rock energy continues with "Guitar" and "Plectrum Electrum." When "FixUrLifeUp" begins, the crowd erupts—the recording quality is so high that the cheers sound as if they were captured directly from the soundboard. The audience’s reaction to the new material is excellent, especially on this track, with everyone shouting the line "You need to fix ur life up" right on cue. Unlike the early show, Prince takes the opportunity during the late show to call out, "Amsterdam!" In "The Max," he even mentions the venue by name—"party at the Paradiso"—which speaks to the deep respect he held for the place. Midway through the performance, there’s a "party at the Paradiso" call-and-response, accompanied by unconventional keyboard work and a laid-back, slow-motion backing groove. The audience in Amsterdam shows incredible dedication, sustaining a long, drawn-out "oh" during the call-and-response without ever running out of breath. During "Crimson and Clover," Prince displays some free-spirited guitar work; then, in the "over and over" call-and-response section—which takes on a feel reminiscent of the backing for "I'll Take You There"—he adopts a vocal style that sounds almost like a woman’s voice. The audience chants about loving him "over and over again," but that eventually fades into the thunderous sound of "Bambi." Whether it was spontaneous or prompted by a silent cue from Prince, the audience begins to clap, and Prince unleashes some funky, Jimi Hendrix-esque guitar. A call-and-response of "oh, hey" follows, stretching the song out longer than usual. Without a moment’s pause, he shouts "Amsterdam!" and launches into "Cause and Effect." With a fresh vocal approach and lively guitar lines, it’s clear that both Prince and his band are having a great time—and the audience is surely jumping along during the chorus. The concept of "compassion"—a word rooted in Latin, meaning to share in one another’s pain—is woven into the performance here as well. It was a central theme for Prince, both then and throughout his career; through their music, he and the audience are truly practicing that compassion for one another. Prince says "thank you" and "goodnight" before leaving the stage, but he soon returns to perform "Let's Go Crazy Reloaded"—a track he hadn't played yet. The guitar used here—a custom instrument by Charles Orr, acquired in Minneapolis in 1979—is the same one Prince played in the promotional video for his early track "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" Prince is clearly in the zone, both in his guitar playing and his vocals. It’s quite a shock that this song served as the show’s finale. Afterward, a remix of "FixUrLifeUp" was played over the PA, with Prince shouting words of appreciation over the track. Even as this played, the audience in Amsterdam kept clapping—perhaps still hoping for an encore. The set includes a rare performance of "So Far, So Please." But the true magic of this release lies in the incredible chemistry that emerged from the setting: the Paradiso in Amsterdam—a venue regarded as a "holy site" by the Netherlands' most fanatical Prince fans.