Prince / Holy Casino (2CDR)

Disc 1
Spirituality
Johnny B Good
Lolita
Black Sweat
Kiss
Shhh!
Musicology/Tighten Up
Cream
U Got The Look
Joy In Repetition
17 Days
7/Song Of The Heart

Disc 2
Anotherloverholenyohead/Rock Lobster/The Cross
If I Was Your Girl Friend
Pink Cashimere
Fury
Purple Rain
Let's Go Crazy

Live at Club 3121 Las Vegas, Nov 10, 2006

Bonus Tamar Studio Trax
Nothin'
Round Round
So Long

Due to strict security at the time, recordings of the 3121 Las Vegas live show were difficult to come by, but the original title was Holy Casino, and this is a recording from the opening night of the memorable Las Vegas 3121 club gig. The sound quality is so high that it could easily be mistaken for a soundboard recording, creating a truly immersive, superb audience recording, almost as if you were in the 3121 Club. The performance ends with a sudden performance of the new song, "Spirituality." Prince suddenly appears and plays while DJ Rashida is warming up the crowd with a song, leading to a fade-in, which doesn't bother me at all; it's actually quite a stylish production. This song was once considered a parody of "Sexuality," and while Sexuality is indeed the original, it's a hyper-charged, transcendent version with wild guitar cutting. This momentum then leads into Johnny B. Good, which is no ordinary cover. It's a version that could be called "Pt. 2" of "Spirituality," more aggressive funk than rock 'n' roll. And then there's Lolita's soaring fanfare. This live version emphasizes the light rhythm of the Linn drum. The call-and-response in the second half also invites the audience to sing along with the Tamer part, while the backing is extended with an irregular rhythm. Then comes Black Sweat, a funk-inducing track with unheard-of effects introduced at a subtle moment, making your body jump and move. Then comes Kiss, performed after Prince boasts about having so many hits, a touching tease. This version also effectively utilizes Mr. Haze's hyper keyboards. Then comes Shhh!, reminiscent of the remix played at the Belfare fashion show back in the day. However, this time it's a bluesy version with Prince breaking down and singing. The guitar is also incredibly vocal. Next comes Musicology, a long-awaited rendition. Instead of horns, it begins with a fantastic intro featuring an effective organ-like attack, teasing Prince's impending arrival. The track also includes a wonderful, old-school version of "Tighten Up," but instead of guitar, Prince inserts some exhilarating guitar work while creating the rhythm with an organ. The final jam, a jam that gets the audience chanting "Boo! Miya-o!", lasts for nearly eight minutes, creating a groundbreaking performance. Then comes "Cream," a boogie performance centered around Prince's guitar, with a plodding rhythm and the Twins' chorus. Prince again breaks down his vocals, creating a vocal phrasing different from the original. From there, the track suddenly shifts to the rock-esque "U Got the Look." The Twins' vocals resemble Sheena Easton's. Then, connected by ambivalent keyboards, comes "Joy In Repetition," with its rich yet unsettling vocals. This streamlined development is breathtaking—super cool. From this rich, sensual progression, we move into a fairy-tale world with "17 Days." The Twins sing! Their fairy-like vocals intertwine with a music-box-like backdrop. Then, they play the classic track #7...a whopping 13 minutes! First, Prince delivers a completely different vocal performance. The backing arrangement is quite refreshing. Then, it evolves into a refreshing jam somewhat reminiscent of Song of the Heart, and indeed, Prince whispers the lyrics of Song of the Heart, creating the ultimate premiere. This is Prince's gospel. It's a divine live arrangement that sounds like a multiplier version of "I Wish U Heaven"/"God Is Alive" from the Lovesexy Tour. Prince then moves on to a host of hits, including "Anotherloverholenyohead." A B-52's "Rock Lobster" riff is added, followed by a superb sustained guitar blast, including a line from Prince's "The Cross." Then, without a pause, he launches into "If I Was Your Girl Friend." The rhythm, keyboards, and bass playing are reminiscent of Sly. Prince's unconventional singing is cool, too. But it gets cooler and cooler, and into "Pink Cashimere." Again, Prince scat-sings almost completely disregard the original, but it's super jazzy. Up until this point, there had been no horns, but finally, Mike Phillips appeared. He played some incredible saxophone, and just when you thought he was going to send the crowd screaming "3121" into heaven, he played "Fury." The guitar wailing, still going strong, Prince was impatient and didn't come out. Is there another song? Is it over yet? Just then, that keyboard phrase, "Purple Rain," appeared. Mr. Haze added excitement with a majestic arrangement that was fresh. Here again, Prince broke down, singing and screaming with his unique sense of time. Then, a guitar solo that seemed to release all he'd pent up. Then, while introducing his band, he suddenly launched into "Let's Go Crazy." This forceful development was electrifying. Prince, building up the excitement to a frenzy, then abruptly exited—so graceful. And for those of you still longing for Tamer, there's a bonus bonus: three Tamer studio tracks: the rhythmic "Nothin'," the hit single "Round Round," and the professional mid-tempo ballad "So Long."