Lovesexy Tour

History

Although the tour was a huge success in terms of reviews and audience numbers (most shows were sellouts), it lost money due to the high production costs incurred with transportation, only breaking even by its final leg in Japan in early 1989. Prince used a number of elaborate props on the moving, multi-tiered stage such as a basketball hoop, a fountain, trellis fences and a full-scale replica of his Ford Thunderbird automobile.

The two-hour show included most songs from the Lovesexy album, alongside well-known hits and rarer material. In usual Prince fashion, many shows saw the premiere of entirely new songs, particularly "Blues in C (If I Had a Harem)".

Thematically, the show was divided into two very distinct main acts with the themes of light and dark. Act One, which ran for an hour, consisted mainly of older material from Prince's earlier albums, often strung together into medley form to ease time constraints. The show often began with "Escape" before segueing into "Erotic City" and concluded with "Anna Stesia". Act Two consisted largely of songs from Lovesexy, plus classic hits such as "Kiss" and towards the end of the concert, "Let's Go Crazy", "Purple Rain", and "1999". The highlight of many shows was the piano medley in the second act, often featuring "When 2 R in Love", "Venus de Milo", "Starfish and Coffee", "Raspberry Beret", and "Condition of the Heart".

The band

This post-Revolution line-up was the same that had supported the Sign ☮' the Times Tour. At the conclusion of the tour, the band was rearranged with the departures of Boni Boyer and Cat, along with Sheila E. New drummer Michael Bland was hired from Dr. Mambo's Combo from Minneapolis, Rosie Gaines took over keyboards and backup vocal duties, and a trio of dancers known as the Game Boyz were added. The horn section was dropped altogether.

Susannah Melvoin, Wendy and Lisa, George Clinton, Mavis Staples, Jill Jones, Tony Le Mans, Tony! Toni! Toné!, Patti LaBelle were guest performers at the Bloomington, Hampton, and Philadelphia concerts.

Setlists

Setlist of 8 July 1988, at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris, France

Act I

1. "Erotic City" (Includes "Escape" intro and "Sex Shooter" interpolation)
2. "Housequake"
3. "Slow Love"
4. "Adore"
5. "Delirious"
6. "Jack U Off" (Includes snippets of "Twelve")
7. "Sister" (Includes "Adore" coda)
8. "U Got the Look"
9. "I Wanna Be Your Lover"
10. "Head"
11. "When You Were Mine" (Includes 'blues improvisation', "When You Were Mine" coda)
12. "Little Red Corvette"
13. "Pop Life"
14. "Controversy"
15. "Dirty Mind"
16. "Superfunkycalifragisexy" (Includes "Controversy" coda)
17. "Bob George"
18. "Anna Stesia"

Intermission: during the intermission, an unreleased song entitled "Intermission" was played.

Act II

19. "Eye No"
20. "Alphabet St."
21. "Glam Slam"
22. "The Cross"
23. "I Wish U Heaven" (Includes snippets of "I Wish U Heaven (part 2)" and "God is Alive")
24. "Kiss"
25. "Dance On" (Includes drum solo coda)

Act III: Encore

26. "When 2 R in Love"
27. "Let's Go Crazy"
28. "When Doves Cry" (Includes "La, La, La, He, He, Hee" interpolation)
29. "Purple Rain"
30. "1999"

Act IV: 2nd Encore

31. "Positivity"
32. "Lovesexy" (Includes snippets of "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night" and '80s medley')

Setlist of 10 February 1989, at the Kitakyushu City Gymnasium, Kitakyushu, Japan

1. "Housequake" (Includes snippets of "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night", "Escape" intro and "Take the "A" Train" interpolation)
2. "Slow Love"
3. "Adore"
4. "Delirious"
5. "Jack U Off" (Includes snippets of "Twelve")
6. "Sister"
7. "Do Me, Baby" (Includes "Adore" coda)
8. "Head" (Includes "I Wanna Be Your Lover" instrumental intro and bridge)
9. "Girls & Boys"
10. "A Love Bizarre"
11. "When You Were Mine" (Includes 'blues improvisation' and "When You Were Mine" coda)
12. "Little Red Corvette"
13. "Controversy"
14. "U Got the Look" (Includes "Dirty Mind" bridge)
15. "Superfunkycalifragisexy" (Includes "Controversy" coda and "Murph Drag" lyrics)
16. "Bob George"
17. "Anna Stesia"

Intermission: during the intermission, an unreleased song entitled "Intermission" was played.

Act II

18. "Eye No"
19. "Lovesexy"
20. "Glam Slam"
21. "The Cross"
22. "I Wish U Heaven" (Lead vocals by Sheila E.)
23. "Kiss"
24. "Dance On" (Includes 'transmississippirap' from "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night" and drum solo coda)

Act III: Encore

25. "Let's Go Crazy"
26. "When Doves Cry" (Includes "La, La, La, He, He, Hee" interpolation)
27. "Purple Rain"
28. "1999"

Act IV: 2nd Encore

29. "Alphabet St."

Whilst "Holly Rock" and "Pop Life" were added as the tour progressed. "What'd I Say", "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker", "It Is No Secret", "The Ladder", and "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" were also added to the piano medley.

Tour dates

The Dortmund, Germany show was recorded and broadcast live via satellite across Europe and later released on VHS.

Filming

The second show in Dortmund was put on by the Dutch promoter, and the majority of the audience was from the Netherlands. The show was filmed by Dutch production company ID-TV, for later release on video, called Lovesexy Live.