Post Description

Prince & The Revolution - Cobo 86 (Blast From The Past)

Label/s      : Eye Records
Catalog #    : EYE#423
Release Year : 2021
1CD Length   : 78:05
Date/Venue/s : 1986-06-07 | Cobo Hall, Detroit, Michigan, USA | Prince’s 28th Birthday
Source       : Soundboard and Video Recordings
Quality      : EX+
Genre/s      : Funk
Codec/Lineage: SBD > ? > Eye Remaster (EQ/Comp)> MP3

---------------------------------------------------------
Band Memember/s:
Prince             : Vox | Keyboard | Guitar  
Bobby Z.           : Drums  
Brown Mark         : Bass  
Wendy Melvoin      : Guitar  
Lisa Coleman       : Keyboards  
Dr. Fink           : Keyboards  
Miko Weaver        : Guitar  
Eric Leeds         : Saxophone | Flute  
Atlanta Bliss      : Trumpet  
Jerome Benton      : Backing Vox | Dance  
Wally Safford      : Backing Vox | Dance  
Greg Brooks        : Backing Vox | Dance  


Guest Member/s:
André Cymone       : Vox
Sheila E.          : Vox
Susannah Melvoin   : Backing Vox  

---------------------------------------------------------
Track/Set Listing:

CD: Audio Disc
Tracks       : 21
Playtime     : 78:05
Size         : 182.42 MB


 'Parade Live' Concert Film: One-off performance at Cobo Arena broadcast in Japan and several European countries later in 1986.

01. Around The World In A Day (01:24)
02. Christopher Tracy's Parade (Incl. Brass Band Interlude) (04:09)
03. Raspberry Beret (02:24)
04. Controversy (01:29)
05. Mutiny (Incl. Holly Rock [chant]) (06:42)
06. Happy Birthday To You (01:17)
07. (How Much Is) That Doggie In The Window (Incl. Lady Cab Driver [instr.]) (00:30)
08. Automatic (01:46)
09. D.M.S.R. (00:39)
10. Anotherloverholenyohead (03:20)
11. Soft And Wet (02:57)
12. I Wanna Be Your Lover (01:38)
13. Head (Incl. Electric Man) (09:31)
14. Pop Life (03:16)
15. Life Can Be So Nice (05:21)
16. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (01:44)
17. Mountains (03:51)
18. Kiss (Ft. André Cymone, Sheila E., Susannah Melvoin) (06:48)


 Bonus Material 

Sheila E Ft. Prince - Warfield Theatre San Francisco, California, USA : 1986-03-08
19. A Love Bizarre (Ft. Prince & The Revolution) (10:35)
20. Kiss (Ft. Sheila E) (04:11)

The Bangles Ft. Prince - Warfield Theatre San Francisco, California, USA : 1986-05-14
21. Manic Monday (Ft. Prince) (04:24)

---------------------------------------------------------
Comment/s:

 Prince & The Revolution's Cobo ’86 – A Birthday Celebration To Remember

An essential gem for any Purple aficionado, Cobo ’86, as released by Eye Records in 2021, showcases Prince in peak
form. It’s his birthday, and he dominates the arena like it’s his own personal playground.

This one-off performance stands as one of the most galvanising live bootlegs out there, period. Prince & The Revolution
are firing from all cylinders. Intricate rhythms pour from Miko and Wendy’s guitars, Dr. Fink’s synth lines are filthy
as ever, and Bobby Z’s unshakable, clockwork drumming all come together under Prince’s signature blend of theatrical
and dynamic showmanship.

When the brass interlude kicks in on “Christopher Tracy’s Parade”, you can tell something magical is brewing, and from 
there, there’s not a single dull beat.

Sonically speaking, this release is as top-tier as bootlegs get. It’s no surprise, considering the show was broadcast
multiple times, but it’s still worth praising. Some might find the audience noise a bit louder than desired,
especially if you’re more inclined toward the intimate soundboard recordings of later Japanese Lovesexy shows.
But really, what’s a birthday without a crowd of screams marking the celebration?

As expected, Eye Records delivers their usual polish. The clean, crisp remaster continues to represent both the label
and their Blast from the Past (BFTP) series as some of the most well-curated, professional, and should be sought after
releases in the bootleg scene.

With countless replayable moments, from the razor-sharp breakdown at the end of “Controversy” to the unexpected
callback of “Soft and Wet,” it’s tough to pick a standout in the set. While not from the night, the crowning moment
for me is the rendition of "A Love Bizarre,” which was formally released on Sheila E.’s "Live Romance 1600" concert
film. It’s one of my all-time favorite performances. In classic live fashion, Prince takes what was already slick on
the album and blows it wide open, cranking the groove 2 the 9s and letting it breathe until it becomes something
totally alive.

I also love the playful sense of humor he brings to this track, and the whole birthday concert for that matter,
with dance breaks that are brimming with playfulness but never sloppy.

Wooden legs, funny faces, and chopped trees. Pure joy.

The performance shines so brightly here that I’ve long felt this is how it should’ve sounded on the album.
Admittedly, in this form, it wouldn’t have fit the vibe of the record, which makes it all the more satisfying to see
it transformed into its own little opus on stage. It’s a perfect example of the classic Prince conundrum,
as his commitment to crafting cohesive albums often meant sacrificing standalone brilliance. But here,
there is no such concern, and that brilliance is fully unleashed.

Cobo 86 is a must-have release, whether you’re a casual listener or a hardcore collector. It’s provides a vivid
snapshot of Prince’s uncanny ability to reshape familiar grooves into something transcendent, bottling the spark of
a night that still crackles with energy decades later.