The Nude Tour was a greatest-hits concert tour by American recording artist Prince. While his previous tour had drawn critical praise, the high cost of the concert tour production made it a financial disappointment; thus, Prince eliminated much of the excessiveness of the previous tour to be more financially viable. To make the tour as cost effective as possible, Prince decided not to tour in the U.S. this time, and thus he did not return to performing in North America until the Act I Tour in 1993.
Background
Unlike the previous year's Lovesexy Tour, the Nude Tour promised a stripped-down, back to basics concert that saw Prince eliminate many of the excessive and expensive set designs that were produced for the Sign o' the Times and Lovesexy tours, thus the "Nude" moniker. The setlist was reduced to a limited number of his hits from the 1980s with a few tracks from the Batman and then-forthcoming Graffiti Bridge albums, resulting in all the songs being played in their entirety and much shorter shows. In a move to promote a more youth-friendly image, as well as cut costs, Prince chose to eliminate the veteran horn section from the band.[1] According to academic Joseph Vogel, "The new image was clear: Prince wanted to present as young, black, and hip."[2]
Although Prince had previously expressed negative views toward rap music on The Black Album[2] (which, at the time, had not been released but had been widely bootlegged), he included rapping by Tony Mosley (known as Tony M.) in the song "The Future" during the Nude Tour.[2][3]
"A Song for You" was performed in replacement of "Ain't No Way" on the second Rotterdam show, the Copenhagen show, the second Hamburg show, the Berlin show, the Paris show, the second and fourth Birmingham shows, the second Stockholm show, and the Lausanne show.
"Little Red Corvette" was performed before "Batdance" and on rare occasion before "Purple Rain" on the second Rotterdam show, the second Hamburg show, the Berlin show, the Paris show, the second and fourth Birmingham shows, the Mannheim show, the second Stockholm show, the Lausanne show, the second Tokyo show, the Nishinomiya show, the Sapporo show and the Yokohama show.
"Venus De Milo" was performed on piano before "The Question of U" as a medley on the Kiel show, the Berlin show, the first, fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth London shows, the first and fourth Birmingham shows, the Basel show, the Rome show, the Heerenveen show, the Mannheim show, the Gothenburg show, the second Stockholm show, the Nice show, the Manchester show, and all Japan shows.
"Raspberry Beret" was performed before or after "Purple Rain" on the second Hamburg show, the sixteenth London show, the Nishinomiya show, the Sapporo show, and the Yokohama show.
"Do Me, Baby" was not performed on both of the Rotterdam shows, the Copenhagen show, the Kiel show, the first Hamburg show, the third, fifth, seventh, eighth, and eleventh London shows, the second, third and fourth Birmingham shows, the Basel show, the second Stockholm show, and the Lausanne show.
"Under the Cherry Moon (instrumental)" was performed on piano before "The Question of U" as a medley on the Berlin show, the first, and fourteenth London shows, the fourth Birmingham show, the Basel show, the Rome show, the Madrid show, the Heerenveen show, the second Dortmund show, the Mannheim show, the Gothenburg show, the second Stockholm show, the Lausanne show, the Nice show, the Manchester show, the second Tokyo show, and the Yokohama show.
"Don't Make Me Pay For His Mistakes" and "Blues in C (If I Had A Harem)" was performed after "Take Me With U" on the first, sixth, ninth, tenth, and fifteenth London shows, the first and second Birmingham shows, the Cava de' Tirreni show, the Madrid show, the Werchter show, the second Dortmund show, the first Stockholm show, the Nice show, and the Manchester show.
"We Can Funk" was performed in a medley with "Baby I'm A Star" on the first and second London shows, the Heerenveen show, and the Nice show.
"Irresistible Bitch" was performed in the encore on the first and second London shows.
A medley of "Respect" and "Rescue Me" was performed by Rosie Gaines during the encore on the second London show.
"A Case of U" was performed on piano before "The Question of U" on the third London show.
A cover of Joni Mitchell's "Blue Motel Room" was performed on piano before "The Question of U" on the fifth, sixth and seventh London shows.
"When Doves Cry" was performed in replacement of "Controversy" and on rare occasions it was performed after "Partyman" and closed the main show on the third and fourth Birmingham show, the Cork show, the twelfth, the fourteenth and fifteenth London shows, the Basel show, the Rome show, the Madrid show, the Barcelona show, the second Stockholm show, the Lausanne show, the Manchester show, and all Japan shows.
"Bambi" was performed after "Take Me With U" on the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth London shows, the fourth Birmingham show, the Barcelona show, the Gothenburg show, the second Stockholm show, and the second Tokyo show.
A "The Question of U" intro was played on piano in a medley before "The Question of U" on the Basel show, the Rome show, the Madrid show, the Heerenveen show, the second Dortmund show, the Gothenburg show, the second Stockholm show, the Lausanne show, the thirteenth, fourteenth, and sixteenth London shows, the Manchester show, the second Tokyo show, the Sapporo show, and the Yokohama show.
"An Honest Man" was performed on piano in a medley before "The Question of U" on the Madrid show, the second Dortmund show, the thirteenth and fifteenth London shows.
"Batdance" was not performed on the fourteenth London show
An instrumental version of "The Arms of Orion" was performed on piano in a medley before "The Question of U" on the Lausanne show.
"Baby I'm A Star" was not performed on the Manchester show
"Jerk Out" was performed after "Take Me With U" on the Nishinomiya
"Partyman" was not performed on the fifteenth and sixteenth London shows, the first Tokyo show and the Nishinomiya show.
"Nothing Compares 2 U" was not performed on the second Hamburg show, the eighth London show, the fourth Birmingham show, the second Stockholm show, the Lausanne show, the second Tokyo show, the Sapporo show, the Nishinomiya show and the Yokohama show.
^ abcdefghijThis box office score data is representative of all 16 shows at the Wembley Arena on June 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, July 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 & August 20, 22, 23, 24.
^ abcdThis box office score data is representative of all 4 shows at the NEC on June 29, 30, July 1 & 13
