“What’s up, San Diego! Are y’all ready to get this party started? Well let me hear ya make some noise!”
That’s how Morris Day teed up The Time’s funkified set at Pala Casino Spa Resort last week.
Well, following a lengthy, hyped-up intro that included a sizzle reel of his iconic Purple Rain scenes, pimped-up strut to both sides of the stage, and requisite mirror check, courtesy of his valet, Sylvester Donald Jr., who gamely carries on the tradition originated by the inimitable Jerome Benton.
Aside from Day, the only other original band member was drummer Jellybean Johnson. But that didn’t stop the current lineup from digging into early-‘80s faves like “Get It Up” (from The Time’s eponymously titled 1981 debut), “Wild & Loose,” “777-9311,” and the C-O-O-L singalong “Cool.”
From the moment Day pranced on stage, the charismatic frontman proved he hadn’t lost any of his signature swagger, and his voice was in commendable condition, though he doesn’t sing so much as smooth talk.
Dapper as ever in his silky suit with trademark pocket square, Day would dance and spin; coax the crowd to sing, move or otherwise make themselves known (they were oddly subdued); or consult the mirror yet again to dab his forehead and confirm his perfection.
The Time at Pala. (Photo by Donovan Roche/Times of San Diego)In a welcome surprise, the group also performed two fan favorites from Day’s solo catalog: the bouncy “Fishnet” and Color of Success’ “Oak Tree” — which, like “The Bird,” incites everyone to do its arm-swinging dance. But they kept to the classics and didn’t play any tracks from Day’s latest release, 2022’s Last Call.
Like Sheila E. did during her earlier set, The Time paid homage to Prince, the Minneapolis maestro who helped launch both acts into the spotlight. With “Purple Rain” playing and photos of Day and Prince in their early days together flashing across Starlight Theater’s big screen, a message read: “Thank U Prince. We Luv U!!!”
As anticipated, The Time closed their too short hourlong set with the Purple Rain bangers “The Bird” and “Jungle Love.” Familiar as they were — with Day’s “Baawk!” and “o-o-o-ah-ah-ah-ah” — the songs sounded as fresh and vibrant today as their 1984 debut, both a testament to Prince’s songwriting and Morris Day & The Time’s performance magic.
While Sheila E.’s set on May 16 was similar in brevity, lasting only 50 minutes, it differed on many levels.
To start, it was a “family affair” — as in nearly all band members were related to Sheila, from her niece on drums to her godson guitarist. The only notable exceptions were her outstanding background singers, best friend Lynn Mabry (who began as a vocalist with Sly & The Family Stone and later toured with Talking Heads) and San Diego’s own Rebecca Jade.
Unlike The Time’s originals-only performance, Sheila’s set was packed with covers. While some made a lot of sense (yes, there was plenty of Prince), others were unexpected — like her show-starting rendition of The Beatles’ “Come Together” and, later on, the Nawlins romp “When the Saints Go Marching In.”
The legendary percussionist also frequently handed Mabry lead vocal duties, as on Prince’s jazzy deep cut “Get on the Boat” from 3121. Mabry more than rose to the occasion and had several opportunities throughout the night to showcase her stunning range.
Early on, Sheila announced that she was celebrating her birthday, and it turned into a touching moment. “I just turned 67 years young,” she said, and the crowd erupted into applause. “On December 12th…like last year.” Then she clarified: “The reason I’m saying this is because wherever I go every single day is my birthday. Every single day is your birthday! You celebrate your life EVERY SINGLE DAY! You live your life to the fullest, because tomorrow’s not promised.”
Sheila also revealed that Bailar Deluxe, the expanded edition of her 2024 album featuring four new songs, was released today. Unfortunately, she only treated us to one salsa number tonight.
Still, she thrilled the Pala crowd with her iconic Prince duets. Kicking off “Love Bizarre,” she playfully urged, “Come on all my sexy dancers!” as she shimmied across the stage.
The sultry “Erotic City” came a bit later, as a snippet in a Prince medley that also included fragments of “Let’s Work,” “U Got the Look,” “America,” “Free,” and “Baby I’m A Star.” It was a fun and fitting tribute to her close friend and musical collaborator.
Unfortunately, Sheila never slipped behind the drumkit for a song or two. Instead, she kept to her front-and center set-up of timbales, cowbells, and crash cymbal, as on the closing “The Glamorous Life,” when she lost a stick and kicked over her cymbal in a fiery flourish, echoing her Fire Aide performance with Anderson .Paak.
Together, Prince’s proteges turned this special night under the stars into a pulsating dance party. From swagger to salsa, seduction to celebration, the night was a masterclass in how funk royalty can still throw down.
Donovan Roche is a longtime music writer and frequent contributor to Times of San Diego.
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