Tour bus Market Square Arena Indianapolis 4/1/1985

The Purple Rain Tour was one of the most successful tours to that point. Lasting 90 scheduled concerts, in 15,000-20,000 capacity arena’s, in 32 cities, being seen by 1.75 million people in the US and Canada and grossing approximately $30 million. The original idea was that this was going to be a world tour, but because of Prince being fed up with touring that idea was abandoned. As a replacement he broadcasted the March 30th, 1985 concert from Syracuse live in Europe, where it was seen by approximately 12-15 million people. That show was also released on video.
He also played 4 free charity concerts for handicapped children and in some cities food drives were organized. Prince also raised $500,000 for Marva Collins’ experimental Teacher Training Institute in Chicago.
Sheila E and her band played the opening act.

Jellybean backstage at the Orange Bowl Miami 4/7/1985

The Band:
Guitar: Wendy Melvoin
Bass: Brown Mark
Keyboards: Dr. Fink, Lisa Coleman
Drums: Bobby Z.
During Baby, I’m A Star, Sheila E and members of her band joined on stage. During the Los Angeles shows Eric Leeds guested on stage and stayed for the remainder of the tour.
Setlist:
Let’s Go Crazy
Delirious
1999
Little Red Corvette
Yankee Doodle Dandee (instrumental)
Free
Father’s Song
God
Computer Blue
Darling Nikki
The Beautiful Ones
When Doves Cry
I Would Die 4 U
Baby, I’m A Star
Purple Rain

Stage Orange Bowl Miami 4/7/1985

As the tour progressed the 90-minute show began to extend to a 120-minute show. There were some changes to the setlist.
The piano segment was often extended to include:
Take Me With U
How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?
Let’s Pretend We’re Married
International Lover
Do Me, Baby
Other song included from time to time were: Dirty Mind, I Wanna Be Your Lover, When You Were Mine, Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) and Under The Cherry Moon.
Towards the end of the tour additional songs made their occasional appearance in the piano segment: Condition Of The Heart, 4 The Tears In Your Eyes, Raspberry Beret, With You, Still Waiting, A Case Of You and Noon Rendezvous.
Early 1985 Take Me With You was added after Little Red Corvette.
17 Days, irresistible Bitch and Possessed were often included in the later part of the tour.
A few concerts towards the end of the tour the show started with full versions of 17 Days of Controversy behind the closed curtain before the show started off in the usual way.
On a few occasions at the end of the tour the standard closer Purple Rain was followed by another encore of America