We’re so sad to say goodbye to Prince way too early. He was JUST here rocking out four epic shows less than two months ago.

So many song lyrics and song titles come to mind. But we’ll leave it with #NothingCompares2U.

The Purple One had a history of great shows in San Francisco and the Bay Area including tons of intimate shows at tiny venues like DNA Lounge, Slim’s, The Fillmore, The Pentouse Club (seriously… in 1981) and Great American Music Hall.

Here’s the history of Prince in the Bay Area:

March 2016 – Piano & A Microphone

Oracle Arena, Paramount Theatre, Great American Music Hall – We didn’t know it at the time of course, but these were Prince’s final shows in the Bay Area – the last one being a super late night concert at GAMH that didn’t start until 2:30am. Read the Parmount Theater review on KQED.

March 2014

The Fillmore & The Fox Theater – Both sides of the Bay get love. Because of massive scalping problems at the Fox show, the second Fillmore show was will call only.

April 2013 – Live Out Loud

DNA Lounge – It’s all DNA Lounge all the time with four shows in two nights with awesome Jimi Hendrix inspired poster art.

February 2011 – Welcome 2 America

Oracle Arena – Prince stays with one venue for three nights, but each night with wildly different set lists… every night longer than the next. Starting at 22 songs, then 31 songs and 42 songs on the final night include Beyonce’s Single Ladies

May 2007 – Per4ming Live

Orpheum Theatre – Normally known for musicals and plays, Prince plays the Orpheum for one night with a mix of his own hits and covers of Aretha Franklin, Sly & THe Family Stone and Louis Armstrong.

2004 – Musicology Live

The Fillmore & Oakland Arena – Two trips to the Bay Area, The Fillmore for back-to-back shows in February and then Oracle Area for a 33-song set in September.

2000 to 2001 -Hit N Run Tour

Ruby Skye & The Fillmore – It’s all smaller venues this time and the first time since 1993 that Prince is “Prince” again, dropping the “formerly known as…” moniker.

October 1998 – New Power Soul Tour

Concord Pavilion, & Slim’s – Back in the Bay Area for the third time in a year, Prince plays his first East Bay outdoor show and then another small club show at Slim’s

January 1998 – Jam of the Year

Oakland Arena & Club Townsend – After a big arena show, “Prince” scalled it down for a a small dance club in SoMa (which closed in 2002) where Prince mostly played covers of classic soul bands by The Temptations, Sly & The Family Stone and James Brown

October 1997 – Jam of the Year

Shoreline Amphitheater – The unpronounceable glyph plays his first outdoor show in the Bay Area with 34 songs and his first piano set with a stretch of eight songs of just Prince and a piano. Back in April he also showed up at DNA Lounge the Love 4 One Another Charities Tour.

April 1993 – Act I

Bill Graham Civic & DNA Lounge – “Prince” becomes “The Artist Formerly Known As Price” and returns to the Bay Area for the first time in five years with two shows at Bill Graham and then his first tiny club show since 1982 playing DNA Lounge.

November 1988 – Lovesexy

Oakland Arena & The Warfield – Lovesexy comes to the Bay Area with Prince starting to play epic loooong shows – playing an amazing 40 songs on November 11th. This the first time the Bay Area heard U Got the Look and the first time that Prince played both SF and Oakland back-to-back

May 1986 – Parade

The Warfield – Prince’s first time at The Warfield and played 27 songs including Bay Area debuts of Kiss, Raspberry Beret and Under the Cherry Moon. And other than the title track, he played none of the massive hits from Purple Rain

Feb/March 1985 – Purple Rain

Cow Palace – Six awesome nights at the Cow Palace at the height of all things Purple. The final show at Cow Palace stretched out to 23 songs including Let’s Go Crazy, Purple Rain and When Doves Cry.

April 1983 – 1999

Oakland Arena – For the 1999 Tour prince played two nights at “Oracle” Arena debuting 1999 and Little Red Corvette for the first time in the Bay Area

February 1982 – Controversy

San Francisco Civic Auditorium – On the Controversy tour Prince played two nights at what is now known as Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. This is the first time that Prince play “I Would Die 4 U” in the Bay Area

March 1981 – Dirty Mind

The Stone (412 Broadway) – At his first known show in the San Francisco, Prince bought the Dirty Mind tour to The Stone a long-since-gone club that closed in 1993 and is now the Penthouse Club in North Beach

January 1980 – Prince Tour

Circle Star Theatre, San Carlos – Before making it up to San Francisco, Prince performed at the Circle Star Theatre in San Carlos opening for Kool & The Gang. The tickets were $8.75. The venue closed down in 1993.

Still need more Prince?

SF has an Awesome 10-Piece Prince Tribute Band

Really need your Prince fix? Oakland has its very own Prince tribute band, The Purple Ones – an awesome 10-piece homage to Prince who play all over the Bay Area. There’s no View The Purple Ones concert schedule.