Prince (May 28–June 3/4 1981) “Dirty Mind European Mini-Tour” – First European Dates
Updated: Jun 2
Prince’s historic first-ever European tour — a short but impactful three-date run in late May/early June 1981 promoting the Dirty Mind album, marking his debut on the continent.
TOUR DATES
May 29, 1981 – Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands
June 2, 1981 – Lyceum Ballroom, London, UK (First UK show)
June 3/4, 1981 – Théâtre Le Palace, Paris, France
TOUR DETAILS: Dates: May 29 – June 4, 1981
Countries: Netherlands, United Kingdom, France
Supporting Album: Dirty Mind (1980)
THE STORY
In spring 1981, Prince embarked on his first European mini-tour consisting of just three shows. The tour was designed to introduce him to European audiences ahead of the release of his fourth album Controversy. To promote the London date, Warner Bros. released the single “Gotta Stop (Messin’ About)” exclusively in the UK.
EVENT DETAILS:
Date: Friday, May 29, 1981 Venue: Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Tour: Dirty Mind European Mini-Tour (First Show)
Attendance: ≈ 400 / 900 capacity
Ticket Price: ƒ 10 (Dutch Guilders)
THE STORY
Prince made his European debut at the iconic Paradiso club. The show featured his classic Dirty Mind band in their provocative stage outfits. To accommodate the performance, the stage was specially extended with an added riser in front for keyboards and drums. Prince and the band delivered a high-energy set blending funk, rock, and explicit theatrics, marking the beginning of his relationship with European audiences.
SETLIST
Do It All Night
Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?
Gotta Broken Heart Again
When You Were Mine
Gotta Stop (Messin’ About)
Sexy Dancer
I Wanna Be Your Lover
Head
Still Waiting
Partyup
Dirty Mind
Uptown
Jack U Off
BAND LINEUP
Prince – vocals, guitar
Dez Dickerson – guitar
André Cymone – bass
Dr. Fink (Matt Fink) – keyboards
Lisa Coleman – keyboards
Bobby Z. – drums
CONTEXT AND NOTES
These shows took place with Prince’s raw Dirty Mind band (Dez Dickerson, André Cymone, Lisa Coleman, Matt Fink, Bobby Z.).
The tour was low-key but critically important — the London Lyceum performance in particular became legendary and helped establish Prince’s cult following in the UK.
RELATED MATERIAL
Prince (June 6, 1981) “Half a million dirty minds…” – NME Cover Story
Prince (June 6, 1981) “Digging the dirt with Prince” – Black Echoes
Prince (June 6, 1981) “Some day your Prince will come” – Melody Maker
Prince (1980) Dirty Mind Album
Also see tabs at the foot of this post.
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