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Thu 15 Jul, 2004 10:44 am
I saw Prince last night at Madison Square Garden, and I was going to post a gushing review of it last night, but I thought I'd wait until today, because I was just in awe of how great it was last night, and I thought I'd have a little more perspective about it today.
Nope. I'm still buzzing about it. It was GREAT!!!
If you are in your thirties, or were around for Purple Rain, and you like to have fun, GO SEE THIS SHOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
He started out with a new song, Musicology, which is funky in a James Brown kind of way, and immediately when that song ended, he started out with "Dearly beloved..." which was met with a huge scream from the audience. Then came a mega-medley of Let's Go Crazy, I would Die For You, Baby I'm a Star, and other Purple Rain songs, including a cool version of When Doves Cry, with little snippets of Kiss among others thrown in.
Then, a surprise appearance by Sheila E. doing Glamorous Life was met with a standing O that stopped the show for a minute. Really cool surprise.
The best part for me was in the middle section, when he came out alone, just him and his acoustic guitar and did sing-along versions of Little Red Corvette, Cream, and others. He was so magnanimous with the crowd, joking with them about their singing, and showing that he definitely can play the guitar like a monster, even acoustically.
Other highlights included DMSR, an old, OLD favorite, Sign O' The Times, and Purple Rain as an encore. I am still wondering, what song could be better to close a show with than Purple Rain?
The guy is a master showman, and he is very cool and relaxed on stage.
Now do yourself a favor. Go on ebay and get yourself a ticket!!!
Oh that sounds SO COOL!!!!!!!
I grew up in Minneapolis, you see. Prince was huge when I was a teenager. (I was 18 in 1989.) I went to First Avenue and 7th Street Entry. I saw his purple limosine several times (especially Uptown.)
(Prince also predates when I became deaf, so I actually HEARD all of these songs.)
Sheila E doing "Glamorous Life"! I'm so jealous.
I got love... it ain't much.
Soz, how cool! Is 7th Street Entry the name of the club from Purple Rain? I think I remember hearing that name.
Oh, I forgot to mention the absolutely beautiful version of Nothing Compares to You that he did. Oh my god there were so many great moments in there, it's hard to remember them all.
At one point, in the acoustic set, he teased the crowd by starting to do Jailhouse Rock, but then he stopped suddenly and said, "Wait a minute! You got to be a Prince before you can be a King!" and then went into I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man. It was funny and fun, and I loved it!!! And the hairs on the back of my neck stood out when he played Little Red Corvette and we all sang and clapped along. It was like I was sitting at a party with an old friend. So cool. That was worth the price of admission alone.
I heard this tour has a lot of surprise guests. In Minneapolis, I heard that Wendy (from the Revolution) showed up to play on the Purple Rain songs, and Chaka Khan sang I Feel For You with him.
It was such a great time.
First Avenue is the name of the club from Purple Rain. I'd go there occasionally, but it tended to be the pricier bands and was a little more strict about carding -- I didn't have fake ID, just relied on a thousand-yard-"who me of course I'm 21 duh"-stare -- so I went to 7th Street Entry more. Same club, different room/ entrance.
http://www.first-avenue.com/HistoryOld/history.htm
One of my best friends in jr hi/ hi school is in a band now that, in looking up some 7th Street Entry stuff, has played there. Cool.
7th Street Entry was for more alternative/ punk/ up and coming/
cheap bands, a younger audience. First Avenue was the Names, more clubby and meat-markety.
Anyway, enough of that nostalgia trip. Would love to see that concert. Not gonna happen (.00001% chance) but sounds great and thanks for the description. New York has got to be one of the better places to see it. Minneapolis had to have been great, too.
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