Well people in a blazin summers day in Arras prince arrived on the stage in the mood 4 a party, but it certainly took the prodominently boring as fuck french crowd a while 2 warm up. He opend with Venus de Milo, Lets go Crazy, Delerious and Little red Corvette..the later was an amazing version, playing it the way hes been playing of late like on the montreux set..with peircing guitar licks inbetween verses..he blew me away with this one..but yet again when he tried 2 get this french crowed chanting "slow down" like in the montreux version, france didnt wanna sing, obviously cats were chanting but no where near enough..

he was generaly in a very good mood and he seemed 2 enjoy himself more and more as the night went on..as did the initialy dull crowd..as the show went on the crowd went wilder..hopfully spurned on by the blatent shouts of, "come on 2 fuck france sing" that were coming from me..on at least 6 occasions i turned around 2 stone faced geezers n asked them why they were such boring cunts...me and my m8 travelled from scotland and were right up 4 the gig...but we were actualy greeted with weird stares by many people as we made crazy noise and lost ourselves in the moment..

he also played take me with u, a rokin version of peach and guitar with exellent energy and crowd participation....he was also very funny during the gig with his facial expressions and thigs like pretending 2 throw the guitar into the crowd, there was a lot of laughter during the show..he jammed solidly with larry for around 15 min if my memory recalls..everyday people and others..cant think man!! purole rain was a brilliant version, full of soul unlike the pathetic statment made earlier on this topic by some dude..kiss was shit hot toataly funked up nasty style with prince bustin moves all over the stage..unlike the guitarless version from berlin..it was still heavy on the keyboards with 1+1+1=3 style funky blasts..but last night after bustin moves he picked up the guitar 2 bust the licks at the end..im currently in the airport pisswed out my mind so im ofski just now....seen prince 15 times from diamonds n pearls 2 the present...please do not listen to the farcical statments that this was a run of the mill show..the geezers making these statments are trippin right oot there fuking tights...peace out:D

P.S FRANCE...BORING BASTARDS @ FIRST EVENTUALY THEY GOT THE HANG OF IT..PRINCE U WANT A WILD AS FUCK CROWD U KNOW THE PLACE WEE MAN...GLASGOW CITY, SCOTLAND..wildest crowd on earth..but anyone in possesion of the goodlife remix will know his thoughts on Glasgow..why he aint been back and consitantly plays gaffs like frNCE? FUCK KNOWS MAN

weejimmy said:

Well people in a blazin summers day in Arras prince arrived on the stage in the mood 4 a party, but it certainly took the prodominently boring as fuck french crowd a while 2 warm up. He opend with Venus de Milo, Lets go Crazy, Delerious and Little red Corvette..the later was an amazing version, playing it the way hes been playing of late like on the montreux set..with peircing guitar licks inbetween verses..he blew me away with this one..but yet again when he tried 2 get this french crowed chanting "slow down" like in the montreux version, france didnt wanna sing, obviously cats were chanting but no where near enough..

he was generaly in a very good mood and he seemed 2 enjoy himself more and more as the night went on..as did the initialy dull crowd..as the show went on the crowd went wilder..hopfully spurned on by the blatent shouts of, "come on 2 fuck france sing" that were coming from me..on at least 6 occasions i turned around 2 stone faced geezers n asked them why they were such boring cunts...me and my m8 travelled from scotland and were right up 4 the gig...but we were actualy greeted with weird stares by many people as we made crazy noise and lost ourselves in the moment..

he also played take me with u, a rokin version of peach and guitar with exellent energy and crowd participation....he was also very funny during the gig with his facial expressions and thigs like pretending 2 throw the guitar into the crowd, there was a lot of laughter during the show..he jammed solidly with larry for around 15 min if my memory recalls..everyday people and others..cant think man!! purole rain was a brilliant version, full of soul unlike the pathetic statment made earlier on this topic by some dude..kiss was shit hot toataly funked up nasty style with prince bustin moves all over the stage..unlike the guitarless version from berlin..it was still heavy on the keyboards with 1+1+1=3 style funky blasts..but last night after bustin moves he picked up the guitar 2 bust the licks at the end..im currently in the airport pisswed out my mind so im ofski just now....seen prince 15 times from diamonds n pearls 2 the present...please do not listen to the farcical statments that this was a run of the mill show..the geezers making these statments are trippin right oot there fuking tights...peace out:D

P.S FRANCE...BORING BASTARDS @ FIRST EVENTUALY THEY GOT THE HANG OF IT..PRINCE U WANT A WILD AS FUCK CROWD U KNOW THE PLACE WEE MAN...GLASGOW CITY, SCOTLAND..wildest crowd on earth..but anyone in possesion of the goodlife remix will know his thoughts on Glasgow..why he aint been back and consitantly plays gaffs like frNCE? FUCK KNOWS MAN

Shame U want B in Werhter 2nite - we'll rock da place!

weejimmy said:

"come on 2 fuck france sing"

now i know what to call the bootleg

great review jimmy

[Edited 7/10/10 3:07am]

Nice work Seamo!

I'll throw in my tuppence worth as well then ...

The sun was out, no thunder storms in sight and rocking to some funky vibes in La France courtesy of Graham Central Station (Mint Condition were very poor IMO) the stage was set for an absolute belter of a show.

2 issues for me which is why the show doesn't quite make it into my top three were:

1) The sound / lighting engineers ... what was going on there? Prince constantly having to tweak his sound after asking numerous times and at certain points actually having to leave the stage to tell the sound man what to do, someone should have their P45. The lighting operator was no better, turn the house lights OFF Prince shouts ... (they stayed on), turn the house lights OFF ... (they go of for 3 seconds then straight back on again), he couldn't follow simple instructions. It may have been a language barrier issue but it was still no excuse for a show this size. Hopefully they will have sorted this for all you lucky peeps going to Werchter and beyond. Is it too much to ask for a show to be professionally managed for 124 Euros per ticket?

2) The French crowd ... ... dear oh dear. Now don't get me wrong they definitely warmed up once they had a few shandies down their neck but they took forever to feel the funk! Now, I love everybody and everywhere on this flat planet, no hate for no one so please don't take it the wrong way Frenchies - maybe it was the heat that knocked it out of you, maybe it was the poor queues for food & drink, maybe it was the largely mixed crowd that didn't seem familiar with call and response (audience participation). Whatever the reason, next time you've got a living legend in your backyard please give him the respect he's due from the very first note.

Back to the positives, it was always going to be mainly a hits show but they were all delivered with aplomb! All the usual supects appeared but Mountains, Forever In My Life and Ol Skool Company were all great inclusions for the die-hards and his guitar work is always mind-boggling. Personally, I missed the horns ... nothing like a bit of funky sax to get those hips shaking!

Loved the newer Little Red Corvette & Kiss reworks, not so much a fan of the Nothing Compares 2 U arrangement though, I think it loses a lot of it's emotion when sung in such a stop / start manner.

Once the initial sound issues were sorted and the crowd eventually warmed up after the funky jam with Larry mid-set, Prince was bouncing off the walls - he was having a great time, and that's what lifts it, encore after encore, teasing us ... walking on and off and on again. If anybody could have worked that ever so lethargic French crowd into a frenzy he was the man to do it and when our European cousins bought into the vibe, there were some special moments. He was laughing, joking, squealing, screaming, shimmying (dancing), running all over that stage and loving every minute of it.

Altogether it made for an excellent experience and a great show ... I wish the same could be said about the new album 20Ten, such a disappointment but alas (or Arras), we can't have it all eh!

I'll leave you with one thing and this is directed firmly to any guys and dolls within our radius in the Gold Circle stage left, back at the rear barrier:

"Don't get on the backs of the folk that like to get down!"- Picasso (2010)

Jesus, Mary & Joseph ... if looks could kill me and WeeJimmy would have been murdered several times over last night, just for trying to get the party started ... wherever you're from be courteous enough to let folks get their groove on and just you concentrate on eating your wee poke of chips next time - they were clearly more important than the funkiest man alive cutting some rug on stage right in front of you.

I'll stop the waffle and hope that everyone enjoys the rest of the tour as much as I enjoyed my round trip from the UK to Arras, France.

It WAS a beautiful night.

See you on the B side.

Picasso

WeeJimmy

Good review- thanks!

French crowds are a bit of a mystery.

Sometimes they're the best in the world but at other times you do wonder what's going on.

So, I'm not going to defend them but is there a slight possibility that maybe they were just underwhelmed with hearing Purple Rain or Kiss for the millionth time or having to put up with Laggy G wasting everyone's time??

Even the slightest posibility......???

eireboy34 said:

WeeJimmy

Good review- thanks!

French crowds are a bit of a mystery.

Sometimes they're the best in the world but at other times you do wonder what's going on.

So, I'm not going to defend them but is there a slight possibility that maybe they were just underwhelmed with hearing Purple Rain or Kiss for the millionth time or having to put up with Laggy G wasting everyone's time??

Even the slightest posibility......???

I think it's because they like to watch and listen, that's what I like to do. Last month I was at a concert in Budapest (Hungary) it took the audience over an hour to warm up... different cultures! Anyway, not just French people in the audience at Arras

thanks for some actual reviews of what was going on other than the same old same old lists of what was played. I was beginning to wonder what was up with people -- every other tour people talk about everything that happened good or bad at the shows, but thus far this tour, it's 99% just what songs were played and that the people had fun at the show. Well, that's always going to be the case!

have fun concertgoers.

Post in other section, this is in response to your review. This presents another voice of opinion:

I'm sorry i disagree with your positive feedback. The show was truly terrible. The organisation of the event was terrible. Having to queue for 1 hour and a half to get in, the advertised parking was non existent. We had to park a good mile away because of this. The concert itself was mixed. The crowd was dead for the most part. They seemed to be more positive and warming to Mint Condition who were terrible at best and GCS who were Amazing! The gold section was 50% full at best. You could move around and get anywhere you needed - that's how empty it was. The sound mixing and lighting operating was average at best, even Prince kept asking for these to be improved and for the most part they were ignored. In my opinion he played with no passion. It was like he clearly was just making a quick buck.

Other than the newly improved sections of Let's Get Crazy and other hits, this was no different to Coachella and Paris. Larry Graham clearly outplayed and shore him. It was another setlist with nothing but the hits. The first half was quite cool, guitar was the highlight of the night for me. On the other hand, the second half was just reminiscence of the ONA Aftershow Official Release. The tour is called 20ten but no new material was played (Xcept the chorus from Everybody Loves Me and Old Skool Company). I really feel like he needs a new band to capture the fabulous sounds that are achieved in the studio. I'm honestly not a hater. His the reason i'm making music, but it was a terrible affair in Arras. It almost made me lost touch with why i fell in love with his music and him.

Isabell said:

eireboy34 said:

WeeJimmy

Good review- thanks!

French crowds are a bit of a mystery.

Sometimes they're the best in the world but at other times you do wonder what's going on.

So, I'm not going to defend them but is there a slight possibility that maybe they were just underwhelmed with hearing Purple Rain or Kiss for the millionth time or having to put up with Laggy G wasting everyone's time??

Even the slightest posibility......???

I think it's because they like to watch and listen, that's what I like to do. Last month I was at a concert in Budapest (Hungary) it took the audience over an hour to warm up... different cultures! Anyway, not just French people in the audience at Arras

Would that be why he likes playing there so much? An audience who watches and listens vs. going wild.

Nice one Jimmy. I'm with you all the way - travelled all that way and loved it, and the biggest disappintment was the French crow. Ah well, at least we had fun - and Prince clearly did too (apart from the lighting and sound probs).

I'll add this for those who want the info - setlist, as I remember it (in order to star with, but I forget what happened when).

• Venus De Milo (piano solo / Cassandra (?)
• Little Red Corvette
• 1999
• Take Me With U
• Controversy
• Hot Summer / Guitar
• Angel (title?) sung by Shelby J.
• Nothing Compares 2 U (duet w/ Shelby J)
• Sexy Dancer (groove) with Le Freak
• Shake Your Body Down (sung by backing vocalist - not sure of her name)
• Funk jam w/ Larry Graham and Mint Condition vocalist
• Mountains

• Kiss
• Purple Rain

• Peach
• Old School Company
• Everybody Loves Me
• Forever In My Life (solo to original SOTT backing track)
• 7 (w/ band)
• Slowed down section at the end with lots of p-p-p-p preachin!

Yeah, the crowd was a let down, but Prince seemed in a very excitable and funny mood. It was what I would describe as a very guitar based show. My mate came with me and he was a bit let down by the lack of horn section (he's a sax player) but he still loved it.

Forever In my life was a great touch. I've always hoped to see that.

thapurple1 said:

Post in other section, this is in response to your review. This presents another voice of opinion:

I'm sorry i disagree with your positive feedback. The show was truly terrible. The organisation of the event was terrible. Having to queue for 1 hour and a half to get in, the advertised parking was non existent. We had to park a good mile away because of this. The concert itself was mixed. The crowd was dead for the most part. They seemed to be more positive and warming to Mint Condition who were terrible at best and GCS who were Amazing! The gold section was 50% full at best. You could move around and get anywhere you needed - that's how empty it was. The sound mixing and lighting operating was average at best, even Prince kept asking for these to be improved and for the most part they were ignored. In my opinion he played with no passion. It was like he clearly was just making a quick buck.

Other than the newly improved sections of Let's Get Crazy and other hits, this was no different to Coachella and Paris. Larry Graham clearly outplayed and shore him. It was another setlist with nothing but the hits. The first half was quite cool, guitar was the highlight of the night for me. On the other hand, the second half was just reminiscence of the ONA Aftershow Official Release. The tour is called 20ten but no new material was played (Xcept the chorus from Everybody Loves Me and Old Skool Company). I really feel like he needs a new band to capture the fabulous sounds that are achieved in the studio. I'm honestly not a hater. His the reason i'm making music, but it was a terrible affair in Arras. It almost made me lost touch with why i fell in love with his music and him.

Hi Purple1.

i hear what you;re saying. I was lucky enough to not drive, but I can imagine that was terrible disappointment and no doubt put a dampner on the whole thing. I have to say though, I was in the Gold Circle and it was RAMMED!! Not a chance of moving around, and certainly not to get a beer - it was difficult getting out even during Mint Condition.

I'm not surprised and frankly don't care he played no new stuff apart from the two you mention - on the vidence of those two tracks, I'd die happy never hearing the new album.

There, I said it!

Not sure about the 'nothing but hits' thing either. Forever In my Life aint no hit. Neither is Mountains. But granted, it was hits based show - something I did ' expect though on this tour. I think the days where he tours an album with a theme may actually be gone now. He "went Vegas" a good few years back now, and I see no sign of that stopping. He's touring for cash now, which means he will avoid too much new stuff. As a fan, I go with lower expectations than I used to, and a result I enjoyed it immensely as a fun and funky show.

Anyway a shame to hear you had such an awful experience, cos as I say from where we were it was great fun - just the audience around us could have got into it a lot more.

Peace.

[Edited 7/10/10 14:29pm]

Number23 said:

The bold Jimmy Mallon telling cunts the wiy it is.

i hear he is taking over from larry king

weejimmy said:

Well people in a blazin summers day in Arras prince arrived on the stage in the mood 4 a party, but it certainly took the prodominently boring as fuck french crowd a while 2 warm up. He opend with Venus de Milo, Lets go Crazy, Delerious and Little red Corvette..the later was an amazing version, playing it the way hes been playing of late like on the montreux set..with peircing guitar licks inbetween verses..he blew me away with this one..but yet again when he tried 2 get this french crowed chanting "slow down" like in the montreux version, france didnt wanna sing, obviously cats were chanting but no where near enough..

he was generaly in a very good mood and he seemed 2 enjoy himself more and more as the night went on..as did the initialy dull crowd..as the show went on the crowd went wilder..hopfully spurned on by the blatent shouts of, "come on 2 fuck france sing" that were coming from me..on at least 6 occasions i turned around 2 stone faced geezers n asked them why they were such boring cunts...me and my m8 travelled from scotland and were right up 4 the gig...but we were actualy greeted with weird stares by many people as we made crazy noise and lost ourselves in the moment..

he also played take me with u, a rokin version of peach and guitar with exellent energy and crowd participation....he was also very funny during the gig with his facial expressions and thigs like pretending 2 throw the guitar into the crowd, there was a lot of laughter during the show..he jammed solidly with larry for around 15 min if my memory recalls..everyday people and others..cant think man!! purole rain was a brilliant version, full of soul unlike the pathetic statment made earlier on this topic by some dude..kiss was shit hot toataly funked up nasty style with prince bustin moves all over the stage..unlike the guitarless version from berlin..it was still heavy on the keyboards with 1+1+1=3 style funky blasts..but last night after bustin moves he picked up the guitar 2 bust the licks at the end..im currently in the airport pisswed out my mind so im ofski just now....seen prince 15 times from diamonds n pearls 2 the present...please do not listen to the farcical statments that this was a run of the mill show..the geezers making these statments are trippin right oot there fuking tights...peace out:D

P.S FRANCE...BORING BASTARDS @ FIRST EVENTUALY THEY GOT THE HANG OF IT..PRINCE U WANT A WILD AS FUCK CROWD U KNOW THE PLACE WEE MAN...GLASGOW CITY, SCOTLAND..wildest crowd on earth..but anyone in possesion of the goodlife remix will know his thoughts on Glasgow..why he aint been back and consitantly plays gaffs like frNCE? FUCK KNOWS MAN

If a pissed up twat was behind me shouting that I'd have politely asked you to shut the f**k up.

dayzofwyld said:

weejimmy said:

Well people in a blazin summers day in Arras prince arrived on the stage in the mood 4 a party, but it certainly took the prodominently boring as fuck french crowd a while 2 warm up. He opend with Venus de Milo, Lets go Crazy, Delerious and Little red Corvette..the later was an amazing version, playing it the way hes been playing of late like on the montreux set..with peircing guitar licks inbetween verses..he blew me away with this one..but yet again when he tried 2 get this french crowed chanting "slow down" like in the montreux version, france didnt wanna sing, obviously cats were chanting but no where near enough..

he was generaly in a very good mood and he seemed 2 enjoy himself more and more as the night went on..as did the initialy dull crowd..as the show went on the crowd went wilder..hopfully spurned on by the blatent shouts of, "come on 2 fuck france sing" that were coming from me..on at least 6 occasions i turned around 2 stone faced geezers n asked them why they were such boring cunts...me and my m8 travelled from scotland and were right up 4 the gig...but we were actualy greeted with weird stares by many people as we made crazy noise and lost ourselves in the moment..

he also played take me with u, a rokin version of peach and guitar with exellent energy and crowd participation....he was also very funny during the gig with his facial expressions and thigs like pretending 2 throw the guitar into the crowd, there was a lot of laughter during the show..he jammed solidly with larry for around 15 min if my memory recalls..everyday people and others..cant think man!! purole rain was a brilliant version, full of soul unlike the pathetic statment made earlier on this topic by some dude..kiss was shit hot toataly funked up nasty style with prince bustin moves all over the stage..unlike the guitarless version from berlin..it was still heavy on the keyboards with 1+1+1=3 style funky blasts..but last night after bustin moves he picked up the guitar 2 bust the licks at the end..im currently in the airport pisswed out my mind so im ofski just now....seen prince 15 times from diamonds n pearls 2 the present...please do not listen to the farcical statments that this was a run of the mill show..the geezers making these statments are trippin right oot there fuking tights...peace out:D

P.S FRANCE...BORING BASTARDS @ FIRST EVENTUALY THEY GOT THE HANG OF IT..PRINCE U WANT A WILD AS FUCK CROWD U KNOW THE PLACE WEE MAN...GLASGOW CITY, SCOTLAND..wildest crowd on earth..but anyone in possesion of the goodlife remix will know his thoughts on Glasgow..why he aint been back and consitantly plays gaffs like frNCE? FUCK KNOWS MAN

If a pissed up twat was behind me shouting that I'd have politely asked you to shut the f**k up.

Aaaah, Bette!! You always did have a way with words!

eireboy34 said:

dayzofwyld said:

If a pissed up twat was behind me shouting that I'd have politely asked you to shut the f**k up.

Aaaah, Bette!! You always did have a way with words!

I know..astonishing isn't it..so elequant

clbrooks said:

thapurple1 said:

Post in other section, this is in response to your review. This presents another voice of opinion:

I'm sorry i disagree with your positive feedback. The show was truly terrible. The organisation of the event was terrible. Having to queue for 1 hour and a half to get in, the advertised parking was non existent. We had to park a good mile away because of this. The concert itself was mixed. The crowd was dead for the most part. They seemed to be more positive and warming to Mint Condition who were terrible at best and GCS who were Amazing! The gold section was 50% full at best. You could move around and get anywhere you needed - that's how empty it was. The sound mixing and lighting operating was average at best, even Prince kept asking for these to be improved and for the most part they were ignored. In my opinion he played with no passion. It was like he clearly was just making a quick buck.

Other than the newly improved sections of Let's Get Crazy and other hits, this was no different to Coachella and Paris. Larry Graham clearly outplayed and shore him. It was another setlist with nothing but the hits. The first half was quite cool, guitar was the highlight of the night for me. On the other hand, the second half was just reminiscence of the ONA Aftershow Official Release. The tour is called 20ten but no new material was played (Xcept the chorus from Everybody Loves Me and Old Skool Company). I really feel like he needs a new band to capture the fabulous sounds that are achieved in the studio. I'm honestly not a hater. His the reason i'm making music, but it was a terrible affair in Arras. It almost made me lost touch with why i fell in love with his music and him.

Hi Purple1.

i hear what you;re saying. I was lucky enough to not drive, but I can imagine that was terrible disappointment and no doubt put a dampner on the whole thing. I have to say though, I was in the Gold Circle and it was RAMMED!! Not a chance of moving around, and certainly not to get a beer - it was difficult getting out even during Mint Condition.

I'm not surprised and frankly don't care he played no new stuff apart from the two you mention - on the vidence of those two tracks, I'd die happy never hearing the new album.

There, I said it!

Not sure about the 'nothing but hits' thing either. Forever In my Life aint no hit. Neither is Mountains. But granted, it was hits based show - something I did ' expect though on this tour. I think the days where he tours an album with a theme may actually be gone now. He "went Vegas" a good few years back now, and I see no sign of that stopping. He's touring for cash now, which means he will avoid too much new stuff. As a fan, I go with lower expectations than I used to, and a result I enjoyed it immensely as a fun and funky show.

Anyway a shame to hear you had such an awful experience, cos as I say from where we were it was great fun - just the audience around us could have got into it a lot more.

Peace.

[Edited 7/10/10 14:29pm]

I also thought the gold circle was pretty jammed, especially where we were, although you had space to dance. Loved the show, loved his mood - so glad I trekked all the way to Arras for the concert. Apart from some non french guys next to me, maybe they were dutch.. nobody else was really dancing or singing - very weird, especially as the last Prince concert I went to was 21st Sept in London where the atmosphere was electric....

The only thing that pssied me off was waiting for a taxi to our hotel at 2am outside the train station - to the other poor souls in that late night queue.... wasnt it torture!!!!!

I wanted to write a review of Arras gig but I don't feel like doing it after reading all ur post as I have mixed feelings ... I danced, jumped and sang like crazy and try to warm people around me...I had the time of my life but that's only my very very subjectif point of view and I'm not a musician so far to judge how good the perfomance was.

dayzofwyld said:

weejimmy said:

Well people in a blazin summers day in Arras prince arrived on the stage in the mood 4 a party, but it certainly took the prodominently boring as fuck french crowd a while 2 warm up. He opend with Venus de Milo, Lets go Crazy, Delerious and Little red Corvette..the later was an amazing version, playing it the way hes been playing of late like on the montreux set..with peircing guitar licks inbetween verses..he blew me away with this one..but yet again when he tried 2 get this french crowed chanting "slow down" like in the montreux version, france didnt wanna sing, obviously cats were chanting but no where near enough..

he was generaly in a very good mood and he seemed 2 enjoy himself more and more as the night went on..as did the initialy dull crowd..as the show went on the crowd went wilder..hopfully spurned on by the blatent shouts of, "come on 2 fuck france sing" that were coming from me..on at least 6 occasions i turned around 2 stone faced geezers n asked them why they were such boring cunts...me and my m8 travelled from scotland and were right up 4 the gig...but we were actualy greeted with weird stares by many people as we made crazy noise and lost ourselves in the moment..

he also played take me with u, a rokin version of peach and guitar with exellent energy and crowd participation....he was also very funny during the gig with his facial expressions and thigs like pretending 2 throw the guitar into the crowd, there was a lot of laughter during the show..he jammed solidly with larry for around 15 min if my memory recalls..everyday people and others..cant think man!! purole rain was a brilliant version, full of soul unlike the pathetic statment made earlier on this topic by some dude..kiss was shit hot toataly funked up nasty style with prince bustin moves all over the stage..unlike the guitarless version from berlin..it was still heavy on the keyboards with 1+1+1=3 style funky blasts..but last night after bustin moves he picked up the guitar 2 bust the licks at the end..im currently in the airport pisswed out my mind so im ofski just now....seen prince 15 times from diamonds n pearls 2 the present...please do not listen to the farcical statments that this was a run of the mill show..the geezers making these statments are trippin right oot there fuking tights...peace out:D

P.S FRANCE...BORING BASTARDS @ FIRST EVENTUALY THEY GOT THE HANG OF IT..PRINCE U WANT A WILD AS FUCK CROWD U KNOW THE PLACE WEE MAN...GLASGOW CITY, SCOTLAND..wildest crowd on earth..but anyone in possesion of the goodlife remix will know his thoughts on Glasgow..why he aint been back and consitantly plays gaffs like frNCE? FUCK KNOWS MAN

If a pissed up twat was behind me shouting that I'd have politely asked you to shut the f**k up.

4 a start ye prik of a man am nae pissed up twat.. a wis sober at that gig(pissed out ma mind when writing coz i had a 7 hour wait in standstead on my own am off work 4 six days n a wanted tae have a bevy) and a was dancing and singing m8..and if a prike like yersel had approached me tellin me 2 fuck up ye wood have recieved a quick heeder tae yer wreck ahe a fukin coupen 4 being a presumptious cheekey bastard no kindly bolt fae ma exestince ye fukin rocket

picasso said:

Nice work Seamo!

I'll throw in my tuppence worth as well then ...

The sun was out, no thunder storms in sight and rocking to some funky vibes in La France courtesy of Graham Central Station (Mint Condition were very poor IMO) the stage was set for an absolute belter of a show.

2 issues for me which is why the show doesn't quite make it into my top three were:

1) The sound / lighting engineers ... what was going on there? Prince constantly having to tweak his sound after asking numerous times and at certain points actually having to leave the stage to tell the sound man what to do, someone should have their P45. The lighting operator was no better, turn the house lights OFF Prince shouts ... (they stayed on), turn the house lights OFF ... (they go of for 3 seconds then straight back on again), he couldn't follow simple instructions. It may have been a language barrier issue but it was still no excuse for a show this size. Hopefully they will have sorted this for all you lucky peeps going to Werchter and beyond. Is it too much to ask for a show to be professionally managed for 124 Euros per ticket?

2) The French crowd ... ... dear oh dear. Now don't get me wrong they definitely warmed up once they had a few shandies down their neck but they took forever to feel the funk! Now, I love everybody and everywhere on this flat planet, no hate for no one so please don't take it the wrong way Frenchies - maybe it was the heat that knocked it out of you, maybe it was the poor queues for food & drink, maybe it was the largely mixed crowd that didn't seem familiar with call and response (audience participation). Whatever the reason, next time you've got a living legend in your backyard please give him the respect he's due from the very first note.

Back to the positives, it was always going to be mainly a hits show but they were all delivered with aplomb! All the usual supects appeared but Mountains, Forever In My Life and Ol Skool Company were all great inclusions for the die-hards and his guitar work is always mind-boggling. Personally, I missed the horns ... nothing like a bit of funky sax to get those hips shaking!

Loved the newer Little Red Corvette & Kiss reworks, not so much a fan of the Nothing Compares 2 U arrangement though, I think it loses a lot of it's emotion when sung in such a stop / start manner.

Once the initial sound issues were sorted and the crowd eventually warmed up after the funky jam with Larry mid-set, Prince was bouncing off the walls - he was having a great time, and that's what lifts it, encore after encore, teasing us ... walking on and off and on again. If anybody could have worked that ever so lethargic French crowd into a frenzy he was the man to do it and when our European cousins bought into the vibe, there were some special moments. He was laughing, joking, squealing, screaming, shimmying (dancing), running all over that stage and loving every minute of it.

Altogether it made for an excellent experience and a great show ... I wish the same could be said about the new album 20Ten, such a disappointment but alas (or Arras), we can't have it all eh!

I'll leave you with one thing and this is directed firmly to any guys and dolls within our radius in the Gold Circle stage left, back at the rear barrier:

"Don't get on the backs of the folk that like to get down!"- Picasso (2010)

Jesus, Mary & Joseph ... if looks could kill me and WeeJimmy would have been murdered several times over last night, just for trying to get the party started ... wherever you're from be courteous enough to let folks get their groove on and just you concentrate on eating your wee poke of chips next time - they were clearly more important than the funkiest man alive cutting some rug on stage right in front of you.

I'll stop the waffle and hope that everyone enjoys the rest of the tour as much as I enjoyed my round trip from the UK to Arras, France.

It WAS a beautiful night.

See you on the B side.

Picasso

quality review paul 4 got about the lighting cat..watever prince wanted he done the opposite..as usual though 2 heavy on somthin those issues detracted from nothing, just the crowd..boring bastards most of them..lol their wee pokes a chips, lmfao

weejimmy said:

Well people in a blazin summers day in Arras prince arrived on the stage in the mood 4 a party, but it certainly took the prodominently boring as fuck french crowd a while 2 warm up. He opend with Venus de Milo, Lets go Crazy, Delerious and Little red Corvette..the later was an amazing version, playing it the way hes been playing of late like on the montreux set..with peircing guitar licks inbetween verses..he blew me away with this one..but yet again when he tried 2 get this french crowed chanting "slow down" like in the montreux version, france didnt wanna sing, obviously cats were chanting but no where near enough..

he was generaly in a very good mood and he seemed 2 enjoy himself more and more as the night went on..as did the initialy dull crowd..as the show went on the crowd went wilder..hopfully spurned on by the blatent shouts of, "come on 2 fuck france sing" that were coming from me..on at least 6 occasions i turned around 2 stone faced geezers n asked them why they were such boring cunts...me and my m8 travelled from scotland and were right up 4 the gig...but we were actualy greeted with weird stares by many people as we made crazy noise and lost ourselves in the moment..

he also played take me with u, a rokin version of peach and guitar with exellent energy and crowd participation....he was also very funny during the gig with his facial expressions and thigs like pretending 2 throw the guitar into the crowd, there was a lot of laughter during the show..he jammed solidly with larry for around 15 min if my memory recalls..everyday people and others..cant think man!! purole rain was a brilliant version, full of soul unlike the pathetic statment made earlier on this topic by some dude..kiss was shit hot toataly funked up nasty style with prince bustin moves all over the stage..unlike the guitarless version from berlin..it was still heavy on the keyboards with 1+1+1=3 style funky blasts..but last night after bustin moves he picked up the guitar 2 bust the licks at the end..im currently in the airport pisswed out my mind so im ofski just now....seen prince 15 times from diamonds n pearls 2 the present...please do not listen to the farcical statments that this was a run of the mill show..the geezers making these statments are trippin right oot there fuking tights...peace out:D

P.S FRANCE...BORING BASTARDS @ FIRST EVENTUALY THEY GOT THE HANG OF IT..PRINCE U WANT A WILD AS FUCK CROWD U KNOW THE PLACE WEE MAN...GLASGOW CITY, SCOTLAND..wildest crowd on earth..but anyone in possesion of the goodlife remix will know his thoughts on Glasgow..why he aint been back and consitantly plays gaffs like frNCE? FUCK KNOWS MAN

You know this is what I experienced at Coachella a few years ago where there were even fewer Prince fans.

It was really hard work and I felt really self conscious dancing and singing along to Prince when everyone around me looked like they wanted to lamp Prince rather than dance to his music.

Over the years though I've realised that just because peeps don't look like they are having fun, doesn't mean they're not. They just have a different way of showing it.

We like to dance and join in - others just like to watch and observe Prince.

I think appearances can be deceptive.

Incidently I was at the front and it was like a dance off down there. We were all trying to out fan each other!

Well, it was a very beautiful night... o-e-oooo

It was a really great show in Arras and everybody who says something else must be deaf, dumb or blind

weejimmy said:

dayzofwyld said:

If a pissed up twat was behind me shouting that I'd have politely asked you to shut the f**k up.

4 a start ye prik of a man am nae pissed up twat.. a wis sober at that gig(pissed out ma mind when writing coz i had a 7 hour wait in standstead on my own am off work 4 six days n a wanted tae have a bevy) and a was dancing and singing m8..and if a prike like yersel had approached me tellin me 2 fuck up ye wood have recieved a quick heeder tae yer wreck ahe a fukin coupen 4 being a presumptious cheekey bastard no kindly bolt fae ma exestince ye fukin rocket

Do your posts come with some kind of translation tool, I simply had no fucking clue what you were talking about

dayzofwyld said:

weejimmy said:

4 a start ye prik of a man am nae pissed up twat.. a wis sober at that gig(pissed out ma mind when writing coz i had a 7 hour wait in standstead on my own am off work 4 six days n a wanted tae have a bevy) and a was dancing and singing m8..and if a prike like yersel had approached me tellin me 2 fuck up ye wood have recieved a quick heeder tae yer wreck ahe a fukin coupen 4 being a presumptious cheekey bastard no kindly bolt fae ma exestince ye fukin rocket

Do your posts come with some kind of translation tool, I simply had no fucking clue what you were talking about

it's scottish. drink a couple of bottles of buckie and a half dozen cans of special brew, a bottle of white lightning and you'll get the gist

unique said:

dayzofwyld said:

Do your posts come with some kind of translation tool, I simply had no fucking clue what you were talking about

it's scottish. drink a couple of bottles of buckie and a half dozen cans of special brew, a bottle of white lightning and you'll get the gist

After that lot I doubt I would even care about the gist

unique said:

dayzofwyld said:

Do your posts come with some kind of translation tool, I simply had no fucking clue what you were talking about

it's scottish. drink a couple of bottles of buckie and a half dozen cans of special brew, a bottle of white lightning and you'll get the gist

I've just tried this...it works!!!!!!

.....FUNNY AS F**K....... dont get many concert reviews like that in the sunday mail...maybe you have found your forte in life wee man........

[Edited 7/19/10 7:42am]

blackbob said:

.....FUNNY AS F**K....... dont get many concert reviews like that in the sunday mail...maybe you have found your forte in life wee man........

[Edited 7/19/10 7:42am]

he could take over from billy sloan

Comedy gold from all concerned in this post.

I think anglo french relations just took a nosedive.