Sounds like people enjoyed the show, but it's quite a dissapointing setlist. A trend seems to be appearing: the American shows seem to be NPG based and UK shows 3rdEyeGirl, which suits me, (I'd take 3rdEyeGirl every time), but I wonder why that is. Prince probably decided to play it safe with such a huge crowd, but I think his current rock shows/performances are much stronger. It would have been better had he sprinkled songs like Endorphinmachine, Bambi, I Like It There, Dreamer, Something in the Water, (maybe something some rarer, say Interactive or Da Bang or current tour favourite What's My Name), or maybe a few Plectrumelectrum songs. All in my own opinion of course. However, hearing this makes me glad he didn't do Glastonbury, I'd hate for him to finally play and chicken out on a hits setlist.

I heard a bit of When Doves Cry. He uses the entire track from the fucking album instead of live music, then sings over it. Pretty lame. Essence Fest is lame as well. Note all the corporate sponsors like Wal-Mart, Coca Cola and McDonalds! Thanks for sticking up for the minimum wage workers bitches!

thisisreece said:

There's a clip in utube from the first 21mins. Seeing this it just makes me sad. I understand that he has to do some pleaser songs, but he could also do something new and some songs poeple know but he hasn't played for ages. I am sure it was a great show, but for what I read and here from every big show, it just seems to be repeat after repeat. I hope we ge new material soon so he can play that live! I am so bored with these current shows and repetitions.

Then do something else.

purplethunder3121 said:

Then do something else.

Exactly!

the 21 minute yt clip seems like its the welcome to america tour

great audience vibe though

Ofcourse to us fans who have seen him so many times it may seem boring but reading the twitter and instagram comments many saw him for the first time and had a great time. I personally dont like Prince concerts in venues so large, especially with sound issues (I got spoiled ), but people seemed they came away satisfied.

[Edited 7/5/14 19:11pm]

EyeHatechu said:

Does anyone have the youtube link?

prince essence

Fury said:

2freaky4church1 said:

Thankfully I missed it. Sounds like a typical boring gig. Give me Badu any ole day--or the Roots.

What's funny is Raheem Devaughn was probably betta.

Van Hunt will save us.

Nah...sounds like to me Prince understood his venue....

Hardcore Prince fans don't seem to understand that you can't play the deep album and obscure cuts for fans at a 50,000 plus stadium who want to hear hits...U better believe Badu would have been playing a greatest hits set at Essence....

Just saying...

murph said:

2freaky4church1 said:

Thankfully I missed it. Sounds like a typical boring gig. Give me Badu any ole day--or the Roots.

What's funny is Raheem Devaughn was probably betta.

Van Hunt will save us.

Nah...sounds like to me Prince understood his venue....

Hardcore Prince fans don't seem to understand that you can't play the deep album and obscure cuts for fans at a 50,000 plus stadium who want to hear hits...U better believe Badu would have been playing a greatest hits set at Essence....

Just saying...

Exactly.

Some early write ups said Monae covered "Let's Go Crazy," in her set and then open up with it in his set. So what happen, did she play the fas version and then Prince played the slow version he's been playing? Either way sounds like Let's Go Crazy overkill or was it? Look like Janelle would have left it out of her set if Prince was going to do it?

Astasheiks said:

Some early write ups said Monae covered "Let's Go Crazy," in her set and then open up with it in his set. So what happen, did she play the fas version and then Prince played the slow version he's been playing? Either way sounds like Let's Go Crazy overkill or was it? Look like Janelle would have left it out of her set if Prince was going to do it?

Prince showed up during the ending of her version and did his shread guitar part

murph said:

2freaky4church1 said:

Thankfully I missed it. Sounds like a typical boring gig. Give me Badu any ole day--or the Roots.

What's funny is Raheem Devaughn was probably betta.

Van Hunt will save us.

Nah...sounds like to me Prince understood his venue....

Hardcore Prince fans don't seem to understand that you can't play the deep album and obscure cuts for fans at a 50,000 plus stadium who want to hear hits...U better believe Badu would have been playing a greatest hits set at Essence....

Just saying...

Pay no mind....he's drunk again.

Fury said:

EyeHatechu said:

Does anyone have the youtube link?

prince essence

Prince was killin it, I can't believe he can still rock those songs like they were just released and did play some other songs too!!!

With 's latest sell out 50,000 seats "MasterPiece" per4mance. has dethroned Beyonce & reclaimed his throne as the top concert per4mer of ALL time..

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

With 's latest sell out 50,000 seats "MasterPiece" per4mance. has dethroned Beyonce & reclaimed his throne as the top concert per4mer of ALL time..

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

I have seen him in a lot of other better outfits! I think even if he took out the granny grey shawl of this outfit it would have been a better costume.

[Edited 7/5/14 23:02pm]

babynoz said:

pfunkpilot said:

Sound was awful. I was sitting front stage left, and it was literally an assault on your eardrums. Nothing Compares to you, Sometimes it Snows were great. Good show, but Prince's set never recaptured the energy of Doug E's pre show hype

That's too bad to hear that the sound was bad. Isn't Prince notorious for not doing sound checks or something to that effect? I hope there were still a few highlights for you during the show.

laurarichardson said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

With 's latest sell out 50,000 seats "MasterPiece" per4mance. has dethroned Beyonce & reclaimed his throne as the top concert per4mer of ALL time..

Who was the bozo that wrote the review saying Beyonce had a sellout but then in parenthesis put "nearly a sellout".....Who is paying these journalists to make this broad seem like the 2nd coming? A sellout means all tickets are gone

Prince was never dethroned....sexy never left!

Astasheiks said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

I have seen him in a lot of other better outfits! I think even if he took out the granny grey shawl of this outfit it would have been a better costume.

[Edited 7/5/14 23:02pm]

Has Prince lost a lot of weight recently? I haven't seen him in person in a few years but from these pics it seems like he has.

laurarichardson said:

thisisreece said:

Sounds like people enjoyed the show, but it's quite a dissapointing setlist. A trend seems to be appearing: the American shows seem to be NPG based and UK shows 3rdEyeGirl, which suits me, (I'd take 3rdEyeGirl every time), but I wonder why that is. Prince probably decided to play it safe with such a huge crowd, but I think his current rock shows/performances are much stronger. It would have been better had he sprinkled songs like Endorphinmachine, Bambi, I Like It There, Dreamer, Something in the Water, (maybe something some rarer, say Interactive or Da Bang or current tour favourite What's My Name), or maybe a few Plectrumelectrum songs. All in my own opinion of course. However, hearing this makes me glad he didn't do Glastonbury, I'd hate for him to finally play and chicken out on a hits setlist.

--// He plays the right music for the right audience.He sold out a 50k venue and people are bitching

That's very true, and it sounds like most people had a great time. I know I still would have too, if I'd have been at the show. But I think he could play Purple Rain, Kiss, Let's Go Crazy, When Doves Cry, Raspberry Berret, You Got the Look, Sign o the Times, The Beautiful Ones, Little Red Corvette and 1999 and any casual fan would be more than happy. That leaves another ten or so songs, instead of doing as many covers he could do rarer album cuts, like Anna Stesia or Condition of the Heart or The Ballad of Dorothy Parker or anything I said in the above post (or new songs!) and turn casual fans into enthusiasts.