http://www.thestate.com/m...489324.htm

Posted on Thu, Apr. 22, 2004




This is what he sounds like, that Prince guy

By OTIS R. TAYLOR JR.

Staff Writer


Prince, go on with your bad self. The artist formerly known as a symbol brought his Musicology Tour to the Colonial Center on Wednesday, and he threw down.

Come on, you had to know he would.

Electric and acoustic, Prince performed old and new songs to a crowd of more than 17,000 screaming fans.

“Let’s Go Crazy,” “I Would Die 4 U,” “Shh,” “Controversy” and “I Feel For You” were songs just to get the party started.

Prince walked the stage like he owned the arena. He dropped the microphone once, but as it was being retrieved he improvised by writhing on the stage before getting back into the song without missing a beat.

Oh, this guy has still got it.

Prince said, “Can’t nobody mess with my band,” and he was right.

Anchored by Columbia native John Blackwell on drums, the New Power Generation played extended jams with incredible solos. Prince acknowledged Blackwell twice, and both times Blackwell showed out. He was so on point that he was banging cymbals behind his head.

“It was just like I imagined,” Blackwell said after the show as he was signing autographs. “This was the dream I had.”

With an acoustic guitar and sitting on a swivel chair, Prince opened the second half of the show with “Little Red Corvette.” “Adore” followed, with Prince asking, “Where’s my background?” He didn’t need any with the vocal range he has.

Between verses of “Cream,” Prince said, “You know I wrote this song in the mirror.” After a laugh, he said, “I’m serious.”

You had to believe him with the way he whipped the handkerchief from his pocket to wipe off the mike stand and to wipe his face.

Everything Prince did for the 2½ hours he was onstage was fabulous, like the stirring renditions (yeah, he did it twice) of “Nothing Compares 2 U.” The encore featured “U Got the Look,” “Soul Man,” “Kiss” and “The Beautiful Ones”

Prince ended the concert with “Purple Rain,” of course. It took you back 20 years.

Was 1984 — the year the “Purple Rain” album and movie were released — a great year or what?

Reach Taylor at (803) 771-8362 or otaylor@thestate.com.

Great review, but I'm not surprised. Prince tore up the Gund Arena when he played here last Saturday night, and from what I've read, he seems to be doing the same everywhere he goes.

ADORE!!! Prince please play this when you come to Jersey!!!!!

He played NC2U twice?

booyah said:

NC2U was played, in part, during the acoustical segment, and again later with the whole band. Carolina was hoppin'!

Good to see, since Prince has never been that popular in the south.

2freaky4church1 said:

au contraire--you obviously MUST not have been payin attention all that much to ol' boy.

The dancer chicks weren't so bad, except for that 1st girl that came up the second time he wanted women on stage. She had absolutely no rhythm.

adorable2 said:

I hope he plays it when he comes to Michigan...

Do you think this Prince-guy is gonna do well??? I MIGHT be crazy, but I think that this kid is pretty talented!!!

2freaky4church1 said:

Not true!! He was always hugely popular in Atlanta!

EROTICCITYNPG said:

did anyone in here get an autograph????

I met a girl after the concert who got his autograph but I didnt know anything about that at the time

I thought Prince doesn't give out autographs anymore.

psychodelicide said:

Blackwell was signing autographs, not Prince.