hello all...
ok, a complete setlist was already posted, so i will just add some quick comments (since it's almost 4 am and i am dead)

1st off, the stage is simple, but a very tranquil/laid back feel to it, with incense burning, 2 huge piles of throw pillows on either side of the stage, rugs, 2 cool water/light displays, purple drapes and an old-styled street light for the horn players to perform under.

on the side walls of the stage were 2 huge 'Rainbow Children' banners that were later covered up with movie screens that showed various film clips cut n' pasted together. these included images of road travel, stealth bombers, frying eggs, and other various "trippy" views that make ya go HMMM?

the show opened with John quietly bangin his drums. as he got louder, the rest of the band joined in. Prince was actually playing guitar from off stage before he came out without it and strolled around the stage to watch each band member.

of course he eventually did pick up the guitar again and he pretty much had one in his hands all night long.
i have seen him many a time but never have i seen him tear up his guitars as he did tonight! i wish all the guitar mags that pretty much ignore him were in the front row so i could watch all their jaws drop at once. it should be illegal, what he did to his guitars, and it probably is.

there was a lot of jamming during the 1st part of the show. at one point, P on guitar & Mr. Blackwell on his skins, invented a new kind of music. that is the only way i can describe it. it was this very fast hypnotic beat, with axe-play he has never let us experience before. he definitly has taken his music to the next level. i cant get that groove out of my head. i have never heard anything like it before. it was funk, but like none that has existed before. it was techno, but the drums were DEFINITLY live and the guitar sounded like everything except what it was designed to sound like.
ok, i need to move on...suffice it to say, he could of stayed on that groove for an hour and released it as one of his greatest albums!

unfortunatly, the crowd was definitly into the 2nd part of the show, with his more familiar joints- more so than the 1st part.

he was not preachy at all during the show. he talked of listening to a Saginaw radio station and people were calling in requesting they play some Prince music. the DJ said they didn't have any to play.
Prince's reply: "that's alright, i brought some of my own to play for you tonight"

of course people went wild, and then he said "don't worry, the radio sucks where i live too"

Prince asked how many people were from Detroit, he then asked what people from Saginaw thought of people from Detroit. then he said "as far as i am concerned, everyone in Michigan is funky"

Prince also answered the long lingering debate here on the org when he sung "The opposite of NATO is...ME!"

when all was said and done, they played for about 3 hours straight. and with no outfit changes, Prince was on stage almost all night. it was definitly unlike any "big" Prince show i have seen-had a definite aftershow vibe thruout. too bad all those folks screaming for "Purple Rain" during the entire show will probably Never "get it" and he must continue playing the "Take Me With U/Raspberry Beret" stuff to try and keep all pleased.

well, Prince, i Thank You for fighting the fight and playing the new music you so obviously truly enjoy playing. you reached a good medium (between new and oldskool) where all should leave, as my girlfriend and i both did, Totally Blown Away by the best show we could ever experience...atleast until the Detroit show anyway

***one final note, they played some of the "Xenophobia" album over the P.A. before the concert. killer guitar, bangin drums, tripped out violin. one final word.....DAMN!!!!! (this will drill y'all DEEP)***

cool 8). thanx 4 the review!

On one report I read that the band started at 8:15pm and ended at 11pm. Cool that it was almost 3 hrs but that seems early for a Prince concert. Did the venue make him end by 11pm?

jazzvibrator said:

9s, you can finally rest easy!!!

Jazz, great report, it gave me chills! Can't wait til he comes to New Orleans

Nice report Jazz ! Now i really wanna know if P comes to Europe.
BTW I still don't get it The opposite of NATO is ME ? ?