This will definetly be the longest post I have ever written. My buddy Jason and I left from Florida around 3:15 p.m. friday afternoon. The drive was OK, especially considering it was the begining of a holiday weekend. A little rain along the way(it rains on Every road trip we take at some point) Arrived in New orleans a little after 6 p.m. and decided to go directly to the superdome since the show was scheduled for 7p.m. Got there and settled into our seats around 6:30 p.m. We were in the section straight back in the second row of the upper level. The stage seemed like it was about half a mile away. Fortunatily there were multiple video screens and we also had binoculers. Definetly not where I'm use to sitting for Prince and definetly not for the Time, but by the Time they were both anounced the tickets had been on sale forever. Actually i was just happy to be able to see both of them at the same show.

Around 7 p.m. the emcee for the night started his little spill. Dude was not funny and we had to put up with him and all the lame contest for 45 minutes or so. Not fun at all.

Around 7:45 the opening band starts. Now i'm hyped waiting for the Time, but it definetly wasn't them. Some big guy comes out in 70's garb. After about a minute or so I figured it out. it was Chance with a wig. Looked around with the binoculers because from where we were you couldn't really see the band very good unless they were on the screen. Next I saw Rhonda. At that point I kinda figured out what was going on and started checking out each memeber. Renato with a fake fro, Blackwell on the kit and low and behold prince hiding in the back on Chances keyboards.
here is the setlist
1. No Diggity- Chance on vocals
2. Santana sounding stuff, could be soul sacrifice. This was instrumental. prince comes out on rollerskates and plays guitar. WTF. He had straight hair, a fake beard and sunglasses. Looked like frigging Dave Windorf or something
3. Knock on wood- Chance on vocals again
4. Everyday People- Larry Graham comes out and does his thing. Prince helps on vocals.
5. The Jam- say what you want about Larry, but he can still play that bass
6 The Glamorous Life- I got chills when Sheila came out. She can definetly play and still looks great. I told Jason we got the after show before the concert tonight. The show lasted about 45 minutes

Next was more lame contest and more of the lame emcee. Fortunatily this gave us time to get something to eat and drink.

At 9:30p.m. the familar ticking of the clock started and it was on. The funkest band in the land came on in all their glory and provided a non stop blistering set.

The setlist was
1. DAT intro
2. Ho Parade- as usual Tori was just ripping it up
3. Wild and Loose
4. The Stick
5. Fishnet
6. The Oak Tree
7. Jerk Out
8. Get it up- from this point on the rafters were shaking and i thought this place was going to come down. The crowd was definetly into it
9. Cool
10. 777-9311- always a highlight. Unfortunaitly they didn't do the extended ending and we missed all that nice jamming that usually goes on
11. Gigoloes get lonely too
12. The Bird- The foundation had to be cracking at this point as 50,000 people flapped their arms
encore
13. Jungle Love- as always Jerome was asking what we wanted to hear and from that half mile away we were yelling the skillet, but of course that didn't happen. A Thunderous end to their set. Tori tore the crap out of the guitar

The set was about forty minutes long and of course I could think of atleast five more songs I would have liked to have heard, but it was a tight opening set.I think they really missed an opportunity to play one of the new songs and mention, they had a new album in front of such a large crowd. Being far away definetly doesn't give you the same feeling as being a foot away from them all night, but on this night I was just happy to see them and Prince at the same show. if anybody else was playing after them, I probably would have went home.

Its a good thing I didn't because prince's main set turned into something people who were their will never forget and the hardcore that missed it will be kicking themselves about not attending

Around 11p.m. the Hall of fame video started. This was cool to see since the other show we attended we were in the second row on the side and missed it. We had a buddy on the phone when it started and he was getting almost as hyped as we were. prince always puts on a great show, but we had no idea what we were in store for
here is the setlist
1. Musicology- prince and most of the band come out in red. More jamming on it then the biloxi show
2. Let's go Crazy- The song that hooked me on Prince and i always love it when he plays guitar. At this point I noticed another guitar player on stage and after grabbing the binnoculers i figured out it was Wendy. How sweet is that. She was on stage most of the night and played on all the songs that he did up to the SOTT material
3. I would die 4 U
4. When Doves Cry- this one needed to be longer, but overall he did full version of most of the songs
5. Baby I'm a Star- started off with a little beat from 1999. Jason's favorite prince song
6. SHH!!!- This song just kicks ass, especially live. The guitar work was exceptional
7. D.M.S.R- this was just a full out jam, Wendy returned after a one song break, Doug E. Fresh showed up and did a bit of Push it up. The band went into that out cast song and the glamourous life before returning back to the original song
8. I feel 4 U- Chaka Kahn shows up and helps on vocal. Nice
10. Controversy- another Jam, the band just went on and on with this one
11. A Love Bizare- Sheila comes back and duets with prince. Awesome. Eddie M also showe up. They did a little bit of housequake too that got us a hyped as a mug. Most of the band exits at this point. Renato is doing is thing and it goes into
12. God- the instrumental version from the movie complete with the dialog from the movie.I about fell out of my seat when i hear the King Kong line
13. What a wonderful world- tastefully done by Maceo.
14. Little red Corvette- this started the accoustic section
15. Cream
16. Sweet Thing- the crowd was really getting into this one. Prince kept acting like he wanted to quit playing it, but would keep going because of the crowd reaction. The Chaka came back out and i thought the place was going to come down
17. Adore-outstanding version and i think the crowd got into this more than anything else that night
18. 7- this ended the accoustic section. Full band came back in
19. Sign O' the Times- name him Prince, if he's a boy. Nice guitar
20. Dear Mr Man- Cool to hear one of the songs off the new album
21. The Question of U- This was awesome. Excellent guitar. Went into The One and he was really getting into it. I have a new appreciation of this song after this performance.
22. Let's work- old school jam and a half. Sheila comes back on stage in a leopard outfit
23. U Got the look- not one of my favorites, but with Sheila playing and singing Shenna's part it was great. Lots of guitar
24. Life of the party- much better thanwas the Biloxi version. Doug E Fresh, Wendy and Sheila were all on stage. Doug E had the beat box going and Sheila was just wrecking her kit. Surprisingly it worked. This was definetly a Jam.
25. Soul Man- Chance back on vocals
26 Kiss- how cool is it to see prince and Wendy playing kiss
27. Take me with U- this ended the main set. Candy did the sanford and son theme and John did the 777-9311 drum beat and the we don't like new wave sample and the main show was over

The crowd was going crazy and it was almost 1a.m.
Encore
28. Purple Rain- as soon as it started we were sad because we knew this magical night was coming to an end. Wendy played an extended intro before Prince came on stage.It was a very long and emotional performance. To keep the theme of the night. prince just absolutely destroyed it on guitar. As the show ended Sheila and some of the other band members hugged John to confort him over the recent death of his daughter. it was a truly moving sight.

The show finished around 1:15 a.m. or so and was definetly a special evening for Prince fans and music fans in general

tHANK U for taking time to share with us...wow sounds like a fun time and as usual Prince tore it up.

thanx for the detailed review...this show needs to come out on DVD in its entirety.
does anyone know if it was taped?

yeah i want to know if it was taped????

this show shouldve been broadcast live on tv!!!


come prince release this performance with the time and the funky band!!!

we want this one!!!

NPD313 said:

I agree, this show should be shown 2 the masses. Maybe Prince will consider releasing this one by the end of the year on dvd as like a Purple Rain homage.

Thanks so much for the review - I am SO kicking myself or missing this.