Hi all...

excerpt from my review of the April 12 concert in Indianapolis, found in full at:
http://www.epinions.com/c...3872432260

musicology: myü-zi-'kä-l&-jE (noun) 1a : the scholarly and scientific study of music b : the greatest display of funk ever performed in a concert venue

The long wait is over. Funk has returned in force to the nation’s concert venues. Prince and New Power Generation brought The Artist’s greatest hits to Indianapolis’ Conseco Fieldhouse on April 12, and for two hours and twenty minutes, twelve thousand adoring fans received the education of a lifetime in the art of The One.

Prince’s latest tour is named for his latest album, Musicology, and Prince’s scholarly devotion to The One is evident in many of the songs chosen for this tour. Prince handpicked the musicians that make up New Power Generation, and they are the tightest band I have ever heard live. (Sorry, Sting’s Soul Cages tour, you’ve been bumped to #2). Prince even went so far as to recruit James Brown’s legendary sax player Maceo Parker for this tour – if you’re going to bring the funk, having a direct connection to the Godfather of Soul is an excellent place to start.

Though the Musicology tour is basically a greatest hits package, at it’s heart it is a loving tribute by The Artist to all of the “true funk soldiers” who have gone before him, to quote the title track and opening song of the concert. However, from the moment the lights go out until the final notes of the encore fade away, the stage belongs entirely to Prince, master of ceremonies, entertainer extraordinaire, Lord of the Funk.

NPG hit the plus shaped stage dressed to the nines - tailored suits and snazzy hats for the men, bustier, jacket and slacks for Candy Dulfer, lace leggings and a red floor length trench for Rhonda Smith. Prince, resplendent in a white double breasted suit with thin red pinstripes, heeled white dress boots, and an open collared red shirt, was met with a roar from the crowd. Smiling his best “you don’t know what’s about to hit you” smile, The Kid started the party in high gear with Musicology, and though it seemed that most of the crowd was unfamiliar with this new song, it’s high energy had the crowd dancing and screaming right away. The volume of the crowd for the first song was quickly eclipsed as Prince stepped up to the mike to proclaim Dearly beloved…
[This message was edited Sun Aug 1 16:20:18 2004 by bobtomato]