I mean, it's beautiful and all..."©Prince in Seattle, Washington on August 30th, 2004.

Great show. Seattle missed a cue during the acoustic set and told us we watch too much MTV. "The background part isn't pre-recorded... that's your part!"

The highlight for me was the Jaco Pastorius snippet. I wanted him to play the whole thing...

Can't wait until tomorrow night.

Opening act? We don't need no stinking opening act

Setlist (from what I remember... songs may be out of order) from August 30, 2004 in Seattle.



That wasn't a Jaco Pastorius snippet after all. I thought it was, because I have Jaco playing Stanley Clarke's 1974 track "Lopsy Lu" (from Stanley's self-titled album) on Joni Mitchell's wonderful live DVD "Shadows & Light". Anyways, sorry for the screw up. I knew I had heard that before...

suomynona said:

How where your seats?

molove said:

2nd row, at where the NPG & P kept going in and out. I would've liked to have been farther back, but I'm not complaining.

John was on drums, btw... you're in for a treat. See you tomorrow

Prince's royal tunes, cool moves light up KeyArena

By Patrick MacDonald
Seattle Times rock critic
Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 12:03 A.M.

He wore diamonds on the heels of his high-heel boots. Everything about Prince sparkled and shined last night in the first of his two shows at KeyArena.

Rising up in a cloud of smoke out of the center of his cross-shaped stage wearing a brilliant white suit, he opened with the funky title tune of his new comeback album, "Musicology."

Singing into a gold microphone and expertly wielding his guitar, he continued with "Let's Go Crazy," an invitation for everyone in the sold-out arena to get up and dance. "Seattle," he shouted out in Princese, "R U ready 4 me?" as a shower of white confetti and purple ribbons rained down on the crowd.

The intensity continued with some of his biggest songs: "Baby I'm a Star," "Controversy," "When Doves Cry" and "Sign 'O' the Times."

Prince twirled, twisted and jumped, displaying moves as cool and sensual as ever. The audience was in a dance frenzy, too. He even pulled out a fan from the crowd — Tim McQuery, 46, of Kent — to ham it up with some funky moves early in the set.

The first extended song, "D.M.S.R." (Dance Music, Sex, Romance), featured legendary James Brown sax man Maceo Parker. The other saxophonist, Candy Dulfer, later took a lead role in "Controversy."

Prince even did songs he wrote for other people, including "I Feel For U," written for Chaka Khan and "U Got The Look," a hit for Sheena Easton.

He sat in the middle of the stage alone for a series of acoustic songs, including "Little Red Corvette," "Alphabet St.," "Raspberry Beret" and other songs, before the band joined him again for a slow-rocking "I Want To Be Your Lover."

The stage action never stopped, as Prince traveled to all four sides of the stage to play to the whole house, singing into a pistol-grip microphone. The band members, also all in white, kept moving, too, sometimes in choreographed moves. Parker and trombonist Greg Boyer came out in academic gowns and mortar boards for an extended jam, during which Prince slipped under the stage to change into a black-and-white shirt. And wearing Ray-Bans like Ray Charles, Parker paid tribute to the late master, singing, "Georgia on My Mind."

After "Pop Life" and "Let's Work," both with much crowd participation, Prince brought it to a powerful conclusion, with "Life O' the Party," "Kiss" and "Take Me With U." After a long standing ovation, Prince returned in a purple suit with his famous glyph-shaped purple guitar for an extended "Purple Rain."

Prince pulls out the hits to keep fans on their feet

By Gene Stout
Seattle Post-Intelligencer pop music critic
Tuesday, August 31, 2004

Prince gave his fans a lively lesson in musicology last night at KeyArena.

Offering a spirited performance that kept the crowd on its feet for more than two hours, the Minneapolis-bred music star reclaimed his place in rock's royal order.

Fans who might have felt estranged from the singer-guitarist in the 1990s while he squabbled with his record label, recorded under a curious name -- an unpronounceable glyph -- and gave the world a cold shoulder celebrated his triumphant return to the arena stage.

Near the end of the show, Prince invited dozens of fans, mostly female, to dance with him and his band on stage, creating an exuberant, dance-party atmosphere.

Prince, who performs again tonight, appeared to enjoy the experience as much as his fans, gleefully shouting, "What's my name?" Before he took the stage, footage from his 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony appeared on four video screens, a bit of grandstanding that nobody seemed to mind.

Prince's latest tour follows the spring release of "Musicology," his most accessible and entertaining album in years, exploring the heady sounds of funk as well as blues and ballads after years of eccentric experimentation and poorly promoted records. Copies of "Musicology," which sits at No. 9 on The Billboard 200 album chart after 17 weeks, were handed out to concertgoers as they entered the building.

The show also featured many of his greatest hits, performed for the last time -- or so the singer-guitarist says.

The 46-year-old star demonstrated his phenomenal versatility, blending rock, R&B, funk, pop and gospel. His guitar playing was surprisingly fluid, and he sang in a voice that moved effortlessly from falsetto to feisty growl. His performance appeared to summon the spirits of many musical greats, from Jimi Hendrix to James Brown.

Prince's return to the throne got a boost earlier this year from his stunning performance at the Grammy Awards (marking the 20th anniversary of the album and film "Purple Rain"), as well as an amazing live set during his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Prince's two-night Seattle stand is the first at KeyArena since a pair of Pearl Jam concerts in December 2003. The diminutive star, who has sold more than 100 million albums, performed in-the-round on a cross-shaped stage whose extended "piers" allowed him to get close to fans.

Dressed in a white suit and high-heeled shoes, Prince rose from beneath the stage in a cloud of stage fog. He offered a sly grin to the capacity crowd before kicking off the set with the title song of his new album, followed by the party tune "Let's Go Crazy." It was all the encouragement concertgoers needed to leap to their feet. Other songs, including "When Doves Cry" and "I Feel For You," featured powerful new arrangements.

Backing him was one of the tightest touring bands in the country, the New Power Generation. The eight-member group featured saxophonists Maceo Parker and Candy Dulfer, drummer John Blackwell, trombonist Greg Boyer, trumpeter Chance Howard, pianist Renato Neto, bassist Rhonda Smith and singer and keyboardist RAD.

NPG was more than a backup band. It was an integral part of the show. Band members offered solos and spotlight performances, as well as choreographed dance moves, that enhanced the hit-laden extravaganza. Parker offered a tender tribute to the late Ray Charles, singing "Georgia," and RAD. performed the classic "I'm a Soul Man" while concertgoers danced around him.

Prince played an extended acoustic set while perched on a swiveling stool that allowed him to face each corner of the room. He opened with a sentimental "Little Red Corvette" and encouraged the crowd to sing along to more than a half dozen old favorites, among them "Raspberry Beret." A new song, "Prince and the Band," poked fun of his old label, Warner Bros. Records.

Dressed in a blue suit, Prince closed his show with a long, stirring version of "Purple Rain," featuring a purple guitar shaped like a glyph.

---

Dear Gene,

RAD was not there last night. You're referring to Chance Howard. I'm assuming you were not given an updated press release as to who is performing from city to city. (Don't worry, the critic in Denver made the same mistake.) You made a lot less mistakes in your "review", so I suppose your's is better?

---

Dear Patrick,

Were you even at this concert? Was someone reporting it to you on their cellphone? "U Got The Look" was not a song he wrote for Sheena Easton. It's off of Prince's 1987 2-CD masterpiece "Sign O' The Times". "I Wanna Be Your Lover" was not performed with the band. It was one of the tracks he sang with the acoustic guitar. However, I must say, when Tim McQuery got up on stage and showed Prince and the rest of Key Arena his moves, nobody would've thought a 46-year-old white guy (from KENT of all places, lol!) could move like that. One of the highlights of the show, was then followed by Prince's response of "Somebody call the police!"

---

Someone over at the NPG needs to send out faxes of updated information to the media...

To add to your comments to Gene:


Nothing surprising about it, honey. That's Prince!

suomynona!

Loved the apartment comment.

It was a very special evening for me, and Prince was, as always, a lot of fun. He was in a really good mood. I'm looking forward to the hits going away, but he's too good live for me to care much WHAT the setlist is. He can get up there and do a show consisting only of Micheal Bolton cover material and I think it would still be a blast.

Considering that he seemed happy and was staying in town overnight, I was really hoping for an aftershow. He's never done one here, to my knowledge. Not even an official afterparty. Oh well. Maybe tonight, though it seems less likely, since he'll be heading to Portland tomorrow.

But yeah. Way fun. If he wants to get a place in Seattle, I think he should just buy the Paramount theater and set up camp there. . .perform 6 nights a week. . .I can quit my job and be a professional groupie. . . the sad truth is, that sounds vastly better than any more realistic plans I have for myself.

Thanks Prince!


[Edited 8/31/04 9:01am]

kept the crowd on its feet for more than two hours

hmm... i've heard otherwise -- is this just something we say about every concert these days?

Snap said:

i can't help but wonder what the other people were seeing... everytime i turned around, everybody was up dancing, waving their arms, etc...

then again, when i was in hawaii in 1996 (see my review in uptown #23) it seemed like there were a lot of people sitting down, prince just worked harder the 3rd night...

tackam said:

not sure if you're referring to last night, but in 2002, there was an official npgmc afterparty held at sky church (and he did show up for that

until prince does a show there, i'm sure i'll always feel something is missing from seeing him perform in seattle...

suomynona said:

And "I Feel For You" was not written for Chaka Khan either. It's on his Self Titled album, Chaka redid that tune in the early 80's...

elchod said:

yes, but do you know who it was written about? heheh...

Patrice Rushen

suomynona said:

no beautiful ones and nothing compares 2 u, a travesty

Hey suomynona! I'm the chick you sat beside.

Last night was probably the most fun I've ever had at a concert. I expected the Seattle crowd to be too lame/hardcore to stand the entire time, like the Vancouver crowds try to be, but
everyone seemed to enjoy themselves throughout.

I'm intensly jealous of all those who get to go again tonight.

I wanted to comment on this article,by Patrick the rock critic.I think you should know all the facts of what you are reporting,this is a prime example of the media knowing little of the real facts,but thinking they know the facts.This kind of thing happens all to often,giving to rumors that never existed,a persons life could get really messed up by the wrong things being reported.

suomynona said:

Oh, yeah, I was at the afterparty in '02. And the whole time I was there I was thinking, "damn, I hope the next time he comes to town he actually performs here."


And I'm also not sure about this "sitting down" business. Maybe way up in the nosebleeds, but everybody in my line of sight was standing/dancing/going nuts for pretty much the whole show.

Purpleone4Eva said:

funny, but your icon looks nothing like you at all

i was glad you had such a good time... i would've invited you over for a prince afterparty (you know i have a lot of goodies...), but i think it would've been a little too forward at that point heheh)

anyways... thanks for not being one of these people

tackam said:

i've been lucky enough to have seen nikka costa, parliament-funkadelic and marcus miller at sky church... the $10 nikka costa concert may be the best concert i've ever seen... (the energy during the entire show was unreal)

even the people i saw up in the nosebleeds at last night's show were dancing fools... which is understandable (nobody behind them to laugh at them, lol)

if you go again tonight, check out the folks in the luxury suites... they look like they're having so much fun too...

suomynona said:[quote]

Purpleone4Eva said:

Thank YOU for not being that crazy drunk bitch who thought throwing a tantrum would get the show started.

Purpleone4Eva said:[quote]

suomynona said:

you're welcome heheh

suomynona said:

2 kool!! Nice collectin... r all your dvd's wrap in plastic????

pennylover said:

no, only about 20% of them...

What album are these songs from?

6. Shhh
)

Acoustic set:

16. Prince & The Band

If he did that, I would quit my job TODAY, pack my Yorkie up in my car, and be on the road to Seattle by nightfall. I'd just have to sleep in my car, and get a job waitressing or something, until I could find a place to live. And of course, my work schedule would have to be planned around his performance times....


>>If he wants to get a place in Seattle, I think he should just buy the Paramount theater and set up camp there. . .perform 6 nights a week. . .I can quit my job and be a professional groupie. . . the sad truth is, that sounds vastly better than any more realistic plans I have for myself.


[Edited 8/31/04 9:01am]
[/quote]

elchod, I like your avatar. Is this your artwork?
[Edited 9/1/04 13:59pm]

I didn't know he liked dark-skinned women like that.

musicman said: