Anybody wanna testify? Just woke up from the ONA midnight show. It was off the chain. Prince's chops are so strong he dosent need a band man. I got just one question? Well a comment, and a question.

1. Comment: Prince is in no way a racist, nor did he appear to be racist toward whites. He seems to be VERY determined to make sure the record is straight about who is.


2. Question: He did two tunes I've never heard before. The prettiest one he did all night had the lyrics

No one wants to take the weight
No one wants to take responsibility
Abraham Lincoln was a racist

Thats all I can remember but he sang it so beautifully, and the music was so pretty, it sounded like a love song. Anybody know what the name of that cut was?

If you get a chance, make sure you check out One Night Alone Tour. This cat is betta than eva.

I believe the tune about Abraham Lincoln is called "Avalance".

abucah said:

Ahh, is that right? Thank you my friend. Now if I can just get my hands on it. Lemme check around the net.

Actually, I think the correct spelling is "Avalanche". But unless someone managed to record it at the concert, I don't think you will find it on the net. It's a totally new song as far as anyone knows. But I agree, the ballad itself is absolutely gorgeous.

i got it. "xenophobia" too. bootlegged.

ssssh.

SleezyG said:

Should've known...

Now U have witnessed what some of us have already seen.The man is sooo awesome in this little queit setting.He just mesmerizes the audience and that is not a racist statement about ole Abe but a statement to get history straight just like so much of his is muddled with half truths!!!GOD bless Prince and I hope all the members of the org and NPGMC get all the jazzy funk that he has to offer.

it's already on audiogalaxy
4 those interested

Well the boot of the Chicago show is BORING. Put me right to sleep. The show has some moments, but the pacing is horrible.

Yes! Avalanche is a Beautiful, beautiful song. Fits in well with the other One Nite Alone material (the ONA album stuff I mean). I can't wait for this album.

In fact, if Prince were to release this album commercially, I think critics would really praise it as one of his best. Granted, this is just only after hearing 5 of its songs.

The guy he named Lynch was black by the way.

Hey Feel U Up, was that you he renamed?

Highlights for me last night:

Rainbow Children, Muse, Xenophobia all slam pretty hard live. WB is right on with his JB "octupus" comment. Oh lawd! I'm now finally convinced he's better than Michael B.

Joy in Repetition and Sometimes it Snows in April were great to hear, even if JiR was just a snippet.

Show lasted from 12:15 to 2:45 (with a 10 minute intermission)--quite a long set. Set-list was pretty much standard; no Last December of Everlasting Now.

The card given out with the program has a picture of the One Night Alone album cover--which is weird. There's a bird's next with a couple eggs inside along with a shrub that's growing a symbol. What the duck?!?

BanishedBrian said:

Intermission ??? Really !!! That's a little different. When did they break ???

Can you scan that card and send me a copy ??? Check my address under my profile.

Thanks !!!

Hey, where are all the reports? Don't get lazy, folks!

The intermission I was referring to was just the period where lights were off before the encore (i.e. the "piano" portion). There was no true "intermission."

Since nobody has posted a report, here's a brief one:

You could tell that NPGMC was still working out kinks in the new system. Non-NPGMC members were able to pick up their tickets throughout the day. We were told at 5:00 that we would be able to pick up our tickets in 20 minutes once they had the laminates made. Then about 15 minutes later another guy and Billy Sparks came out and told us we couldn't get tickets until 10:30. Then at 10:30, we were told to line up in different places three different times--it was total chaos. But who cares really, since tickets are reserved and there was no soundcheck, what's the rush anyways? I just chilled out and didn't sweat the chaos. When they finally let us into the theatre, we had to wait in the lobby for about 30 minutes and people were stuffed like sardines. Good thing I'm not claustrophobic! Merchandise was nothing special--except some nice baby doll t-shirts for the ladies. Tour book is $30 and is nothing special. It appears the tour was originally going to be called Xenophobia because the inside of the tourbook has a Xenophobia theme.

The show was basically the same set-list as has been posted over and over. The show began with Maceo Parker walking down the aisle from the back of the theatre and walking onto the stage. The curtain then went up and they started jamming on Rainbow Children. This song is great live. The guitar solo at the end killed.

They then went into Muse 2 the Pharaoh, which is much better live than on TRC.

Xenophobia followed for about 10 minutes. There was a video in the background that I assume is the actual video to Xenophobia. It's actually a great video, and would probably get some play on VH1 if he released it. It's basically a bunch of fast-paced images that fit in well with the music. It kind of reminds me of the video for NIN Closer with the rapid and random imagery.

These first three songs took about 30 minutes total. I felt like I was watching Miles Davis back in the '70s when Miles went electronic. It was a great 30 minutes of jamming. Prince was on guitar during most of this time. I remember thinking that this could be as good a band as he's ever had... I mean that. With Maceo included, this band is equal to the '95 NPG IMHO. Blackwell lived up to the hype.

I believe the rest was as follows, i.e., the same as in previous shows:

A Case Of You

Mellow--(he changed the lyrics about Macy and Common being at the Mellow afterparty to Larry and Tina being there)

1+1+1=3 beat/Rollercoaster lyrics (this is a jam!)

The Other Side Of The Pillow--another highlight for me

Strange Relationship--he began this with a speech asking how the radio was in DC. He then talked about the same songs being played over and over and how he's given up on radio and that we were now listening to WNPG.

Sing A Simple Song--he mentioned Larry G being in the house

La La La (Means I Love You)

Didn't 'cha Know w/ Rhonda

When You Were Mine

Avalanche (began with the Abe Lincoln quote on the screen)

Family Name--same as we've heard, he renames some people.

Take Me With U

Raspberry Beret--much longer version than what he played in recent years

Santana Medley

The piano medley contained Do U Lie (very brief instumental) Adore (about a full verse), Diamonds and Pearls (very brief), The Beautiful Ones, Joy in Repitition (very brief), How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore, Condition of the Heart, Nothing Compares to U, Girls & Boys, Sometimes it Snows in April (the highlight of the show for me--very beautiful--similar to the version on the Park Vol. II). I don't recall the exact order of these.

Anna Stesia--he gave a speech thanking us for sticking with him and alluded to the past year being very difficult. He thanked Larry and Tina for helping him though it and said that they help him read the original and correct scriptures, etc.

I might have missed a few snippets in this report, but that's my quick recollection.
[This message was edited Sat Mar 30 11:15:24 PST 2002 by BanishedBrian]

dendmmr said:

The picture of the One Night Alone album cover is real small on the card, so it probably won't scan well. Anyways, I don't have a scanner.

The card says:

"One Night Alone"... A solo piano and voice CD by Prince. Get this new CD when u join the NPG Music Club. It looks like this CD is not too far from being sent to us!

One other note, I believe they were playing the Xenophobia album on the system before the show started. I'm not 100% sure though, it may have also been the Funky Baldheads CD, which I haven't heard. Anyone know?

Thank yo BanishedBrain, yeah it seems people are real quiet about the show as far as reports on the org so far, I guess it just hushed peoples mouths it was so good , huh?

peace!

awww nawwww.(nappy roots style).. not another abe lincoln testimony.. this is gettong way to played.. i thought he was an educated man, wtf abe may have been many things but he did get the bottomline most got free (not that blacks/chinese/or any other colour should have been in bondage) but lets just face the facts whites were in the majority and him being a white man/president, did the only thing he could do...rock the vote with diplomacy and politics sometymes u have to use guile, cunning and other such methods to get the wanted end, even though many will misconstrue the steps made along the way. can we get beyond ABE now????

scarlettpussy said:

Well I hope he brings the show to NYC WITH "Avalanche." Can't be the president unless you want to take responsibility for what happens in your country--the good and the bad.

Is anyone else concerned that he hasn't played Last December yet?

Can someone please tell me which album has "A Case of U?"


Thanks....


By the way, the DC show rocked...except for all the hootchie mama's who were crowding the ailes down front...and Larry G's in town...I asked him about aftershows and he told me probably tonight...

welcum2thedawn said:

Where did you see Larry G? And yes, the hootchie mama's crowding the aisles gotta go!

Someone asked about how the energy was... let's just say that the entire NPGMC section basically stood for 90% of the concert. The rest of the theatre was standing for probably half the show. Seriously, DC is COMPLETELY different than nearly every place he plays... people in DC bring an energy you don't see in most places.

Case Of You is on Joni Mitchells album 'Blue'.

Prince has done a few versions of Joni's tune...a guitar version shows up on the old "The Avenue" release. A piano version will probably be on the rumored "One Night Alone" release.

Now...about this tour...I'm not complaining...the song selection sounds cool and all, BUT...I thought P said there would be no set list on this tour? I was thinking there would be more spontaneous jamms from out of left field...a different show every night? What happened to that?

I don't want it to get stale... I want them to change shit up to keep interesting to THEM and us! Loosen it up P..cut loose!!...sounds like a cool show indeed but don't let it get 'faux-improvisational'...don't start 'planning' the looseness...don't be afraid to make mistakes. Please don't give us to many pre-planned speeches and such...it can make the audience feel like you are not really engaged with US in THAT moment, but rather going through some organized rotine ya know? You wanna talk with us..then talk WITH us. don't speak TO us. ENGUAGE EACH audience as if it is unique...because it IS.

Again I am not criticizing really, just trying to help keep it fresh, and honest and raw...looking forward to seeing the tour..err...in RICHMOND????

what do ya'll think?

justhemusic said:

I agree with you. Unfortunately, Prince seems to have fallen in love with "rehearsed" spontaneity. In other words, the show is meant to feel spontaneous to the audience, even though it is rehearsed. I think it comes down to Prince being a perfectionist and wanting everything perfect; which it was. Personally, I'd rather see the band screw up but also create some spontaneous music. I think the soundchecks might actually be the place to see that happen.

Screw this Lincoln nonsense of his. He's basically decided to give us the supposed other side of the story but in the process he's ignoring the half he ain't telling us.

Yes..Lincoln didn't technically free anyone. But that's very different from calling him a racist based on the quote Prince chooses to inform us with. Heck I could did up a bunch of quotes from later in Lincoln's life where he comes off being very much opposed to slavery. So how do we judge the man?

I read that this is what the song says or something to the effect.

He was not, or never had been, in favor
Of setting our people free
If it wasn't for the Thirteenth Amendment
We would have been born in slavery

He was not, or never had been, in favor
Of letting us vote, so you see
Abraham Lincoln was a racist
Who said you cannot escape from history?

Ok..so yes. The Emancipation Proclamation did not officially end slavery; the 13th Amendment did. But was Lincoln really the racist Prince seems to want to make him out to be just to make the point the 13th Amendment actually legally freed the slaves?

I suggest Prince (and the people here) go look over this site for example

http://www.nps.gov/liho/s...y/al01.htm

If you're going to judge a man make sure you know everything about him before you do. Not just take the quote Larry dug up for you.

Case in point

It is also unsatisfactory to some that the elective franchise is not given to the colored man. I would myself prefer that it were now conferred on the very intelligent, and on those who serve our cause as soldiers.

Last Public Address
April 11, 1865

Now that doesn't jive with what Prince wants you to believe does it?

It sux how Prince decides to get religious on us and ends up joining the JW with all their wacky backward ideas. And then he decides to enlighten us on history and he gets it wrong.
[This message was edited Sat Mar 30 22:08:24 PST 2002 by CmputrBlu]

jimmyrogertodd said:

Please Prince knows shit about history it seems. He's based his knowledge (in this case Lincoln) on one quote from Lincoln's life. He's trying to educate us cause we got it all wrong; but he's getting it wrong himself.

True the Emancipation Proclamation only really freed slaves in the rebellious states (the south) and only under condition of Union military victory.

But once the Northern victories spread, more and more slaves beacme free in those rebellious states. Since the civil war was was really fought to keep the union together; it seems highly doubtful that the goverment would demanded that all slaves be free after the civil war. It wasn't concerned about that.

With Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln made issue of slavery part of the civil war. Whatever Lincoln's motivivations were for issuing the Emancipation Proclamation (one could argue that he was really interested in keeping the union together); that document started this country down the road that led to the Thirteenth Amendment.

I doubt that without the combination of the Civil War (with the Union's victory) and the Emancipation Proclamation (both which helped free southern slaves) we'd even have a Thirteenth Amendment. At least NOT early as the 1866

CmputrBlu said:

I seriously doubt that Larry can be blamed for Prince's take on Abraham Lincoln... the Jehovah's Witnesses preach a very race-blind religion, and any race-consciousness is frowned upon, so I doubt we can blame Larry here.

One more thing: history is in the eye of the beholder. Lincoln may have been a complicated man filled with contradictions, but that does not invalidate the perspective of a slave or descendant of slaves holding him responsible, along with everyone else in power, for the condition that their ancestors were in.

Thomas Jefferson was a brilliant theorist and diplomat who fell in love with one of his slaves... OR he was a slaveholding hypocrite who raped his slave.

Abraham Lincoln was a political visionary who held the country together and realized along his political career that slavery was wrong... OR he presided over the exploitation of black men and women to advance northern capitalist interests, subdue the southern rebellion, and failed to secure the appropriate reparation for the ex-slaves.

If, in a post-9/11 world, we can look at whole countries and hold them responsible for "harboring" so-called "terrorists"; and then launch attacks on those countries' leadership... then with that logic, why shouldn't the slaves and their descendants look at this whole country and hold its leaders responsible for the racist terrorism suffered during that time?

It's a view from a certain perspective, and it has validity as such.
[This message was edited Sat Mar 30 23:16:10 PST 2002 by NuPwrSoul]
[This message was edited Sat Mar 30 23:17:22 PST 2002 by NuPwrSoul]

NuPwrSoul said:

Can we blame him for something else then?

Based on what I've heard from the Chicago show that's circulating online, "Avalanche" sounds like one of the "Sorrow Songs" W.E.B. Du Bois wrote about in "The Souls of Black Folk":

"What are these songs, and what do they mean? I know little of music and can say nothing in technical phrase, but I know something of men, and knowing them, I know that these songs are the articulate message of the slave to the world. They tell us in these eager days that life was joyous to the black slave, careless and happy. I can easily believe this of some, of many. But not all the past South, though it rose from the dead, can gainsay the heart-touching witness of these songs. They are the music of an unhappy people, of the children of disappointment; they tell of death and suffering and unvoiced longing toward a truer world, of misty wanderings and hidden ways." (emphasis added)