I saw the 2nd NYC MSG show...great, but it made me miss the Lovesexy show I saw there in '89.
I saw the 2nd Continental Arena show in NJ in the 3rd row, great; cool to get a view of my musical role-model so close, but had a rough time seeing him unless he was on our side of the stage.

I went to San Jose to catch the last show of the tour...AMAZING!; I sat in the seats (10 rows up) where Rhonda and Mike and John and basically the whole band faces (and Prince plays to for much of the first half of the show).

Prince put EVERYTHING into this one compared to the other two shows I saw. He declared early on "I'm gonna tear the roof off of this joint," and he definitely did. Many of the songs were extended, he worked the band more (gave John a drum solo which blew my mind), was more playful (messed with Rhonda's bass pedals, jumped up out of the mic-stand chair during his acoustic set to finish a tune)...and had Nikka Costa rock Whole Lotta Love.

I was blown away by the energy...and before the Purple Rain encore, people were going crazy (for about 10 mins). When the band left the stage, I realized I had just seen my favorite show ever...and that was just the beginning...

I got to go down outside the dressing rooms, meet Candy and Nikka (and Prince's guitar tech), hang with John (an amazingly humble and cool guy with a very sweet wife), take a photo with Maceo and Rhonda and see a roadie carry the acoustc set "mic-stand chair" right by me.

Finally, last but not least, as we hung out just outside the venue's loading dock, Prince's tour bus came out and stopped. People started screaming as a figure dressed in white made it's way to the front door. A second later, Prince popped out with his wife and they started handing out Jehovah's witnesses pamphlets! It was surreal.

Someone asked for an autograph, he said, "This is more important than that."
Someone asked to shake his hand, he said, "Sure, I'll shake your hand."

I was 3 feet from my childhood idol wondering if I should take a pamphlet from him. He handed me one, someone else grabbed it too, I let it go.

I don't need a pamphlet, lock of his hair, an autograph, a photo or even a hug from Prince. I got all I ever wanted from him through his music (recorded and live). "He's just a guy," I realized. We all have the power to make something beautiful like he has over the years.

Just listen to those ideas, voices in your head...God/Love, and follow the source where it takes you...

great story


thanks for sharing

This is beautiful. Thank you.

"We all have the power to make something beautiful like he has over the years."

That is the best line I've ever read here. You are right.

What pamphlet was he handing out?

That is very cool that you got to meet him. Does he seem humble like all the reports I've heard?

That WAS really nice, much props!