Well, what bothered me about the show was Prince's attitude. Three specific moments come to mind. Forgive me if they've been mentioned in another thread.

First, towards the end of the soundcheck, he compares people who to cuss to those with tourette's syndrome because they "can't stop". After asking how many people cuss, he randomly points to those with their hand raised and says, "Tourette's ... tourette's ... tourette's..." Uncool.

Next, in the middle of Purple Rain, he says before 9/11 people weren't into the Bible didn't want to know about the future. Now, they do and the "smart ones turn to their Bibles".

Finally, during the "Love is God" part of AnnaStesia Prince essentially mocks those who aren't club members. He did this at the DC show as well. It usually goes along the lines of asking NPGMC members how they like their seats and then asking nonmembers the same question. He then tells them if they want they good seats they have to join the club. At the NYC show he stressed that division by asking members to wave their hands as he closed the song.

There are ways of advocating an idea without *needlessly* offending people. People didn't pay $70+ to be compared with those who have a disease OR ridiculed for dealing with 9/11 a different way OR mocked for not being NPGMC member.

If he wants to encourage people not to cuss, read the New World Translation of the Bible, and join the NPGMC, cool. Just don't belittle people in the process. THIS is why I may not be going to anymore Prince concerts.
[This message was edited Thu Apr 11 4:45:41 PDT 2002 by Tran]

DMSR said:[quote
Prince's attitude at soundcheck was OK, but he had his typical wiseass behavior when he told people "they were late" as they came in. These are his fans that paid $100 to be in his club and just waited outside in the rain for at least 3 hours to get in and he says "they're late?" Then he goes and sits in the seats in the back and sings from there. He says he doesn't cuss anymore and asks us if we do. He said anyone who does cuss has turets. First of all what if I did have turets or someone I knew did. It ain't funny to pick on the handicapped. Second of all, Prince is the one who TAUGHT ME how to cuss and to be free and also LOVE GOD but it was OK TO HAVE SEX. Now he's saying I can't do that anymore? Fuck him.

i had a girlfriend who whined as much as you.
damn i miss that bitch

A lot of you won't agree with this report, but it's the way I feel. I've been a Prince fan for along time, spending loads of money for flashes of brilliance. I've finally kicked the habit after seeing the NYC soundcheck, the show and the aftershow. He's lost it. I'll try to break this down into what I liked first and what finally caused me to realize he ain't what he used to be and why I feel he's milking his true fans dry of cash.

Here's what I liked-

Soundcheck- had a casual vibe, Power Fantastic and Extraordinary were great.

The show- Great guitar playing, Loved the piano medley, 1+1, Love Rollercoaster and Anna Stesia

Aftershow- Loved Joy in Repetition and 777.

What really pissed me off (in no particular order)

Spent $100 for the club and $150 for the "ticket" and still had to stress about getting in line early, waited for over 3 hours just to get in and scrambling for a seat. There was no chance of getting food because you would lose your place. By the time I got in, the middle seats of the first 20 rows were taken so I had to sit on the side. Some members had to sit way in the corner, sure they were in the 3rd row, but behind the speaker with obstructed views.

Prince's attitude at soundcheck was OK, but he had his typical wiseass behavior when he told people "they were late" as they came in. These are his fans that paid $100 to be in his club and just waited outside in the rain for at least 3 hours to get in and he says "they're late?" Then he goes and sits in the seats in the back and sings from there. He says he doesn't cuss anymore and asks us if we do. He said anyone who does cuss has turets. First of all what if I did have turets or someone I knew did. It ain't funny to pick on the handicapped. Second of all, Prince is the one who TAUGHT ME how to cuss and to be free and also LOVE GOD but it was OK TO HAVE SEX. Now he's saying I can't do that anymore? Fuck him.


The show was terribly paced. He would get a groove going with 1+1 and Love Rollercoaster and then lose it. When he did play any old songs they were the most overplayed boring songs of his career- Rasberry beret and Take Me With U? Why!? He attempted to play jazz and ended up really making me appreciate Santana and Herbie Hancock. As usual he featured Maceo way too much and brought out Larry Graham for another way too long Sly song for the oldies crowd. I won't even get into the Lincoln thing or the videos of planes. That's been discussed. All I know is I met some wonderful funny people in line who happened to be black, and Prince had to remind us that according to him we are still "seperate." His "joke" about "If your'e a giver then give up your seat" to the girl in the front row who had obviously been outside in line since 9am wasn't funny. She should receive nothing but respect from Prince not some sarcastic joke. Prince did his speech during Purple Rain how no New Yorkers had read the Scripture before 9/11 and now they do, he was sort of saying "I told ya so." Yea blame the victims. Real nice.

Here's the clincher that really did it for me that I thought was just WRONG- He started playing Anna Stesia and said it was a song we needed to hear during the turbulent times. I totally agreed and I love the song. About half way through Prince tells all the club members to raise their hands. He says to "put our hands out" and says that from no on all the good seats will be given to club members only and told everyone if they wanted good seats they had to join the club. This really pissed me off. During such an emotional and spriritual song Prince is trying to make money and using us. I felt like he was Pat Robertson on the 700 club. "Dig deep into your pockets and give me your money!" The NPG club web site was also on the screen. Very tacky.

After waiting in the rain in line for another 2 1/2 hours the club members were let in. What we heard was yet another playing of Alphabet Street, Joy In Repetition, Extraordinary- all which were played at soundcheck hours before. Then he went into a half hour jam with Pass the Peas (again!) and a lame Doug E fresh lame rap and more jamming with Larry and Geroge Clinton who was as high as a kite and couldn't get the braids out of his face. He did end strong with Musiq doing SLy's "If You Want Me to Stay" and Alicia I guess was OK, although I'm sick of the song I've heard it since it came out around 1983 and he also played this at the show that night and many tours prior.

After this experience my "Prince habit" is kicked. He doesn't dance anymore,whcih I didn't think I would miss, but I really do, he has lost most of his sex appeal much like Al Green did when he became a preacher. I thought I would like this, but I guess that a lot of what I liked about Prince was Dance, Music, Sex and Romance. All we got was lots of guitar solos and too much horn playing. He's forgotten about his many other performing talents. He also insists on preaching his way or the highway and jamming with the oldies of Maceo and Larry. The best songs of the set were from the 80's and early 90's. Think about what the crowd went nuts for- When U Were Mine, How Come U Don't Call Me, Joy In Repetition, Strange Relationship, Anna Stesia, Rasberry Beret, and the entire piano medley were all old songs, nothing from the early 90's on. He's over in my opinion and I won't be spending any more money on the man until he gets his shit together, but I think it's too late.

Wow I'm glad that's off my chest. If someone told me I could get to go see Prince soundcheck and perform from the 10th row and go to an aftershow and be in the second row I could die happy. The reality was that I was actually a little bored. It took me $300 for tickets and $100 for membership and a full 12 hours of hanging with Prince to finally realize that Prince's glory days are over, he's ripping his true fans off and he just ain't that great anymore. Sorry that's just my opinion, like to hear if any of you agree even a little. I'll still be posting on the org as a fan, but my habit is kicked and I am not spending anymore cash on this ungrateful, egotistical little twerp.

All I Can Say Is That "All You Can't Leave Behind" Album Really Sucks.
How Can U Consider It Worthy?

As for the complaints about Prince not acting like the Dirty prince from the eighties.... Folks, the man is in his forties. It would look funny if he was doing the dirty schtick these days. Look how foolish Mick jagger looks at his age doing it.

Here's the clincher that really did it for me that I thought was just WRONG- He started playing Anna Stesia and said it was a song we needed to hear during the turbulent times. I totally agreed and I love the song. About half way through Prince tells all the club members to raise their hands. [b]He says to "put our hands out" and says that from no on all the good seats will be given to club members only and told everyone if they wanted good seats they had to join the club.

After waiting in the rain in line for another 2 1/2 hours the club members were let in. What we heard was yet another playing of Alphabet Street, Joy In Repetition, Extraordinary- all which were played at soundcheck hours before. Then he went into a half hour jam with Pass the Peas (again!) and a lame Doug E fresh lame rap and more jamming with Larry and Geroge Clinton who was as high as a kite and couldn't get the braids out of his face. He did end strong with Musiq doing SLy's "If You Want Me to Stay" and Alicia I guess was OK, although I'm sick of the song I've heard it since it came out around 1983 and he also played this at the show that night and many tours prior.