OK so Prince doesn't want to or can't dance and dive off pianos anymore. Maybe I won't be able to do that either when I'm his age (hope not!) Imagine then, just Prince alone on tour. Imagine, the curtain goes up and it's Prince standing center stage with a spotlight on him and he is surrounded by all his guitars (acoustic and electric) and his purple piano. He goes on to play totally reworked versions of new and old songs. He could even play a "most requested song" every night in each city. The Stones did this on their web site last tour and it went over really well. They played songs that noone had ever seen live. Prince could limit the choices to 20 songs he picks if he was concerned about lyrical content. Maybe he would have a backup keyboardist or a bass player and percussionist on a few songs to mix it up, but for most of the show it's Prince and his instruments and only Prince. No guests stealing the limelight and no studio musicians backing him up with little or no personality.

Here's some other ideas- the soundcheck could be more of a Q&A with maybe some song requests taken as well. Like the storytellers show. Again if he was worried about this getting out of hand, he could have each cities members email questions and he could pick 10 questions beforehand. The questions would be more organized and there would also be a mic for the fans to be heard better, instead of everyone sort of yelling at him, and there could be a moderator.

The afterparty could be where he getts off with a local band from each city. They could have a contest for local bands in each city to get a chance to "Be Prince's backup band at an aftershow" They would have to send in tapes and/or videos of say 10-20 songs that Prince plans on playing. The best band in each city gets to play with him! This would get huge publicity and it would also show that Prince is helping young musicians out. If they're really good maybe he could give them a deal with NPG even.

Obviously, all this would take a good manager and "street teams" in every city. Alot of bands use the web and street teams to get around not being played on the radio. It sure would get a good buzz going for Prince as well.

Just some ideas, what do you think?

I really like the idea to have better organized soundchecks. Having people randomly shouting out questions that he isn't going to hear or answer is just not a productive way to spend that time.

The local band idea would be an excellent public relations move for Prince. As you said, it would get him positive press as an established artist willing to work with local musicians. He wouldn't have to do anything like sign them to his label. It would be him giving them a chance to jam with him for one night only and that would be it. He wouldn't be able to do it in every city, but three or four randomly chosen cities could be selected.

DMSR said:

I think it has just as much to do with the fact that he's had knee problems and ankle problems within the last year or so.

Supernova said:

Let me clarify: over the last year or so he's had to get cortizone shots in his knee(s), and I THINK he sprained his ankle during a gig on his previous tour. If he didn't sprain it, something else happened to it, if I recall correctly.

Supernova said:

Hmmm. Could be, could be ... but, I remember watching The Apollo ONE NITE (some of my OKAYPLAYA'S might remember ) ... there was this man 80+ years old doing those one-hand-stand-kicks Prince used to rock back in the day. My Point? I refuse to believe "can't" is in any proximity of Prince's circle. I think after even a single decade - did I say that right? ... let me reiterate ... decade - decade (pick one) of doing what most don't do in a LIFEtime, RIGHT NOW (U2 wrote a song about it, C the video?) he wants to get back to and concentrate on THE MUSIC; and, though I may miss the stage theatrics from time to time, I'm enjoying this new ride and anticipate what he has in store. Some wise rappers once said "Love me, or leave me alone ..." Well ... I, for one, ain't leaving this ride ALONE just yet.
"I'm diggin' the scene ..." -- She Spoke 2 Me, The Vault ... Old Friends 4 Sale, by ??? ("Y'all don't know who I am") ... BTW, DMSR, idea as far as local bands.
[This message was edited Sun Apr 14 20:58:50 PDT 2002 by aspera773]
[This message was edited Sun Apr 14 21:00:05 PDT 2002 by aspera773]

i think it would be cool if he did an "un-plugged" tour like the band tesla did back in the early 90's.

peace, kim--

Okay, so now that your obsession with Prince is over , I guess your new obsession is writing about One Nite Alone.
You just looooove to see yourself in print. Kinda sad.

It would suck.

In an interview Prince gave around the time of the release of "The Truth” album he indicated that he had through the encouragement of Rhonda Smith and others almost gone out on a theater tour that would have been just Prince and an all-acoustic set. He then said that Mayte talked him out of it, encouraging him instead to go out and do an arena tour with the hits in an attempt to connect with a brand new generation of people who had never seen him live.

And that’s exactly what he did for the following several years until finally changing things up with the “One Nite Alone” tour.

I think he's getting much closer to being able to do such a thing in the future. There’s no way even five years ago he would have ever even considered doing something like these soundchecks with his fans. And part of his current concert, after all, is just him and the piano. I'll bet it will happen one day.

Brendan

Would it have been so hard for Prince or the NPGMC moderators to get in touch with local fan groups - say New Power New York for the Avery Fisher show - and a representative from that group coordinate the questions? Say, get the word out that anyone who has a question for Prince send it through to them well in advance & then the local fan club rep gets a batch of 10-20 questions to deliver (maybe they'd need to be approved...maybe not...it'd be easy enough for Prince to just pass on a question).

One Night Alone can be done. If the emphasis was truly on the music the man created...Prince could do it. 3 days before the Prince show, Ani DiFranco played Carnegie Hall. For the last several years, she's played with a backing band. Yet for a series of shows this spring, she decided to take to the stage with nothing but her acoustic guitar. And it worked. One woman, her instrument and a spotlight. Prince could do the same if he wanted.

IrishEcho said:

Bruce Springsteen did a one man show a few years ago too. Dave Matthews toured with just one other guitarist and released an album from it and Melissa Ethridge, who puts on a wild live show, just toured alone last year and the fans loved the change-up. Maybe someday.

Butters said:

Why is that sad, I said I'm stll a fan and just throwing some ideas out there. Why don't you post something other than your South Park level comments? Do you have any opinions?

That would be cool, DMSR! I like the thought that maybe... one day... he'll do a club members only tour. Something very hush, hush to the public. Up close personal and alone with him in a an acoustic jam or a set like you describe with local bands. If wishes were horses... right?

This is an excellent idea, DMSR, and I like where you're coming from too, SpookyElectric. It would pretty difficult to organise, and knowing Prince can be a little temperamental at times, it could be even more difficult! But a most excellent idea!!!

I think Melissa Etheridge had the right idea on her "Live...and Alone" tour. She played only small theaters and it was just her, no other musicians. She played guitar and piano and 60% of her set was locked in, while the other was requests. She was doing songs she had NEVER done live before, and she was forgetting the words to some and the crowd LOVED it. For one song the drum beat was her kicking her boot on a hallow piece of the stage and it was so funky sounding, and then another song she tapped the beat on the BACK of her guitar. I seen her play 3 shows in a row and not one of them was the same.

EverlastingNow said:

I think her live show allows her to still sell out large venues year after year. I don't think her albums have sold much lately, but live she gives it her all from the audience participation like you said to playing "in" the crowd and so much more of that old school Prince and Springsteen school of live shows. She's got to be in her 40's too right?

I was following you until you said 'no studio musicians backing him up with little or no personality.' and after that, I realised that you have no idea what you are talking about, jading the rest of your point.

John Blackwell and Rhonda Smith are NOT studio musicians...they have independent musical projects and are now working with Prince. Rhonda has been playing with Prince on and off since 95.

as far as personality... first of all, they understand as well as Prince that we came to see Prince... so the show does not allow for Flea (also works as a studio musician) type, as a Bass Player... and as far as blackwell goes... what the F^&% do you want out of a drummer a drummer... he invented a 'flashy' techniqe that no one has ever see and everyone will copy, Just as Larry Grham (Bass Ledgend,not a studio musician) invented the slap style of Bass playing, John Blackwell will too become a legend... discovered by Prince....

other than that I agreed with your post completely, actually, no ,pretty much just the first paragraph the rest I thought was entirely rubbished grumble...pardon the expression.