I am sure the answer to this is buried somewhere in one of these concert threads but....
What music is Prince having played over the PA before the concert starts? This usually sets precedent and vibe for the show. Is he playing upbeat funky stuff or laid back fusion? I rememebr in Vegas for the New Masters Release party they were spinning old school funk like Flashlight, Atomic Dog etc. The crowd was totally dancing/partying before the concert even started
[This message was edited Sun Apr 21 10:42:10 PDT 2002 by 2funkE]

...in dallas he was playing what i believed to be the 'xenophobia' cd...
..i recognized the track 'xenophobia' and the rest of what i heard was in a similar vein..funky jazz fusion...

the mere fact that i don't recall what music was playing while i was waiting for the houston and dallas concerts to begin should tells what sort of vibe i was feeling.
it was all instrumental; no vocals...it could have been new music of his, but i had know clue.. if it was, some sort of acknowledgement would have been great. something short and easy along the lines of "here is some butter from prince to go w/ your jam", then, they play the song. something that would let me know WHAT i was listening to, ESPECIALLY if it is related to prince in some form or fashion.
you know...thinking about it, i do recall a couple of times thinking to myself, "hmmm this sounds like something candy might play and even rhonda. there was a time or two when i wondered if i was hearing something new by rhonda as well. but, the fact was, i didn't know so it was easy just to not pay the music much mind.
At any rate, at both concerts, i was hoping to hear at least prince related music...perhaps some of his stuff coming down the pike, or, if not his, then stuff had something to do w/ him and/or his interest.
from start to finish, the hit&run tour in san diego last year was great. they played the march ahdio show over the p.a. system before and in between seats. the ahdio show are such where when you hear them; member or not, you know it is prince related.
to me, doing that let people know they were in for a night of all things prince and sort of put people in the "this is gonna be a beautiful night" sort of vibe.
lastly, way back during the 1999 tour (i believe it was that tour), he played joni mitchel's "wild things run fast" album before the show and between sets. now, the musis was jammin' but i had no idea who it was. sometime later, reading a rolling stone review of his concert, i learned it was joni mitchel played during sets. i immediately went out and bought that album and have been a joni mitchell fan every since so, yeah, i agree w/ you; that time us fans spend waiting inside the venue for the show to begin certainly could be used to set the vibe...generate support for other artist, etc...
peace in the middle east,
jtea4p

The first Chicago show house music was Xenophobia. I asked the sound guys and they said it was the "New Album" a NPG Guy at the aftershow confirmed it was Xenophobia. It sounded sweet. I missed the house music at the Louisville show but at least once, it was Xenophobia. It was great stuff.

Dallas-they played Xenophobia, that violin girls is in it and Blackwell is all over the album
-----prince also played a track from Xenophobia at the aftershow.

I know somebody recorded the Dallas show, so who did?

I wish I knew, cuz I havent seen this current show yet but back in the day around the mid to late '80's Prince would play some Andreas Vollenhiemer before his concert and when he did his Hit and Run thing and came to Fairfax, VA he played some Stephen Simmonds, 'Spirit Tales'. 'I Hope You Do' is all that!

http://www.amazon.com/exe...29-4757710

peace!