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Paramount by...Tayknmi ...eye have xperienced many PRINCE concerts since eye discovered him n
'95, and each new show is FAR BETTER than the LAST. my ?uestion is, can PRINCE PEAK? eye spent 2 daze getting ready 4 this show, this ONE NITE ALONE. eye had meant 2 sleep, but there was so much 2 do, eye guess sleeping got put on hold. the day of the show, 5:30 am, eye left the house n the dark, wearing shades, and headed 4 the BART station. eye couldn't c 4 jack, but, at this PRINCE concert, eye was going 2 b the epitome of KOOL... the line wait 4 members is so UN-KOOL! GENERAL ADMISSION is what we r n the club 2 AVOID! we did that thing as non-members! eye was told by miriad ppl, PRINCE could not buy numbered seats and sell them, 1rst come, 1rst served on his website. strange things happened n line, outside while waiting 12 hours...ppl taking names, saying they r friends of BILLY SPARKS and PRINCE, and they r helping the NPGMC...it is NOT good 2 leave the members outside n line so long...we r n the club 2 avoid things such as this! it's funny though, after the LINE XPERIENCE, came the WAITING AT THE DOOR XPERIENCE, where ppl who had not waited, attempted their last chances at cutting n line...some successful. then there was the LOSE UR PLACE N LINE XPERIENCE, this happened mostly 2 women, who had purses that security didn't like, saying they were 2 big, and would not check the purses 2 c nothing was n them, as members willingly offered. the curt replies were, PRINCE SAID DO IT! man Prince, did U ever put the fear of god n that security! they acted like their heads would roll or something... Security/Staff don't really no what 2 do with us NPGMC members, bcause they no we r mportant n Prince's plans, they just can't figure out Y! all we tell 'em is, JOIN THE CLUB and grin. security ppl gave the members WRONG nfo on how 2 get 2 the FRONT on purpose eye think, causing slight chaos upon entering the auditorium, but it worked itself out. THE SOUND CHECK XPERIENCE one could feel an urgent hush take the group, as we ntered the trans4med halls of THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE. the huge, head 2 ceiling screens, colored moving flood lights, purple crushed velvet drapes, elaborate stage curtains that could rise or fall, piles of pillows, lit candles, and a strange smoke that swirled up from nowhere n particular, n a semi-darkened room, all served 2 set the stage, and the MELLOW MOOD. the band was already onstage noodling around with their nstruments. the voice of PRINCE was speaking from somewhere n the mist. then HE came onstage, and the fun bgan. Prince grinned shyly, while flirting warmly with us, and played some kool jazzy stuff eye didn't recognize...eye don't particularly like jazz, but eye was dtermined 2 c what PRINCE was bringing 2 the table. after a lull n the music, but never a void, members shouted out requests, when they bcame 2 varied and CONfusing, Prince put a stop 2 it all by stating...'eye'm the chef, let ME feed U!" blew us away, that statement did, shut our mouths 4 the duration of the soundcheck with only murmurs of appreciative admiration, voiced here and there. Prince was gifted with presents from the FAMS, but he said it bothered him 2 c so many gifted all stacked 2gether just 4 him, so he accepted nothing but cards...and our love. so different from the 1rst Oakland soundcheck, but since eye had nothing better than the blue dolphins, LOVE was all eye brought him anyway! the feelings at the check were warm and mutual, the sound? well, Prince u new it. whenever u spoke, the sound was awful, and garbled, couldn't hear or make out most of what u said. when u used a mic, it was not clear. a lot of what u said, ppl said u said it, but some of it eye think they made up, bcause they were afraid 2 tell u the talking sound was poor. eye would have told u but, u had 2 go change, and eye didn't wish 2 shout over ur other admirers. u really didn't need 2 change though, ur hair was FINE, and that black suit was saying LOVE ME! THE CONCERT XPERIENCE... eye am truly sorry ppl, members...eye remember b ing n FRONT, and N FRONT OF PRINCE'S MICROPHONE... then the music XPLODED, and blew my mind away!...DATGUMM, THE MAN IS FUNKY! talk about a house quake!!! the floor of the PARAMOUNT literally SHOOK! IT WAS A 7.4 UP N THE HOUSE! eye stood still sometimes and just took the ride, it actually went up and down with the weight of the dancing members who got WILD THAT NITE! a girl, with a million decibel voice, kept screaming n my one good ear, till eye could no longer hear out of it. btween holding my ear, and dancing, 2 something sounding like LIQUID LIGHTENING, eye did NOT HEAR PRINCE calling me 2 come up on stage and dance! eye new eye had lost my MIND then, bcause eye no eye can not dance good, but the music was making my body do things EYE WAS NOT CAPABLE OF!!!! eye have rheumatoid arthritis, but dang if the music didn't take me past the pain... PRINCE, U DON'T WANT ME ON THE MIC! but sure enuff eye looked up and prince was pointing at ME like an old uncle Sam army poster! 'U! EYE WANT U 2 COME UP AND DANCE!" eye looked bhind me, only 2 hear prince, say, 'No turn around baby, eye want u, eye'm talkin' 2 U! YES U!" Shocked, eye couldn't mistake where he was pointing, N MY FACE! eye wanted 2 go, but eye couldn't xplain 2 him, eye could not lift my legs 2 go up the stairs, since eye left my cane n the car! eye no eye looked stupid ppl, with PRINCE waiting 4 me 2 come up, but eye couldn't make it, so eye took the lesser option, and said no. well, Prince don't take no 4 an answer, and eye must have been dancing pretty good, cause he told the members, "y'all bring her up here." then eye ran. finally c ing eye was determined not 2, as much as he was determined 2 have me up there, Prince said, "y'all, leave her alone, she don't wanna come up, she scared"....."Bless her heart." nobody has blessed my heart since my grandmother passed, thank u Prince. signaling 4 me 2 look up at him, Prince told me, "this is where u were supposed 2 b, eye want u 2 c who is taking UR place!" eye saw the face of a FAM who stood n front of me outside n line talking big smack about getting on stage, but since it happened 2 her, eye could c she was zoned 2, but she had the guts 2 get up there, and eye was GLAD she got her dream! it was all good! may b eye'll dance at Paisley, Prince, but u made my nite PARAMOUNT! highlites of the show were FAR 2 many 2 mention... during the set change...PRINCE was given a 10 minute? screaming, cheering, chanting, standing ovation.... coming back, Prince played an ntimate piano set by himself 4 the members ...some stuff we didn't no, and messed up the song flow. Prince gave us loving looks of disapproval, then fired all the FAMS n 1rst 2 front rows! the ntimacy of the moment blied an urgency Prince kept stressing 2 share the knowledge of God with us. go on, say his name Prince, it can only make u and us stronger. some of us C THE LITE OF THE CHANGE n U! THE PURPLE RAIN XPERIENCE was just that after Prince shared The Love of God, some did cry, but these were much different tears. following the medley of great, full standards, and a talk 2 women about God during JOY N REPETITION, Prince liberated our minds with Annestesia, as only Prince could do with the Symbol guitar. PARAMOUNT means around the mountain, but on THIS ONE NITE ALONE n OAKLAND, Prince FLEW us 2 the peak! eye'm STILL stuck up here Prince, how do eye get down? peace, eye love u Prince, thank u! thank u NPG, and Maceo, u r one cohesive whole with the man....reneto, u go boy! Rhonda....Rhonda! TayknmiAzziz PS: after Purple Rain, b ing KOOL was no longer so mportant, eye finally removed the shades 2 wipe my eyes! peace, 4 God so Loved The World, He gave His Only Bgotten Son, that u mite have Life. What have U given? ~cuteseeker ~ | |
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u go gurl!!
It was fun sharing this experience with you. On to the Celebration. Maybe then you'll be able to dance with the man. (just FYI i posted this for my friend. I am not Tayknmi) ~cuteseeker ~ | |
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That sounded like U had a fonky goodtime~ | |
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Glad to hear you had such a good time.
You really are a nut for that 5:30am stuff, but obviously you've got plenty of company. As for me, I arrived at about 3:00pm. Waiting in line didn't bother me a bit. The weather was nice and the time went by pretty quickly. My friend and I were chatting with some cool folks. We also broke out the cards and started playing poker and blackjack. The line didn't bother me at all. Next thing I knew, we were going inside. And I was proabably up by about $4. We ended up in the 5th row. Great seats. | |
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Please don't feel bad about not going up! What's better - dancing onstage w/ some Uncle OR having P look you in the eye, CALL YOU OUT & give you attention for the rest of the night?!! I think you know the answer. Glad you had a great time!!!
I was in pain too, but it all went away when he hit the stage - he can do some magical thangs... | |
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I was crying with you all the way. "We all got a space to fill" | |
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I feel you on the "get in line and wait" thing. The line experience was better than I expected, but it's too bad it was necessary. They should figure out a way to get around it. Then to not be able to leave your seat -- luckily my girlfriend needed to take a nap while I went out to get a drink between the soundcheck and the show, but having to guard your seat kind of messed up one aspect I love about Prince concerts -- just hanging and checking out what all the other freaks are wearing (for better or, if you know what I mean, for WORSE!).
Anyway, I can't complain about where I sat, but I hope next time around they can sell specific seats via NPGMC. And then I can get dressed at home properly instead of in the car (I lost my underwear... instead of leaving it at home.) __________________________________________
"You can always change your underwear." | |
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I remember it well Truthseeker. In the next row with ya, we don't hate cha. It's all good. ________________________________________
Doin' The Jughead! | |
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Great Review, glad u had a good time. 5:30 am. you are definitely a dedicated fam to b their at that hour. but it's all good. Paisley awaits your dancing debut. | |
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Truthseeker said:[quote]...eye have xperienced many PRINCE concerts since eye discovered him n
'95, and each new show is FAR BETTER than the LAST. my ?uestion is, can PRINCE PEAK? quote] Well although his shows have gotten better since 1995, he did peak in 1994 in my opinion. You missed most of the god tours, but he is headed in the right direction again, minus the dance sex and romance. ______________________________________________
onedayimgonnabesomebody | |
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eye remember the nite 2 gurl!
Takumi princes guitar man was loading and turning lyric book pages 4 the man rite n front of us... prince knows the NPGMC r down front so he sings out n2 the crowd, he has 2 make us sit down and rest, but he laughs when he does it....eye guess he figures we'd stand till our legs broke if that's what it took! what amazes me is the man's look is flawless...eye couldn't c any make-up, and his skin is like buttah! what little mascara he wore only brought out his long lashes! we made him do the work though, Prince actually broke a lite sweat trying 2 break us down, we was all crazy dancing up n there! the harder he played, the harder we danced, eye think he made us rest, just so he could 2! Prince is crazy as a gnat, and has a hilarious sense of humor, when he is not rocking the house, he's got us laughing, and it is not staged... Oakland makes Prince get real...eye think the message n JOY N REPETITION is obvious, how long will Prince have 2 say it b4 we no it's all he ever wanted from us....LOVE ME? u no we love ya baby! good review Tayknmi thanks 4 printing it Truthseeker it took me back! | |
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