Prince has been touring for like 20 years or so. If he ain't spread the word by now, he never will!

As for pricing out the fans, if that is true, how come his Vegas shows are still really popular and filling up?

As usual, this is sour grapes because YOU aren't in a position to see him. If you were, I don't think we'd see you posting about it.

I'm in the UK and I can't afford to see him, and another American tour means nothing to me. But I don't moan because I have never taken seeing Prince for granted or expect him to be at my beck-and-call.

metalorange said:

I'm tired of fans who act like Prince is their personal entertainer and owes them something.

my only gripe is the lack of time given to plan to attend Vegas shows

I must hold my hands up here... I know I blow hot and cold on Prince. He frustrates me so...

That said, I've never had a presale/fanclub discount or whatever... never took advantage of the NPGMC offers for tickets, never minded paying face value: but, to pay £60 for a ticket is excessive, the prices for the Vegas show are excessive, and for what? For Prince to goof around with the audience... I'm sure that I'd love it if I were there, for sure, but when the reports come out that his goofing is at such a base level... anyway, that's another topic for another day.

My original gripe was at prices. If people pay them, fine. However, can we please all hold our hands up and tell Prince to shut-up the next time he goes on about artistic freedom and how his music is his children... because he seems to get a real kick out of whoring them around.

Look BoySimon..simply put..if you can't afford to go then you just can't go. Slinging insults at fans that Prince brings up on stage isn't going to make your gripe any better or make it more affordable for you. These same fans that are brought up on stage paid to go to that show just like if it was you he called on stage, and just like you, those same fans have bills to pay and families as well, no different from you. Keep griping though, because the show will still go on with or without you.

Music besides being an art has a business side to it as well. Musicians have to eat and get paid too. During the holidays, prices are sky high everywhere, this should be no surprise to you. It is what it is. On a regular weekend the price to get into his show is not a bad price at all for Vegas. Try coming to New York City and look at the skyrocketing prices they charge on that night or holiday weekend, matter of fact, try living here on a daily basis, it's expensive, but we deal with it.

You want to see Prince perform? Then plan ahead, don't depend on the artist to give you a discount all the time. We've had many presales and discounts in the past and it worked for a lot of fans, obviously it looks like that's not going to happen all the time. It's no secret that he announces performances within a short period of time, yes I know, I know, everyone asks why does he do it that way, because people need time to make hotel, air arrangements, which would be great if he announced it way ahead of time, but someone will still complain even if he did. There's future shows, so if you can't make it for NYE then go when you can and when it's affordable for you. Go on a non-holiday weekend when airlines and hotels offer discounts.

Prince is not going to stop by anyone's house on any weekend, just to find out if they could afford to come to one of his shows, and cancel the show if one of us can't make it. As far as you suggesting he manipulates his fan base, how's that possible when no one is forcing any of us to buy his music or attend his shows? The decision is on you. If you can go to the NYE show then that's great, it may not be affordable for everyone that weekend, but there are other upcoming shows that may be affordable for you and other fans.All you can do is just save your money and go when it's affordable for you, that's all.
[Edited 12/18/06 9:45am]

BoySimon said:

Ok so you never had the opportunity to take advantage of presales and the like when the npgmc was around. As far as prices for the Vegas shows to see him perform, you can't expect that he would charge less than that? Honestly, $125.00 is not bad at all.

The venue itself I believe has a 1500 capacity (correct me if I'm wrong) so the price has to be at a certain level in order for them to make decent money because of the smaller capacity of the club.In a larger venue when he's doing a tour, like Madison Square Gardens, the prices can vary because of the large capacity that venue holds (over 15,000)where they can afford to have various prices for tickets and make more money. Remember bills have to get paid.


Also, many artists interact with the audience when they are performing, nothing wrong with that. He does the same thing during his past tours. I think you should just go to the show and experience it for yourself. Everyone's experience at a Prince concert is theirs to own, so I guess you'll have to do just that, in order to appreciate the stories fans come back to these forums and tell about Prince's performance at 3121.
[Edited 12/18/06 18:43pm]

2elijah said:

Totally agree. Ticket prices are going up all over the place, not just Prince, as more and more artists realise that the real money these days is to be made in tour tickets and related merchandise, not album sales which are shared between the record company and are diminishing anyway.

So complaining that every year Prince's ticket prices go up is pretty ridiculous. The 3121 concert is even more expensive because it is only for 900-1500 people max per night. I have heard some people say it must not have sold out because there was room to move around. The whole point with this venue and project is not to pack the audience in like sardines but to give a unique luxury performance; to cover all that the relative exclusivity of the tickets means they necessarily have to be higher. Something is worth what the market will pay, and plenty of people so far seem perfectly able to afford the shows. Perhaps it is aimed at the more affluent end of society, but I don't see why affluent people can't be called fans just the same with the same strong desire to see Prince.

As for pulling people up on stage, let's not exaggerate, that is a very small part of the whole show for one, for another he did it a lot during the ONA tour. Must admit I personally don't like it; at one ONA show I saw you couldn't even see the band for all the people on stage for one song; but it is only one song or so.

As for people contradicting himself about artistic freedom/money blah blah, we should all know by now Prince is continuously contradictory; he once said he was giving up touring to 'look for the ladder' so it is hypocritical of him simply to be playing live then? Thankfully he goes back on many of his comments! Saying that, he has always being into accumulating lots of money, let's face it, he needs it to run his lavish lifestyle and empire. Plus money equals power, and that power gives him the opportunity to do whatever he feels like or be 'artistically free' if you like.

which is odd then, because it means that we should sit back and let the man run us in rings as he chops and changes his beliefs in pursuit of cash and power and freedom.

If you're looking for artistic integrity, then, don't stop here, move on, is that what we're saying?

Coming to Prince in 1988, he seemed (and I used that word advisedly) different, both creatively and intellectually. I was wrong.

At first, the journey appeared legitimate, honest, a proper soul-search. His insistence on packing his Lovesexy tour with so much proselytising, appealed - maybe because of the place I was at mentally at the time. The Prince that subsequently evolved frustrates because of the contradictions of that renaissance time and it pisses me off. As fans, people who invest in him in a monetary and an emotional manner, (forget the monetary if you wish not to cloud the issue, once again with cash) is it not reasonable to feel frustrated, cheated or, to be extremely emotional, betrayed by the actions of the artist who kicked and fussed and tantrummed his way through the 90s, RELYING on his hardcore of fans to keep him afloat?

So what if we sound like the fans that turned on Dylan. In their view Dylan let them down. Prince has let many people down... he's just so tantalising that those he's let down still hang around on the fringe... those he's attacked still hang around on the fringe... those he's dismayed still hang around on the fringe.

AND, I'd like him to start by removing from his Vegas show any form of Goofing... especially if it relies on stereotype... remember; cut you, cut me, both the blood is red. Get it?

AND, I'd like him to start by removing from his Vegas show any form of Goofing... especially if it relies on stereotype... ;remember; cut you, cut me, both the blood is red. Get it?

BoySimon said:

Seems you are really hung up on this... I think your stereotype of a 40 plus fat whiteman being the only types Prince brings up on stage is completely exaggerated, I have seen Prince bring many different types of people on stage on the ONA tour, the Musicology tour and from various reports on the 3121 shows, thin, fat, black, white. Seems like you have fixated on one report or something and this has got you riled for some reason. I know there is one guy that Prince has got up on stage more than once to sing, but this is because Prince recognised the guy from previous shows and is relaxed enough to have some fun with him. But this is not like every show or anything.

Vegas is a place where people spend/blow money. There are Prince fans out there that can afford it. Then there are people just looking for a good time. He is providing a service for these kinds of people. I feel your pain though since I live 7 minutes away and can't afford to go. Then again tonight will be my 4th free Wednesday show.

Not hung up on it, irritated by it, frustrated that a man I thought better than that would stoop to that level for humour. Prince is cleverer than that.

BoySimon said:

Boysimon...I think you're taking it way too serious…you’re starting to sound a little scary, not sure if I would want to be standing next to you at one of his shows. I mean you're frustrated and irritated because you've read reports on here that Prince laughs, smiles, chats, shake hands, dance with fans on stage and have a sense of humor with them? You can't be serious, you sound a little hung up to me. Can someone tell me when did it become a crime for a musician to have a good time with his fans?

Having a "sense of humor" is part of human nature. You should try it sometimes, it might loosen up all that frustration and irritation you've been holding onto, better yet, it might make you a happier person.

I sure won't be mad at you though if you never show up at a Prince concert… you’ll just miss out on all the fun that’s all.
[Edited 12/21/06 7:07am]