When my wife and I heard that Prince was a regular performer in Las Vegas, we immediately started planning a trip. In January, we zeroed in on the weekend of March 3 as the weekend we would take our trip. We made the hotel reservations and booked the flight. Since we only get to Vegas about every 3 or 4 years, we wanted to make the most of our time there, so we got tickets to two shows, but held Saturday March 3 open because Prince only performed on Friday and Saturday nights. By the last week of February, tickets were still not on sale for the March 3 show because, according to the ticket office at 3121, they were waiting to hear from Prince’s office as to his availability. Since time was running out to get tickets to something else, it was either risk not doing anything in Vegas on Saturday night, or get tickets to a different show. We opted for a different show. Since the primary reason for the trip was to see Prince in concert, we blame him for, in effect, ruining our long planned and expensive trip to Vegas.

We spent considerable money, time and effort to see Prince and feel he let his fans down because of his apparent indecision as to when or if he will perform. Although we lost money, Prince lost two fans. Every time I’ve heard one of his songs or his name mentioned since the trip, I get bitter. He’s a great musician and performer, and we were long time fans, but we won’t be buying any more of his music and will encourage our friends to do the same.

I'm sorry you were disappointed and feel it necessary to blame Prince and feel bitter about the situation. But in all honesty, there were many posts on this very site before you booked that advised people repeatedly NOT to book anything until tickets actually went on sale. Yes, it's last minute. Yes, it makes it very difficult to plan in advance. But unfortunately that's been the nature of his 3121 stint, complete, total unpredictability, confusion, and chaos. Plus, you're dealing with Prince so you never know what's going to happen. As a "long time fan," you should know that.

But ultimately, I don't think you have any one to blame but yourself because you chose to take a very big risk/chance and you were wrong. Now, I would think differently if Prince had committed to perform and tickets were actually sold then he cancelled at the last minute (which also did happen). But in this case, I'm sorry, the error was yours in booking the trip without knowing if he was actually performing. Just my opinion, which obviously you wanted since you felt the need to start this thread.

Don't mean to be rude, but if there was no announcement at all of a March 3rd show taking place, then why would you take a risk on an "assumption? There could have been, and I'm sure, very legitimate reasons for no performance that weekend. Maybe one of the band members had a personal emergency or Prince himself that weekend.
[Edited 3/24/07 13:21pm]

SCNDLS said:

Wow, I couldn't have put it better than you. If you are going to Vegas with the intention of seeing Prince, it would be a good idea to have the tix in hand before making the trip. I personally cannot afford such an adventure and if I were to consider spending the money and time, I would definetly confirm the concert and the tix before leaving. I feel that all entertainment is getting too pricey, but if it's worth it to you than go for it. I happen to think that Prince is one of the only musicians that is worth paying good money to see live because he seems so comfortable on stage. Again, just my opinion but everybody has one!

Bummer for you. I bought my tix first before I even got a flight and hotel. The concert is my main reason to go too, but if the tix weren't available I wouldn't go at all.

Nikkiluv said:

COULDN'T THEY STILL HAVE GONE TO THE CONCERT AFTER THEIR OTHER SHOW? PRINCE DOESN'T COME ON UNTIL 12:15 -12:30. IF I WAS A FAN AND BOUGHT TICKETS FOR SOMETHING ELSE THAT PROBABLY ENDED AT 10, I WOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE PRINCE CONCERT FOR SURE AT 11:00.

flyboi8 said:

Prince didn't perform OR sell tickets for that weekend, but it took a long time before the actual dates for the month were officially "announced." I think that's his point. But this person booked their trip in JANUARY instead of waiting to see if tickets would even be sold for that weekend in March.

NoFanNow said:

I'm really sorry this happened to you but correct me if I'm wrong, I don't recall March 3 ever being on the schedule or ever being on sale. I just can't imaging spending so much money on a concert that is not confirmed or up in the air. Even if it meant I had to forgo the trip because if confirmed it would be too late. I would have chosen another weekend or wait until his next tour.

I travelled from Australia to see Prince at 3121 and planned to see him on that same weekend. Got there on thursday and found out that no shows were planned for that weekend. Naturally I was devastated but at no time did I blame Prince, Just blamed my rotten luck as I knew the risks. Luckily for me I was able to change my airline tickets so I could see at least one show the following weekend, so in the end the risk worked out.

They did originally announce that he would be playing EVERY Friday and Saturday but they also announced that he wouldn't be playing 90 minute shows like everywhere else in Vegas which evidently means he was offering us 75 minute shows.

lovemachine said:

Yes that was the understanding "originally" but by January, I think most informed orgers realized that nothing was going to be organized or dependable with this 3121 concept and to proceed with caution or pay the price, literally.

Apparently some people have reported shorter shows but I haven't seen any confirmed reports of a show that was only 1 hour and 15 minutes. The reason I say that these short shows are not "confirmed" is because one person will post that the show was only an hour long and then several people will dispute them and say it was an hour and a half. I've personally been to four shows at 3121 and all of them were almost 2 hours if not a little longer. So I really don't think this "75 minute show" was the norm maybe more like a rare exception IF that ever happened.
[Edited 3/25/07 11:58am]

double post
[Edited 3/25/07 11:58am]

i was in vegas too march 3rd, sad as hell that he wasn't playing, but hey, something big is coming this summer!

SCNDLS said:

The show I was at is confirmed at just under 75 minutes as I used a stopwatch and Prince was offstage for 10 minutes so it was really 65 minutes of Prince and 10 minutes of people dancing. You can still read my review. Many of the recent shows have been timed at 75 minutes or 80 minutes by people I trust. Most people who are giving good reviews tend to exaggerate how long the shows were because they were having a good time and forgot the details.

Also, I bet the 4 shows you went to were early in the run because since the middle of January they seem to be ranging from 75 minutes to 90 minutes but I honestly don't remember 4 shows that were reviewed as being over 2 hours and the boots coming out aren't showing that either so I maybe question your time keeping.
[Edited 3/25/07 18:31pm]

I like how everyone on this site will defend Prince no matter what. He screwed over a lot of people with the way he ran his shows in Vegas....period.

lovemachine said:

I think it's been stated many times over that the Vegas shows were a logistical nightmare, but in this case the March 3 show date never existed.

I could only speak for myself. I would never book flight and hotel reservations until a show was confirmed. i still feel bad for the poster though. that really sucks.
[Edited 3/25/07 18:23pm]

Mostly, I'm just venting. I guess my mistake was, when reading the schedule on the 3121 website that Prince performs Friday and Saturday nights, I assumed that meant Friday and Saturday nights, not selected Friday and Saturday nights. When he feels like it. Maybe. It makes it hard to request time off from work, book flights and reserve hotel rooms when you don't know until the night before if the concert will take place or not.

he was bound to piss some people off with an ad like that.....there was even an ad that came out once that said Prince Per4ming Live and said nothing about Fridays and Saturdays

in my opinion that is what the ad should have read but it is just another part of the wierdness behind 3121 Vegas

I understand your frustration. Prince really is a great musician but unfortunately it takes too much work to follow his career. Its great that he lives the life of a rock star...he is one. However, he needs to recognize that his fans are not rock stars. You shouldn't have to make spontaneous plans and pay a fortune to see him perform live. You shouldn't have to live on Prince.org to find out what's new from his camp.

No doubt some will say he owes his fans nothing, including courtesy. That may even be true. It also explains why nobody realizes he was making music from 1991 to now. Some will blame you, dude, for trying to make plans to see Prince (in a venue that was advertised as his temporary home) without prior notice (even though he admittedly typically gives no notice). Don't worry about these people think. Prince doesn't so why should you?

I was in Vegas when Prince was performing but I've long since been over him (barring the occasional glimpse at this site). I lost interest because he became too difficult to pay attention to. You have to practically have no life and, frankly, with a career and family and friends to occupy my time, I just don't have the time to sit around waiting for Prince to "spontaneously" announce something he's been planning for months.

No matter how you spin this thing, it is daft to arrange time, travel and lodging without having tickets in hand first.

Nay sayers!