I think I've mentioned before a contact I have at the Rio who is engaged to one of the casino hosts, well today she passed some Prince information on to me that did NOT settle well. Apparently the rumor is that Prince will continue to do his after show jam but not in the restaurant, he is now planning to do it in the same room he does the concert in. She wasn't too sure on the specifics, but from what her man said, Prince wants to have the showroom cleared after the concert, have it cleaned, and then let people back in for the "after show." She also said the price will be going up. I am so upset about this I don't even know what to do. This is by far the dumbest idea I've heard of and I have a sneaking suspicion it comes from the Rio. I could be wrong, but it just doesn't sound very "Prince-like". I'm not going this coming weekend but I'll be there the week after next. So heads up to anyone heading out there, be prepared to shell out more cash AND lose the up close and personal aspect of the aftershow!

livluvlaf said:

Yeah it is a shame as the whole thing about the aftershow was that it was small and intimate - however in a way its good cos a lot more people will get the chance to experience it and that has to be a good thing. Shame about the money situation but in my opinion its worth every penny.

it sounds like a good thing...weren't only a few people able to actually SEE prince perform at the jazz kitchen aftershows? i think the upping of the price is kinda lame, but whatever. it's prince and he likes money.

Don't get it twisted, this is coming directly from Prince. However, I would chalk the higher price up to the fact that he now has to pay for even more staff to clean up and handle more patrons past the scheduled show times. Let's not forget, this is a union hotel so you can't just do what you want when it comes to the staff. And someone has to pay for all of that.

Last I heard the new price was $70 per person. I'm not happy about it either, but guess what, I'll be right there along with the other crackheads getting a hit from my favorite dealer. So it is what it is.

I think it is a good idea as maybe people could actually SEE him! The resturant was very dark the night we went there were no lights on the band or Prince. We could not see him. Very disappointing for us to pay $50, miss the encores of the concert ---to sit in the dark and "listen" . I could play a cd and do that at home!

Ginamarie said:

I wouldn't count on it being too bright at the aftershows because the darkness is of course at Prince's request. When I went week before last, on Friday, the staff were scrambling to get someone from the Rio's engineering staff to turn off the lights before Prince came into the Jazz Room. Then on Saturday, Prince said, "Can we turn down the house lights?" a couple of times. So he likes it very dark in the aftershows.

Anx said:

That's my take as well...

i think it will be better in letting more people in although i feel fortunate to capture the intimacy and magic from the three aftershows I went to.

Well I never really got the chance to experience the full effect of the aftershow since I wasn't able to get into the main room, but did sit just outside of it both nights during 3/30 and 3/31. I wonder how that will work out with having people leave and come back. .

Not telling Prince what to do, but if they collect money for the aftershow, why not do this at the same time they are handing the actual tktmaster/rio tickets to people waiting on line before the actual show takes place?. They could ask each person if they are interested in attending the aftershow and collect the the cash right there at the same time, whatever the extra charge will be. Have the Rio people come out early, at least by 5pm and let people on the line know there will be an aftershow and they will only take cash for it, and then you'll be given a certain color/numbered bracelet for it as you receive your ticket to go into the venue. It will save time and be more organized, when it's time to let people back in.

When they are let out of the club to line up for the aftershow, they could let people back in, that paid for the aftershow, according to their numbered bracelets. This will avoid people fighting to get in first to be closest to the front of the stage. Anyway just my 7 cents. They did something like that for the Jazz Cuisine aftershow the last weekend in March. Some people were given numbers to get into the aftershow, but it was mostly for the outer room.
[Edited 4/11/07 7:18am]

I find it very surprising people complain that actually attended the jazz cuisine aftershow. It was the most unbelievable experience for me. The lighting was low but I could see and how often is Prince right in front of your face! Also spending 3 hours in Prince's "living room" per say, is something that wont happen very often

I understand why they are moving it. I did find it odd that the aftershows were so small even though I LOVED IT!!!

jaynoonan said:

True, that reminds me of the private party he gave for NPGMC fans in NYC at Butter restaurant the night of the GMA performance in 2006. where it felt like we were in his living room. Keep in mind the space there was smaller than the main room at the Jazz cuisine, and he performed for us for 4 straight hours. So I know what you mean.

2elijah said:

I agree big time! My aftershow experience was amazing. I will never forget that experience.

WELL - HE DIDNT DO AN AFTERSHOW AT ALL WHEN WE WERE THERE IN FEB.

I THINK HE SHOULD JUST DO A LONGER SHOW AS OPPOSED TO AN "AFTERSHOW"

REASON, THE 5 OR 6 AFTERSHOWS I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO SEE WERE NOT PLANNED,

SOME WERE LAST MINUTE ( I'M SURE HE HAD IT PLANNED - BUT I DIDNT PLAN ON IT )

AND, THEY WERE SOME OF THE BEST PRINCE SHOWS I HAVE EVER SEEN. BUT TO GO OUT

IN THE CASINO & HAVE TO WAIT - IT TAKES SOMETHING AWAY FROM IT IF U ASK ME.

HAVE FRIENDS GOING TO IT ON THE 19TH & I CAN NOT WAIT FOR THIS TOUR!

Hmmmmm....I can't wait to hear about what really happens!

I'm sure this weekend will be interesting with reviews regarding aftershows if any.

3121 is a great venue anyway. Yes the old aftershow format was special but it is hardly like the 3121 Club is a huge arena.

The only slight downside I can think of is that I really would be dead on my feet. We arrived for the concerts at 9pm and left for our hotel at 6am when the aftershow was done.

But I would still do it

Bad news. I hope this is a rumor. Sorry for anyone that didn't get to experience 3121. I saw 2 nights (once for the aftershow only) and it was incredible. To me actually better than Butter because he played more freely since he didn't play from his own songbook. 3121 really took me back to Paisley '95 or so. The laid back Prince we love. What the heck do you need lights for when everyone is within arms reach? I'll wait for a tour and hope for an aftershow there.

my bet is that they get everyone out....and then set up tables and chairs on the floor

they did that with Esthero for some reason when she was there

an aftershow inside the club could be great though esp. if all the VIP drunks don't come back for it

pkidwell said:

Hell, don't limit your remark to the VIP drunks. The other ones ain't no better.

2elijah said:

That's exactly what I thought they should do too. Put the $70 on the ticket price if people want to stay (or even if they don't) and they can just call it a night when they get tired. It seems so redundant to me to have to leave the club just to line up again only to go right back into the same place you just left less than an hour ago. Don't get me wrong, I'll definitely be doing it, I'm no fool, but it seems like there could be an easier way. Maybe play a longer show with an intermission. Essentially that's what it's going to be like anyhow. I'm just soooo going to miss seeing him that close up, even from outside the jazz room it's still pretty darn close. I think as far as the drunks are concerned, if no one kicks them out of the club, they ain't gonna leave, what is it that bouncers say at the end of the night; "You don't have to go home, but ya can't stay here!"

Has it occurred to anyone that just because the after shows may be held in the 3121 venue it doesn't mean that there will be just as many people allowed back into the venue! Maybe due to Rio staffing there will only be a certain number of people allowed to return....just speculation!

livluvlaf said:

Exactly, nothing wrong with throwing in some suggestions since fans are part of the crowd attending these shows.

Once the encore is over, DJ Rashida could play her music, everyone gets a chance to go to the restroom, get something to eat, line up outside the club with numbered bracelets or tags they paid for the aftershow.

For Prince's celebrity VIP: Once the venue clears with the general crowd/his fans (tables or GA), he could let his private celebrity group stay, and let the rest of his invited private guests in, before they let the general crowd back in the venue, they'll already be seated and out of the general crowd's way. His staff or a couple of the Rio staff could be assigned to control that situation. You know the people with the "list."

For the VIP (non-celebrity) table crowd who paid for a table, who want to attend the aftershow, they could pay the xtra cash as well before the start of the concert while picking up their tktmaster/rio tickets, but should be charged more than the GA person for the aftershow if they want a table back again, and should be assigned a table number or just get a table, first come first served when they line back up in a separate line for the aftershow.

GA crowd for aftershow - can pay for aftershow w/cash at time of picking up tickets and get a number or a numbered bracelet to return in line in order of their number. It should only be allowed for 1 person to pick up for no more than 3 persons that are within their group, but those ppl should be present at time their picking up their tickets as well.

Even though it would be a pain leaving the venue, to return for an aftershow, it would not be no more of a pain than it was, when people went around the corner to the Jazz Cuisine to get on line when the concert in the venue was over. Although I'm sure the small room aftershow with tables/chairs for everyone to sit and watch Prince play in this type of atmosphere is cool, the thing is, most people want to get up and dance anyway at the aftershows, so the GA folks would have a good time standing and enjoying the show and can dance, since they're already standing. Besides, the Rio staff needs to get their organizing skills together so there won't be none of this on the line while people are trying to get into the aftershows-->
[Edited 4/12/07 9:01am]

Obsidian said:

Yeah, but why would he miss out on making extra money if the venue could hold a large group of people for the aftershow, that's if it is actually going to be held in there?
[Edited 4/12/07 10:23am]

2elijah said:

I know it doesn't make much sense to only allow just a certain amount of people back in, but unless it was smaller, more intimate, or very different in some way then it would just be the "longer concert" that everyone was wanting to begin with and not the special atmosphere of the much loved "after jams"....not that there is anything wrong with an extended concert I could listen to them all night. I think the Rio stipulated some part in the short concerts that everyone was complaining about...it's a Vegas thing. Prince would have to negotiate around the "limited" concert times and if he was going to have a full house for the extended shows then he would have to negotiate for the Rio staffing as well. Due to staffing and other stipulations...this might affect how many people he can have in the venue for the extended times....who knows... don't mean to sound like a party pooper;-)

jaynoonan said:

Well said Jaynoonan!
Like similar UK orgers, I also had the chance to see him in March and it was my first time and it was unbelievable!, forget about the length of the show, the songs that he did not sing, the not so good aftershows, the high costs, the guy is a LEGEND!.
I don't like big concerts and 3121 venue was perfect, I was standing very close to the stage and I was on cloud 9 for the duration of the show and I will always cherish this time.
Anyway, I congratulate everybody who had (or will) have the chance to see him, you fulfilled a dream and I encourage any other fams to see him playing and singing live.

All the best, Suzie

2elijah said:[quote]

livluvlaf said:

Hopefully we'll only be trading out an intimate setting and not the after show adrenalyn Prince and the guys all have. It has to be equally as fun for them as it is for all of us, right?
I think the Rio staff does a great job considering how some of the people in line behave, : but they DO need better security, those guys have no idea what the hell they're doing, especially when it comes to fending off the addicts like me!

livluvlaf said:[quote]

2elijah said:

SCNDLS said:

This is the quote of the year for me!! If that doesn't sum up my Prince fandom, I don't know what does.

Well, it does suck that the "intimacy" of the earlier after shows is gone. I was fortunate enough to experience it two consecutive nights back in December, when the after shows were new. Those were the best nights of my life because I met Prince and several of the band members. I know that would never have happened in a large venue. However, on the cooler side of things, more people will get to see the aftershow and people won't miss the encores. Also, it should alleviate all the line craziness.

BTW, the darkness sucks too. It wasn't dark at all back in December, they used the regular restaurant lighting.

bellanoche said:

Ginamarie said:

Sorry this is only my opinion but you don't need to "see" him to feel the music and no listening to a CD would just not have been the same - the man was on fire the night I saw him in the Jazz cafe - ok I couldn't see him completely just his outline but I didn't need to stand right in front of him and stare to appreciate the music - it was wonderful - one of the happiest nights of my life !!!