I have been asked if I woulf like to write a review of the opening night for a staff newsletter in work. Bearing in mind this isn't even aimed at music fans, let alone Prince fans so going through the entire set list is pointless. I have tried to keep it fairly short but struggled to make my point. So, here's what I came up with. Let me know if you think I do the 1st night justice if you were there. If you weren't then any comments on the review prior to me submitting it would be welcomed. Thanks.

I feel privileged to have witnessed the opening night of Prince’s ’21 nights in London’ tour.
Yes I get called a bit geeky about him and a bit of an anorak but it’s for events such as this that us ‘fams’ do it. (Prince calls us fams because of his dislike of the term fan, being short for fanatic, so we’re referred to as fams, as in family – See what I mean? ‘ geeky’) Believe me over the years I’ve heard the lot but this man is a genius, he plays virtually EVERY instrument on his records, only bringing in musicians for his performances, he writes all his own songs, and songs for others, i.e. Nothing Compares 2 u and when he plays live? Unbelieveable! I honestly believe his talent will only be truly realised when he’s gone - think Bolan, Hendrix, Cobain, Morrison, Jim not Van!

I was a fan in the early 80’s but once I first saw Prince in Wembley in 1986 I was hooked. Various subsequent tours have followed and I’ve witnessed all but 1.

The new 02 arena (formerly the Millenium Dome) is a great venue, 1 or 2 sound issues that I’m sure will be ironed out over time, but a great venue. When I heard that Prince was to do a 21 night stint there I HAD to go. 21 nights, 23,000 people per night that’s just shy of ½ a million people, 5 Wembley Stadiums, 4 Knebworths, that’s unheard of. And all for £31.21, much less tham the £550 charged by Barbara Streisand or £70+ charged by the Rolling Stones both at the same venue recently.

The concerts are billed as the greatest hits tour and are exactly that, with a few additions but a greatest hits tour all the same. The problem is when you have this many hits which ones do you pick? Some have mentioned the lack of ‘When Doves Cry’, ‘Sign o the times’, my opinion is simple, yes I too would love to hear them BUT had he played them he may not have played ‘Purple Rain’, ‘Kiss’!

At 8.30 the lights went down and the screens showed the film of Prince being inducted into the UK Hall of Fame, once done the familiar first few bars of Purple Rain came through the speakers. From that moment the crowd were on their feet and stayed for 2 and a ½ hours.

Prince teases, chats and laughs when on stage, difficult to imagine as a non fan I know but believe me, to see him live is an experience. The hits flowed, following Purple Rain came Girls and Boys, Cream, I feel 4 u, Kiss, 7, I could go on. There was the odd track that you would need to be a real fan to know, some tracks from the late 70’s, yes he really has been around that long!

During the show Prince announces ‘Live as Live is meant to be, there are no loops in this concert, just real musicians playing real instruments’ and boy are they good, the saxophonist is Maceo Parker, long time member of the late James Brown’s band, and all lead by the most talented musician of my generation, bar none! You get Rock, Funk, Ballads, Jazz all rolled into one show, one band who are as tight as they come.

2 encores came and went, the 2nd containing Let’s Go Crazy and Nothing Compares 2 u then the lights came up and the crowd started to leave having watched 2 hours of none stop entertainment.

What followed has already been recognised in various media as a moment of Live music gold.

After quite some time a loud roar circulated when, through a now half full arena walked Prince flanked by bodyguards, ambled onto the stage, picked up his guitar and treated the remaining fans to an extremely intimate 3rd encore. It felt like it was just you and him. Little Red Corvette was followed by Raspberry Beret, he continued until he was rejoined by the band for a funky party atmosphere conclusion, Chic’s ‘Le Freak’ followed ‘Get on the Boat’, and a few minutes later he was gone. It’s so hard to believe he’s 49 when he performs like this – Yes 49!

Yes I sound so geeky but to put some kind of unbiased opinion on to this, I dragged my partner (a Michael Jackson Fan – Never the twain shall meet) to the show as well as her 18 year old daughter, neither of whom ‘got’ my obsession - until they saw him live!!!

We also went to the aftershow party, those in the know will tell you these are legendary, If he show’s up! I won’t bore you with details but suffice to say, he did and it was. By the time you read this I will have been to the final night AND aftershow….Yes I’m a geek and I love EVERY minute of it!

Amen to that, at last a great review with none of the if only he did this and that crap, ThANKYOU so much for this.. may you convert the masses xxx

Ditto the above comment. Just 1 thing; You start off by referring to 'Fams' and saying why we're so called, then revert to the word 'Fan' for the rest of the piece. Great review though!

well you've converted me!...no wait, im already converted...but ,if i wasn't already converted then you would have converted me.....
a really good review and the point of your partner now being converted is very valid ..the same thing has happened with my long suffering wife.

throw down the challenge ...tell your colleagues to go to a prince concert..
let's all start converting the masses and together ...
we can take over the world(oop's sorry im ranting!)

honestly though it was an excellent review ..well done!

This is a good review of the amazing opening night - but why keep on with the 'geeky'? you say it over and over. I don't think that I'm any more 'geeky' than a lot of MJ nutters, - look at the media this week at all the (weeping) Elvis fans - and when was the last time they saw him? I'm all for self-deprecation and I know that even though I've been a massive fan for nearly 20 years - not everyone would know that about me. BUT - I've decided this summer to be out and proud as a Prince fan. What exactly have we got to be embarrassed about? The 'symbol' era was a little uncomfortable - but he has proved himself over and over again to be a muscial genius - so I for one, am no longer subscribing to the idea that just because I appreciate the man's talent (while he's alive) and worship him a little - that that makes me a 'geek' in any way shape or form. How can appreciation of such a musician be compared to the likes of Take That fans or Spice Girl 'mania'. I say it again - be out and be proud - I AM A PRINCE FAN AND I AM NOT A GEEK!

CAn I just say one thing - capacity is a maximum of 20,000 for the Arena (standing/seated). Indigo2 has a capacity of 2350.

Cool.