Thursday October 3rd had finally arrived! Prince kicked off his ONA European Tour at the Apollo Hammersmith, London UK to a sold out packed venue for all the fams!

The queue for the 5pm soundcheck reached right round the corner of the Apollo. Fams were talking to each other waiting in anticipation for the nite to commence. Fams started queuing from 9am till late. But much to their dismay the apollo management released an announcement that all tickets were allocated seating arrangements. This ofcourse caused some confusion as those who had queued since 9am thought, as was said on the website (npgmusicclub.com) that it would be a first come first served basis! sit anywhere! some people were angry (particularly those that sat patiently from 9am) but when we finally got inside and received our tickets some people (inc. myself) were please to see that we had ticket seating for Row A, the first row next to the stage!

As we all lined up to be let into the theatre security was always reminding us to make sure that we didnt take any recording devices whatsoever into the arena. fair enough. also several "techincal difficulties" kept us outside the main hall and missing the "technical difficulties" of the soundcheck which we all wanted to be apart of!

anyway security were checking each and every individual up close and personal. this took ages seeing that there were about 200 people + waiting to get in. then came another announcement from above..."Some people have sat in any seat and not the allocation of seat on their ticket..so there would be a delay." this confused everyone again.

little did us know outside that Prince who was on stage inside had told those lucky enough to be at the head of the queue to seat anywhere just like the website stated and also what all his other performances throughout america have been like!

thanks to the management of the apollo they decided to tell people that everyone would be allocated a seat which in reality was not true. so as you can imagine some well a lot of fams were quite angry and confused!

It got to the point that one of Prince's entourage came on stage to personally tell everyone to seat anywhere and that seats were not allocated as stated by the Apollo - miscommunication big time!

a point needs to be mentioned though to some fams that they came here to see Prince & NPG and their music! it got to a point that some fams were more concerned about their seat than the actual show, music and Prince! what can i say chill people. we are the lucky ones to be allowed to get first ticket sales so sit down and enjoy the show...

it finally settled. i personally missed most of the soundcheck but got in with Prince just chatting to everyone in the first 10 rows. he then picked up his guitar and went into Days Of Wild impromtu which just rocked the house and eveyone was happy. and as quickly as we had glimpse the man he disappeared to get ready...

the show was like my friend said his best ever live performance that he had seen! what an understatement. it was funky, wild and raw as can be.

the show was mostly dedicated to the rainbow children albumn as kicked off by the one and only maceo parker blowing his horn down the aisle and lighting up the stage. Prince had with him, (HORN SECTION - Maceo, Candy and Greg), Johnney Blakwell Drums, a new dude on the keys and Kay Dyson and the man himself.

they were all dressed up in suit and ties and hats old jazz style and got stuck into the liveist live version of rainbow children to be heard on our fair shores...it felt like we were all in the recording studio with Prince.

What more can i say...i wont go on about the rest of the performance but what we saw and heard and were defintely apart of was a priviledge to be there with one of musics greatest entertainers!

One Nite Alone live was defintely intimate and when prince reappears to play on his piano ONA then you finally can see why we all just love the music generated from someone so small. The voice, style, rawness and command of music at his disposal...we did knock the roof off!

next stop the after party...The Mayfair Club in Mayfair. hired out for the party but when we got there a party before us was not leaving and hence with about 100+ peeps waiting patiently outside were kept outside for about an 1hr and a bit till one of princes entourage came to find us and let us know that the lovely mayfair club had had to cancel the party at their place because of some Eyes-Wide-Shut-With-Loads-Money Party! the cheek!

he then asked whether anyone had any ideas for venues to party as prince wanted to party with his fams! the only idea that was suggested was all back to my house! (as if)...because information was so poor that nite both at the start and at the end (shame) a lot of people just had had enough and went home particularly when no one knew whether a venue was going to be sorted out? including myself.

Does anyone know whether a venue was sorted last nite?? oh well the best concert to date for sure just need to see whether i can attend tonites afterparty. peace!