This was my first ever experience of a live Prince concert (6/9) and I was also jammy enough to get last minute tickets to the aftershow, which was amazing!, but I cannot understand why there were SO many drunk people at the show!.

I go out to clubs in London 3 or 4 times a week and I have never seen such a bunch of pissheads in one place. You expect there to be one or two steaming drunks but the aftershow was a nightmare, i could literally smell the alcohol in there. One Irish guy smelled like he had drunk paint stripper and kept smacking my mate on the back and heavy breathing down my neck (!?), there were two guys in bowler hats and suits that managed to stand on our feet a total of 6 times and I can't even go in to the state of the two 'heavy' guys dancing next to us near the stage.

I thought that this was maybe a one off but as I live in the o2 area I went for a drink with friends there on the 13th and encountered the same thing in the other bars with fans waiting for the aftershow to start.

I'm not saying I have never been drunk and acted like a twat before but how can you possibly enjoy the show/afterparty in that state and why ruin it for everyone else?
On Thursday 13th we even got harrassed by two girls who couldn't even walk and were told by someone else that they were ASLEEP in their seats during the main show.

WHAT A WASTE OF TICKETS!!

If you want to get pissed go to the pub and spend a fiver on the juke box to play Purple Rain - leave the tickets for people that want to see the show AWAKE and go to the after party without having to worry about sweaty drunk men stroking them and asking if they are Chelsea Rodgers (yes this did happen!).

rant over.

ladymissfoofoo said:

Couldn't agree with you more

ladymissfoofoo said:

Well said! I guess that there are just a lot of people about for whom getting pissed up is their main aim when going out. Yes, even when Prince is doing his thing just a few meters away from them, there are people who are more interested in looking at the bottom of a pint glass/beer bottle. Some have speculated that the man himself has been most unimpressed at seeing some of the drunken antics of the aftershow crowds, and I don't blame him if that is true.

Thanx for the support

Thought people might think I was spoiling their fun but seriously we just wanted to shock out but it's hard to do that when some dick with a tambourine is seconds from puking on your shoes.

Agree with you.

Now I'm wondering: If Prince is so devoted to the Bible and all, why doesn't he restrict his performance to the ones who likes to go to a concert without drinking? Might sound stupid, but I think this is a good idea, to not allow any alcohol serving at the O2. I think Prince definitely could do this, for himself at least. Can't imagine it be fun to sing for a bunch of dead drunk people.

Peach said:

I dont think any1 could get a venue 2 stop selling alcohol as that's where they're taking most of their revenue cause the dont get the full amount off the ticket sales & merchandise

johnson01 said:

A shame, but if I were the artist () I would insist on it anyway..

They just don't care about anything or anybody and if music was supplied by The Butlins Holiday Showband they wouldn't notice.
Binge drinking Britain strikes again I'm afraid.

We Brits all think we have a good time by getting blind drunk the night before yet deep down we all hate the pissheads who can't function properly.
There's something in there -
One day drinking will be uncool but I don't think it will be in our lifetime sadly.

Onward.....

The other thing that really annoyed and upset me was people used the slow ballads as a queue to go and get another pint. Please! Why did you go? I couldn't take my eyes of the stage for a second and nothing could have made me what to!

Phew - that feels good to get it off my chest!

Peach said:

Because being devoted to the Bible doesn't mean you can't drink. It's the drinking to excess which is the problem.

westv said:

Agree with all.....real drink problem in Britain? Therapy needed.

Whats worse (and probably even slightly distracting for Prince) is the number of people in the Main show who stream out while Prince is actually performing to go and get more beers!! And they do this more than once!!!
Why the hell do these people bother getting tickets?
Actually, why do these people even exist??!!

At least at the Indigo you can actually stand at the bar and still watch Prince...

So all U P!$$ heads going to the last night, get the hint: stay away from the front & don't ruin my night, or I'll stick my glowstick where it won't shine.

its awfull, i assually have a couple of slow drinks before the show - but non during it. I never went to the loo before the show on the 12th but outta respect and not wanting to run out during a song or for missing one waited till there was finally a break.

It could be controlled, but i guess where theres money to be made.....

i personally think he hates it, but aside from playing at churches or other applicable places of worship - its always going to happen esp over here in the UK.

maybe they could charge £7.50 a pint up in the actual venue.

has anyone thought of what itd have beeen like if it were last year these shows took place - early onset of lung cancer and puke all over your shoes!! thats if you can move your shoes from all the alcohol on the floor.

Could it be that smokers have started turning to the pint due to the smoking ban.

just a suggestion

seanbee said:

Therapy? - a bloody good slap round the heeed and a good shooing

Well I have a few theories on this subject (being disgusted myself I spent a while thinking it over)

a) Its a large arena where people who have only heard Purple Rain come along. Thats all they wanna hear and hence go munch/drink when they are bored

b) Other halves get dragged along to these things so they entertain themselves and make themselves useful...

c) It's England and thats what Brits do.

d) I don't understand the aftershow business of not only alcohol but people popping pills.. WTF!!

ladymissfoofoo said:

Been covered in other threads.

1) Its only £3.50 a pint inside the main arena

2) The service is so damn good both inside and outside the arena that one tends to drink more!

I'm all for that kind of service. But then i'm not a knob and can handle a couple of pints of lager!

omg, I knew people were dropping pills in there! that totally explains the dancing (and i use the term loosely) that was happening around our little space.

I refused to believe that Prince fans could have such little rhythm!

ladymissfoofoo said:

haha....I was pretty sure people were fcuked on something (and I'm a reasonable authority....."retired"). Some bad dancing.

For the record. I've no problem with people doing drugs at concerts, God knows I've done it enough times. HOOOOOWWWWEEEVER, if you need E do get a groove on at a Prince aftershow, you got no funk in your body.

Altho....there was girl in front of me near the end of the Ashow with a black ra ra skirt with diamante K on her bum....she was kinda funky
[Edited 9/16/07 20:13pm]

I refer 2 a previous post

http://prince.org/msg/12/242446

I've been drunkish at many of the aftershows and a couple of the concerts, but I am polite , can hold a conversation and am in 95% control of my senses as I want 2 make the most of seeing Prince.

Many people are too drunk and can't handle it, but I go mental and dance and sing whether I'm drunk or not, because 'I can't stop this feeling I got, I feel it right down 2 my toes' when I see Prince. If I've bothered any1 I'm sorry, but I won't b changing, like I said I am sometimes drunk, but always in control and if I do manage to bump any1 whilst dancing I apologise. I will not let people push in which happens every aftershow, cause I think it's not right.

I think some of u guys need 2 chill and get in2 the funk, focus on Prince and take the whole experience in, cause these experiences are rare in life and are 2 b cherished 4ever. Most of the people r hardcore Prince fans and we should b celebrating 2gether and spreading the love energy 2 prince on stage - 'This is an energy exchange!'

I will b doing my thing on Thurs and Friday aftershows, and loving everyminute by spreading the joy, I won't b asking any1 if they're Chelsea Rodgers (maybe Appolonia), but I will b joyous and loving the whole experience, one the 1.

I agree.... It would be great if the 'true fams' were able to but tickets via the 3121 site - like we used to be able to do via the NPG Music club site...
That way at least those who REALLY wanted to enjoy Prince and the band would be near the front and not get annoyed with those people going back and forth to get beer...

I took my 10 year old daughter to a concert in August - she didn't get off her seat once (she was standing on it mind you..). And at the end of the show, a rather drunk woman turned to my daughter and said - ' that was crap wasn't it? He didn't play anything decent'

My daughter didn't reply but turned to me and said 'I think she must be quite drunk 'cause she couldn't have heard everything that was played tonight'
Needless to say, my daughter realised full well what a waste of an evening that woman had....

THEDAYSOFWILD said:

I have to admit to having a few smirnoff ice in the VIP before hand but was just tipsy with joy at the concert and there is nothing wrong with having a drink but I agree being completely pissed at a concert is a total waste coz you'll never remember what happened! but I'm sure people probably thought me and my brother and friends were completely off our heads coz we were going completely ballistic but I swear we weren't! I did think I felt like I was on some crazy hit but it was pure adrenaline pumping - that was it! My only drug was the funk and it got into my bones and my soul.

I think I've witnessed more people throwing up in these last few weeks than I've seen in the whole of my life. After every aftershow I've attended, I see at least one person doubled over as I'm on the way back to the car park.

Surely there's far cheaper places to go if you want to get drunk too? I'm all for people having a few and being merry but I really don't understand the excess at a concert.

TheEnglishGent said:

Yeah - some bloke puked during the concert and was put out - he was in the front row of E1 - prime seats! I seen him later on at the aftershow and he looked wasted....what a waste...

VanessaB8tt said:

LOL awww man thats terrible!!!