Ive been a fan since '89 when i was at school, but yesterday/today - well im speechless:

So much to take in.

I went with another orger, so much better than with mates/relatives.

He played "Something in the water...." Free" on the solo keyboard section and full versions, "something in the water must not compute" - was the best song ive seen him do this tour, awesome vocals and then Chelsea Rogers towards the end

All along the watchtower and best of you were awesome, he also went into a bit of kylie and there was le freak but with the guitar riff from sexxy dancer and some great Nile rogers-esq guitar scratching toward the end

The best and extended version of guitar with 2 more solos or so it seemed and then the sampler section - i ve never seen anything like it!

People leaving rushed back after he came back on and went straight to floor seats - you had Prince singing away joined by what seemed a 1000 ppl on the floor - amazing sight - he also played one of the "get off" mixes in the sampler section.

Princes humour really came through tonight, "Satisfied" included the now infamous - toilet seat song/Shopping is not a sport/I may be small - but so is dynamite, and the best of all "i look as good as i did 20 years ago", points to the crowd" "I saw you at my show 20 years ago - and i aint changed"


the show was 2 hours long - making me fear for the aftershow!

He also seemed to only take one proper break - after Purple rain - trust me i felt it holding in 2 pints without the loo!

Such a great time to be had, and then i met another orger "Veej" at the merchandise stall, absolutely brilliant, as he seemed to know who i was, yep veej you are a medium and im a large.

on joining the indigo Q, i saw that it was huge so took a walk, only to be told that the new Q now started at the doors of the o2 (complex entrance), i couldnt believe it that the Q stretched all the way back to where the strange stone type structures are - where you go to get the clipper.

I met some great ppl - i went to the aftershow alone, shout outs to the folks from the west country, the asian folks from Watford and the guy from Bury St Edmonds who offered me a lift back home as hes not too far from where i live, he said he was an occasional orger so if hes on maybe he can coroborate the below:

After waiting in the Q for 30 odd minutes, a silver VW van type vehicle turned up with what looked like roadies and i reckon they had some sort of soundboard set up equipment - i like seeing this kind of stuff so kept an eye out. then a Silver Mercedes executive saloon turned up and i jokingly said "thats him" so it drew attention - it reversed and the screeched close to the metal/wire type fencing (like a tennis court wall) that seperates the Q to the back of the indigo, Prince comes out jumps as if to shoot a hoop and clings onto some of the fence before landing on hes feet - the conversation with me at the front and other guys around went:

Prince - "guys im not playing tonight"

Me - "c'mon bro ive aleady had 2 (sticking 2 fingers up at him but the other way around just to emphasise) aftershows of not being able to see you it cant be a 3rd

Prince - "I have to rest my voice, im playing tommorow"

And off he went. Many people saw this and even recognised me in the Indigo and asked how it all went down - i was jokingly called the grim reaper at the bar as the more ppl that heard the story then realised that Prince wernt playing

im not saying its been the best day of my life - but certainly up there, and will live forever in the memory, Prince seemed such a down to earth cat, you hear all these stories of him not looking you in the eye - he looked me straight in the eye.

The guy also doesnt have a line on hes face but there was a lot of make up going on. At the end of the show at the indigo where P obviously kept hes word and never turned up where we listened to a UK band that Prince and the band had digged called "rain" along with the NPG horn section (is Mike Phily even human??) i spoke to the soundman who had an "earth tour polo shirt" and was getting hes own little fan club of ladiez on the go, i asked him if he was Princes soundman (and not the house one) to which he said yes and i then stupidly said so your Scotty Paulinski then, and he told me that theres been two others since Scotty going and him starting, he said hes name was Bill. I told him what Prince had said outside and he told us that it sounded right, and that apparently itl be the movies for him (Prince) tonight.

Dude was dressed all in black, polo/roll neck and trousers - so if you see some pics of P at the pictures you heard it here first.

Sorry for going on - so much to say!!

Something In The Water?!?!

He did that in full??!

Oh a bit i forgot to say, as he was walking back to the merc,

I shouted out "Prince is this the truth" to which he goes "yup"

So P if you are reading, i was the Indian guy who couldnt believe what was happening!

purplesweat said:

Sure did - it was stunning, if it dont make a tour dvd i dont know what will.

The crowd were caught out by the obscurity, and the arrangement - when he said compute a few times at the start i swear he was gonna do comput-er blue!!

Incredible show - My fourth and the suprises just keep coming!

Highlights would have to be Something In The Water, How Come You Don't Call, Chelsea, I Would Die 4 U (on the piano!!!) - I could go on. The sampler set with all the house lights on was the warmest experience yet. Everyone just singing and dancing and smiling (including Prince). Satisfied was also great tonight - the best I've seen him work a slow jam in a long time. The whole superbowl set rocked - just awesome.

Thanks Prince - there really is joy in repetition (with a few surprises thrown in

By the way - I had a row to myself in C1 - Where were you guys?????
[Edited 9/13/07 0:16am]

vivid said:

I know-this will take some beating, im also finding some extra appreciation for what the mans doing for us - he didnt have to come out for the sampler set, hed already done enough for me after an hour and a half, omg "how come you dont call me" how could i forget esp when he said "it used to cost a lousy dime"

the guy could have the place in hysterics with just the jokes and banter

vivid said:

We were in 106, lower tier - a little far out distance wise but view awesome, sound awesome

any one else have any comments on Something In The Water - absolutely awesome, cant say it enuff

Wow, amazing Raajput!!!! Totally fabulous set-list & then to meet the guy himself! I bet it is a night you will never forget How is Prince to actually bother to come & tell you guys that he is not playing! I hope he rests his voice enough for an aftershow on the 20th & the other nights too!!!

Raajput said:

How great for you to talk to the man himself. I danced with him in Manchester five years ago and the thrill of being so close never goes away - sounds as though you had a magic evening might take you a few days to come back down to earth!!!! Enjoy the rest of the shows if you are going to them - bet talking to him more than made up for him not doing an aftershow

lalalailoveu said:

I know mate - it feels all surreal and as a bloke you are supposed to act it cool, but it was kinda great in the bar at the indigo with other folks- admitting they saw what had happened but were in "denial" to quote, as it was hard to beleieve what they saw - that he pitched up at the back of the Q to the indigo.

one guy behind me had the audacity to pull out hes camera fone - i dont think i could have - above all P seemed so regular, and genuine in that he didnt want us wasting our time q'ing at the back of the line if it was just to see him at the aftershow- was too late in my case as im not from London and couldnt get back - but a nice thing to do

spud80 said:

Thanks man, yep its really made my year so to speak - had a shitty one this years with few personal things but this has made my year - the main show would have been enough. I may go to more shows if i can gt tix - the orger i went with was nice enough to return my gesture of a free ticket with one from himself.

Enjoy, and remember if your at the back of the Q at the indigo - you just never know!!

Raajput said:

pffff

if prince asked me to - i'd strip and bend the fuck over haha

was a great show last night - didn't quite beat the 6th for me but we were seriously blessed last night with some of the songs we got

burf double post
[Edited 9/13/07 0:50am]

It's amazing how different people have different perspective's on the same show ! Apart from 'something in the water' and 'I would die 4 U' on Piano - I thought it was increadibly lacklustre show. Of the 5 I've seen so far it was the worst.

I had an aftershow ticket - but was tired and as he'd come back and done the Synth set right up until licence at 11 - figured I'd chance not going as have been to 3 others - The Right call ! .. though at the time I was not happy going home on the tube.

Going again tonight - la la la - and aftershow too - la la la.

boomboomboom said:

True but i was there with someone who had been 10+ times and it was their best too! Guitar was worth the admision (if you paid £31.21) alone was it not, it just went on and on. enjoy tonight, you Londoners are bloody lucky is all i can say!!

SOMETHING IN THE WATER????? IN FULL????

And Chelsea Rodgers as well!

What are the chances he'll play both of those again tonight for me?

And I made the decision to stay and meet my deadlines with work instead! At least he didn't play the aftershow and sounds like he's on for it tonight. So, must do some work and stop playing on the org!!!

Thanks for the review - gutted I missed the show but hoping he'll give us a repeat performance this evening

Raajput said:

Sounds like a really great night - SITW, Free and Chelsea??? Amazing. Thanks for the great review. For those of us going on the 21st, is it a good sign that he doesn't have to rest his voice for the next night? OH YEAH IT IS!!!

yep paid 31.21 .. surrounded again by 200+ quid paying vip's .. did it once - learnt my lesson.

boomboomboom said:

by the 21st i'll have done floor twice, lower tier 3 times and aftershow standing once and all together have spent significantly less than one VIP ticket - AWESOME

Raajput said:

He better get his ass down here soon!

OMG Delerious also in the piano set, its all coming back now

Raajput said:

So cool!

Souns like a great show.. I hope he gets that voice of his rested for tonight!

GC79 said:

Ditto!!!

pepper7 said:

DOuble ditto with a cherry on top....
I am green with envy!
(but nicely)

I was happy enough with Prince standing behind me (only 2 feet) at the Indigo2, but that is cool!!

That's so cool. Thank you for posting it!

Didn't you ask him if he is 'PlanetEarth'???!!!

Can't believe I forgot the snippet of Mountains during the sample section and a rockin' Delirious during keyboard set!

Much love to Raajput for giving y'all the low down of an awesome gig, also for giving Prince a good indication of the quality of his fanbase!

I was umming and arring about going last night (my fifth main this tour), the start was re-jigged a bit, but in the main not unlike previous shows. I was happier tho as I was in BK111, which is side on and you see EVERYTHING so well, the sound is also awesome. But it's when Prince took to the piano when I started to feel the reservations dissolve away

Prince then took to the piano, and that's when the performance blew the roof He played so well, and with such a passion. Singing SITW made me hysterical, I felt truly privilaged as many didn't recognise it around me. He did do I would die 4 u on piano, which with this arrangement was totally fabtabulous - I'm running out of words!

I really liked the 'superbowl' section, Guitar, and Chelsea Rodgers out of the blue - wow! Although I must ask, what was with the twins and the lightsabres - totally mad, made me laugh for ages

I don't want to repeat much of what has already been said, but if you haven't gone again thinking he'll do the same stuff, he seems to just get better - so go!