Hi,

This is how we think about the queueing, outside everything went well. Everybody was happy, and if there was someone not on the right spot. We picked them out and put them where they belonged so everybody was happy.

The number thing worked

BUT inside we lost control

we asked the security CAN WE DO THINGS INSIDE
we know the people we know the numbers

And we know the guys who tried 2 get infront of others outside

the security told us everything would be fine

BUT when we got inside the security guards inside never heard about us. And we had 2 shut-up otherwise we had 2 leave the queue inside.

Then the left door opened first before the right door where all the people were standing who had the LOW numbers.

so we lost control,

we asked 4 help inside
if we had the oportunity everything would be great

nothing 2 blame us
nothing 2 blame Prince

BUT blame the security
we had word from the manager that we could let people in by number.

but as soon as we got inside all the nasty stuff happend,

--- www.thedawn.nl ---

nate said:

In the name of fairness, there was a very pleasant guy (Dutch I think) who helped control the queue. However, who benefited? He got in the second row on Thursday, and the front row on Friday and Saturday. He sat a lot of the time, making notes in his book, of the set list. His big pal actually fell asleep in the piano set, so tired from the day. Yet I saw new fans aching for a five minute dance that close. [quote]

and the guy with the book I heard fainted in the plane back home. he was so tired from running for 3 days that he couldn't walk.

His friends helped him,

remember they did it all for not getting the crowd nasty

the system will evolve,
they just need some "official" back-up,
[This message was edited Mon Oct 7 8:45:33 PDT 2002 by saskia]

(snip. flame removed. ian)

The numbers on Saturday were a great idea, but an idea that should have come from NPGMC. I didn't know a thing about them until I had finished my lunch in Hammersmith and wondered why (at 2:30) there was still hardly a queue! So I received my ticket in the 200’s somewhere and took my (unofficial) place in line. I chatted with the folks around and thought this is fine everyone is happy(ish). The madness was that after all the trouble that the guys went to organising the lines, we were just let in to push and shove to the inner doors where we waited for another hour! The queue was totally pointless!! Then to top it all, some cretin on a speaker asked us to proceed into the theatre in an orderly fashion!! We were in an orderly fashion before the stupid ***ers let us in!!!

First come, first served, numbered tickets over an organised web site is the only way to be both fair and safe.

saskia said:

yeah they did all for the other fans, the most unselfish people i have ever met, just happened to find themselves in the front row all 3 nites

Imagine we didn't do the queue system, what happened then?

the security had such a little experience. We need official number givers that can obtain RESPECT! Those we had were good, were smart, but someone didn't respect their work and were reported to Prince's staff.
Prince staff should work out the queue, Im sure next dates wil be no problem

(Snip. Please let's stop making generalisations about groups of people here. Not all Dutch fans are bootleggers. Cheers. Ian)

If you didnt do the queue system no one would have known any better and we'd have all been happy with the seats we got (I was anyway) BUT you wouldn't have ended up on the front row every night.

Putting a little sign on the window saying where people can get a raffle ticket is really not good enough is it?

I loved them,

I was early and got a good spot,

but it was the theatre doing a bad job,

just saying U can do whatever U want as long U don't bother us

when the manager came he also agreed with them,

but the security guard before the door inside the theater was an *sshole, when the dutch guys ( witch where VERY tired ) talked dutch he said. STOP talkin'dutch otherwise I will let U in after everybody is in.

and they ignored them, they were ready 2 even help inside after a day of running and running and running, ...

I say be nice 2 them, the weren't working for Price, just "fams" trying 2 help,

and about them sitting front row every night,

1st nite they were sitting not even 2getter one was sitting
2nd row, 1 was sitting 3rd row and the other even 5th so after a day working VERY hard. I think they deserved there place the last 2 nites.

As Nate told before the big guy was even sleeping.
And as Saskia told before the other guy collapsed in the plane. SO PLEASE give them some THUMBS UP!!!

there were just tryin' 2 help

[quote] The madness was that after all the trouble that the guys went to organising the lines, we were just let in to push and shove to the inner doors where we waited for another hour! The queue was totally pointless!! Then to top it all, some cretin on a speaker asked us to proceed into the theatre in an orderly fashion!! We were in an orderly fashion before the stupid ***ers let us in!!! [quote]

this tells enough,

George,

they deserved first row. They were very polite: last mornig they asked us "would you agree if we take the first five numbers, as we oranize the queue?". No problem at all was the answer. Queue organization is a very hard job, believe me. I gave a hand on second night and it was not very easy to push away 40 line-cutters!

i'm sorry, can we not hear anymore about how they are tired and worked hard - lol. they made a choice to stand in a q for 3 days, they didnt have to. i was in work all day thursday/friday - i had to. p is expensive these days

peace

my whole wage was spent for the london gig, i know what you mean.

alexxa15 said:

tell me about it ! nice work on shake by the way - lol

nice work on shake by the way - lol[/quote]

too nice...i wish i had a better shirt on!

It was pretty badly organised... going in early to get the numbered tickets, queuing for hours from 3 o' clock, getting into the theatre and then being all squashed in the lobby for hours again! Terrible. It was really hard to breathe, my feet were sore and I was hungry - I came VERY close at that time to just leaving.

I honestly don't care who sits where, who the hell needs to be in the front row anyway? Sure there were a few arguments and stuff in the queue but the problems really weren't created by the fans (even the rude fans). Having been left standing in such an unpleasant environment for hours, I felt pretty grumpy myself too Quite frankly, I was glad when the crowd turned nasty and someone picked up the chair etc... instead of just politely standing there being treated like cattle.

I couldn't figure out why they were doing a pre-soundcheck soundcheck in the auditorium surrounded by thousands of empty seats while we were all squashed in that lobby struggling for air etc. Really uncivilised... if you are part of "VIP club" you expect some VIP treatment We should have all been able to wander in at any time, take a seat, have a glass of wine and chill out and enjoy the day.

ian said:

and if sad people didnt feel the need to be in the front row every nite, we could have

I agree the nasty stuff started when we were let in to the lobby.

and the pre-souncheck was great if we where there

the songs he played were the ones I wanted 2 hear,
the first nite some instrumentals
the second nite even elephants and flowers
and the 3rd nite AMERICA

and we were standing outside pushed against a door ---

But, a glass of wine and walkin' around would be heaven

bluebird said:

But seriously, who cares? What's the point of being in the front row? I enjoyed the show just fine from the 5th or 6th row, and the people leaving the gig from the 20th and 21st rows etc looked liked they enjoyed themselves too

SeaFood said:

Yeah that's what a VIP club should be about That was the major complaint of the day, that the "special club members" didn't feel all that special.

That said, the aftershow gig was free and paid for by Prince I guess. So that was pretty nice of him.

On the Thursday night everyone had an allocated seat, which in my opinion is the best way to do it. That way there is no need for early queing people getting squashed and just general bitchy-ness about getting in the front row.

ScottNPG said:

no they didn't - the tickets had allocated seats but as per Prince's wishes they changed it to GA.

they just forgot to tell everyone until the last minute.

Gav said:

why on earth should one queue from early morning to get a seat allocated in "J" row? NPGMC in mails said it was general admission. Please note I had a ticket numbered seat 30 row A on the first night, so I'm speaking against my interest

(Snip. Please let's stop making generalisations about groups of people here. Not all Dutch fans are bootleggers. Cheers. Ian)

Yep, you're right, but you should address yourself to JeePee and Pimmie, they are the ones !! (as far as I heard)
They are also the people who give the dutch fans a bad name

(Snip. Please let's stop making generalisations about groups of people here. Not all Dutch fans are bootleggers. Cheers. Ian)

RavedIn2 said:

good for us, pity for them that are forced to stand still!

I would not have wanted 2 miss the recording of Small Club, in Holland, '88..

I know bootlegging is wrong, but lots of my favourite Prince-moments do come from bootlegs...

Of course I don't own any, I just hear them at friends'

xenophobia2002 said:

You are so ignorant.

xenophobia2002 said:

Hey, nice of you to spout out names you can remember, but it sure as hell wasn't me. I haven't been in London since Prince's '95 shows. And I didn't tape these either! So next time you like to call out names, leave me out okay? Don't talk about something you've got no idea of what you're talking about. And who was your source anyway?
I got nothing against bootleg or the people making them, but I don't like being falsely accused of something.

(Edited to remove flames. Ian)