WOW!!!!

Far too much for me to remember and give details on, so I'll just chuck out some random things as they come to me.

Started at about 1:25am with Amy Winehouse onstage singing Love Is A Losing Game. Prince joined shortly with his guitar and the place was going wild. A bit later we had Beverly Knight up there to sing Rock Steady. I love that track and Beverly certainly did it justice but does anyone know who the original is by?

Prince played through to 2:25am and then they went off for about ten minutes. When they came back we thought we'd perhaps get one or two more but they kept going and going and going. Eventually it finished... at 4:15!!

They certainly gave us a decent farewell and there was nothing to complain about. Had a bit of everything in this show, horns, rock, funk, slow ones, fast ones. No part felt like it was dragging and it was just brilliant. After the short break Prince came out and said they needed to slow it down a bit because he couldn't have us travelling home excited, then they proceeded to blast out that rocked up version of another lover hole in your head.

Had a super funky version of Alphabet Street. After the first verse Prince stopped and proclaimed that it was too funky for us. The crowd roared with disagreement. He told us that we didn't understand and told Josh to play the bassline. With just the bass pounding Prince said to us, "What you don't understand is that I got this in my behind... I can't even stand up straight". Then he brought the rest of the band in a bit at a time and carried on.

I'll try and put a list of stuff that was played but it's in no particular order , so I apologise for that.

Love Is A Losing Game - Amy Winehouse
Rock Steady - Beverly Knight
Chelsea Rodgers
Come Together
Alphabet Street
Play That Funky Music
Partyman
Peach
Misty Blue - Shelby
Get On The Boat
Whole Lotta Love instrumental
The One, with some fantastic Question of U guitar bookending it
7, a large chunk of which was sung by the crowd

There was a whole load more than that and I'm sure that someone else will help piece it all together. It was certainly a fantastic night and I'm now faced with the problem of whether to sleep or just wait until tomorrow night. It's now 6am, so I might just push on through. Mrs gent is laying next to me and snoring. Poor little thing, she just can't take the pace.

Met loads of .org peeps tonight which was great. Too many people to list and I certainly wouldn't want to cause offense by forgetting anyone, so I'll just say a big hi to all. It's great to be able to put more names to faces now and everyone I met was a pleasure to talk to.

Actually, I should give a mention to Indigo Moonbeam who managed to get himself an aftershow ticket after an endeavour that was far beyond the call of fandom. That man is dedicated!!

I can't sign off without giving a special mention to the people that I've been partying with over the last couple of weeks. Iceblue07, Aliuk1 and Jxx. Fantastic people the lot of them and they've made what has already been one of the best summers ever into an even better one.

It's not yet sinking in that this was the end of it all and I won't be going hack at the weekend or in the week. Can't believe that it's all over, but after 12 shows and 9 aftershows I think I probably need a break anyway but what a ride!

Oh and a very special thank you to Prince and the NPG. We're not worthy!


*edit* While I was writing this someone has posted a proper set list. http://prince.org/msg/12/246163 congrats to that orger, there was so much I'd forgotton and I've just had a look at the list and had many"oh shit yeah" and, "oh my god how did I forget that" moments. Stunning.
[Edited 9/21/07 22:10pm]

This sounds like a SICK aftershow, what a way 2 end!

'dre

When Pince was playing his guitar solos during the Amy Winehouse song, she was standing looking at him and you could tell that she was star struck. At times she looked just like an adoring fan whilst watching him. It was great to see. I should also say that she looked surprisingly well considering the photos that have been seen in the press over recent weeks. Let's hope she's on the way back up.

hmmm.... hear she got more lukewarm applause than a Britney Spears comeback (bah-zing!)

'dre

I thought she got a pretty good reception. For certain almost everyone around me had a stunned look on their faces and absolutely loved it.

I have not read the review, i am just in the door, but last night was undefineable from start to finish,

thank U Prince and all the other freaks...On this side

OMG I wish I had been there!!!! It sounds absolutely amazing!! U guys R so lucky

It's a shame that half the audience slowly emptied the place since most of the ticket holders seemed to be friends of friends of Sony BMG executives who all didn't care a single bit about what they were seeing. I was outside desperately trying to get a ticket (with some very very nice folks all in the same position, peering in through the doors since we had friends inside). The number of people leaving and not coming back early, going out 5+ times for a cigarette and just all round casually strolling out, not caring who the hell was on the stage behind them was shocking.

I did notice that it got a lot less crowded as it went on. Didn't think too much of it at the time as the place was rammed before that and I was just happy to have a bit more space to dance in. Must have been really upsetting to be outside and see it happening though.

Ellie said:

Yep I know ma dear(nice to meet you and your friend Mel) so nice to see him at the gate before he got in his car, worth missing '7' for! (Am I not destined to see that live! lol!) In case you are wondering we didn't get in but the security opened the doors from Alphabet Street onwards so we could see the stage
[Edited 9/22/07 0:35am]

TheEnglishGent said:

Yep she looked fine getting in her car(no stumbling) compared to the MOBOs the other night, maybe Prince told her to be on best behaviour if she came...

TheEnglishGent said:

It was but that was softened when the opened both sets of doors enabling us to see him on stage and then seeing him at the gate after (thanks Prince)

aymiderham said:

All you guys outside with us were awesome. Like I said, I feel so privileged to have had the aftershow experiences I've had on this run that I'm not bothered about the bad luck (and RUDE security) on the final night, but all you guys having fun out in the lobby really made it more than I could have hoped with just peering in through the doors.

Ellie said:

Ditto was good to be with fellow fans

aymiderham said:

Glad to hear that you got to see some of it and it wasn't a total wash out.

TheEnglishGent said:[quote]

aymiderham said:

When we heard 'Shhh' playing we gave a rather dashing performance of it ourselves

Okay, okay, I can't read any more - I'm just TOO jealous!

ahh, i saw people stood by the fence watching the band get to the cars...watched for a bit, but then had to rush to catch the clipper....in reterospect the show finished so late i may aswell have waited for the first tube!

picked up some reduced price posters from the indigo foyer as i left....nothing else seemed to be reduced unfortunately, would have liked a tamborine!

missed most people tonight, which was a shame, but did meet a bunch of new people, some hardcore dutch lasses that went to the 'small club' aftershow from 1988....not orgers though! made the wait in the queue pass much more pleasantly though!

that was the first aftershow i've gone to the front...crickey, i may have missed out a bit there in the past shows!

I'm practically kickin myself now as i think Amy Winehouse is awesome@@@@@

Ellie said:

I take it it was the song bmg twats in the balcony that 'have contraband, not funky band, but contraband!'

wow what a night the aftershow was amazing with amy winehouse opening totally unexpected and after seeing her live i can see why people like her i dont know where to start its all so crazy in my head right now, i knew the show was long but when someone said it was 4.15 i was shocked time truely flies when your having so much fun (didnt help me when i told the person who came to pick me up at 3am that ) think i will post something else later still buzzing to much at the moment been up for just under 48 hours during which time i have climbed a mountain, raced across switzerland to get a flight to london and went to that amazing last aftershow i cant believe it is all over now its gone far to quickly

best summer ever thanks prince and the npg

can we do it all again next year?




.

1p1p1i3 said:

Me neither. I have just read that tix were sold online at 5.30pm lastnight, whist I was standing outside Indigo2 waiting for the box office to open.

b3xy said:

yeah go on Prince, funky London loves you

abigailj said:

They came and went very quickly, I don't think there were very many at all. I had a mate trying to get himself one and he as on TM all day. He saw them but didn't get one.

Phew, what a main show, and WHAT AN AFTERSHOW!! Standing there last night, u knew u were witnessing a gig that will go down in Prince folklore. I was quite certain that the August 28th aftershow couldn’t be surpassed – but, I think I’m gonna have to think again now. The full repertoire of Prince was there tonight in an intoxicating brew of soul, rock and funk and a lesson to all in live performance. Absolutely amazing. There’s nothing I like more in life than watching Prince drill his band armed with guitar. I thought Amy Winehouse and Beverly Knight were also exceptional – especially Amy, who I must admit, has got cracking stage presence. To see her with Prince serenading her with his guitar – well, u just had to be there. I must admit I felt gutted for all the people who were standing outside, as I strolled in at 1am, desperate searching wide eyes followed me - hoping for a ticket (did any of u get in?). Me, I was so lucky. Got a call at 8.10 from a girl called Margo saying she had a spare – if u’re reading Margo, thank u so much (oh and what’s your .org name?). I’m tired now. No sleep for me as I’m a postman. Just a shower, a smile and then out to a beautiful dawn.

Thank u Prince for a roller-coaster ride this summer. It’s been truly memorable.

Lordy said:

I think the 28th will always be special because of the style of it and the fact that he's rarely, if ever, done a show like that in public before.

Last night had everything though and we couldn't have asked for a better farewell.

I lOVED "All the critics love you in New York" (or London last night!)

Last night was my first and only Prince aftershow having been to nine mainshows. And what an aftershow! I had such a fantastic time.

Amy Winehouse coming on to sing LIALG was such a treat. I had said to stereoboy seconds earlier "wouldn't it be great if Amy came on and sang this". I finally got to hear Peach too.

I spent all night dancing with fellow orgers (hello to you all!) and just lapping up the brilliant atmosphere. Ended up kicking off my shoes shortly after Prince came on and my shoes duly got kicked across the floor by Mel C (thanks, love).

It was just the perfect end to a great night and tour.