Just got back, there was an aftershow/afterparty in Rotterdam, the place 2b
was Nighttown, members only. I didn't go so don't know yet if Prince played
there. The soundcheck was short only 20, 30 minutes. doors opened for
members at 18.30 or so. Prince just jammed with the band. At the end Eric
Leeds showed up for the last 10 minutes. Just practice, he didn't
participate in the show. Show started at aprox. 20.45 and ended at 23.20.
Candy got a lot of space from Prince for her homecrowd. John Blackwell was
out of this world. Prince was at his best. The songs he played: (don't know
exactly the order, maybe I missed one)

Rainbow Children
PopLife
Xenophobia
Money Don't Matter
Purple Rain
The Work pt 1.
Strollin
Housequake/1+1+1=3/Rollercoaster
Got A Broken Heart Again
Strange Relationship
Pass The Peas
When U Where Mine
Sign Of The Times
Take Me With U
Raspberry Beret
Everlasting Now
Pianomedley: Adore/Condition Of The Heart/Diamonds and
Pearls/Delirious/Ballad Of Dorothy Parker
How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore
Starfish And Coffee
Sometimes it Snows In April
The Beautiful Ones
Nothing Compares 2 U
The Ladder
Days Of Wild

By the way, he has a DJ on stage now during most of the songs. This is all I
can write now. Too tired for an extensive review.

renzo said:

What happened to "Real music by real musicians"? Being a DJ requires skill, but in no way is a DJ a musician.

relax, it was a nice little extra added to the show, nothing more nothing less.

Just one note: Gotta Break Heart Again was after Strollin'.

Show was very good for people who dif NOT know the setlist/redording of previous ONA tour. Actually there was a lot of energy in the house and there were a lot 'wanna fell the 80's vibe again' people in the house.

For the 'die-hard-fan' could add more, but OK, it wasd still a very good show, I'm curious about the critics.

After Days of Wild I expected another song, because the house lights did not turn on, the stage was quiet and the sound crew were staying on their spot, but after 5 min. the house lights went on.

This proberly because Prince wanted to play the aftershow @ Nighttown and the next day he also had to go to Hamburg.

Cheers,

J.

One extra note:

He played the chorus of America during Days of Wild on his bass with effect.

as it comes 2 the dj, i guess that must b this doodley guy - well i thought 4 myself that he played part of the remix experience from bro jules (yes i know i am a friend of him so don't blame me 4 that) and he humbuged us in doing his thing while beginng of RE was played... hm, duno, might b wrong and i do speak only of the frankfurt gig... so how was it in rotterdam? did he spin mad? fonky design? supercute? and james brown and q-tipp stuff? if so.. then i call the law... one should ask prince about this...

blackwell: yes, he is definetly not from this planet! this guy is so important and 4 me this was the biggest difference compared 2 kirky time 98 till yesterday. so blackwell does so good 2 princes music nowadays - its a very big differnce and i am glad that hes number one now! suits good 2 princes children (songs) - cos a powerful drum is so much needed (imagine emancipation with jb drum playing, hoaha

wish u heaven
ps. can not sleep - still frankfurt in my mind and count the days till berlin...

Hi,

Just got back from Rotterdam.
No aftershow, just the DJ who's with prince on the tour spinning some records and trying to hype the crowd with some singalongs (turn down volume at just the right moment etc.). Guests had to pay 20 euros for this.

Some interesting things ... the npgmc had to wait for quite a long time before they were let into the arena. We were told that Prince had been delayed somehow and that's why we were all waiting.
It was said on several occassions that there were 1200 laminates given out... if that number is correct then with guests there were probably 2000 people there through the club.
Having seen the crowd the number could be correct.

The arena was standing places only, no seats. Once we were let in Prince started shouting at the security to immediately stop people coming into the arena.
He was worried about people getting crushed up front and ordered the concert organiser (Mojo) to put in extra metal fences so people could be placed in different sections without crushing the people in the front.
This caused confusion for a while, as there were maybe 125 people in front at first, with more than 1000 people waiting halfway the arena on what was happening.

I felt that Prince wasn't really in a good mood ... during the soundcheck he didn't look like he was having fun, and left quite abruptly.

This abrupt ending was repeated for the show as well ... I think Prince wanted the crowd to do the "It ain't over" chant, which he taught us shortly before leaving the stage for the second time ... people didn't pick up on it and Prince didn't return for a final encore (no "rise up" segment, which i think he ended all shows with so far)

To my taste there were too many hits in tonights set, but understandable with the 8000+ venue. I really enjoyed the first half of the concert, where Prince very cleverly mixed hits with new material (housequake / 1+1+1=3), and he was clearly winning the crowd over for his new jazzier material with this "strategy".
Sadly Prince did not take any additional chances with tonights crowd ... second half was basically a long stream of hits ... only new material i remember popping up in the second half was Family Name.

m3taverse said:

... which he did NOT play! You probably got the title wrong, he did play Everlasting Now, which I think was played in a longer version than on the previous European concerts.

A shame though, that this is going to be like a greatest hits show, I still think the London crowd got to see the best shows so far, and I am glad I was part of it.

m3taverse said:

I agree,...it were 2 many hits...Purple Rain Take Me with You Raspberry Beret ...

i really enjoyed the show. the dutch people were fantastic. all in all a better concert than the frankfurt gig. only anna stesia was missing.

spaceboy said:

He's bringing out the hits because the audiences and venues are bigger. There are more casual fans in the audience, hence he feels he needs to play more hits.

DaBang said:[quote]

m3taverse said:

Indeed I did, stupid tired me...
thanks for correcting though!

This abrupt ending was repeated for the show as well ... I think Prince wanted the crowd to do the "It ain't over" chant, which he taught us shortly before leaving the stage for the second time ... people didn't pick up on it and Prince didn't return for a final encore (no "rise up" segment, which i think he ended all shows with so far)


I don't get that.People weren't able to sing the "It ain't over"-chant???

lovemachine said:

Good Lord, you nitpick EVERYTHING...

m3taverse said:

Damn, standing room only (for a concert that long, abrupt ending or not) sucks... I hope people kept dancing!

m3taverse said:

Not all shows ended with Anna Stesia. I think Manchester ended with Purple Rain. I do feel as you do that there was going to be another encore after Days Of Wild, but that he somehow decided that it was enough, for whatever reason.

I think he should play less hits and more real ONA grooves. The original jazzy-funky concept is gone...I think it's a shame...BUT the soundchecks are the real thing!
Now play Muse again after TRC in Antwerp...

Joe4 said:

people were doing all kinds of stuff, but not the it ain't over chant ... also, with Prince starting to say thankyou-goodnight about halfway the show, and finally taking off without a word, people expected he would be back anyway.

JeePee said:


didn't that end with The Ladder with rise up mixed in at the end? not sure ... lemme look it up;)

Joe4 said:

We were. But he said at least 4 times something like 'Thank You goodnight' 'Before we go' things like that. So during Days Of Wild we sang It Ain't Over, like he asked us and we well educated and polite as we are did, but when that tune was over we all thought, it's over. Therefore we did not repeat that endlessly to make sure it was over. I mean he's getting older, he needs his rest too you know.

Hi,

I think m3taverse (hi, remember me? I told you the 'second' line in front of Nighttown was a lot faster!!) is right. Prince wasn't done with the show after DOW. After he left the stage the light ware still down for about 3 minutes. After that they went on. I guess he expected more from the "it ain't over" thing.

The show was great, but indeed too many hits thrown in. But it was still a great show (2,5 hours; about 20:41 - 23:15) with a lot of references to how great Holland is ("there was a girl in Holland" --> condition of the heart ). No references to bootlegging.

The aftershow party was fun; the whole band jumped on stage and said hello. The dj played the cd "It ain't over" (alphabet st, pass the peas, and more...) Sounds really good!!!



See you all on November 2nd!

Peace,
TheKid

TheKid said:


of course i do, great meeting you and saving me and my girl from queuing hell

seeya on the 2nd

Seems like a great show to me. Can't understand the moaning!

We're Dutch, we always complain. For 'the real fans' the first hour was fantastic (the best) but then he started playing the songs we've heard lots of times. The crown was singing beautifull though. I saw it all, cause I sat like near the top of the building ("damn I didn't become a member!").

You should not complain about your NPGMC membership. You got the best places and didn't have to wait the entire day for it. Intrestingly, you were'nt the biggest partypeople in the house. The people behind you danced al lot more funky then you! And then you got in the afterparty for free... Lucky bastards (ok no jam, I did expect (Jazz musician) Hans Dulfer as he turned up in Utrecht). Am I not a real fan? Got all the cd's but no cable internet.

Jalousy...

November 2nd part two. Have no tickets yet ($) but will try to get in. I suppose there will be a aftershow then (no concert the next day). I'll post a request to take me with u when I have tix.


I loved the show btw! All those people who knew the lyrics of The Ladder. I am not alone!

Dawn

dawn74 said:

LOL, I thought it was us Brits who always moan!