After my dissapointment of last tuesday things changed completely!
First I must say that I was maybe a bit arrogant in my piece about Rotterdam 15/10. I'm still behind the content of it, but I wrote it too much out of a feeling of dissapointment. Because of that I focussed too much on the negative side and I missed the good things.
But now Antwerp! It was completely different. The soundcheck was da bomb! It was indeed a pre-concert (has there ever been a soundcheck that lasted almost two hours, with Prince participating for 1 hour and 15 minutes??!!). It was sheer joy and fascinating. First the band rehearsing and slowly but surely coming into a GROOVE. Then the man: not spoiling any words, just music. Guitar ruled first 45 minutes. In yer face with Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Santana and above all: Prince! Oempff!
It seemed he wanted to finish then. Somebody shouted: Empty Room. He changed his mind and did Empty Room. Then into a fantastic jam: Question of U changing into The One changing into Fallin' (Keys). Ultracool! And it wasn't over...
Maybe the most fascinating part was yet to come: Prince as a real bandleader teached the band what he wanted with Take Five (the famous jazz-piece). He was a bit suprised that Eric Leeds didn't directly know the tune ("He Renato, You know this right? You play this on your weekendjobs!") What followed was a musical lesson for every bandmember. He taught Renato to stress a particular note. He told John to play a certain rhythm. And was working real hard on the horn section. Finally it worked and a short jam concluded the lesson that was just learned. Again fascinating to watch. As a real nice dessert we were offered a tight 'Greatest Romance Ever Sold' with a functional contribution of the DJ.
To be honest: when I had to go home right then, I would have been more than satisfied.

But there still a show! He was defenitely in a better mood! The joy of the man and his band filled the hall. More or less the same set as Rotterdam. But there was much more dedication in it. To my opinion he was much more in to it. Asking people to dance on stage. Less preaching, more playing. The Days of Wild jam on the end: it seemed like it lasted forever... With an excited Prince first throwing his bass guitar away and after that his microphone. Beng!

It ain't over!
[This message was edited Sat Oct 19 4:39:02 PDT 2002 by art]

it ain't overit ain't overit ain't overit ain't overit ain't overit ain't overit ain't overit ain't overit ain't overit ain't overit ain't overit ain't overit ain't overit ain't overit ain't over

Man , even in the club it ain't over was played and Prince directed us to continue...

ART...You wrote my review (every line of it) Thanx

I thought he was so funny when he said that he should stop the preaching and do what he came to do: the music!

another funny moment

guy comes out on stage (for the follow-leader question)

prince: 'do you speak english ?"
guy: 'wat ?'
prince: 'oh oooh, we have a problem here'

No the guy said what not wat...I think hahaha

i think he said 'wat' !

it's just funnier that way
[This message was edited Sat Oct 19 3:28:43 PDT 2002 by EDD]

it was an amazing night.yes it ain't over !!! waauw
today eye got my the antwerp newspaper .and the report is very negative .and this guy who did this piece was in the house .didn't he see that the whole place was on funky fire.they say he played almost all hits .well pop life ,purple rain ,money don't mather 2night,nothing compares 2u and ras.berret and take me with u were the only real hits he played.the other songs were classics 2 but only 4 real prince fams.
18000 people were having the fun(k) off there life time there was oly one guy who didn't get it .his name is stef vanwoensel .now lets all make a big boe!!! at this negative freak.eye'm sending him a note right now!! if he was on crack or something .
no mather what the newspaper says .it was the best concert ever .thank u prince eye was 3 full hours in heaven .

oh he used the word sex at the show (sexmachine) eye have a feeling he's getting a little nasty again in the future.

lovesexy4u said:

prince anticipated this, that's why he told us ... when u read something in tomorrow's paper that's different from what actually went on here tonite, u know the truth

The show was da bomb, especially in combination with the amazing sound check.

Can u tell me in what paper u read the review? De Gazet van Antwerpen? I cannot blieve someone would not have appreciated this performance. Anyway, great show, thanx!

"God bless America, uh, not 2day"

yes it was in gazet van antwerpen.
eye will try 2 translate it 4 u.but u have 2 excuse because my english spelling is not so good.

no dog who buys his new c.d's but live he's still people's vavorite. a first belguim concert in 4 years in a sold out antwerp sportpaleis.

4 a long time he wanted people 2 call him the artist formely known as prince.
he put the word 'slave' his face a symbol against recordcompany's
he didn't play his old music much anymore.no problem so it seems already years ago.even in a longhours jamsession nobody can't even get close 2 him.
on this concert is the name prince back on and is the door 2 the past open again.(so far no no negativity).

after a stubbery intro .his new c.d's content a som zappaesk jazzfunk-is pop life the start 4 what follows.a long list off hits .just sometimes a new unknown song and a little jazz.
money don't mather 2night-purple rain-housequake-james browns sexmachine-strollin -when u were mine-strange relationship-sign o the times-take me with u-raspberry berret-nothing compares 2u

the new power generation -with candy dulfer.follows prince in his back in time crussade.but he only gets the halve off the exitement off in his glory days.
prince is flirting with the audiance-preaching about the truth ,belief and becoming one against the enemy politics and media.the devil.
the mood is right but not as good as the show before were between the jams there wasn't much time 4 old songs.
prince puts himself in a dilemma.
is he going 2 continue his own way (even he doesn't sell any records)or must he gives history his rights back. the anser is somwere in the middle .
but wit concerts like this .with the fact that his stardom is dying more and more.wil keep his old fams happy 4 a long time.

the concert had 3 stars of 5

Beng !

lovesexy4u said:

The Dutch version would have done just fine, but cheers 4 the effort

Something to ad about the soundcheck: did anyone of you notice Prince looking at the stage when the band was rehearsing? He was right behind you all standing in the main arena (with al 'little' buddy on his side). It was fun to see that almost nobody saw him standing there for about 20 seconds and then calmly walked back and hit the stage.

art said:

Glad you had a good time @ this one...







SWEET!



DAMN, that's really cool that he lets us witness stuff like that! The creation of music just doesn't translate in my brain, so I would LOVE to have them work through that. Now if only I could have been there!!

Great report, thanks...

Swinger said:

And you have the nerve to think your little "message" is important enough to spam every thread?


Swinger

WHY on other people's experiences??? Maybe you manifest bad shit happening to you b/c you're so friggin' negative, ever thought of that?

no mather the newspapers.we all had a funky good time.
its been all over antwerp city .prince rocked the roof off the building.eye don't want the other c.d's eye want ona live right now!!! hehe.
u know what got my most attention.when he began 2 play sometimes it snows in april.he asked did u ever lost someone.he looked so sad at that same moment.maybe part off the show .but it looked 2 me.that he was really missing someone.

lovesexy4u said:

There's truth in there, he's got some people to miss...