I got there at 2 p.m., 40 npg members were already there, as well as some regular ticket’s holders.
Around 4 p.m. we began the queue for entering and get our passes for the show.
At 5.30 we were let inside, the number of members was around 200. We were let out of the palace and around 6.30 we could clearly hear the notes of some songs, but they continued to let us wait outside. Finally at 6.45 we got in and Prince was on stage with all the band and Sheila E. He did a 10 minutes jam and chatted with some of us in the front, then in the middle he said: “Now I gotta go and change!”, and we all shouted “Nooo!”, so he smiled and went away, then he came back and on with the jam. Then he told us that no aftershow was on shedule (Halloween nite, all the clubs booked, or the Versace’s party).
He was in a good mood and was givin’ some help to Sheila E, who didn’t know exactly some drum’s parts of the song. There were only him and Sheila on stage, great!
All the regular ticket’s holder came in around 7.30 pm and sitted. The place was full (sold out, 7000 tickets approx.) in all orders around 8.40, and that’s when the dj came on stageand started 2 spin some funk. Then the lights went down and the band, than the man, came in, dressing with a sofisticated elegant grey outfit. It was 9.15.

This was more or less the setlist, (thanks to Alexxa)

*= featuring Sheila E
rainbow children
pop life
xenophobia*
the work*
purple rain*
1+1+1=3/houseqyuake(long jam)/rollercoaster*
strollin
gotta brocken heart
strange relationship*
pass the peas* with great solo by maceo
whole lotta love*
sign of the times* great version, with the dj doing some work on it
take me with u*
raspberry beret* speech on the media
everlasting now/jam*
encore:
adore just the first line, when he came to “ Was I the first, he repeated it looking at the crowd, and we said “Noo!”, he said “What?, Was I the second??” “Nooo!”, so he played upset and ended quicly the song, before starting with
diamonds and pearls
the beautiful ones
nothing compares 2 u
the ladder while sayin’ “Good nite” several times, and talkin’ about the truth he found in the bible
starfish and coffe
sometimes it snows in april touching
days of wild*

The screen on the back was showing some psychedelic images, ot the TRC cover or, during “sometimes it snows in April” some snow flakes falling.
The piano had the front of a Mercedes, some pillows and candles were on stage, he had the lyric’s sheets for most of the songs(but never glanecd at it) and the drum machine was surrounded by a plastic divisory.
The stage here in Milan was really tiny, so Candy, Maceo and the other trumpetist had to b really close to eachother and dance almost just weaving their heads.
Blackwell is a great performer, before beating he almost always let the stick rotate in his hands, and with the help of Sheila E on the congas and percussion, everything is easier!
Sheila was in a good mood, but she did only a quick solo, plus sitting on the drums for some songs.
Prince went on for all the nite sayin’ “Milan did u miss me?” (13 years since last concert in Italy, due to some problems with promoters) and “Milan is funky”, and at the very end, when he told us while singing that the police was forcing them to leave, he was saying “I can’t go, It ain’t over” and so on..
The crowd was awesome, sang all the songs(expecially the hits), shaked their ass for all the 2 hours and a half of the show, waved to him when he asked to, and chanted the “It’s gonna b a beautiful nite” intro, when he left in the middle of the show, before coming back with the piano medley, dressing with white hot pants, simble key chain, and silver white boots.

Some bad notes now:
1. the npg club space, in front of the stage was too big, made a big hole between the members and the rest of the audience.
2. the acustic at the place wasn’t so good, as during some tracks u couldn’t hear much the voice, or the guitar and the horns were too loud and distorted.
3. the official merchandise is too expensive and with not all this appeal, but of course better than the cheap t-shirt that were sold outside for 20 Euros (just a simble on the front, mainly)


People came from all over Italy, then I met orgers from France, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia, and more, and everybody was ravished and joyful at the end.
That was a nite of pure funk and real emotions.
I’m glad 2 b in2 Prince.

May u live 2 see the dawn

I'm sure Prince loved every minute of the show, we were funky!

yeas, he loved milan, and he was really enthusiastic by the response of the crowd...


(damn, 13 years is a lot...)


ciao

raff

another little note: Prince started "Other side of the pillow", played just a few lines then stopped and changed his mind, playing "Strollin" instead..anyone else noticed this?

a mistake??? hehe..

u know that acoustic guitar is made for strolling...

pope said:

yes, but for Pillow too... maybe he had an afterthought, he wanted to involve the crowd more, and Strollin was perfect for that!

"dressing with white hot pants"

Sorry but I am having a real hard time imagining this...

I mean he isn't Axl Rose ...





There must be another meaning,

PLEASE there must be LOL

FunkyStrange said:

they were white trousers, a bit tight indeed

Nice report -- thanks.

Hi pope,
im so sorry 4 yesterday nite that i couldnt talk 2 u 4 long time. I was hurrying up becuz my friends didnt wait me...
U r really cute, compliments

ciao lilith,
don't worry..

till the next one..

POPE U ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!


I LOVE UUU!!!

do u have a girlfriend???

l.

he he thanks..

see u

Bel report!

Decisamente dettagliato!

I had so much fun and this with so many friends all around the place!!! C-O-O-L!

hei vampy

't was a honour and a pleasure 2 meet u too.

we just didn't catch up at the end, too bad.

but, u know, i'm often in rome,

a big kiss 2 u and 2 your sista as well..

RAFF

...

c