Prince at The Conga Room

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Thread started 03/01/09 4:32pm

THANKYOU

Prince at The Conga Room - My Review

Prince
Saturday, February 28, 2009 -- 7:30 p.m.
The Conga Room
Los Angeles, California

8:35 p.m.
Ol' Skool Company
Dreamer
Everyday People
I Want to Take You Higher
Long Train Runnin'
1999
-----
Shhh
Musicology
Play That Funky Music
Play That Funky Music (Reprise)
Hollywood Swinging
-----
Bridge Over Troubled Water
When Will We B Paid
Cream
U Got the Look
I Feel 4 U
Controversy
-----
The Bird
Jungle Love
The Glamorous Life
--Holly Rock
Purple Rain
10:18 p.m.

I was so blown away after this show, I could barely speak. I tried writing this after I got home, but my mind and spirit were too heavy. This was my first time seeing Prince since the 2004 Musicology Tour. Sometimes even big Prince fans like me need a show like this to snap you back to the reality that Prince is KING.

I've known about this show for about nine months (sorry folks, I was sworn to secrecy on my life), and I flew all the way from New York to see it. It was originally slated for the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, then Prince decided he wanted to do it at The Forum, and then just earlier in the week Prince settled on The Conga Room.

This weekend was Tavis Smiley's 10th Anniversary of his annual State of the Black Union conference, an in-depth social and political dialogue on issues facing African Americans (aired on C-Span). Tonight's show was a benefit for the Tavis Smiley Foundation, with all proceeds going toward the foundation's National Youth Advisory Council. At the top of the show, Tavis thanked everyone for their support and brought out the members of the council to introduce themselves.

I was like 4-5 feet from the stage. Drums, keys, two background vocalist mics, a rack of guitars in the back, and Prince's setup front and center. The sound of rain and thunder with flashing lights (lighting) ushered in the band. The standing room crowd was screaming. Prince strolled onto the stage with a look on his face like this was a chore. LOL.

He wore a simple outfit: a black button-down shirt with black sequined trim along the placket and cuffs; form fitting black pants, a gorgeous rhinestone studded necklace; a rhinestone ring, bracelet and cuff links; black rhinestone-studded sunglasses; and light diamond dust on his eyelids and sideburns (yes, I was that close!).

Using his classic brown guitar with the leopard print design, Prince launched into a new song called "Ol' Skool Company" which featured guitar lines from "Get Off." He had us chanting "old school company" with him. "Dreamer" was next. Background vocalists Shelby J and Olivia Warfield were banging their "symbol" tambourines, and Frédéric Yonnet on harmonica delivered a nice solo. Drummer Cora Dunham, with her so-fly throwback asymmetrical hairstyle, was tearing the drums up while keeping her eye on Prince for any cues he might throw her way. I'm pretty sure that was her husband Joshua Dunham on bass and Morris Hayes on keys.

Throughout the night Prince gave shout outs to Tavis Smiley. He talked about the time when he had inscribed the word "slave" on his cheek as a protest to his former record label Warner Bros. He said that Tavis was the first to interview him about the subject with dignity. He said he watched the State of the Black Union broadcast earlier that day and talked about his belief in a "righteous government."

He kept things old school for the remainder of this segment, with Sly & The Family Stone's "Everyday People" and an extended version of "I Want to Take You Higher." Jesse Jackson (and several other panelists and other conference participants) was standing up in front of the VIP section just off stage left. Prince dedicated the latter song to Jesse and had half the audience shouting "higher!" and the other half shouting "I am somebody!" The funk was in control, and we were jumping up and down having a blast! This was an amazing point in the show, yet things were just getting started.

The background vocalists lead another old school song, the Doobie Brothers' "Long Train Runnin'." Then Prince pointed his finger in the air, and "1999" set the place on fire. By now, Michael Eric Dyson had stood up next to Jesse Jackson at the front of stage right. You know, this is their kind of funk, too. LOL.

"Don't y'all play with me--I got too many hits," Prince shouted at us like we were children. "We'll be here ‘til 4 in the morning!" We cheered back in approval. Somehow he sensed we weren't worthy of his funk. "Y'all ain't ready. That's it. Good night," he said and abruptly left the stage. The crowd roared and chanted to get him back.

Prince returned with the baby blue guitar for "Shhh," which featured well received drum and guitar solos. He commanded the lights be turned down low for "Musicology," and he asked a few female fans as well as the conference intellectuals to join him on stage to dance. Tavis Smiley, Michael Eric Dyson and his wife, Cornel West, and Julianne Malveaux all got on stage and jammed with Prince. Then he tested their dance skills by kicking in Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music." The audience went up in sweaty, head-nodding bliss, shouting every lyric. Meanwhile, on stage Cornell West was doing James Brown moves (in his classic black suit), and too-cool Tavis Smiley was simply keeping rhythm (in his gray suit with no tie).

Kool & the Gang's "Hollywood Swinging" kept the funk going, with Cornel West and Michael Eric Dyson sharing Shelby J's mic on the background vocals. I mean, we couldn't believe we were actually witnessing these guys out of their intellectual element throwing down like they were in college or something. Prince finished the song and left the stage while the others returned to the audience.

Shelby J started the next segment with "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (Aretha Franklin's arrangement), which was very nice. Prince returned for his cover of The Staple Singers' "When Will We B Paid," a song he originally recorded as a b-side, which was quite appropriate for the occasion of Tavis Smiley's event.

Prince commanded the lights down again for "Cream." The audience jammed and sang along right on through "U Got the Look." Prince said he was running out of time and could only do one more. "I Feel 4 U" was his choice, and the whole place fell right in line. At this point, sweat was smearing his eyeliner. LOL.

As if the jam couldn't get any better, he killed us dead by switching right into "Controversy" with no warning. I just about lost my mind at this point. I might have even blacked out. If I've never said it before, you don't EVER want "Controversy" at a Prince show. That song will fuck you up and funk you right back down! Everyone in the front of the stage was a sweaty funky dancing mess. There was nothing better than this moment. Nothing.

Prince said goodbye (again), tossed his guitar into the audience, and left the stage along with the band. A lengthy, heated tussle between fans over his guitar was abruptly stopped when one of Prince's people made them give it back.

Meanwhile, we begged Prince to come back like crack fiends on the street. Instead, a rumor I heard earlier in the day came true: Sheila E. nonchalantly walked on stage like it was no big deal. We lost our minds. There she was, looking not a day older than her 1984 debut, in a purple cleavage-showing mini dress and gold strappy 5-inch stilettos. I took a double take (I was still in a trance from "Controversy") when she came out. Like, is that REALLY Sheila E.?

Sheila had been present earlier in the day at the conference, and rumor had it that she would be joining Prince on stage. Sheila asked if we wanted one more song. We were like, uhhh, hell yeah! "If y'all don't scream his name, he's not gonna come out." Somehow we instead chanted "Sheila! Sheila!" Sheila left the stage, and Prince and the band returned.

The Time's "The Bird" kicked off the encore segment, and we were all doing our best Morris Day impressions under the circumstances. "Can you hear me?" Prince asked then held up one finger. "One more!" "Jungle Love" was the umpteenth ‘one more' which was fine by us.

Then Prince called Sheila E. back out for "The Glamorous Life." He sang the opening "La-la la-la la-la la-la" then counted "A, B, C, D" at the top of the song. Sheila came out and did a playful rendition of her hit, egging us on to sing along during the chorus. The guys in front were shouting out lines from her hit "Holly Rock" to egg her on to sing it. She obliged with a few lines of the chorus. Meanwhile, Prince nonchalantly strolled the stage playing guitar. Sheila finished the song to huge applause and left the stage.

Prince left us with yet one more song, and we were glad he did. Whew! He started slowly strumming the guitar lines to "Purple Rain," and I ‘bout shouted to the heavens. I was so prepared not to hear the song since he hasn't always performed it in recent shows. Before the song could get going, the entire crowd was wailing "Yooooo hooooo hooooo" to the music. I was transported back to Prince's 2004 tour, his tours of the 1990s, and his "Purple Rain" tour of the 1980s. This song is always an emotional moment for me.

He did just the first verse and chorus then launched into the song's ending guitar solo and ad libs. I could have floated away on a purple cloud right to heaven at this point. I could not stop shouting. We joined him for several bars of "yooooo hooooo hooooo," and the arrangement was similar to the version he performed on the 2004 tour.

Prince thanked Tavis Smiley and said good night for the fourth time. There was a grand finish, with Prince giving classic ‘Prince' poses with his guitar. He then removed the guitar and did a final pose with his arms up in the air. We were screaming our heads off. I was an emotional mess. Prince thanked everyone along with Tavis once again. "The New Power Generation," Prince said in homage to his band. "Show them some love."

And then he left the stage, never to return. We were so mesmerized, many of us in the front remained there even when the canned music came on. Clearly the show was over, but somehow we wanted more. And with Prince, you never know if he'll come back for the 1,999th encore. But he didn't, which was fine. We had received more than we had imagined tonight. For me, it was well worth the trip.

I will never forget this show, this moment. Never.

THANK YOU!!!
[Edited 3/2/09 12:42pm]

peterv	Is "Without love", "Long Train Runnin'" by the Doobie Bros.?
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THANKYOU	thanks everybody. and thanks for that correction. my mind is fried!
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babynoz	I had a feeling Prince was gonna pull out all the stops for this benefit show. Thank you for the glowing report. Controversy is Michael Eric Dyson's favorite Prince song...I bet he went nuts when Prince played it. Prince, in you I found a kindred spirit...Rest In Paradise.
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serpan99	Thx a lot 4 the great review, it was fun reading it
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Duncan905	thanks for keeping the setlist & such a great review, only thing I can add is 'Frankenstein' (the Edgar Winter instrumental) was sandwiched between Old Skool Company > Dreamer, just the intro & first part. what a special night! Cheers!
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rmartin70	I may b wrong, but if I remember correctly Shelby sang Long Train Runnin' and Olivia sang Bridge Over Troubled Water. Maybe someone can confirm that.
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rmartin70	MY bad
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1sexymf	what a nice review - sound like it was quite the party - wish i could have been there.
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1sexymf	sbacon1999 said: Great review thankyou! Loved it! Appreciate the setlist as well - I am in no condition during the show to get anything down well. The only place I would be getting down would be the dance floor.
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wildgoldenhone y	Good review, thanks.
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lottielooloo19 68	thanks! x
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BloodyMouth	Awesome review. Did anyone else see Steve Vai there? He was grooving right in front of me and clearly was getting a huge kick out of Prince's playing.
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