Had a blast in Vegas! Gettwild already posted a detailed report , I just have a few thoughts...

SOUNDCHECK:

• The soundcheck was VERY short (20 minutes?), I was hoping for something more lengthy. Is it possible that the drunk girl fucked it up for everyone? At the start of the soundcheck (as soon as he hit the stage) a girl approached him & held out her hand, P reciprocated but apparently she tried to pull him off the stage (he hopped on one leg trying to keep his balance, the shit wasn't cool). I guess she told him she loved him to which he replied, "Looks like you love that beer too." He looked concerned about her, she must have been GONE. He let her talk for another second & said, "Peace to you..." I think she was kept away from the stage for the rest of the night. There's always one...
  
  
• Xenophobia was amazing during the soundcheck - more uptempo, just KILLER!
  
  
• He LOVES to tease with just a lick from 777-9311 - can he just play the entire song one day??? DAMN!!

SHOW:

• It was great to hear Power Fantastic, The Ride, Whole Lotta Love & The Question of U during the show!! Also, Nikka Costa was GREAT
  
  Since this might be a DVD, I do wonder about this setlist being (misleadingly) reflective of the entire tour. Where was Avalanche?? Where was HCUDCMA?? I wish he'd gone ALL OUT for this one & included everything, but maybe I'm asking for too much. Don't get me wrong, I was thrilled to hear Pop Life, Power Fantastic, etc. but since it's now on tape & will live forever, I wish he'd done those other worthy songs too...
  
  
• The whole "I gotta brand new dance..." thing was SO funny! He did some Shake dance, but the one that had me dying was the Ozzy dance - SO glad that's gonna live on tape!! But will I ever see it??
  
  He was pretty animated throughout the show - making lots of faces, fake-crying @ the funk Maceo was throwing on us - he had his showbiz face on that night...
  
  Speaking of faces, he went to do a solo (I forget the song) & his guitar wasn't turned up for the first 5 seconds or so. He gave Takumi (sp?) the evil eye like you WOULD NOT BELIEVE - that shit scared ME! :O
  
  
• The only thing wrong w/ him pulling a girl up onstage & sitting on her lap for about 2 minutes is that it wasn't me that was just WRONG

AFTERSHOW:

• The aftershow was filled w/ long, solo-filled jams, so it could have been better IMO. Prince didn't sing much yet had the nerve to sing All the Critics AGAIN BUT when he did Sign 'O the Times, HE PUT IT DOWN!!! I can't really describe what he did differently, he just put a new spin on it & it was cool as shit!! I NEED that on DVD!
  
  
• I hate being teased w/ Sheila onstage yet never on the mic - what's up with that? Does she not want to sing? Does she only want to drum? I'd love for them to break into Love Bizarre JUST ONCE!! Or Glamorous Life, something! I've never seen Sheila perform so that would be great (it's not like I'm asking for Erotic City, lol)...
  
  
• Nikka Costa was again GREAT, but I was especially impressed with CAT DYSON!! She did her thing, I didn't even know what she had to offer but I was floored. She did a bluesy number, I think it's called "You Know What I Like"... She was awesome
  
  
• During the last number, Sheila tried really hard to hype up the crowd, trying to make us jump up & down, scream, etc. She even said, "Y'all gettin' sleepy!" It made me feel like they thought we weren't showing enough enthusiasm for them. Which made me wonder: does Prince have any idea how much people go through (physically) to see him?
  
  - travel from all over the world
  - camping out
  - LONG waits in line
  - lack of sleep
  
  I know he has energy for days, but as he's getting older SO ARE HIS FANS! That all nighter shit don't work too well for a lot of us. At some point, screaming our guts out & being there smiling is gonna have to be enough, LOL.
  
  They (the band) were refreshed b/c they got to go back to the hotel (I presume), shower, change, chill a bit. Meanwhile, we're rushing over to 54, holding down spots & drinking Red Bull. I don't know, I'm just rambling. But I felt like he wasn't into the aftershow too much & I hope it wasn't b/c of the crowd. We couldn't have been happier to see him, he's gotta have mercy on the frail & sleep deprived
  
  I'm just glad I'm in the club b/c for $100, I would have felt quite jipped on that aftershow.

All in all, a fun few days in Vegas. Thanks P.

PS: what a bitch gotta do to hear Calhoun Square live???

Very nice report Calhoun!

Thanks for your comments. Refreshing as always.

I felt the same way at the Celebration. The standing, the dancing, the shouting. I needed a vacation from my vacation.

Red Bull, doesn't do it for me, but to each is own. Hope you got enough rest and thanks again for your review.

Ooh Calhoun thank U 4 ur thoughts on Vegas!

I would love 2 c Nikka & Prince jam on Push & Pull, cuz that´s my favourite song (at the moment). That new version of SOTT is freakin AWESOME!! Gotta c it again with my own

P. release the ONA LIVE DVD, release it now, come on release it

& could that drunk chick B Natasha??! I think it´s her...

Talk:

I hope that wasn't Natasha, but it would be funny if it was.

Hey Calhoun Square you go girl!!! My seats were in the first row right behind the front section seats and I had a clear view of the crazed drunken fan the entire time. SHE WAS WEIRD TO THE MAX . After the soundcheck my "date" went to the bathroom and crazy fan approached her. My "date" got freaked out because the crazy one started playing in her hair telling her how beautiful it was. She then went on to tell my "date" that she was upset because she had her "backstage wristband" and they wouldn`t let her backstage. Furthermore she was angry because the security wouldn`t let her down front. During the show the security people had to be bothered with her at least 6 times that I counted. Also the girl sitting next to me told me that drunken fan and another chick who couldnt speak English got into a tiff after the soundcheck. Word to the wise: People lay off the drink during the Prince shows. How can you enjoy the funk if your mind and body are drunk??? Dig???

FunkBible:

I totally agree. Let's go for a natural high.

sounded awsome.eye'm gonna move 2 the usa just because eye don't want 2 miss all this fun.

funkbible said:

Natasha!!! Were you the drunk girl? Or was that you and you weren't drunk, just being yourself??

Oh, and Calhoun, I loved your "Thoughts on Vegas" I'm jealous I wasn't there with you!

CarrieLee said:

Could it be?



[This message was edited Wed Dec 18 14:21:09 PST 2002 by bkw]

Yeah my brother and I talked to the "drunken girl" and she's from a latin country, can't remember which one she said, but she did seem a wee bit tipsy . . . .

I loved the enthusiasm of all the NPG members, dancing in their seats and in the aisles before the concert, ladies all up on stage a couple times, myself hollering in the camera every chance I got. It was just sooo much fun . . . . . .

I kinda felt sorry for Mike Tyson's girl cuz he would NOT let her breathe for a second!! All hugged up and sucking on her face and then had the nerve to leave during Prince's guitar solo on Purple Rain!!

funkbible said:

Good NESS!! I don't understand why people come to a show blasted. I would think you'd get tired faster & you'd be up & down to the bathroom all the time!!



Thanks for the comments y'all. I do hope the drunk girl wasn't Nat, I was just kidding

Also ladies, I forgot to mention P was looking SO good all night long! I was admiring the way his pinstriped suit was FITTING - the cut, the design... DAMN!!

And he looked SWEET in the red suit @ 54

4everYoung said:

I was glad he left - I was uncomfortable just being in the same building as that fool :O That girl MUST be desperate!!

4everYoung said:

...Me too! I have never been to a concert where we partied before the actual show! I don't think any other artist can generate that kind of heat. You hear his music and you have to dance. Even the security guard was like "Whoa! I hate to see how y'all act when the concert actually starts!"

So much fun!