This is for the Org. Share the Joy.

Location:
Monaco - just the sound of this small principality conjures up images of glamour and of legend. This is also a place of shocking contrasts and of extremes and illusion and want. Where outrageous exhibits of wealth are as spectacular as the view across the cliffs onto the sparkling Mediterranean sea, and where the strict protocol of high society etiquette is as suffocating as the hot sun that presses down onto the narrow winding streets.

Venue:
La Salle des Etoiles - aptly named the Hall of Stars for the stars who perform on stage, for the stars who dine within it's walls and for the stars that shine down from above as the whole roof rotates open to let in the clear night air. The panoramic bay windows sunk from view into the floor to reveal the twinkling Monaco coastline and fairy light illuminated boats. A thousand mirrors that line the walls dazzled with the reflection of every sparkle and a soft glow of the table lamps on the crisp white floor length tablecloths washed over the dining floor area. There can be no showcase more extravagant than this to present the rarest pearl of them all. Only one discreet poster on display at the entrance hall announced our very special performer for the evening but otherwise no specific decor. No merchandising, no publicity for Lotusflow3r, no nothing.

Audience:
An elegant crowd, mostly mature who took their time arriving leisurely. Gentlemen in smart mandatory jackets, the ladies in heels and dresses. Couples mostly. A few french celebrities dotted around the room. I felt a little self-conscious as one of the only ones with a symbol around my neck.

Dinner:
We all received a plain hologram foil bracelet in exchange for our tickets and were personally escorted to our tables for the meal. The 830 places were sold out. The food was very good and worthy of any fancy restaurant. However the price of the tickets was justified by what was to come, not by what was served on the heavy white china.

Sound:
Disappointingly muffled with a little too much drive compared to the crystal clear set-up at the O2 and not up to the standard of this spectacular looking hall. Not too loud. The bass boom of the warm-up groove "Dance for me" as playback shook the house but the finer treble tones were missing. During the live act the sound was better but still not as perfect as the O2. For a while I was standing adjacent to the speakers that were flanking the stage and although the sound waves thumped pleasantly through my belly my head wasn't buzzing after the concert and I still have all of my hearing capacity. The banks of mobile soundboard equipment at the rear of the hall looked very impressive and I would have though that one of the most prestigious concert halls on earth would have been built with perfect acoustics in mind. Perhaps it was due to the roof being closed again but the panoramic windows having been left open that the sound wasn't so clear. In that case at least those sat out on the neighboring beach got a good earful for free and if anyone had a telescopic lens then there were good shots of the stage to be had too.

The Look:
1st outfit: beige trousers with a gold silk stripe, golden silk shirt, beige heels and a knee length burgundy/purple jacket with gold trim. Moonwraps both sides, no shades.
2nd outfit: the jacket comes off
3rd outfit: A purple suit (the one with zip trim at the collar), no shirt, thin gold chains around the neck, red flashing LED wedge heeled shoes.

The Axes:
Hohner (mostly)
Dark purple strat

Approximate Set list:
Dance For Me (playback)
Purple Rain
When I Lay My Hands On U
Little Red Corvette
Somewhere here On Earth
Cream
Missing You
Shhh
All Shook Up
Peach
I Love U But I Don't Trust U Anymore
1999
Controversy

Encore:
A Love Bizarre
Dance for Me
Nothing Compares 2 U

There were bits of other songs inbetween too but they all melted into eachother so seamlessly that I don't recall them all.

The Concert:
As soon as the first unmistakable bars of Purple Rain rang through the air a collective cheer went up and.... everyone stayed politely seated. Prince stood center stage in front of the large ring through which a circular LCD screen lit up psychedelic flame and cloud motives. Left and right were our discojellyfish friends, to the right was a big SOTT style mirrored heart.

Prince's voice was very clear and the arrangements were fantastic. He made it look so easy as if he wasn't even making an effort - just coasting along on his incredible talent backed up by the awesomely tight band. You guys rock! Leading, directing the flow with almost unperceivable signs, just letting the music pour out Prince was in complete control of the stage and put on a polished act. The set list was magical. However as much as each note hit perfect tone and each beat was in precise time, The Vibe was missing. Sadly there was less connection with the audience as there was at the Indigo aftershow on 6th September where that whole experience can neatly be described as aurally orgasmic. In Monte Carlo we got the ripping guitar work, keyboard; bass; drum; harmonica solos, and those transcendent vocals butthere was a certian 'something' that was missing that money cannot buy. No pushing or shoving, everyone swaying at a courteous distance to eachother careful not to knock the champagne bucket over. At last after Prince called out a few times people started letting their hair down and plucked the roses from the table decor to throw onto the stage. That was cute - watching Prince sing in a rain of pale roses. Times have changed from when people threw rubbish at him. Tonight he had the crème de la crème of european high society at his feet. Look who's laughing now!

Slowly some of us who need space to party dared get closer and started having fun up front just under Prince's nose - to be quickly and repeatedly gently swept aside by security as we were blocking the view of those sat at the tables behind us. The funk was beginning to get through and the audience started to thaw and a lot more of the crowd were standing by mid-show.

Nearing the end of the concert, with the atmosphere at last starting to loosen up, Prince started picking a few ladies out of the audience to join him on stage and suddenly I'm standing right up at the mike to Prince's left for the encore! I was so close I was having difficulty grooving and thereby being very careful not to bump into his guitar pegs or trip up on the pedals. It was an insane feeling being up on the stage with the one and only Prince. Words fail me and it will take a long time for me to come back down from orbit.

Prince up close in real life is just as breathtakingly stunning as in photographs - eerily even more so because you don't expect such polished beauty to live and to breathe. He is ethereal and so elegantly precious I didn't dare reach out and touch him for fear that he'd disappear. Everything about him is perfectly styled from the impeccable make-up and hair to the ends of his softly manicured hands. It's hard to imagine that those smooth pale fingers are the ones that regularly set guitars on fire and can make a piano cry.

It wasn't just The Look that held me in rapture, Prince's rock solid confidence and professionalism was more massive than the biggest yacht moored out in the bay. Petite in frame he filled the night with a presence that outshone the glitz and the glamour of this pretty gala hall and its well-shod clientele.

As the last notes rang out and as the cheering died down to a murmur what remains is the awesome inspiration of having stood next to the cool dude who really does know how to play a guitar.

Thank-you Prince for a beautiful night.

do you write for a magazine?

u should

Thank-you

no I do not write for magazines, I only write the truth.

thanks for this report! lucky you!

Truly sounds like it was a beautiful nite! Thanks for sharing!

thank you for your report! i really enyoed it.

Very nice!

Thanks for remembering the important details.

Good report!

carpeastrum said:

Awww how beautifully said.

I was afraid to reach out and touch him for fear he may fly away

Excellent review !!! I'm empathizing with your experience .....

Glad you liked my report - here are 3 pictures taken after the event to give you an impression of the venue:

carpeastrum said:

thx 4 sharing, u brought the experience to life in a beautiful way. sounds so cool, it's no wonder u are still in 'orbit'