UltraLash said:

Huh, looked like Esperanza to me, but, then again, I'd never heard of Andy.

She looks like Esperanza, VERY much so, but it wasn't her.

jobiwan24 said:

Just a lil addition for the late show. Prince jumped on the keyboard and did a solo during Stratus. It was funny he was trying to lead the band and I think it was Blackwell who wasn't paying attention and missed a change, Prince shot him (or her, could have been Ida or even Renatto on the other side of the stage) a hard look and made the 2 finger gesture to his eyes saying "watch ME"

"Watch me for the changes...and try and keep up" : >)

I know that was awesome. My blood ran cold for whoever got the wrath when i saw that look from him. Blackwell looked like a hurt puppy so i think it was him.

Anybody at the show make eye contact with him??

GDB said:

alfbo said:

I had to pay, but I got to see him perform for one hour and 25 minutes, so it was worth it.

I can dig it. Always heard about these gigs and finally was able to get into one. And a full show at that...we are, and have been, blessed by all of this. Spoiled even.

THIS was the time to see Prince up close and personal. All these people that CLAIM to be going to the Forum saying "Oh, I was sitting 4 feet away from Prince" need to STFU and know the difference between an ARENA show and an intimate show. In the Forum, the place that I have seen Prince perform NINE times this year and FOURTEEN overall, you CANNOT be four feet away from Prince. You can barely be FORTY feet away. It is a stage production. All this "Prince was staring at me, Prince and I had a thing going, blah, blah, blah." So the first people I thought about last night as I STOOD THREE feet away from Prince FOR THE ENTIRE PERFORMANCE was "Where are all these people at, that want to be so close to Prince?" Now I'll proceed: I went to the midnight show; thanks for filling me in on the earlier performance GDB, two entirely different shows. The late show was a flat-out 10. Bambi: flawless. She's Always In My Hair: flawless. Crimson and Clover: flawless. Prince and Mike Phillips: incredible. Endorphinmachine: flawless. Anotherloverhole: flawless. Peach: great. I Like It There: great. Misty Blue: very good. Same Page: fun. Free...it was I Want to Be Free from Ohio Players, not Free by Prince: very good. Musicology: very good. Brown Skin: good. The other five songs were very good. THIS night and ONLY this night did Prince demonstrate he hasn't lost anything. He played to his strengths: guitar and orchestrated his 3-4 piece band and then Renato and Morris. There was NO holding back when he ripped into his guitar, choruses, chants, screams and deep passion he has for music. Yes, I wish this show was filmed, because it would open a door for people that don't really understand the versatility and talent that Prince truly has. But he continues to choose to restrict photos and film as much as he possibly can and he has that right, though I disagree with it, I abide by his wishes. Will you be able to see it at the Forum? NO. Not like this, not even close. So...I'm not generally the type that offers recommendations; I'm more the "to each his own" type of person. But I'm here to tell you, when Prince (or someone) announces that he is doing an intimate show, STOP what you're doing, if you're within 1000 miles, get on the phone, get on the computer and SECURE TICKETS!!!!!!! Take off work, tell the fam you'll be back, but DO NOT MISS PRINCE THE NEXT TIME HE DOES THIS......and it will be soon. Now, I've done my civic duty for the org, I will be back at the Forum on Friday and I will enjoy those shows, too. But again, if you don't see Prince like this, YOU WILL NEVER ACTUALLY see Prince.

[Edited 5/12/11 15:06pm]

[Edited 5/12/11 15:08pm]

Farfunknugin said:

jobiwan24 said:

Just a lil addition for the late show. Prince jumped on the keyboard and did a solo during Stratus. It was funny he was trying to lead the band and I think it was Blackwell who wasn't paying attention and missed a change, Prince shot him (or her, could have been Ida or even Renatto on the other side of the stage) a hard look and made the 2 finger gesture to his eyes saying "watch ME"

"Watch me for the changes...and try and keep up" : >)

I know that was awesome. My blood ran cold for whoever got the wrath when i saw that look from him. Blackwell looked like a hurt puppy so i think it was him.

Seriously, it was funny like 6 different people around me stopped dancing for a moment and were kinda like "woah"

Didn't P take Ida's Bass during the earlier show? I wonder if it was a similar semi-tense moment...

InternationalLover82 said:

Anybody at the show make eye contact with him??

Not P but I had a cool moment with Mike Phillips and also Mr. Hays. Met Shelby after the show. She was a sweetheart.

Realtor said:

GDB said:

I can dig it. Always heard about these gigs and finally was able to get into one. And a full show at that...we are, and have been, blessed by all of this. Spoiled even.

THIS was the time to see Prince up close and personal. All these people that CLAIM to be going to the Forum saying "Oh, I was sitting 4 feet away from Prince" need to STFU and know the difference between an ARENA show and an intimate show. In the Forum, the place that I have seen Prince perform NINE times this year and FOURTEEN overall, you CANNOT be four feet away from Prince. You can barely be FORTY feet away. It is a stage production. All this "Prince was staring at me, Prince and I had a thing going, blah, blah, blah." So the first people I thought about last night as I STOOD THREE feet away from Prince FOR THE ENTIRE PERFORMANCE was "Where are all these people at, that want to be so close to Prince?" Now I'll proceed: I went to the midnight show; thanks for filling me in on the earlier performance GDB, two entirely different shows. The late show was a flat-out 10. Bambi: flawless. She's Always In My Hair: flawless. Crimson and Clover: flawless. Prince and Mike Phillips: incredible. Endorphinmachine: flawless. Anotherloverhole: flawless. Peach: great. I Like It There: great. Misty Blue: very good. Same Page: fun. Free...it was I Want to Be Free from Ohio Players, not Free by Prince: very good. Musicology: very good. Brown Skin: good. The other five songs were very good. THIS night and ONLY this night did Prince demonstrate he hasn't lost anything. He played to his strengths: guitar and orchestrated his 3-4 piece band and then Renato and Morris. There was NO holding back when he ripped into his guitar, choruses, chants, screams and deep passion he has for music. Yes, I wish this show was filmed, because it would open a door for people that don't really understand the versatility and talent that Prince truly has. But he continues to choose to restrict photos and film as much as he possibly can and he has that right, though I disagree with it, I abide by his wishes. Will you be able to see it at the Forum? NO. Not like this, not even close. So...I'm not generally the type that offers recommendations; I'm more the "to each his own" type of person. But I'm here to tell you, when Prince (or someone) announces that he is doing an intimate show, STOP what you're doing, if you're within 1000 miles, get on the phone, get on the computer and SECURE TICKETS!!!!!!! Take off work, tell the fam you'll be back, but DO NOT MISS PRINCE THE NEXT TIME HE DOES THIS......and it will be soon. Now, I've done my civic duty for the org, I will be back at the Forum on Friday and I will enjoy those shows, too. But again, if you don't see Prince like this, YOU WILL NEVER ACTUALLY see Prince.

[Edited 5/12/11 15:06pm]

[Edited 5/12/11 15:08pm]

de acuerdo.... co-sign

InternationalLover82 said:

Anybody at the show make eye contact with him??

Yes, probably about 4 or 5 times, but I preferred to watch the guitar and just "feel" the experience. I think the people...hmmm say about 25-30 people in the front made a lot of eye contact. He looked down a lot, at his band, and straight up in the air, but when he paid attention to the audience, it was primarily just the people in the front. I think it gave us an opportunity to have a richer experience. I had some friends that sat in the balcony, and after discussing the performance with them after the show, I could tell they didn't feel as connected to the performance, but still liked it very much.

InternationalLover82 said:

Anybody at the show make eye contact with him??

I did.

As I said in an earlier post...

I was 1st in line for the 11pm show. When me and my girlfriend got inside, Prince was casually milling about the stage and said to me "Hurry up, come on. Let's get this started". He smiled at me said "Stay on this side. It's where I do most of my solos and I play piano over here". I was speechless.

As more people came in he went backstage/upstairs.

He handed me his guitar after the main set was over but a roadie took it back a few minutes later

Review of the 7 pm show:

http://www.hollywoodrepor...iew-188009" target="_blank">http://www.hollywoodrepor...iew-188009

Realtor said:

GDB said:

I can dig it. Always heard about these gigs and finally was able to get into one. And a full show at that...we are, and have been, blessed by all of this. Spoiled even.

THIS was the time to see Prince up close and personal. All these people that CLAIM to be going to the Forum saying "Oh, I was sitting 4 feet away from Prince" need to STFU and know the difference between an ARENA show and an intimate show. In the Forum, the place that I have seen Prince perform NINE times this year and FOURTEEN overall, you CANNOT be four feet away from Prince. You can barely be FORTY feet away. It is a stage production. All this "Prince was staring at me, Prince and I had a thing going, blah, blah, blah." So the first people I thought about last night as I STOOD THREE feet away from Prince FOR THE ENTIRE PERFORMANCE was "Where are all these people at, that want to be so close to Prince?" Now I'll proceed: I went to the midnight show; thanks for filling me in on the earlier performance GDB, two entirely different shows. The late show was a flat-out 10. Bambi: flawless. She's Always In My Hair: flawless. Crimson and Clover: flawless. Prince and Mike Phillips: incredible. Endorphinmachine: flawless. Anotherloverhole: flawless. Peach: great. I Like It There: great. Misty Blue: very good. Same Page: fun. Free...it was I Want to Be Free from Ohio Players, not Free by Prince: very good. Musicology: very good. Brown Skin: good. The other five songs were very good. THIS night and ONLY this night did Prince demonstrate he hasn't lost anything. He played to his strengths: guitar and orchestrated his 3-4 piece band and then Renato and Morris. There was NO holding back when he ripped into his guitar, choruses, chants, screams and deep passion he has for music. Yes, I wish this show was filmed, because it would open a door for people that don't really understand the versatility and talent that Prince truly has. But he continues to choose to restrict photos and film as much as he possibly can and he has that right, though I disagree with it, I abide by his wishes. Will you be able to see it at the Forum? NO. Not like this, not even close. So...I'm not generally the type that offers recommendations; I'm more the "to each his own" type of person. But I'm here to tell you, when Prince (or someone) announces that he is doing an intimate show, STOP what you're doing, if you're within 1000 miles, get on the phone, get on the computer and SECURE TICKETS!!!!!!! Take off work, tell the fam you'll be back, but DO NOT MISS PRINCE THE NEXT TIME HE DOES THIS......and it will be soon. Now, I've done my civic duty for the org, I will be back at the Forum on Friday and I will enjoy those shows, too. But again, if you don't see Prince like this, YOU WILL NEVER ACTUALLY see Prince.

Reading this made me even more sad that I was not able to be there why did I have to be at work when these tickets when on sale

InternationalLover82 said:

Anybody at the show make eye contact with him??

He tried to, but I looked away... now he knows how it feels

I "thumbs upped" with Renato.

Realtor said:

GDB said:

I can dig it. Always heard about these gigs and finally was able to get into one. And a full show at that...we are, and have been, blessed by all of this. Spoiled even.

THIS was the time to see Prince up close and personal. All these people that CLAIM to be going to the Forum saying "Oh, I was sitting 4 feet away from Prince" need to STFU and know the difference between an ARENA show and an intimate show. In the Forum, the place that I have seen Prince perform NINE times this year and FOURTEEN overall, you CANNOT be four feet away from Prince. You can barely be FORTY feet away. It is a stage production. All this "Prince was staring at me, Prince and I had a thing going, blah, blah, blah." So the first people I thought about last night as I STOOD THREE feet away from Prince FOR THE ENTIRE PERFORMANCE was "Where are all these people at, that want to be so close to Prince?" Now I'll proceed: I went to the midnight show; thanks for filling me in on the earlier performance GDB, two entirely different shows. The late show was a flat-out 10. Bambi: flawless. She's Always In My Hair: flawless. Crimson and Clover: flawless. Prince and Mike Phillips: incredible. Endorphinmachine: flawless. Anotherloverhole: flawless. Peach: great. I Like It There: great. Misty Blue: very good. Same Page: fun. Free...it was I Want to Be Free from Ohio Players, not Free by Prince: very good. Musicology: very good. Brown Skin: good. The other five songs were very good. THIS night and ONLY this night did Prince demonstrate he hasn't lost anything. He played to his strengths: guitar and orchestrated his 3-4 piece band and then Renato and Morris. There was NO holding back when he ripped into his guitar, choruses, chants, screams and deep passion he has for music. Yes, I wish this show was filmed, because it would open a door for people that don't really understand the versatility and talent that Prince truly has. But he continues to choose to restrict photos and film as much as he possibly can and he has that right, though I disagree with it, I abide by his wishes. Will you be able to see it at the Forum? NO. Not like this, not even close. So...I'm not generally the type that offers recommendations; I'm more the "to each his own" type of person. But I'm here to tell you, when Prince (or someone) announces that he is doing an intimate show, STOP what you're doing, if you're within 1000 miles, get on the phone, get on the computer and SECURE TICKETS!!!!!!! Take off work, tell the fam you'll be back, but DO NOT MISS PRINCE THE NEXT TIME HE DOES THIS......and it will be soon. Now, I've done my civic duty for the org, I will be back at the Forum on Friday and I will enjoy those shows, too. But again, if you don't see Prince like this, YOU WILL NEVER ACTUALLY see Prince.

[Edited 5/12/11 15:06pm]

[Edited 5/12/11 15:08pm]

"But again, if you don't see Prince like this, YOU WILL NEVER ACTUALLY see Prince." Shhhhhhh! You talk way to much.

veronikka said:

Realtor said:

THIS was the time to see Prince up close and personal. All these people that CLAIM to be going to the Forum saying "Oh, I was sitting 4 feet away from Prince" need to STFU and know the difference between an ARENA show and an intimate show. In the Forum, the place that I have seen Prince perform NINE times this year and FOURTEEN overall, you CANNOT be four feet away from Prince. You can barely be FORTY feet away. It is a stage production. All this "Prince was staring at me, Prince and I had a thing going, blah, blah, blah." So the first people I thought about last night as I STOOD THREE feet away from Prince FOR THE ENTIRE PERFORMANCE was "Where are all these people at, that want to be so close to Prince?" Now I'll proceed: I went to the midnight show; thanks for filling me in on the earlier performance GDB, two entirely different shows. The late show was a flat-out 10. Bambi: flawless. She's Always In My Hair: flawless. Crimson and Clover: flawless. Prince and Mike Phillips: incredible. Endorphinmachine: flawless. Anotherloverhole: flawless. Peach: great. I Like It There: great. Misty Blue: very good. Same Page: fun. Free...it was I Want to Be Free from Ohio Players, not Free by Prince: very good. Musicology: very good. Brown Skin: good. The other five songs were very good. THIS night and ONLY this night did Prince demonstrate he hasn't lost anything. He played to his strengths: guitar and orchestrated his 3-4 piece band and then Renato and Morris. There was NO holding back when he ripped into his guitar, choruses, chants, screams and deep passion he has for music. Yes, I wish this show was filmed, because it would open a door for people that don't really understand the versatility and talent that Prince truly has. But he continues to choose to restrict photos and film as much as he possibly can and he has that right, though I disagree with it, I abide by his wishes. Will you be able to see it at the Forum? NO. Not like this, not even close. So...I'm not generally the type that offers recommendations; I'm more the "to each his own" type of person. But I'm here to tell you, when Prince (or someone) announces that he is doing an intimate show, STOP what you're doing, if you're within 1000 miles, get on the phone, get on the computer and SECURE TICKETS!!!!!!! Take off work, tell the fam you'll be back, but DO NOT MISS PRINCE THE NEXT TIME HE DOES THIS......and it will be soon. Now, I've done my civic duty for the org, I will be back at the Forum on Friday and I will enjoy those shows, too. But again, if you don't see Prince like this, YOU WILL NEVER ACTUALLY see Prince.

Reading this made me even more sad that I was not able to be there why did I have to be at work when these tickets when on sale

veronikka, my intention is to do EVERYTHING I possibly can to make sure you don't miss the next one; not make you feel bad for missing this show. In many of my posts, I continue to try to emphasize to people to not settle for less and don't be ashamed to expect the best, since we all here admire the work of the best at what he does. These opportunities are the only ones you'll have to witness why he is the best. Sure if you fell into the show on April 14, 2011, you were very fortunate, but when you want to expererience PRINCE MUSIC...not Prince and the NPG, not Prince and the Revolution, not Prince and Sheila E, but PRINCE MUSIC, you have to do what's necessary to make yourself available. And I'm not suggesting that everyone has an extra $112.50 laying around either, but for those that don't, make it happen however you can. Seriously.

Realtor said:

veronikka said:

Reading this made me even more sad that I was not able to be there why did I have to be at work when these tickets when on sale

veronikka, my intention is to do EVERYTHING I possibly can to make sure you don't miss the next one; not make you feel bad for missing this show. In many of my posts, I continue to try to emphasize to people to not settle for less and don't be ashamed to expect the best, since we all here admire the work of the best at what he does. These opportunities are the only ones you'll have to witness why he is the best. Sure if you fell into the show on April 14, 2011, you were very fortunate, but when you want to expererience PRINCE MUSIC...not Prince and the NPG, not Prince and the Revolution, not Prince and Sheila E, but PRINCE MUSIC, you have to do what's necessary to make yourself available. And I'm not suggesting that everyone has an extra $112.50 laying around either, but for those that don't, make it happen however you can. Seriously.

I thought I said Shhhhhh!

it's quiet time now...go outside and play

sirweasel said:

Realtor said:

THIS was the time to see Prince up close and personal. All these people that CLAIM to be going to the Forum saying "Oh, I was sitting 4 feet away from Prince" need to STFU and know the difference between an ARENA show and an intimate show. In the Forum, the place that I have seen Prince perform NINE times this year and FOURTEEN overall, you CANNOT be four feet away from Prince. You can barely be FORTY feet away. It is a stage production. All this "Prince was staring at me, Prince and I had a thing going, blah, blah, blah." So the first people I thought about last night as I STOOD THREE feet away from Prince FOR THE ENTIRE PERFORMANCE was "Where are all these people at, that want to be so close to Prince?" Now I'll proceed: I went to the midnight show; thanks for filling me in on the earlier performance GDB, two entirely different shows. The late show was a flat-out 10. Bambi: flawless. She's Always In My Hair: flawless. Crimson and Clover: flawless. Prince and Mike Phillips: incredible. Endorphinmachine: flawless. Anotherloverhole: flawless. Peach: great. I Like It There: great. Misty Blue: very good. Same Page: fun. Free...it was I Want to Be Free from Ohio Players, not Free by Prince: very good. Musicology: very good. Brown Skin: good. The other five songs were very good. THIS night and ONLY this night did Prince demonstrate he hasn't lost anything. He played to his strengths: guitar and orchestrated his 3-4 piece band and then Renato and Morris. There was NO holding back when he ripped into his guitar, choruses, chants, screams and deep passion he has for music. Yes, I wish this show was filmed, because it would open a door for people that don't really understand the versatility and talent that Prince truly has. But he continues to choose to restrict photos and film as much as he possibly can and he has that right, though I disagree with it, I abide by his wishes. Will you be able to see it at the Forum? NO. Not like this, not even close. So...I'm not generally the type that offers recommendations; I'm more the "to each his own" type of person. But I'm here to tell you, when Prince (or someone) announces that he is doing an intimate show, STOP what you're doing, if you're within 1000 miles, get on the phone, get on the computer and SECURE TICKETS!!!!!!! Take off work, tell the fam you'll be back, but DO NOT MISS PRINCE THE NEXT TIME HE DOES THIS......and it will be soon. Now, I've done my civic duty for the org, I will be back at the Forum on Friday and I will enjoy those shows, too. But again, if you don't see Prince like this, YOU WILL NEVER ACTUALLY see Prince.

[Edited 5/12/11 15:06pm]

[Edited 5/12/11 15:08pm]

"But again, if you don't see Prince like this, YOU WILL NEVER ACTUALLY see Prince." Shhhhhhh! You talk way to much.

If any group of people should be privy to seeing Prince at his best, it should be members of prince.org. Why would I not try to inspire them to have this type of experience?

Realtor said:

sirweasel said:

"But again, if you don't see Prince like this, YOU WILL NEVER ACTUALLY see Prince." Shhhhhhh! You talk way to much.

If any group of people should be privy to seeing Prince at his best, it should be members of prince.org. Why would I not try to inspire them to have this type of experience?

Cause it leaves less tickets for the rest of us.

Prince at his best! I don't think so

GDB said:

That second setlist sounds awesome. I would love for Prince to combine the best parts of both Troubadour lists for a Forum show...take a chance, drop some songs that might benefit from a rest. I should have stayed 4 the second show but I was literally exhausted and didn't think I could make it through until 3am on my feet. Give me "I Like It There" & "Bambi," throw in "I'm Yours" and I want to hear that interpolation again of "le Freak" with "Sexy Dancer" & have the girls sing the chorus of "I Want Your Love" and I can die happy. Would it be too much to get a piece of "I Hate U" to round it off? Yeah, probably so...

Did they allow people at the early show to stay if they wanted without purchase a ticket for the Late Show?! Or did they just give you the opportunity to purchase one if you were already in there? Thanks!

The pick Prince finished the 11pm set with.

jobiwan24 said:

Farfunknugin said:

I know that was awesome. My blood ran cold for whoever got the wrath when i saw that look from him. Blackwell looked like a hurt puppy so i think it was him.

Seriously, it was funny like 6 different people around me stopped dancing for a moment and were kinda like "woah"

Didn't P take Ida's Bass during the earlier show? I wonder if it was a similar semi-tense moment...

Hard to tell. P was on the organ on the opposite side of the stage when they were doing the new joint "When She Comes." Looked to me like he forgot the lyrics but maybe not; it may have been that the band didn't know it yet or someone missed a change...but he began singing it, then stopped...that was perhaps the only lull of the evening, it went on too long and wasn't really going anywhere IMO although he seemed to love it, saying it was too sexy for even him to try to sing it. He shot across the stage and took Ida's bass; she didn't look hurt, hard to definitively say what she thinking by her expression. Prince had her move off the main bandstand to his right...he appeared to me to be looking at Renato as he played through some changes...not like he was soloing but more as a demonstration. He then brought Ida back up and gave her back the bass. Looked to me that he was showing Renato where he wanted him to go more than he was correcting Ida but only they know for sure.

craighead said:

The pick Prince finished the 11pm set with.

SICK!!!!!

You guys are so lucky!! I hope he plays again !!

I know this isn't the right thread, but I just seen an advertisement on the Africa channel for the May 13th and 14th LA Forum shows, so Prince is still using that channel to advertise the 21 night stand shows on it.

[Edited 5/12/11 18:08pm]

sirweasel said:

Prince at his best! I don't think so

I'm willing to bet my life's earnings you were no where near the Troubadour between the hours of 12:30 am and 3:00am this morning.

bucktown said:

GDB said:

That second setlist sounds awesome. I would love for Prince to combine the best parts of both Troubadour lists for a Forum show...take a chance, drop some songs that might benefit from a rest. I should have stayed 4 the second show but I was literally exhausted and didn't think I could make it through until 3am on my feet. Give me "I Like It There" & "Bambi," throw in "I'm Yours" and I want to hear that interpolation again of "le Freak" with "Sexy Dancer" & have the girls sing the chorus of "I Want Your Love" and I can die happy. Would it be too much to get a piece of "I Hate U" to round it off? Yeah, probably so...

Did they allow people at the early show to stay if they wanted without purchase a ticket for the Late Show?! Or did they just give you the opportunity to purchase one if you were already in there? Thanks!

I think they kicked everybody out after the first show. I don't think you could by tickets online for both shows; you had to pick one. There was a guy who attended the first show who was hanging around, hoping to get into the second one, but I don't know if he ever did.

Realtor said:

sirweasel said:

"But again, if you don't see Prince like this, YOU WILL NEVER ACTUALLY see Prince." Shhhhhhh! You talk way to much.

If any group of people should be privy to seeing Prince at his best, it should be members of prince.org. Why would I not try to inspire them to have this type of experience?

I think the tone doesn't come off as very inspiring... You make it sound like if we never see Prince perform in a setting like the Troubadour we've somehow failed or not put in a worthy effort. We're already envious of those who got to be there last night... it's not necessary to make the arena shows sound like a waste of our time. I personally feel blessed every time I'm in the Forum.

Realtor said:

GDB said:

I can dig it. Always heard about these gigs and finally was able to get into one. And a full show at that...we are, and have been, blessed by all of this. Spoiled even.

THIS was the time to see Prince up close and personal. All these people that CLAIM to be going to the Forum saying "Oh, I was sitting 4 feet away from Prince" need to STFU and know the difference between an ARENA show and an intimate show. In the Forum, the place that I have seen Prince perform NINE times this year and FOURTEEN overall, you CANNOT be four feet away from Prince. You can barely be FORTY feet away. It is a stage production. All this "Prince was staring at me, Prince and I had a thing going, blah, blah, blah." So the first people I thought about last night as I STOOD THREE feet away from Prince FOR THE ENTIRE PERFORMANCE was "Where are all these people at, that want to be so close to Prince?" Now I'll proceed: I went to the midnight show; thanks for filling me in on the earlier performance GDB, two entirely different shows. The late show was a flat-out 10. Bambi: flawless. She's Always In My Hair: flawless. Crimson and Clover: flawless. Prince and Mike Phillips: incredible. Endorphinmachine: flawless. Anotherloverhole: flawless. Peach: great. I Like It There: great. Misty Blue: very good. Same Page: fun. Free...it was I Want to Be Free from Ohio Players, not Free by Prince: very good. Musicology: very good. Brown Skin: good. The other five songs were very good. THIS night and ONLY this night did Prince demonstrate he hasn't lost anything. He played to his strengths: guitar and orchestrated his 3-4 piece band and then Renato and Morris. There was NO holding back when he ripped into his guitar, choruses, chants, screams and deep passion he has for music. Yes, I wish this show was filmed, because it would open a door for people that don't really understand the versatility and talent that Prince truly has. But he continues to choose to restrict photos and film as much as he possibly can and he has that right, though I disagree with it, I abide by his wishes. Will you be able to see it at the Forum? NO. Not like this, not even close. So...I'm not generally the type that offers recommendations; I'm more the "to each his own" type of person. But I'm here to tell you, when Prince (or someone) announces that he is doing an intimate show, STOP what you're doing, if you're within 1000 miles, get on the phone, get on the computer and SECURE TICKETS!!!!!!! Take off work, tell the fam you'll be back, but DO NOT MISS PRINCE THE NEXT TIME HE DOES THIS......and it will be soon. Now, I've done my civic duty for the org, I will be back at the Forum on Friday and I will enjoy those shows, too. But again, if you don't see Prince like this, YOU WILL NEVER ACTUALLY see Prince.

[Edited 5/12/11 15:06pm]

[Edited 5/12/11 15:08pm]

The closest equivalent I have had to last night's show was the Tower Records appearance five years ago the night 3121 dropped. They differed in that the retail outlet really was not ideal for live performance and that it was a free promotional event and not a concert in the strictest sense. They were similar in that each showcased Prince in an environment without any of the encumberances of a "show," which freed him up to do the thing that he is better at than anything else: play music and make people groove to it.

My friend Realtor and I have had several conversations about P today as compared to years past. We have enjoyed several shows in the past, including most of the shows on this current Forum residency and they have all had their merits and high points, some more than others. But Realtor's point has always been that while the shows are good, some very good...they aren't the same as having the ultimate experience with him...which tend to be the smaller, more intimate private and one-off gigs. After being in the house last night I now understand.

These are just my opinions & personal thoughts. Prince's occupation is entertainer and performing/recording artist. But that is not what Prince IS. Prince is a musician. He doesn't need a lighting rig, costume changes, background singers, laser show, purple confetti, motorized trap doors, fake entrances and encores...don't misunderstand where I am saying. All of those things are part of the SHOW, and when he is on, he puts on a show like no other. A helluva performer. But last night's gigs took place in a space the size of a large living room with a stage the size of an elementary school cafeteria lunch table and it was all he needed to craft a masterpiece...not just once but twice. He played two full concerts last night each spanning around two and a half hours. Length is not a factor in determining quality, but it speaks to what a happening that was. I wasn't expecting anything like that...

My first thought as I read reports of the second show's setlist was that was the show I would have preferred...but as I reflected upon it I realized that you couldn't really compare the two experiences. Best way that I can describe my experience was that I was an observer as an artist was in a space of creation. As an artist myself (professional illustrator), I can appreciate how intimate an experience that is. The soundscape is his canvas, the band is his palette, the guitar is his brush...it was amazing to witness the manner in which he directed the band as they created on the spot...eyes were locked on Prince because with a gesture or expression he directed each one where he needed them to go. If he dug it, you knew it. If one flubbed a change or note, you knew that too. It wasn't canned, choreographed or orchestrated...the element of risk contributed to the excitement of the payoff. And this re-enforces why opening night of the LA stand was so special...it was the closest Prince has come to THIS level of craft and artistic expression while giving a concert performance maybe ever. That may sound hyperbolic but after last night, I now understand exactly why that night was so unique and why so many people were affected by it. We all want to believe that OUR concert, OUR experience, was special...and in their own way they are. But to Realtor's point about the "I was four feet away from P in the VIPs...he looked right at me! It's the only way to see him" responses...yeah, no. Not so much.

But that doesn't mean that the Forum concerts, or any other arena shows are worthless or meaningless. Far from it. As stated, I've done eight of ten and will do more. For most people, those shows are enough. I'm not talking to those people. I'm talking to the ones to whom you don't have to explain the difference; they GET it.

Some may have wanted more recognizable songs or less jamming but I appreciate so much the opportunity to have witnessed that act of creation in such an intimate environment, right in front of the stage. And that, I believe, is the point...this environment is the only way to see what Prince is really all about, what he is capable of, what turns him on. That man loves music more than any musician I have ever seen...he doesn't just play it, it's what he is. That's why he doesn't appear to care about business, or politics, or in some ways money doesn't appear to be a major motivation...the man is only about the music.

[Edited 5/12/11 18:50pm]

1ststatestereo said:

Is anyone else sick to their stomach that they didn't see this show?

Yes, OMG, I've felt sick since the beginning of the LA run, which is why I've avoided coming here during the shows and seeing the setlist. I knew it would really depress me. This shows setlist, along with the rest of these from the last couple weeks have been magical. I can't believe I'm missing them. I'm sick over this, if I can't see Prince this summer I'm going to be so upset, it will ruin my entire summer. I hate it, just hate it that I can't see him, in such a small venue, so upclose, such passion in his playing.

1ststatestereo said:

Is anyone else sick to their stomach that they didn't see this show?

Yes, especially because I had a ticket in my cart 3xs, but Ticketfly would say my CC info was wrong. By the time Ticketfly responded to tell me it was because my CC also works as a debit card, the tickets were gone.