Genesia said:

Okay - I don't know how many tickets they gave away, but that place was packed for both shows, on all levels. I'll have a full review tomorrow, but here are the quick and dirty set lists: 8:00 show Let's Go Crazy/Frankenstein Endorphinmachine Screwdriver She's Always in My Hair The Love We Make I Could Never Take the Place... Guitar Plectrum Electrum FixUrLifeUp When Doves Cry - full version Nasty Girl - snippet Sign O The Times - full version The Most Beautiful Girl - sample Hot Thing - full version Love Bizarre - full version Housequake Mr. Goodnight - sample Purple Rain Encore 1 Even Flow Bambi Encore 2 Stratus U Got the Look 11:30 show Same through She's Always in My Hair Free I Could Never etc. Guitar Plectrum Electrum FixUrLifeUp I Like It There So Far So Pleased Stratus Encore 1 Purple Rain The Max Laydown Encore 2 Even Flow More later today - but maybe not til I'm back home.

Now that sounds great, especially the 2nd Show.

Thanks motherfunka

prince rocked the house. he was on fire. people stayed for another hour chanting and begging for the encores he graciously gave us. much love to prince and third eye girls!!!!!!!!

[Edited 5/26/13 2:27am]

XxAxX said:

prince rocked the house. he was on fire. people stayed for another hour chanting and begging for the encores he graciously gave us. much love to prince and third eye girls!!!!!!!!

[Edited 5/26/13 2:27am]

So how come the review is so negative? Sounds like the reviewer and you went to two different shows.

[Edited 5/26/13 4:54am]

serpan99 said:

Prince at the Myth: Not enough grit, sex or passion

By Ross Raihala
rraihala@pioneerpress.com

Posted: 05/26/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

http://www.twincities.com...rit-sex-or

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Prince lost some cool points over the past few weeks after he booked a pair of Memorial Day weekend shows at the Myth in Maplewood and then watched the $259 tickets languish largely unsold. That's when the Purple One did something he rarely does. He panicked.

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Late Thursday afternoon, barely 48 hours before he took the stage for the first show Saturday night, he offer fire-sale $149 and $99 tickets. He flooded local radio stations with giveaways. His old Revolution bandmate Bobby Z leaked the news he would be sitting in on drums to play "Purple Rain." Earlier in the month, Prince even granted interviews to his two hometown daily newspapers, something he hasn't done in ages.

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All of which wouldn't have mattered had Prince and his new, all-female backing band 3rd Eye Girl blown the roof off the Myth, a former shoe store a half hour's drive from First Avenue, the downtown Minneapolis club that helped make him famous. Instead, during the first of two Saturday-night performances, the Purple Yoda took a far more low-key, leisurely approach that saw him air some stiff new material and turn some of his biggest hits into slow-moving jam sessions.

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The shows capped off a flurry of activity from the 54-year-old Minneapolis native. He opened the year with six similarly high-priced gigs at the tiny Dakota Jazz Club that, in part, served to introduce 3rd Eye Girl, a power trio in the fashion of Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys. He then took 3rd Eye Girl on the road for a high-profile West Coast club tour.

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The Dakota shows were advertised as open rehearsals, and the size of the place meant the crowd was close enough to see Prince (not) sweat. Any sense of intimacy disappeared at the Myth, which was crowded, but not sold out. And despite adding the perk of free drinks for the $259 ticketholders, those with cheaper tickets had nearly the same view. The folks who paid $99 might have even had the best vantage point in the building.

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For just under 100 minutes, Prince led 3rd Eye Girl through pretty much the same set of tunes he's played at every stop on the tour. That meant a slowed-down "Let's Go Crazy" to kick things off, followed by lesser-known songs from his back catalog (like 1995's "Endorphinmachine") and brand-new material (like "Fixurlifeup"). Ever wonder what, say, 1987's "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" sounds like performed at a funereal pace? Well, it doesn't sound like a party, I'll tell you that much.

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All of that said, 3rd Eye Girl does show tremendous promise, and they seem to be getting tighter with every performance. But Saturday night, Prince kept them on such a tight leash, the show often had the polite, professional feel of a Sunday afternoon jam session led by bored Guitar Center employees. Every song was begging for at least a little more grit, a little more sex and a little more passion.

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Those who wanted to hear the old hits played the way they remember them got a bit of relief near the end of the concert, when Prince trotted out a handful of them medley-style, including "Sign o' the Times," "When Doves Cry" and "Housequake." (Although it's worth noting this section of the concert was typically longer, with more selections, at other tour stops.) It was also touching to see Bobby Z come out for "Purple Rain," and Prince had nothing but nice things to say about a guy who was with him for many of his earliest successes.

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But then Prince returned for an encore that kicked off with -- of all things -- a jazz fusion-style instrumental version of Pearl Jam's grunge-era hit "Even Flow." It was a true head-scratching moment in an evening full of them. Where Prince will go next, and whether or not 3rd Eye Girl will be invited along for the ride, is anyone's guess.

[Edited 5/25/13 22:39pm]

jazz fusion-style instrumental version of "Even Fro"? yikes!! he should have just played "Creep"

Prince is in a Purple haze in his heavy-rock gigs at the Myth

Posted by: Jon Bream under Music, Minnesota musicians Updated: May 26, 2013 - 6:36 AM

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http://www.startribune.co...86301.html

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Prince had to resort to an unprecedented Purple Light special — $259 tickets cut to $149 and $99 for the final three days — to fill the 3,200-capacity Myth nightclub in Maplewood for two gigs Saturday night. But he didn’t give discount performances. In fact, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer delivered two of his most rocking shows ever in his hometown.

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If clubgoers expected an evening of funk and pop hits from the architect of the Minneapolis Sound, this wasn’t their show. This was Prince, who turns 55 next week, in a Purple haze, playing heavy rock, sort of a reimagination of his youth listening to KQRS, with shades of Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Miles and even the James Gang — and a Pearl Jam cover (an instrumental “Even Flow”) for good measure. This was Prince playing with a brand new band he debuted in January at the Dakota in Minneapolis, the female trio 3rdEyeGirl, sounding fresh and hungry with players probably young enough to be his daughters.

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Although both of Saturday’s concerts started with the same ferocious triple play of an aggressive, metallic “Let’s Go Crazy,” the Stones-ian “Endorphinemachine” and the recent rockin’ single “Screwdriver” (which sounds like the best Aerosmith song in years), the two gigs couldn’t have been more different.

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The opening 95-minute program resembled many of the shows on Prince’s current 10-city tour of clubs and small theaters; it featured a crowd-thrilling medley of hits including “When Doves Cry,” “A Love Bizarre” (with a disco-y bass line) and “Housequake.” The closing, free-wheeling 105-minute set eschewed the hits medley and instead explored some more obscure oldies, including “Free” (from 1982), “So Far So Pleased” (1999) and “Laydown”(2010).

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Both sets featured “Purple Rain” with guest drummer Bobby Z, who, of course, played on the original version but hadn’t played it in concert with Prince since probably 1987. At the Myth, the song became a spiritual moment, not only because of Prince’s churchy piano playing but also because of his genuinely emotional preaching, talking in the first set how Z was there for Prince’s first TV appearance and first award and, in the second set, how Z has been a steady source of encouragement.

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But Prince & the Revolution was then, 3rdEyeGirl is now. Drummer Hannah Ford Welton is an energetic powerhouse, bassist Ida Nielsen plays it thick and sturdy, and guitarist Donna Grantis is an accomplished shredder, well versed in metal vocabulary. And Prince was a monster on guitar, showing more range and depth, though less soulfulness and subtlety. He also sat at the piano, doing everything from a New Orleans R&B groove to grand melodic passage that stopped just short of classical territory.

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If fans needed another indication that this is a Prince of a different color, he wore one outfit all night. Remember when he used to change clothes between songs? He didn’t even change between concerts on Saturday. He stayed with the same black top, pants and leather jacket, with fringed sleeves and rhinestones, and his recent hairdo, that Jackson 5-like Afro.

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Prince never mentioned Maplewood once but he did call the crowd “Minneapolis,” “Minneapolis/St. Paul” and mostly just “hometown.” He seemed happy and free — and more talkative than he was at the Dakota, where he played six gigs over three nights in January. In fact, his eight advertised shows (as opposed to those spontaneous late-night performances at Paisley Park in Chanhassen) may represent the most he’s ever played in his hometown in a single year.

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Saturday’s late gig also stood out for having probably the youngest crowd at a Twin Cities Prince concert in the past 20 years. Never has there been so many people who appeared to be under the age of 40. Maybe they know he’s onto something with the youngish 3rdEyeGirl.

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What did the fans think?

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“He played brilliantly but I hated the ending,” said Jonora Jones, 38, of Charlotte, N.C., referring to Prince whispering to his bandmates who announced “Prince lost his voice” so they played an instrumental. “He’s better than that.”

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Kent Peckel, 45, and his wife Katie, 37, of St. Paul, spent more than $1,000 to attend both sets. “The shows were pretty different,” he said. “The second was more compelling because they stretched out more and pulled out obscure stuff. He’s become a really generous performer, and he’s generous to the other band members. For years, they have been faceless.”

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“The show at the Dakota was a show of a lifetime because I was in the front row,” said Kelly Coffey, 39, of Minneapolis. “He was entertaining tonight. He’s the best. It was worth $150.”

KoolEaze said:

XxAxX said:

prince rocked the house. he was on fire. people stayed for another hour chanting and begging for the encores he graciously gave us. much love to prince and third eye girls!!!!!!!!

[Edited 5/26/13 2:27am]

So how come the review is so negative? Sounds like the reviewer and you went to two different shows.

i really do not know! !! that review stinks. most unfair. my friend and i went to the second show; we were just standing on a packed dance floor in a packed club, swaying and watching this amazing talent simply RIP into the songs. prince seemed happy and looked like he was enjoying himself. the star tribune review is a much better reflection of what happened and i think the folks who were here would agree. i'm not at all sure what got into rosswhatsisface of the pioneer press but it's hard to even believe he was at the same show.

[Edited 5/26/13 5:45am]

Prince draws eclectic crowd to Minneapolis

Posted: May 26, 2013 2:28 PM Updated: May 26, 2013 2:38 PM

http://www.myfoxtwincitie...inneapolis

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VIDEO report: http://www.myfoxtwincitie...start=true

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[Edited 5/26/13 5:59am]

XxAxX said:

KoolEaze said:

So how come the review is so negative? Sounds like the reviewer and you went to two different shows.

i really do not know! !! that review stinks. most unfair. my friend and i went to the second show; we were just standing on a packed dance floor in a packed club, swaying and watching this amazing talent simply RIP into the songs. prince seemed happy and looked like he was enjoying himself. the star tribune review is a much better reflection of what happened and i think the folks who were here would agree. i'm not at all sure what got into rosswhatsisface of the pioneer press but it's hard to even believe he was at the same show.

[Edited 5/26/13 5:45am]

I actually met Ross a few years back and we've exchanged emails and he's a nice guy. So there's that. Everyone's entitled to an opinion. I had a great time but it wasn't my favorite show ever. In fact the shorter set at the Dakota (Thursday night w/o ThirdEyeGirl) was more my flavor of Prince.

That said, as I was exiting the (first) show I overheard numerous people exclaiming what a great show it was. I heard someone say it was the best show they'd ever been to, in fact. While I saw a handful of familiar faces (especially in the VIP, which I was not a part of but right behind) the crowd around me mostly seemed to be made up of folks who had either never seen Prince or only seen him a couple of times. If this was your first introduction it was a great show.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Before we even got there we were considering picking up cheap seats to the late show but I was awfully tired at the end of the first and we decided to just go home. If I hadn't been on a 21 mile bike ride in the afternoon I may have been fresher.

When he came out it was all purple hazy Hendrix-like. In fact a more casual fan who was next to us who we'd been chatting with before the show leaned over and said "It's Hendrix up there!". The guitar was heavy and it was damn fun.

Normally I positively HATE the get-fams-up-on-stage-to-dance section but I didn't mind it so much as I had a clear view of Prince behind the keyboard booth/thingy and his little mix of hits was fun.

Bringing Bobby on for Purple Rain and the heartfelt speech about him sticking by his side from the beginning till now was pretty awesome and I wouldn't be surprised if some folks teared up. While not my favorite song by a long shot, it still gets me live. I never get tired of hearing it.

The encores were OK but nothing to write home about. Yes, there was evenflow and the crowd around me seemed to know that better than some of the other songs.

This was my boyfriend's 3rd Prince show overall (2nd with me) and he said it was his favorite. He loved the guitar.

Astasheiks said:

Sounds like he gets more respect outside his hometown.

Besides what u mention in Denver, seem like they can't way to see him at the Montreaux Festival in Switzerland in July.

[Edited 5/26/13 0:36am]

Montreux, without an "a".

an experience good or bad is something you have to be ready for... altough i wasn't at the concert (no cash or frequently flyer miles) i'm certain it was awesome (at least it would have been for me). my big question... when are the concerts going to be made available to those of us who can't make the journey far and wide? i'd pay at least $30 to see a prince concert online.

Completely suprised when I heard him going into So Far So Pleased..of all the songs..I was stunned. I was only person around screaming loudly the lyrics with my cranberry vodka in my hand.

I was also taken back by hearing this loose rock style version of The Max. He invited people on stage for this cut and it was almost non-rehearsed like. Even Prince doing Tony M's part in the chorus awesome. It was anti-climatic and stunning in the same time..like he just said FUCK IT I'm doing The Max now!

Bobby Z ‏@BobbyZ1999 1m

Thank u Prince for the beautiful words, the beautiful music & the beautiful friendship. I am eternally grateful. Love, Z @3rdeyegirl #PRINCE

Thanks for the reviews y'all! This is why I like the org

Wow Love We Make and Stratus on piano, long jazzy piano solo, and I love what he said about Bobby Z. Sounds amazing. He always plays his best in MN. Kinda wish I waited to see him there instead of in Vegas....I hope this wasn't really the concluding show of LOL tour

Genesia said:

The concert gods smiled on me! He just took my ticket (didn't even look at it) and wrapped a green band around me wrist. Score!

All in all, a pretty amazing night.

Excellent review, Genesia! Really helps me understand the differences in the shows. It's too bad we didn't cross paths.

The guitar issues really were a shame. At one point I leaned over to my bf and said "he is PISSED" what with the problems and the looks on his face.

We had considered picking up cheap seats for the second show but I ended up being too tired. We went on a 30 mile bike ride in the afternoon and at about mile 21 I got a flat tire, so had to call a cab and later pick up my bike. With that happening we arrived at 6:15 or so instead of the 5:30 I had planned on and we missed the cutoff for VIP. Ah well, we had a great spot anyway just behind the rail on the right side of the floor. The positively perfect spot for when he was on the keys/whatever and the moonbeam level lights were pretty damn magical from that angle.

Wow... I am so glad I made it to the show last night. I haven't had that much fun at a concert in a long time. I really enjoyed hearing so many of my favorites for the first time. Endorphinmachine, So Far..., The Max... it was the type of setlist I'd been waiting to see live for 10 years or so. It was amazing how few hits he played. I think some of the crowd was a bit disappointed but this was definitely my dream Prince concert. My one complaint is that I could have done with fewer instrumetals... Stratus, Plectrum and Even Flow in one show? Only Plectrum Electrum really caught the crowd's attention, at least from what I could tell.

I couldn't believe how great 3rdeyegirl sounded. Tight, crunchy, heavy... Donna really impressed me. A lot of the solos I heard on the bootlegs which I enjoyed and assumed were Prince's were actually hers. The band sounds WORLDS better than in that Bambi rehearsal video from January. I hope I get to see these guys again some time.

Just a note: I was near the front of the Tier 2& 3 line and got to see Prince's new manager. Without giving away too much, I will say that she definitely acts her age. Very unprofessional manner, walking around in short-shorts, bragging to people that "I work for him," when asked about her giant camera she was taking pictures with... not very managerial. If only she knew how many people in this city have worked for him and the stories they could tell her.

Saw Larry and his wife swaying to Purple Rain. It was cool to see Larry and not have to sit through the same Sly songs again. Would have loved to see him play Joy in Repetition or Alphabet Street though. He's a legend, even if he can be a bit much.

Bobby Z started Purple Rain a bit nervous and tentative but by the time Prince sang the 3rd verse Bobby was in complete control, mastering the dynamics that make this song such a joy to hear. Was great to hear Prince speak kindly about the man.

I say again: Great show! Definitely better than the Paisley show from 2009. Dunno if it can replace 07/07/07 as my favorite Prince show. We'll see!

Thanks Prince! I haven't enjoyed being a fan this much since 2009 when I listened to the Montreux show.

motherfunka said:

Madonna sold out two shows at the Xcel and a lot of those tickets were 375.00 a piece, and that place holds 4 times as much as Myth.

One point to be made, only a portion of her tickets were 375.00 Most were more affordable than that.

CarrieMpls said: