fec06 said:

Astasheiks said:

What city you flying from? Seem like you're in TX.

From Killeen...will be flying out of Dallas.

Cool, Have a funky time and party for us that couldn't make it!!!

Astasheiks said:

purplediamonds said:

I just have to add that I am BEYOND excited about him being here in New Orleans!! I have not posted anything here on Prince.org in YEARS YEARS YEARS - used to be on here every day back in the days of Xenophobia Celebration (which I had the pleasure of attending back in 2002). But life just gets in the way and then you just stop taking the time to reach out as much as you used to. BUT NOW I'M THINKING NOTHING BUT PURPLE, so I immediately came here knowing I would get my fix!!! I just can not keep my excitement contained and I know others here have to be feeling it too!!! I have tickets for me and my 2 children (ages 26 and 20) who have never seen him perform and I can not wait for them to see him! I was all the way at the top of the Superdome during the last Essence Fest of 2004, but this year, we do have better seats (not the best but those are VERY pricey!!) but we are in Section 147. I work right down the street from the Superdome and every day this week driving to work, when I hit Poydras Street, I just clap my hands because they have Prince's pictures, along with other Essence artists, on street posts lining the road. YAY YAY YAY!!! How many of us Prince.org-ers are actually going???? And gosh, I wonder if any of my old crew are around.....DexMSR, Rainbow Ray, LavenderLovelace, Psychodelicide....SOOO MANY NAMES, but all you guys who were there back in 2002 for the Celebration!!! You guys were part of some of the happiest times of my life!!! Gosh, just thinking about Prince and all the memories...all the years.....first concert was Purple Rain back in the 80's. Have not fallen off my adoration for him since!! I'm just SOOOO excited for Essence and CAN NOT WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish some of you would take some photos of the Prine pictures on the street posts and post them so we can see what they look like.

And party hard for us for those that can make it!!!!

[Edited 7/3/14 7:21am]

It would be great if people posted pics or put stuff up on YOUTUBE. Just to get an idea of what the vibe is like.

metallicjigolo said:

Here in NOLA but can't make it due to dads cancer treatment and for the fact the tickets are so $$$. I know LIV is having an after show, any mention of Prince being there?!? I'd be willing at this point to see all my possessions to get a ticket and get out of this house! I'm bout to go crazy!!!

God be with your family in this time.

If only Prince would tour the U.S. and come down south, some of the stress of life would be allieveated.

Come on Mr. Nelson!

[Edited 7/6/14 19:11pm]

Who knew Prince would be such a huge draw? When I saw the ticket prices I didn't think he'd sell so good. This is great, and for a good cause. Hope everyone has fun. Jealous that I can't be there.

http://www.nola.com/essencefest/index.ssf/2014/07/prince_on_pace_to_sell_out_the.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Whoever is going, having a good time! Hope it's a great show.

lezama said:

Who knew Prince would be such a huge draw? When I saw the ticket prices I didn't think he'd sell so good. This is great, and for a good cause. Hope everyone has fun. Jealous that I can't be there.

http://www.nola.com/essencefest/index.ssf/2014/07/prince_on_pace_to_sell_out_the.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Thanks 4 posting.

Very impressive according 2 the above link:

According to one executive with direct knowledge of ticket sales, he'll play to the largest single-night Essence crowd at least since Hurricane Katrina -- larger even than Beyonce's sold-out Essence show in 2013.

williamb610 said:

metallicjigolo said:

williamb610 said:

God be with your family in this time. My aunt has cancer as well.

If only Prince would tour the U.S. and come down south, some of the stress of life would be allieveated.

Come on Mr. Nelson!

Thanks William. Love & Prayers to your family as well. My dad could see I've been going crazy all day, so he bought me a ticket to after show. Gotta Love him!! If I know Prince he will be there and performing as well. Couldn't miss it. Peace & Love.

Awww, have fun and give your dad a big hug from me....I shall be praying for him.

pennylover said:

lezama said:

Who knew Prince would be such a huge draw? When I saw the ticket prices I didn't think he'd sell so good. This is great, and for a good cause. Hope everyone has fun. Jealous that I can't be there.

http://www.nola.com/essencefest/index.ssf/2014/07/prince_on_pace_to_sell_out_the.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Thanks 4 posting.

Very impressive according 2 the above link:

According to one executive with direct knowledge of ticket sales, he'll play to the largest single-night Essence crowd at least since Hurricane Katrina -- larger even than Beyonce's sold-out Essence show in 2013.

Wow!

They must be rocking down there, right about now!

Can't wait to hear about the Set List and Reviews.

http://www.lasvegassun.co...lebration/

pfunkpilot said:

I'm here in New Orleans. It's positively electric in anticipation. If the airport and streets are any gauge, this show will be 60-70% African American Female. I haven't seen demographics like this since 1999 tour. And you know Prince is gonna skew the set list towards the crowd....

60-70% Afrikan American Female? Sounds like my kind of party! Too bad I ain't there. I could be digging the music and my surroundings.

Come to Memphis, already, Prince!

typo

[Edited 7/4/14 22:39pm]

3rdeyedude said:

http://www.lasvegassun.co...lebration/

Surely this is not all he did?

The above link simply reports on his guest appearances with Janelle and Nile, before his own performance.

The set list so far reported as performed by Prince himself looks like a Hit N Run II show.

Fury said:

laurarichardson said:

donnyenglish said:

Lets go crazy, take me with you, rasberry beret, you got the look, little red corvette, nothing compares to you, act of god, when doves cry, sign of the times, kiss, cool, jungle love, the bird, days of wild, purple rain, some of party man, dont stop til you get enough, some of what have you done for me lately, sometimes it snows with lianne le havas, hot thing, funk and roll. Highlights were sometimes it snows. Lianne has a good voice. Little red corvette was good. Nothing compares to you was good because it was slightly different than previous performances. Days of wild was good. Hot thing was a nice surprise. He tried to do a hits show with 3rdeyegirl. I am not sure that is there thing. Npg horns were there and some dancers and cassandra on keys along with damaris lewis, etc. the three lady singers and liv. too much going on. Sound was bad. He barely touched his guitar. Only on purple rain. I enjoyed the show. I wanted to hear something in the water. Heading to the aftershow now. [Edited 7/5/14 0:16am]

Very well; sounds good but a typical predictable Set List. I supposed it still rocked??? I wonder how did the people enjoy it?

The comments on instagram are very favorable. Seems like everyone enjoyed the show and I see he played my favorite version of LRC (slow down! ) The part where the cellphones lit up the venue with the lights off looked amazing!

Sold more tickets than Beyonce...50,000 fans or so packed to see the old man...Not bad...But hey...I heard he's washed up on the Org....Go figure....

---

Prince pleased the crowd with hits at Essence Fest Friday

By Alison Fensterstock, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune The Times-Picayune
Follow on Twitter
on July 05, 2014 at 7:40 AM, updated July 05, 2014 at 9:26 AM

Link: http://www.nola.com/essen..._with.html

Essence Fest 2014

Well before the first glimpse of Prince at the kickoff of the Essence Festival's 20th anniversary weekend Friday night (July 4), his presence was palpable. The Mercedes-Benz Superdome was lit in purple. Many of the nearly 50,000 bodies that packed the Dome during one of the fest's rare, true sell-outs (Beyonce scored one, too, in 2013, but apparently not as well as Prince) wore the color, some on vintage Prince tour T-shirts.

At his last Essence gig, its 10th anniversary in 2004, the famously cryptic performer first appeared in disguise, roller-skating around the main stage during an opening band's show. This year as back then, the Purple One curated the lineup in the main room, booking Janelle Monae (he appeared on her 2013 album "The Electric Lady") and disco legend Nile Rodgers (whom he interviewed for a feature in Essence magazine). Rather magically, Prince popped up as himself during both act's sets; on guitar with Monae, at the end of her cover of his hit "Let's Go Crazy," and also with Rodgers, during a version of David Bowie's cool and glossy "Let's Dance," which Rodgers produced back in 1983.

The time Prince spent on guitar during those two brief cameos turned out to be almost equivalent to how long he spent on the instrument during his own set. After kicking off with a crunchy, metal-heavy version of "Let's Go Crazy," he didn't pick up the axe again until the encore of "Purple Rain."

Because the main stage schedule was running slightly behind, Prince didn't begin his set until about 11p.m. (Though, technically, he hit the stage at his scheduled 10:30, making his appearance with Rodgers.) His voice, speaking the immortal - "Dearly beloved..." – opening words of "Let's Go Crazy," kicked it off, emerging disembodied from behind a billowing white sheet.

The show was hit-heavy and long on audience engagement. His first declaration was that the band would play "14 hits all in a row," which, besides "Let's Go Crazy," included "Take Me With U," the Time's "Cool" and "Jungle Love," "Hot Thing," "Controversy," "Kiss," Vanity 6's "Nasty Girl," "Sign o' the Times," "When Doves Cry," "Raspberry Beret," "Hot Thing," "1999" and a slow and aching "Little Red Corvette." ("You know how many hits I got?" he shouted.) Trombone Shorty was introduced with fanfare during "Sometimes It Snows in April," featuring English soul singer Lianne La Havas, and stuck around onstage in a purple dress shirt.

With the core 3rdEyeGirl rock ensemble augmented by an 11-person New Power Generation horn section, Prince was effusive, playful and chatty, spending lots of time on the extended stage runway close to his fans; he played to the Essence crowd, demanding sing-alongs and keeping the energy high even as feedback and monitor problems plagued the show. After his 14 or so hits were ticked off, he thanked the NPG, Monae and Rodgers, and announced, "This is your party now, any requests?"

He didn't actually take any, but he delivered plenty of what the Superdome wanted – from the new cut "FunkNRoll" to a long, straight-funk medley of his own songs, such as "Party Man," "Act of God," and "Glamorous Life," penned for Shelia E. Over the course of the show, he even dropped in a brief take on Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody Love Me Better," and Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough." There were confetti cannons. A large bunch of purple balloons was released into the rafters of the Dome. After a resounding audience chant, the aching first notes of "Purple Rain" sounded for a second encore - the same song with which Prince had closed his 10th anniversary Essence show in 2004.

Prince left the Superdome stage close to 1 a.m., and, within hours, was back at it for a cameo appearance with L...e of Blues that lasted until 5 a.m. Further thoughts on his Essence 20th anniversary shows are forthcoming today; share your own in the comments.

Thankfully I missed it. Sounds like a typical boring gig. Give me Badu any ole day--or the Roots.

What's funny is Raheem Devaughn was probably betta.

Van Hunt will save us.