http://www.theage.com.au/...53007.html

Prince's secret gig not-so-secret
By Patrick Donovan
Music Writer
October 21, 2003

Secret's out: Prince surprised fans with a gig at Bennett's Lane last night.

The hottest tickets in Melbourne last night were for a secret gig by Prince - and they cost only $20.

Rock's most reclusive star wanted a warm up for shows tonight and tomorrow at Rod Laver Arena and chose the intimate city jazz venue Bennett's Lane - which holds a mere 200.

By 8.30pm word of the gig had got out - and on the net - and 100 people were queueing for tickets for what they hoped would be an 11.30 show - even if they were being told the gig was not going ahead.

Bennett's Lane owner Michael Tortoni was surprised when the artist formerly known as a symbol turned up at his club at midnight on Sunday asking if he could play a show with his eight-piece band.

Mr Tortoni jokingly replied that he didn't think he could help him because he was heavily booked.

Prince, as he is known again, has been good to Melbourne. He played a club gig at St Kilda's Palace on his last tour in 1992.

Perusing the set list from his show in Hong Kong on Friday night confirmed that it is a greatest hits tour. The show included hits Kiss, Purple Rain, When Doves Cry and Sign O the Times.


But considering Bennett's Lane is a sit-down jazz-style bar, there was just as much chance that he would play more avant garde free-form material his recent albums.

Bennett's Lane has been attracting some big international artists since jazz performer Wynton Marsalis played a warm-up show in 1995. Harry Connick Jnr has played the venue three times.

Last night's show was anticipated to be the hottest club show in Melbourne since Bob Dylan played at the Mercury Lounge in 1998.

And 20 Prince fans will meet their hero tonight, attend the sound check, watch his stadium gig from side stage and go to the after-party. Those tickets, however, cost $1000.




[This message was edited Mon Oct 20 8:37:55 PDT 2003 by serpan99]

So did he play?

TRON said:

Appearantly he did a 45 minute set according 2 a post in another thread. Only instrumental though, no singing at all and an abrupt end as well. I gfuess more accurate reports will follow soon..

sounds like BB's in L.A.

nunatak said:

Exactly. They even played Shhh.