u say you want a Revolution? Family Jamm, something very special



Lawd lawd lawd…The Family got off! Point fucking blank. This is gonna be a long and winding road...I mean thread because I have to fit it all in somewhere, somehow…

I couldn’t find my damn boa! I dressed crazy by dressing conservatively for the most part booo

Well we left and did a meet n greet with some online members and it was great to meet folks finally. Nu, Blue, Efan, KD, Resistor, Muave, Ananda (bwahahaha-u owe me!), EC, Purplestyle 7, Utopia, J7, Pej, Chico, RedZryder..chile I was so nerbous tee hee!

Wow what a great night. It was like the celebration inside out because Prince was not there yet it was prince-ified…and because instead of seven days it was only one night but OH WHAT A NIGHT! I BELIEVE IT MAY HAVE BEEN MY BEST PRINCE RELATED EXPERIENCE EVER AND THE MUTHERFUCKER WASN’T EVEN THERE LOL

First off there was that “buzz” in the air...deep down folks were hoping he would show but nevertheless whatever happened The Revolution and others were going to be joined in one place for the first time in so many years or ever. Apples, JJ ( the lady cab driver moaner) , Mad-fuckin-House, The Family. It was just a little reminder of what that Triple Threat tour atmosphere must have been like...or like the great one said, maybe the ragtag 86 era.

Well it all began a bit late and Carmen came and did her into and it was just buzz…JJ came and sang and it was weird and she had a nice dress on that I wold wear if I had that type of body…and she got love from the audience and she knew we knew who she was. Then Apollonia came on and did her sing song thing with the audience helping and she did not seem comfortable for some reason. It was as if she was doing try outs or something, I don’t get it. Is this the girl who “tried” to sing Sex Shooter? What gives? These folks were here to adore ya and u still gonna be shy? Whaaa? Anyways the audience was still giddy and I was not really paying attention because I was looking for someone anyways walking around…but I feel I did not miss anything and I thought Jill could have sang another number or a different song at least…ah well.

Then they introduced Madhouse and the place became a madhouse...Sheila walked over to da drums as everyone including her was introduced…and lawd folks went Ker-razeee lol. Fink came out and they tripped, but there was that one spotlight in the center waiting for the main mufugga…here comes Eric like he is the shit, and he is…and the funny thing is was that we knew it and HE knew it lol…he comes movin up slowly into his light with his head cocked and ear to the audience as in “lemme hear it” lol. He knows he has love. Well they did their numbers but when they did 6 is when folks really got down. Folks were just swoopin.

Then came…the one...the only…The Family..introduced as a band of “ones” as previously mentioned in other places. I was on my way for another brew but when she (Carmen) said that ( a band of “one”’s) I had to get back to my seat because I was NOT going to miss this even for a lil bit. They were introduced and back lit and came onstage to their respective places…ahhh the atmosphere of this band and the joint when they came on. It was like seeing a mythical band that never got to be. The place went crazy I swear...I know I did. The opening strings of River Run Dry was playing as they came out and it was ON! I swear. Susanah and Paul began singing and there was Jerome off to the side doing his Jerome thing LOL…he can work that one drumstick and tap it on the one like nobody’s business LOL. Man when they did Screams Of Passion it was AL over as well…folks were into this so bad and so much it was simply joy, simply joy…and don’t get me started on High Fashion. Folk s were just jammin and at the part about “one of my boys had to carry half, baby u know that’s bold. Wait a minute!” was sung with him even though he changed it up ading Jerome to the mix…and Mutiny? Get t he fuck outta here...they tore that one up..Paul worked up a sweat working this song like a 9to5! When they would go to the Mutiny…I’m Takin Ovaaa chrous. part folks were jumpiin up and down pointing their finger like they do to Jump Around by House Of Pain and it was beautiful, simply beautiful...they were ALL getting down working it..Paul, Sus, Jerome, JELLYBEEEAAANNN!! “don’t be so mean!” Paul kept saying lol….Eric was blowin and Jerome was doing his comical thing, dancin’, having fun go around the audience etc…the band had everybody up and on their feet and just so glad to finally se The Family live…and it was cool too without Prince because even though Prince wrote and directed, he was never “there” in its presentation to the public so to speak so it was as if nothing was missing and the band finally got its chance…and they broke Nothing Compares To You simply down too, I wanted to cry—Mutiny and Screams and Nothing made me break down inside with I don’t know what to call it..Nothing was simply beautiful and the anticipation when they began it…folks were raving. I know I was. It was something on a higher plane I swear, at least to me and others I’ve witnessed loving it. This was truly a blessing to see The Family and they ha d so much fun performing u could just se the joy from them. Paul was simply amazing in presence , having fun, and in voice!
I was ready to go home if need be after that set seriously –there performance alone was worth it to me.

Then Sheila came on with her Romance 1600 band—my fav album o f hers ..I love me some romance 1600 …She played Belle Of St Mark which was never a favorite but its pop and sh e was there to help out –it ended up being a nice groove and it came out good live…made me wonder if she was still singing about prince..then she broke out with Olivers House and at first I didn’t know what it was but she sort of freaked it and took out the electronics roboticness of the music and it was cool! Gonna have…fun...Olivers house...make a lotta white noise…etc lol had me dyin that she pulled this deep cut out…hell yeah…Then she also did 17 Days and Im like whaaa but lovin th e chorus etc and th e whole place was singin with her and doin th e rain come down hand gestures hahaha…and when she finaly broke out th e obligatory Glamours Life it was cool to hear and sing to th e “they drove to 55 secret st…” part. And by the 7th wave, she knew she had a problem…love..its glamorous! Sheeeit I loved it. I also got to witness doing a SOTT worthy drum solo right in front of my own eyes (see..there is a god).

Then The Revolution.It was odd to say the least. Mark now is taking over th e stage for being passed over on presence in the past lol. When they came on it was like a sigh of relief…and emotional as hell as was the whole evening and other performances from the others...no Prince...maybe he will end up last who knows. When Wendy said he isn’t here tonight I was ice-grilling with a “no” emotoicon stance…but she was doing Anotherloverholeinnyohead and I couldn’t front any longer—I said ahhh fuck it and grooved. Then she sang “u don’t understand face to face” and we all sang it in unison and it was semi sung with passion to u know who and why. The Revolution for the most part got off and at the beginning of Mountains I didn’t know what it was but then they began singing and it was groovin… The whole crowd LUBBED Mountains …and they broke it down to goodtars and drums on the one lol. Sheila dubbed the geetars as “good”-tar that night lol. Lisa tried to do the Bobby on the drums thing but I couldn’t hear what she said lol. Wendy did great as a frontwoman and her version of Purple Rain was beautiful…respect to her. I want to hear a version with her sangin it.

Patti was funny readin th e words and hootin n hollerin etc and Chaka went thru the motions (thank god only one song).

It was a wonderful night but it was alas emotional and melancholy….and it was a great vibe. Me and another person said thank god that they didn’t sing Sometimes It Snows because they and we would not have been able to handle it, it was that raw of a nerve night...and it makes me wonder just like it made Robert Plant wonder.

This Prince family tree is something very special. And it really hit home fo r me that night. There is so much love in this Prince fabric that it is overshadowed by the politics of the industry, the bands, and us as the audience. That night was my best Prince experience and he wasn’t even in the house but he was in spirit in more ways than one and in ways we don’t know. The bands being together was so much camaraderie and love between them it rubbed off on us all I believe. Some tings of note:

This was also very special to me because I seemed to have crossed that lone from net world to real world—I met a lot of wonderful, extremely wonderful people from the net community. We had a complete blast. We got to meet the bands and they were very very nice. But the best part of the night was the people from the online community. That was the highlight to me. Finally meeting up with the people I see on a damn near daily basis and only see their avatars and words. Each person I met was a great experience. I had to carry one who was drunk from the top of the forum stairs to the floor seats where we were and folks were looking at me like “aahhhahah his lady is drunk when it was my wife behind us being very accommodating with me walking someone drunk who we JUST met a few hours ago who was drunk then down the venue...as well as beng cool when I inspected a tit with a symbol tattoo. Some of us had a preshow dinner which was the very first meeting up for me and it was cool. I was so nervous lol. But it all worked out well. I had din din with Nu and his fair maiden. TGIF has terrible fish n chips by the way. Met crazy folks like EC, Blue, Kd, Beautifulone7, Resistor, EC…and later Efan, Pej, Chico, J7 and more…after we met folks and something else of note:

The bands all had this family vibe...Finks ma and pa were even there and I talked to his pops who was very nice...Sheila is very very tiny –how can she be that powerful on drums in that small little body lol…David Riv even Steve Parke was there..and the lighting—props to Mr Bennett! He lit up the audience with back lighting several times and I didnt have foundation on but still—several folk s had that hand devils horns sign held up like they did in Lets Go Crazy hehehe…Jerome and his wife, etc ..me and Nu imagined that this was what it must have been like behind the scenes at the 86 shows. Meeting Wendy n Lisa and Susanah and Matt , Paul, Jellybean and his big self, Eric! Lord! I was sooo excited and like a schoolgirl I had no idea…I was literally drunk on excitement and felt like I was in some dream..the whole friggin night I felt like that..I was gaga seeing Wendy n Lisa and it showed ask Pej—I was being clowned all night because it was a proverbial kid in a candy store vibe for me…not just meeting some of the musicians I grew up listening to but I had good online community people and my better half with me to share it with. The bands all seemed to be happy to see one anpothe r and it was sad sometimes…Sheila is a special person..



But as I said it was the people I met that made it that much more especial to me…Nu-KDowney –BlueAura-Efan-Ecnirp19997 -Happi -JovanAngel -Pej –Chico,
NMNPG , Resistor, Utopia7 , Mauve , Berry, Brian ,TheResistor ,J7, Ananda, EC, Tisamarie,,Insatiable, Mardistitsta, EverlastinNow, ( me and Everlastin Now even joked around. I can’t hate too much on the girls no mo hehe) SK etc..Redzryder, Purplestyle 7
So that’s Bobby eh lol?…does he...has he...ever hurt anyone when he does his dances in the audience because it looks like he is going to take somebody’s eye out one day. God knows I’m forgetting somebody etc it all happened so fast and so furious. Our lil entoruage were just like cool ghosts..Pej and Chico and Nu and Blue and My baby, and Berry even….we had so much fun and it was sooo great to meet up with these people after all of this time. It was a perfect atmosphere and nothing could have made it better. You say you wanted a revolution? Well we got it, had one…and an open bar doesn’t hoit either. So props to The Revolution, Th e extended family bands, and more importantly to thoise from P org and npgmc for making this a night I will never forget . It literally changed my being and that’s what this was like..one of those performances where it changes you..several things like that come to mind...the U2 spring Zoo Tv was a life changing event…the Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge second night Rose Bowl, Patti Labelle in 1990, Meshell in 2000 etc..some events just take you higher and this was one of them. And Prince wasn’t even there, that’s the irony and humor of it imo. Sheila mentioned “if u know a promotoer..let em lknow so we can tour with this”, which is an excellent idea. Theaters weould be packed. This was billed as a 1st Annual thing so maybe this will continue logistics willing. Now I know what folks felt at The Celebrations—and how interested it must have been because it was a 7 day event..I remember reading how folks were having withdrawl symptoms last year and couldn’t really understand why—now I do…..special thanks to D, my better half for allowing me to really go “out there” with her not knowing the people as I did and for understanding and taking care of me…she was just chillin while I was runnin around like a kid in a candy store like Pej and Nu ( “rd you’re hyper”)said I was lol…and thanks to everyone I met for making it my best Prince experience ever.
[This message was edited Sat Dec 20 19:20:58 PST 2003 by rdhull]

Dayum...You met me too...
I guess I'm not very memorable...
Granted I dont post much...
Dont chat much anymore either...
And we didn't talk too much...
But I wholeheartedly agree that the show was something special...
The chance to meet these extraordinary musicians was truely priceless and the thrill of a lifetime.
Not to mention to the chance to spend time with my wonderful extended family members that I've come to know and love over the years.

RdHull,

Thanks for that post. You really described what it was like to be there! Especially the part about the Family set. The way you described that was right on!

The whole night was surreal.

I think I'm going through withdrawal now too

thanks 4 sharing this

moving experience with us

i would love 2 have

seen the family perform

nothing compares 2 u,

river run dry

and screams of passion

and like u, i always thought shiela

was singing about prince in the

song: the bell of st mark

again, sweet review

Great post, RDHull! All week long, I've been thinking about how disappointed I am in Prince for not showing up, but I also keep thinking this is one of the best Prince-related experiences I've ever had in 20 years as a fan. It's hard to get mad when you've had such a perfect show given to you. And you're right on about The Family--they were nothing less than incredible.

Great review from a great man.

It was great meeting you too, RD! BlueAura told me you were in the venue and I told her "Show Me Where He Is"!! I had to meet the man behind all the posts!!

It was a fun night and The Family broke me down when they did Screams of Passion! Glad I got a chance to meet you!!

RedZRyder said:

lol u tripped me out..lol



likewise--u had me rollin ..when someone 9Chico) had one of dem boot T-Shirts and wanted Sheila to sing it..Sheila said "ooohh..this shirt is nice...I want one" and u said ot Chico .."GIVE SHEILA THAT SHIRT! U AINT NEED IT!"