I just got back from Vegas--actually, that's not true, I just woke up from one of the craziest 24 hours of my life. Real quick summary: found out on thursday that Prince was doing an aftershow in Vegas on Friday night at 2am. I live in LA, I am a physician, and I had a national medical exam scheduled at 8am on Saturday, in LA. So you would think that, in and of itself, would make me not go to Vegas--THINK AGAIN I went to Vegas, saw Prince perform from 2:30-4:30am, then jumped on a plane to LA at 6:30am and on o sleep mind you, made it just in time to take my exam. Now I'm nt going to say I did very well on the test, because I didn't (I just hope I passed). But one thing is for sure--I have seen Prince over 10 times, and this show was hands down THE BEST PRINCE CONCERT I'VE EVER BEEN TO!!! Shall we begin? Flew in from LA and landed in Vegas at 10pm, went straight to the Mandalay Hotel where the House of Blues is and immediately recognized folks from the previous Prince Celebration I went to (the first one, in 2001). The Bay NPG was in full effect! Got my tickets and got in line at the House of Blues at around 1:30am. They didn't let us in until 2am, and Prince and his band didn't hit the stage until 2:30am. But the second Candy, and Maceo, and Greg Boyer, Renaldo, RAD, Rhonda, Mr.Blackwell, and Prince took the stage, we knew we were in for a treat. You know why? Cause Larry Graham was not in the house--now don't get me wrong, I think Larry is an amazing bassist, but I was never to fond of his influence on Prince. But without Larry, it was as if Prince was back to how he was back in the day: spiritual, playful, and most importantly, unburdened of having to spread the word about Christ. "Vegas!" Prince yelled into the mic. "It's not too late is it?" he said with a smirk. And then the bank kicked into this incredible MUSICAL INSTRUMENTAL INTRODUCTION reminiscent of the into on Small Club. Maceo led the way on the sax, but Prince wasn't far behind on the guitar, laying lick for lick with Maceo. Then they kicked into MUSICOLOGY--boy, I really am beginning to like this song. It just keeps on getting better and better the more I hear it. Then Prince said into the mic how this was some sort of rehearsal, and he was glad we came to party with him. Kind of reminded me of the Sign of the Times gig he did at First Avenue in '87 previewing new material of his upcoming album. The next song he did I had never heard before but it sounded tremendous. It's called DEAR MR. MAN. Then Prince drifted into a few covers of KNOCK ON WOOD and WHAT IS HIP before he dropped the bomb on us...SHHH, BREAK IT DOWN...All I gotta say is WOW! Prince on his white guitar arched his back with every guitar solo so artfully played, it was truly breathtaking. Even brought tears to the eyes of the girl standing next to me. And the stage lighting at the House of Blues was perfect! It really didn't feel like we were on earth at this point--it was as if we were in some other world, Prince's world, and nothing else mattered but the blistering solos blaring off Prince's white guitar. And then what was next? DANCE MUSIC SEX ROMANCE! Except this version was slowed down a little with more heavy bass playing by Rhonda mixed in with Renaldo on the keys. The crowd was really jumping to this tune! Then he broke out his old high school song, I FEEL FOR U and everyone sang along happily. But this was just the prelude to...CONTROVERSY!!! I mean, get the fuck out of here! Are you telling me I heard Controversy at the House of Blues in Las Vegas at 3:30 in the morning?? This blew my mind, and everyone else in the place. PEOPLE CALL ME RUDE, I WISH WE ALL WERE NUDE, I WISH THERE WAS NO BLACK AND WHITE, I WISH THERE WERE NO RULES!! If I could describe the energy in the house at that time, my words would be jumping off the paper. After he did a 7 minute version of Controversy, he walked off the stage and Candy came out and sang a song I had never heard before blowing her sax stupid (stupid meaning incredible). Then Prince returned with his brown guitar and played the opening notes of SWEET THING, and the whole crowd started singing I WILL LVOE YOU ANYWAY, EVEN IF YOU CAN NOT STAY...And Prince played along on his guitar never once singing a word, but just letting his guitar do all the talking. It was so beautiful to hear the audience carry the song with Prince on the guitar. When he finished the crowd gave a long ovation before he started back, "HE ONLY KNEW HER FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT HE HAD GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO HER STYLE..." And Greg Boyer, Candy, and Maceo took this GIRLS AND BOYS to a new level. Beautiful horns. I mean tremendous horns! And when they played their horns, they all kind of started dancing around one another, and each time they would face the crowd they would bow their head before belting louder into their horn. It's so great to have Greg Boyer back in the NPG. Now if Prince could just call up Miko and get him back in the band, and Eric Leeds...(I'm a sucker for the Nude Tour NPG). Then Prince led the band into a rousing ending of a song called MAMA FEELGOOD. Prince would ask, "How do y'all feel?" "Feel Good!" we shouted back at him. "Feel Good!" "Feel Good!" And we all genuinely did. And this was probably my favorite part of the show, not because it was my favorite song, but it was during this song I stood there, looking at Prince, and as his band jammed he was in his own world, just flat out dancing his ass off! He was at the right side of the stage and you could see how much he was enjoying his band jam, just nodding his head back and forth as if he had never heard anything this funky before. Prince was raising his arms and pumping his fists in the air, pointing at people in the crowd, smiling, sweating, before he sincerely yelled, "I love partying with you Vegas! It means so much to me that you are here with me! It really is important to me." And just like that, he did it--expressed his appreciation for us that we were there to dance with him to the wee hours of the morning--that right there made me feel so proud and happy that I decided to come to Vegas even though it meant I was going to be taking a test on no sleep the next day. And then the band left the stage and returned after 10 minutes of the place going crazy! Prince, center stage of course, started strumming his brown guitar..."DESPERATE IS THE DAY THAT IS TOMORROW, FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW THE TIME HAS COME..." Are you kidding me?? Did Prince just break out THE LOVE WE MAKE from Emacipation as the encore?? You damn right! And slowly but surely the band built up to a crescendo and Prince yelled his heart out, his trademark yell, like how he yells in "The Beautiful Ones", and he screamed "Sacred is the prayer that asks for nothing!" And he took our breath away. He thanked us again and the band broke off the stage, before returning 5 minutes later for the second encore, DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE, New Orleans jazz style. And again Candy and Maceo and Greg Boyer all blew their horns circling one another. And one of Prince's bodyguards (The huge black guy) even came out and started dancing on stage with everyone, all in pure fun. And then Prince and Maceo squared off against each other, one facing the other, just trading licks between Maceo's sax and Prince's guitar! Finally, they closed the show with AMERICA, And it was during America where Rhonda's bass has never sounded so good, so hard, so deep, so phunky!!! And Prince, instead of singing the words, blasted the notes off his guitar "America America God Shed his Grace on thee!" Phunky is all I can say. "Jimmy nothing never went to school..." And then AMERICA SEGUED INTO ALL THE CRITICS LOVE U IN LAS VEGAS. And depite it being 4:30 in the morning, Prince still had the House of Blues shaking. And I can't tell you how I'm still shaking, still marveling over the performance saw last night, wishing I was in Vegas again for tonight's show

Thanks! I wonder where he will be performing next.

Great review. Thanxs for taking the time to share. Hope the exam turns out ok!

Thanks for the quick responses. I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have about the show!

Prince just doesn't have what it takes anymore... yeah, right!

Thanks for a great review. I wish I was there to witness the show. I hope you pulled through on your exam, and didn't just answer every question with 'funky'.

Awesome report!

Thank you!!!

thanx man. great review.
was anything said about future plans?
album, tour, anything?

Ummm... the FIRST Celebration was in 2000.


not 2001.

I wouldn't be disappointed if the "new music" they have "afoot" for us soon like the sticky at the club said, are some mp3 from these gigs.

Phunk said:

Did he play the lick on his guitar during Controversy or only keyboards?

Thank you very much for this report of that HOB-Show...

I am now more and more positive that he comes back...back to what he does best...singing and playing from the heart even when some would call the language offensive.

Sometimes language has to be explicit to express the feeling, to make it clear what it is about...without anxiety...'cause if GOD wouldn't want us to speak out we would have no mouth connected to our hearts...for real.

That doesn't mean to harm anyone...so the show has to be over 21 !

Thank you and may LG rest in peace...in Florida where the old folks go.

Can not wait to see Mr. P coming to Europe and play...

Peace

Juize, Hamburg Germany

BTW Does anyone have a spare original of Goldnigga 16 track on sale for an affordable price..let me know

Phunk thank u very much 4 this amazing report , u make my day !

Thank u very much for this great report. You made it feel like I was there for a moment.

Art, Amsterdam, Holland.

ummm...please let me know where you'll be practicing medicine. I'll be sure to avoid the area.

The return of the old Prince that we all know and love??? Could it be??? Stay tuned true believers.

Phunk thats for the kick ass report. I almost felt like I was there. Just remind me to never get sick and end up with you as my DR.

Thank you very much for your report! Lively!

Great review...really makes me wish I had found a way to attend now... ...Oh well, I enjoyed my night/morning just the same...

~I wanna hear "Musicology", dambit~

i could of said it better!!! i was there as well. and when he started to sing "shhh' i swear i felt like i was floating. nothing below me, just letting PRINCE take complete control. and i loved every second of it. the whole night soo was magical. he can really make a person beleive that there is nothing more sensual, more magical than "his royal badness and his music".

Thank you for the post I cant agree more I'm still in awww of that night. I too was on the plane back to LA @7AM the music the energy the crowd my my my is all I can say.It was off the hook I was so close I could smell him yummmy.

It was great meeting some of you again
Jeramy,Christina,Angela Vera...



Mecca

Juize said:

YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT! PRINCE IS BACK! MAKE NO QUALMS ABOUT IT! He didn't cuss like he used to, but he played his ass off and danced around in his own world like he owned the place. And you know what? He did--he owned everyone of us there there that night. And there were no references to Christ or any of that religious stuff he's been preaching the last few years.

calldapplwondery83 said


GUITAR MUTHAFUCKA!!! IT WAS SUPER, SUPER PHUNKY!

alexandernevermind said:

---
This guy took time out to write a great review and that is your response. Stop being an ass.

laurarichardson said:

So now why don't you take the time to get a sense of humor. Stop being an ass.

Thanks Phunk for the incredible review ~ I have spirit bumps all over just imagining what it was. Let us know how you did on your exam ~ with all that positive energy pumpin through you I bet the brain cells were fully operational and you passed with no problem!

Great review, thanks!

Thanks dude.

Reviews like this make me glad I'm still a Prince fan. When it comes to his live shows, Prince rarely disappoints.
Thank you, Phunk, for the great report. You are definitely the coolest doctor on the planet.

Phunk said:

Wait your forget about The Whip!!!
tell'em about the bull whip

phunk that was a great report!!!
I would also like to say Prince's vocals are only getting better everytime I see him!!

Excellent, excellent... , thank you.

obligations, work and school prevented me from going... but reviews like this, truly takes me there.

Nice to hear of your experience.

alexandernevermind said:

---

I have a sense of humor but, your not funny.

cool !

.
[This message was edited Fri Feb 6 0:54:44 PST 2004 by FunkyStrange]