Hi Y'all ~

Syren here.... an L.A. ts dj/actress new to this group. I was in attendance for the 6/3 Staples show, and was (as usual) blown away by the degree of musicianship on display. My only complaint (and it's a minor one) is that His Royal Badness gave us none of the fancy footwork that we come to expect. I, for one, get immense joy from watching him get down and was wondering if anyone out there who saw both this show and the 6/5 performance can give me a comparison in regards to this. I understand that he showed up for the HOB aftershow in sneakers that resembled orthopedic oxfords???!!! Could it be that he was in pain from years of self-abuse from wearing those fierce stilletoes that are his trademark?
On the upside, the MUSIC (what kinda party did you think this was ANYWAY?) was, well, in a word.....brilliant. Kudo to the band. To say that they're at the top of their game is a gross understatement. Maceo Parker's amazing sax solo during the instrumental interlude was so poignant that it caught me off-guard and had me sobbing uncontrollably. My seats were Premier 14 DEADCENTER ~ expensive.... and worth every penny. By the way, did anyone else buy "premier" on the secondary market? The promise of in-seat waitress service was a sham. My date was in line for 1 drink the entire time Sheila was rockin' the house (2 bartenders for how many guests? RIDICULOUS!)
Regrettably, I had to forego the HOB aftershows due to out-of-town commitments to promote my new film, but frankly I agree with a previous post that criticized the advance announcement of these appearances. While I agree with those who suggest that it benefits some who would be unable to attend otherwise, it kinda kills the whole rush of attending one of these legendary performances and the afterglow of knowing that you just experienced a rare and unprecedented event. In hindsight, it all seems less like an intimate gathering and more like a blatant marketing ploy. Still, I'm glad Prince is cleaning up on this tour ~ no one else deserves it more.
I understand the buzz is that Prince will return to L.A. in September and you can be sure that I'll be on point for THAT gig, as well as any aftershow that may result. I've been an avid Prince jam attendee since the mid-eighties and will always cherish fond memories of the genius he has so graciously shared with us thru the years. At oneL.A. gig he was late to take the stage and his rep came out and announced that he had the stomach flu and was asking (asking?) to be excused but that he didn't want to inconvenience everyone so we had a choice ~ he could either reschedule and make it up to us at a later date (my mind reels at how he'd "make it up") or, if we insisted, he'd come out and do his best. Well, naturally, the crowd selfishly insisted he go on...and he did. The performance was a bit subdued and short but still he gave FAR more than anyone else I've ever seen. Now THAT'S professionalism.
I recall my first aftershow (at the plush and very intimate Palace in Hollywood) during the LoveSexy '88 tour in L.A. Went to see him at the L.A. Sports Arena and I got the biggest rush as he took the stage (who needs drugs when you have Prince?) and then, later, experienced it all over again as he claimed classic soul jams by the likes of the great Al Green and James Brown for his very own (as well as his own masterpieces). He showed up at 1:30am and played till nearly 5! Then, if that wasn't enough, he approached me (I was defiantly glued to his mic stand) and gave me a tambourine, which to this day I keep by my bed (can we spell "T-H-E-R-A-P-Y"?).
Anyway, in closing I'd just like to say "hi" to all my fellow ORG-ers and give a ShoutOut to Prince for all he gave us in L.A. I had hoped that one day my Prince would come...and he did. His name is PRINCE...and he is funky! ~ "Sin"cerely ~ Syren!