Sorry about the lateness of this report.



The night before Semisonic had performed on the Northwest Airlines Stage, that Prince and the NPG would perform on the very next evening, and surprisingly were much more interesting. They had some weird songs, and seemed cutting edge at times. And after seeing Prince, Larry Graham, and the other folks up on the stage with him. You could tell. You could feel it. He was not cutting edge anymore, he meaning Prince. Sure Prince had all the technology with lights, smoke, and the works, but it did not hide the fact that he was not exciting, not cutting edge, and not all that interesting over all. He started with "Sign Of The Times" and it seemed tired and old, the song is from 87 after all, and he continued on with more old songs that again were yawn city. I mean we have the records, we have the CD's. He had a whale of a chance to blow our minds with all new Music but you could feel it, he was playing it safe and the result was a ho hum been there done that show. If he would have played only new music and improvised on guitar people would have said to themselfs "man oh man that night downtown Mill City, it blew my mind". But sadly it was very anti climatic. With the First Avenue club a parking lot away, the club seemed even more a part of Purple history, a part of his legend, and apart of time. After a performer reaches his peak and the magic has gone their legend is all they have. He seems happy just being a superstar and not experimental anymore. If it is possible for a performer to ride on ones own coattails he has grabbed a hold of his and won't let go. He must feel it is time to cash in on his fame, and his stardom, and feels no need too be weird anymore. The Hornheads sound was just as bland. We have heard it and seen it before. It was Karoke night at Mill City and Prince knew all the words, singing with one foot on stage, and the other in his limo.