{{{Prince to Play Youkey Theatre On Saturday
Sunday, March 31, 2002
By BILL DEAN
The Ledger

LAKELAND -- Prince will play the Youkey Theatre on Saturday -- confirming his status as one of pop's most intriguing performers with last-minute ticket sales and prices that set a record for The Lakeland Center.}}}

Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday -- one day before the show -- at The Center's box office and through Ticketmaster.

Most seats in the 2,186-capacity theater will sell for $127.75, with $87.75 and $22.75 tickets also available.

The top price sets a record for an event at The Center, said Allen Johnson, executive director of the complex.

"Elton John (in 2000) had the highest with $65, and then we just broke that this year with the Champions on Ice at $66," Johnson said. "What's nice about this show is that it's going to be in the theater, which is an intimate venue with only 100 feet between the front of the stage and the back wall of the theater."

The $127.75 tickets include the theater's first floor and front section of the balcony, while the $87.75 tickets are for the balcony's second section. The 64 seats that make up the balcony's last two rows will go for $22.75 each.

Prince, 43, achieved superstar pop status in the 1980s with such hits as "Purple Rain" and "When Doves Cry," and continued into the 1990s with songs such as "Cream," "7" and others. He played The Center's Arena on three separate occasions in the 1980s.

The video for "Little Red Corvette" was taped during a 1983 concert there, while his most recent performances were a two-night stand on April 4 and 5 in 1985.

Prince's current tour, of which Saturday's performance is the only date in Central Florida, is hitting smaller and more intimate venues to promote his most recent album, "The Rainbow Children."

The album was released independently on his own label and combines elements of jazz, funk and R&B. Saxophone and horns join such mainstay Prince instruments as guitar and keyboards.

Backed by a four-piece band including horns, the performer will emphasize material from the album at Saturday's show, said Lorri Bruns, The Center's marketing manager.

"This is a tour running on the strength of his new music and the new turn he decided to take," she said.

"It's fun, it's fresh and it is Prince."

Bill Dean can be reached at bill.dean@theledger.com or 863-802-7527.
http://www.theledger.com/...31prio.htm

serpan99 said:

Y could he not have come to sunrise like he was suppose 2.... i'm so pissed

I am upset about the Sunrise cancelation also. I shed my tears yesturday. But my friends R going so I am happy 4 them. I had 2 work of course. I will spend the night with my fiance', go 2 dinner, and C a movie. Try & keep my mind off the show 2nite...

It'd be nice if Prince set attendance records without also setting a record for ridiculously high ticket prices.

IrishEcho said:

amen!

Did U read the post concert reviews on prince's website yet?Funny how all the negative BS stopped after the show! So much for the nay sayers who were prediciting "it cant be done so late, it's gona be empty, it's too expensive, he doesn't sing PR, I hate the religious stuff, blah, blah, blah". End of the story is that the concert was awesome, npg members witnessed the soundcheck, got the best seats and the nay sayers will read the review today and tomorrow and explain that prince is not as good as he used to be. well, don't bother, we understand your stand by now. and the rest of us still enjoy the journey!
Peace & B Wild!

I was there!! It was wonderful!

I'd pay double the cheez he was chargin to get front row seats! I haven't seen him in concert since 1997...in Lafayette, LA. I live in Germany now...so I'm duped until he comes here.