{{{ [Long, good review! Check it out -Ben] Went and saw Prince at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans, La Monday April 15, 2002. If you have any doubts about if the man still has it or not, throw them out the window. If you are a NPG music club member, take advantage of your membership because this type of access to Prince is the kind of thing you dream about.. Well enuff of that on to the show.}}}

We left from Pensacola around noon and got to New Orleans around 3 p.m. The
drive wasn't too bad except the AC was broke. Gotta get that thing fixed soon.
Drove by the Saenger and didn't see anybody lined up yet, but didn't see any
parking either. Drove about a half a mile away to a lot we always park at when
we come to New Orleans near tower records and made the walk. Of course my wife
wanted to stop in all the tourist shops and I was like "come on I want front
row". Made the endless walk and passed like 10 parking lots so atleast next
time we will know a closer place to park if we go to a show at the saenger.
Got to the Saenger and there was a crowd of about 25 or so people standing
around, the area we had passed earlier obviously wasn't the side where they
were lineing up. There wasn't a line really, but there was a list. We put our
name on the list and just hung out. This was at 3:30 and we were 19th on the
list. Around 4:30 p.m we lined up numberwise by the list, people who had left
got in where they were by the list, it was pretty organized. Several times
somebody would come out and tell us not to bring in cameras,food, drink,
weapons, etc

Finally around 5:30 p.m. they started letting us in one at a time. First a guy
with a hand held metal detector ran his wand over us. I set it off, but it was
my keys. They also searched my wifes purse, but stopped when they found her
Kotex. Next they asked for my ID to check on the list, no confirmation number
or anything. I was nervous that my tickets weren't going to be there. I got
mine on a friday morning for some reason when the presale was saturday
afternoon, but my name was on the list. They then gave me two tickets and a
laminate. The laminate is purple and says NPG Music Club Member, looks like a
back stage pass. They were selling cords to clip them on for $3 bucks, but I
passed. We then went to the lobby outside the actual theature and there were
two lines forming to get in. Prince and the band were already playing some
Jazzy stuff i didn't recognize. About five minute later they made us form one
line and we got back in the order we lined up out side. Prince was playing some
P- Funk but for the life of me I can't remember what it is now. Mani came out
several time and checked out the crowd.
A security guard came around and asked us if we had been checked and I told him
yes. About five minutes after that they opened the doors and we made the
orderly rush to our seats.

We got seats second row pretty much dead center. There were about six rows for
the NPG members. Prince and the band were all dressed casually. They were
jamming on some Jazzy groove for awhile and he let everybody get settled in.
Prince finally got up there and sang the first verse of Dolphin, I would have
had no idea this was the song until he sang the verse. Then some inspired
guitar work, more guitar amd more of the song, I was totally in awe. I'm sure
flies were flying out my mouth. Prince then talked to us. The one lady front
and center was the Purple curse lady from the show the night before. People
were also shouting out songs they wanted to hear him play. One guy from Holland
said something to Candy in Dutch.

Prince let one guy play his guitar( I think his name was Shawn, if I got your
name wrong I appologize) Dude ripped into Bambi and i meaned ripped. The solo
and everything. Dude totally NAILED it. Prince was on stage working the peddles
for him. The rest of the band joined in. Rhonda looked at Prince and he took
her Bass and joined in. Totally awesome. Prince asked the guy if he had a band
and Shawn said he was Hoping to get Prince. Prince said he was too Expensive.
Then to Prove a point. Prince played Bambi himself. He was pulling out all the
stops too, but to be perfectly honest I'd say they were about even on this day,
Both played it kick Ass(and thats one of my favorites so I enjoyed the Hell out
of that) Prince went and talked to Shawn and later Takumi went and gave him
something(looked like a book)

Next Prince played nice bluesly version of the Ride. I guess Bambi Got him
inspired. He then switched to the keyboard and played an instrumental version
of Muse to the Pharaoh. Next he played something that sounded familar, but I
couldn't quite place it.It was instrumental and when he got done he was like I
can't remember. Earlier people were shouting out songs. I "think" He was trying
to Play And god created woman, but I also remeber hearing people yell out Crazy
you and still waiting and like I said I couldn't place it(and He couldn't quite
play it either LOL)but still pretty cool. Next was Girls and Boys and I was
hyped like a mug on this. Another one of my favorites. Have no clue what the
next song was. Should have written a better discription down, just a big ? on
my list. He then closed the the sound check the the Santana medley. Prince left
the stage and said he would be back in about an hour. That alone was worth my
$100. To see Prince act like a normal guy and interact with his fans was real
treat.
Recap
Soundcheck
1. Dolphin
2. Bambi-Shawn and the NPG with prince on Bass
3. Bambi
4. The Ride
5. Muse to the Pharaoh-instrumental
6. And god created woman?-or what ever it was he was trying to play
7. Girls and Boys
8. ? - don't have a clue
9. Santana medley

When the Soundcheck was over people started leaving to go to the rest room, get
concessions, buy merchandise, etc. I don't think anybody lot there seats. Just
to be safe, me or my wife would go, we wouldn't leave at the same time. I got
one of the black one night alone shirts and she got one of the pink baby doll
shirts. They also had Rhonda's cd signed, a maceo parker cd, some other T
shirts. They started letting people in sometime around 7 p.m. and it was slow
to fill up, I'm sure they had to go through the same one at a time check we did
to get it, but the building was packed shortly after 8 p.m. when the main
concert started

The main concert started with Candy walking down the walkway jamming out and
making her way to the stage. They opened with The Rainbow Children and Prince
was dead on it with the guitar. Not having another guitar player and just
concentrating on the musical aspect of his show seems to have improved his
overal playing. Next was Muse to the Pharoah and I assume Xenophobia. This was
a cool jam that allowed all the band memebers to stretch out and also served as
introductions for everybody(except Rhonda). The next song was A case of you.
Nice cover song. Mellow followed and the women in the audience were really
getting off on this one. The nasty prince was creepy out here.

1+1+1is 3 followed and for the first time the crowd all got up. I will say I
was mildly dissappointed in this one live. It didn't translate as well from the
record which is strange since I think all the rest of the album that he
performed is actualy BETTER live. Love Rollercoaster was next and this got my
wife dancing all around which was Cool since up to this point including the
soundcheck I think they had played one song she knew. Prince got the guitar
back out for a few licks and I couldn't figure out WTF he was playing till he
sang the lyrics. The other side of the Pillow. Now that was Cool. Wasn't
expecting to hear that.Nice to hear something off the Truth

Prince sat down at the piano. The names of various radio stations rolled across
the screen and he broke it down about how radio airplay works and he doesn't
get played cause he's not with a label anymore. He was short and to the point.
Somebody yelled for him to play something old and he went into Strange
Relationship. DAMN. My Favorite off of SOTT. This was one of the higlights of
the show for me. I was definetly jamming on this one. Next was Pass the Peas
with Maceo doing his thing. I think the next song was Sing a simple song, but
I'm not sure, Greg, Maceo and Prince all shared lines and Rhonda snuck one in
there as well Funky whatever it was. Prince did La, La, La means I love you
next and the crowd really got in to this one singing the chorus. He then exited
the stage and Rhonda started singing a song and prince came back and sang it
with her. He said that was one of the new school jams he liked. It might be the
Badu song, but I am unfamilar with it so I don't know. That ended the cover
section

"Let's do one of mine" and prince went into When you were Mine. I love this
song and of course as was the theme of the night he ripped it on guitar. What
followed next was the Abraham lincoln was a racist song and Family name. Take
me with you started and I cringed, but it was the full version so it was
tollerable, the same with raspberry beret which followed.The Band closed the
normal set with the Everlasting Now

Prince's piano was moved to the center of the stage. Prince came back out by
his self and started playing Adore. He played the full version This may not
be my favorite Prince ballad like every other Prince fanatic, but he absolutely
ripped the shit out of it tonight. He was cracking some lines about wrecking
his ride about Juevinile being in the car and how he was going to have to make
an album with him now to pay for a new ride. Too funny. He then did the
following songs medley style doing a few lines or verses: I wanna be your
lover, Do me Baby, Diamonds and Pearls, The Beautiful Ones- Now this pissed me
off, this is my favorite song in the whole fucking world play the whole god
damn song, Venus de Milo- nice surprise, Do U Lie, TMGBITW, Free- No this was
pretty Cool, Starfish and Coffee.

Prince starts on his speech on how its not 1984 its 2002. He's a new person,
but since we are so nice he'll play Purple Rain for us. FUCK. Now I like Purple
Rain as much as any one else, but I read how the night before he played it
instead of Anna Stesia and thats the only reason I play my Lovesexy cd, it
didn't save my life. So the whole time I'm shaking my head, letting it bum me
out. I mean this fantastic concert, all about new music and he's going to end
it like this. To quote Billy Sparks "what a Fucking Waste" Well he plays it on
the Keyboards no less, not even on the guitar which I guess is something
different and leaves the stage. The house lights don't come on so we hang out.
About five minute later the band comes back out followed by Prince and that
sinking filling goes away. he launchs into "how come u don't call me anymore"
crawls around on the Piano, not even as nasty as the JOTY tour, but more than I
expected out of him now. Then he grabs the purple symbol guitar and closes with
Anna Stesia. To Qoute Billy again. "The Kid is in Rare form Tonight" Prince had
so much emotion in the lyrics and the you already know about the other running
theme of the night. After he quit playing. He got the audience to keep the God
is Love, Love is God Chant going for a good five minute. After that Prince
left the stage and the Best concert I have ever seen finally came to an end.

We hung out for a little while after the show. Takumi gave a bunch of picks to
the lady from Mississippi in the front row I think cause he was working in
front of her all night. All the guitars were right in front of the front row
people. She was nice enough to give one to my wife. Its white and says Prince
in Purple. Kick ass. We left shortly after that

Thanx for the great review!