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New orleans concerts {{{ [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 | |
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Thanx for the great review! | |
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