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Royal audience
By ROB WILLIAMS -- Winnipeg Sun

WINNIPEG -- Membership had its privileges last night for members of Prince's fan club.

Local members of the New Power Generation Music Club were treated to an exclusive mini-concert and question-and-answer session with his Royal Purpleness before last night's Walker Theatre show. {{{"It freaked me out because he was standing right in front of me and it was Prince," said an excited Ian Donald, one of 17 people who chatted with Prince and got to watch the band's final sound check.}}} Members were allowed into the theatre at 5:20 p.m. and seated at 6 p.m. When they walked in Prince was sitting in the centre of the dark theatre, a few seats back from the fans who took up the first two rows. He started talking to them and walked to the front of the stage where he spoke about the current tour and his band.

JAM SESSION

"He talked about different shows and talked about blacking out teeth on a picture of John the drummer," laughed Janice Pennington. Prince then took the stage with his band and played the piano and his guitar. The band ran through songs Anna Stesia, Rainbow Children and Everlasting Now, along with a song the fans couldn't recognize and a big jam session. "They were jamming and working on ideas, it sounded like a work in progress, they did it about 10 times," said Peter Clendenning.
Membership in the NPG Music Club costs $100 US annually. Members get exclusive CDs and music along with perks such as front row tickets to shows and access to sound checks and after-parties. But for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to hang out with Prince, money didn't matter last night.

Clendenning said talking to Prince was a little intimidating at first, but was easier as the hour long session went on. "He's a friendly guy, he's funny, he's easy going, but he wasn't a guy easy to talk to," he said. Pennington said they got a few laughs out of Prince with jokes about the amount of guys in the fan club and for inviting him to a barbecue after the show.

NO ONE COMPLAINED

"He asked what we were going to barbecue and I said vegetables because he's a vegetarian and he laughed," she said. Outside the theatre, fans lined up more than an hour before showtime. No one complained about the $150 price. "If there's anyone to pay big bucks to see, it would be him," said Lisa Palamar. Lucky fans in the know were also planning on spending a few more bucks after the gig. Word last night was that Prince had booked Le Rendez-Vous for a special after-show party, at which he was supposed to be present and possibly jam.

"I talked to him personally (Wednesday) and we haggled over the rental fee for the hall," a Le Rendez-Vous employee said last night. "I just talked to his road manager and he said (Prince) was going to be here."

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