Prince – One Nite Alone Tour
June 6/02
Walker Theatre, Winnipeg

Prince makes one night magical
Minneapolis' funkiest son reigned royally.
By ANGELOU J. FLORES

“Can U moan 4 me?”

Not what you would expect from a Jehovah’s Witness, but that’s exactly what he asked of a hysterical female fan during his near sell-out show inside Winnipeg’s Walker Theatre.

For the past 24 years, Prince Rogers Nelson has straddled a line between spirituality and sexuality and though his shirt didn’t come off once during his One Nite Alone show, he never failed to swathe himself in sex.

Framed by purple drapery, silk throw pillows, burning incense, imposing video screens and cascading shades of light, the Minneapolis Genius played preacher and pied piper to a diverse crowd of Purple paeans. Backed by a stripped down version of the New Power Generation, Prince delivered the finest urban music experience to ever hit Winnipeg.

The evening began with an introductory solo from John Blackwell [drums], followed by Rhonda Smith [bass], Renato Nato [keys], Greg Boyer [trombone], the surprise return of long-time Revolution member Eric Leeds [tenor sax] and finally The Man himself, resplendent in a purple single breast suit reminiscent of his Parade-era.

He opened with the sermon-like title track to his latest album, The Rainbow Children, a funky affair of Prince-ly proportions that was briefly interrupted by an impromptu dash down the aisles through screaming fans jumping at him for a quick stroke.

So captivating was He-Who-Knows-No-Major-Label that even with a set list light on the hits – he only performed a handful – he captured his audience’s imagination with unbelievably precise guitar and piano work and the finest falsetto this side of Ron Isley. Many were obviously unfamiliar with much of the material but it didn’t stop them from being whisked away by the undertaker of the evening.

{{{For over two-and-a-half hours, Prince delivered. Between blistering storms of funk, jazz and soul, he dropped oratories on multinational media, spirituality, current radio rotation, spirituality and slavery. Did I mention spirituality? }}}

Yes, the hallelujah was in session.

His Royal Badness was on a pulpit but didn’t try to Jerry Falwell you into submission. He didn’t even throw out copies of The Watchtower. He came knockin’ on the door with only a suitcase of cosmic slop and the sole intention of finding out what Winnipeg was “willing 2 learn.”

“Hope U’ll got your scuba gear, we gonn’ get deep 2nite.”

The impact of his recent conversion is obvious but he still kept it fuh-reaky. Dancing was minimal, female foil was absent and buttons went unpopped but when Prince hit the mic for ballads like Muse 2 the Pharoah, Mellow and Extraordinary, no drawers were dry.

When he wasn’t elevating estrogen levels, he was burning the unholy out The Everlasting Now, 1+1+1=3 and Strange Relationship. He also stamped the Minneapolis into the Ohio Players’ Love Rollercoaster, Sly & The Family Stone’s Sing a Simple Song and Erykah Badu’s Didn’t Cha Know.

Not content with leaving a memory of his visit, Prince came out for an encore in a black and white Lovesexy-style pantsuit to leave a mark. He brought heaven to earth with a hypnotic suite consisting of Purple Rain, Nothing Compare 2 U, How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore and the deeply moving Anna Stesia.

Think it mattered he didn’t take his shirt off?

One week till I hit Montreal! Woo Hoo!

2days B4 that...in a small veneu.The NAC Ottawa show!
Moved from Montreal and now live around the area of Ottawa.
Aswell seen Prince all 3 times Prince playd in Montreal and injoyd all of them,but what realy injoyd was the Jass Festival last Year.
Aswell the NAC is a smaller veneu like Place-Des-Arts I think the souncheck would b a better conection.
Theo I wish eye hade the time and $$$ 2 go 2 both shows...think Toronto would b a great show aswell...dessicions,dessicions!
Touph choises,but is't that life!
"WhereverUR!"
Symbolsm 2K2!MontrealVsOttawaO(+>/PRINCE:)

symbolsm@hotmail.com
symbolsm@thedawn.com

What a well written and pleasant report!
Thanks for sharing it with us.

Nice ! P;is always the king on scene !
but ... why we never see some pics, photos, of the shows ?
no one take pictures ?
do U know where I can find pics of the ONA tour ?
please
mpls
http://www.mpls.fr.fm

I like it.





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[This message was edited Thu Jun 13 6:18:55 PDT 2002 by Abrazo]