{{{Date: 18 oct 2002
Location: Sportpaleis, Antwerp

I arrived at the Sportpaleis just after 18:00: Dutch traffic jams! The Antwerp security was very kind, we got a real VIP treatment: special (closest) parking lot, entry through the main entrance shortcutting the packed rows of non-members, and great assistance to the concert hall where Prince has just started his soundcheck for the NPG Members. These are the moments you realize that the $100 membership is a bargain: parking the car and staying in front of a grooving Prince took me less than 2 minutes! Band: Renato Neto, John Blackwell, Rhonda Smith, Greg Boyer, Candy Dulfer (alt-sax), Eric Leeds (tenor-sax). Maceo Parker was replaced by Eric Leeds, I guess Maceo was busy with his own European tour. I can’t remember all the songs and order of playing, but here is a (incomplete!) list of songs played at the soundcheck: Santana medley, Bambi, Whole lotta love (long jam. Prince told the band to play one more song: Empty room. He played it on the Habibi guitar with Eric Leeds on piano. This certainly wasn’t the last song of the soundcheck, others followed: Something in the water (does not compute), the One, Fallin’(Alicia Keys cover), the Question of U. Prince turned on the Days of Wild drumloop with a footswitch on his pedalboard. Over this loop the Greatest Romance ever been sold was played with the audience singing the chorus. There was also some time for rehearsing a new part: Prince conducted the band into a more funky version of Take Five. Eric told Prince he hasn’t played that tune for 20 years(!). It was great to see Prince directing all different musicians on stage for their particular part. The soundcheck came to an end at 19:15. }}}

The regular show started around 20:45 and lasted until 23:15. Prince was dressed in a smart anthracite striped suit, white shirt and a silverwhite tie. Here is a (again, incomplete) list of that night: The Rainbow Children, Pop life, Money Don’t matter 2night, Xenophobia, The Work, Housequake,– Prince now played an unexpected Purple Rain on Habibi (only played before in Holland (?)), Strange Relationship, Take me with U, Raspberry Beret, When you were mine, 1+1+1=3 (too Funky!), Sign O the Times on a blue cloud (!), I haven’t see him playing the cloud guitar for a long time (for example, it wasn’t used at the Xenophobia week). Owning a blue cloud myself, I was very excited witnessing this). This SOTT version remembers of Jimi Hendrix. Prince pointed the guitar high in the sky before laying it slowly on the ground with the volume cranked high up. This set ended with a long and again funky Everlasting Now. During a short break the piano/keyboard riser was placed in the middle of the stage. Prince started with Delirious ( without band!), I wanna be your lover, Adore (great falsetto!), Do me baby, Condition of the heart (“there was a girl from Antwerp,…”), Diamonds and Pearls, the Beautiful Ones, Nothing Compares 2U, Starfish and Coffee, Sometimes it snows in April (beautiful snowflakes were projected on the large screens at the back of the stage). The show ended with a LONG Days of wild jam (with the footswitched loop). Here Prince also played a little bass guitar.

The official Afterparty was at the Red & Blue club in Antwerp. Again, great Membership –VIP treatment: we could pass the line outside and walk directly into the club with our NPGMembership laminates, no admission. The club didn’t show anything of a Prince afterparty, only the fact that I recognized some other members. There was no stage, but this was no surprise: Prince told us at the soundcheck that the crew had to drive a long end for the next gig (Berlin) that was the day after. Therefore there was no time for a aftershow. The resident clubDJ certainly didn’t have a clue were we were all waiting for, he kept on playing basic (old!) club/house records. Somewhere around 12:45 Prince entered a closed section of the club: it is a higher terras that overlooks the whole club. Prince was wearing his beige suit (the same as he had on during the Dutch show). Prince’s DJ took over the DJ booth (YES!), and started spinning some remixes: Erotic City, America, Rock and roll is alive, Freaks on this site (etc.). Prince walked down the stairs to join the DJ and chat a little with him. Back on the terras all bandmembers arrived. Also Prince girl/wife Manuela was there. Candy Dulfer jointed the DJ booth for a while, waving at the crowd. Part of the triple live Cdbox was played (an aftershow jam). It was funny when the “It ain’t over” chant on the CD started: the crowd joint the chant and Prince was conducting them from above. At 2:00 Prince and the band left the club. Somehow this was the moment for the local DJ to return to the standard club records. Ok, I’m off to my hometown, Amsterdam. Thanx Antwerp and Prince for this great experience!

Maurits

A complete setlist will appear on http://www.thedawn.nl

Maurits said:

The DJ was obviously catering to the regular Red & Blue visitors (which are gay men, BTW), and played their usual staple of classic dance records that range from the ridiculous to the ridiculously great.

Dear Maurits,

To the fabulous medley Prince played @ the Antwerp soundcheck, you can also add Jimi Hendrix's Who Knows (from “Band Of Gypsys”, as told by Larry Lafunk) and Miles Davis' Theme From Jack Johnson (the insturmental tune played at the beginning of the medley, when P was on the keys).

Ol' Seraphin always telling the truth, and remember, we all R 1 !

BartVanHemelen said:

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Did u attend the concert Bart? You have a review or opinion?