Prince celebrated the release of his new DVD, Prince Live at the Aladdin Las Vegas, with a secret show at B.B. King's in Universal City, California, last night.
Joined in the 600-capacity club by a trim ensemble featuring bassist Rhonda Smith, drummer John Blackwell, keyboardist Renato Neto and saxaphonist Eric Leeds, Prince played his latest album, N.E.W.S., in its entirety, as well as with the song "Shhh."

Composed of four fourteen-minute jazz instrumentals -- "North," "East," "West," and "South," -- Prince's latest work reveals him to be warming to the role of bandleader in the traditional sense.

Last night, clad in a purple suit with a black shirt and tie, he approached his hour-long performance like splatter painting -- a little piano here, a little guitar there -- and occasionally stepped to the side of the stage mid-song to sip some bottled water and listen to his band play. Once he left the stage mid-jam and went upstairs into the V.I.P. area, took a seat near the balcony, talked with friends, sometimes casually peering down to see what the band was up to.

At no time did Prince sing or speak to the crowd, confining his communication to hand signals -- a finger to the lips during the saxophone solo in "Shh!", a nod of his guitar to the B.B. King logo above the stage during a guitar solo.

Toward the end of the show, an increasingly frustrated audience began to chant "Sing!"

But Prince didn't. When it was over, he flashed a peace sign to the crowd and disappeared.

Prince Live at the Aladdin Las Vegas Track List:

Intro/Soundcheck
Pop Life
Money Don't Matter 2 Night/The Work
Push and Pull
1+1+1=3
Strollin'/U Want Me
Gotta Broken Heart Again
Strange Relationship
Pass the Peas
Whole Lotta Love
Family Name
Take Me With U
The Everlasting Now
Sometimes It Snows in April/The Ride

COLIN DEVENISH
(August 19, 2003)

kevinmkeating said:

well i guess we are in the days where it might be RISKY to swear to your family and friends that if they purchase a ticket to see prince live it will be the greatest most polished, funky show they will ever see... THIS SOUNDS VERY SUCKY !!!

prettymansson said:

Some things just don't need to be said. Prince knows how to keep us wanting more. He gives us what we need to hold us until further longings. And rest assured... we will long for more and more and

It's just amazing that people are still so unconscious about these kinds of things when Prince does them. Think about it. N.E.W.S. is an instrumental album (that I haven't as yet heard or purchased - some day soon...), and on an instrumental album, so it's almost appropriate that he chose not to speak any words. Also, since music is a universal language, no one needs to utter a word.

I think it's very funky of him to meander about his instruments and even leave the stage. It's as if he's saying that he trusts his musicians. Prince is very quickly becoming the Yoko Ono of this first decade of the 21st century - it's all about interpretation. Believe me, with the whole thing in Alabama going on, with everybody having a disagreement over interpretations (and which one is right, if there is such a thing), things are getting serious but not significant. Yet, what do people do, but get caught up inside their own interpretation as if that's what's really going on. Thinking...

kevinmkeating said:

I just want to comment on the reports that prince dont sing much, nor does he interact with the crowd of late...I do hope he is NOT alienating himself from the people who love him & ALWAYS have & WILL, as they R the ones who ( such as myself ) find prince's interaction with HIS audience so heartwarming, fun, and gives one a sense of "bonding" with the man. This would indeed B a huge change ( even 4 him ), in his presentation of his art. His instrumentals R of course awesome, as always, but 2 totally lay back on his "beautiful" singing voice would B a catastrophe 4 sure! He surely speaks "volumes" with his music alone, and maybe thats how he wants to speak right now, but hopefully it wont hinder him from communication by way of words. They R just too meaningful. Dont cut yourself off from THAT & audience communication, prince. They R just too important to the fans, however disappointed U may B in some of them, it's like the baby's umbilical cord being cut from his mother. It's traumatic.

okay. so we have all heard that Prince didn't say a word Monday night at the surprise LA gig...


but did anyone else notice that he didn't even make eye contact with the crowd in front of the stage? he did look around up at the balconies (especially trying to make eye contact with Manuella), but it seemed to me like he was purposely NOT looking at the front row members. the only time I noticed him looking at anyone was when he put his finger to his lips during "Shhh" to quiet us down during Eric's sax solo, or when he was pointing at the BB King sign during one of his guitar solos...

anyone, my two cents. the first thought that came to mind was "I wonder if the NPG members leaving the DVD screening early, running, rushing, pushing through to get into the club irked him... just a bit?"

I think it's absolutely amazing that some of u fams r complaining about Prince not singing at the surprise aftershow! I had a great time just watching him play. U all seem 2 have forgetten that u and I weren't expecting anything more than an incredible live concert on the big screen. U and I weren't expecting, nor did we pay 4 any aftershow (no, our $25 membership donation didn't cover the expense!), it was a gift. Don't we all know how 2 receive gifts? We say, "Thank you," whether we liked it or not. It's common courtesy. Prince didn't owe us anything. Actually, he didn't even owe us the movie on the big screen! Did u take time 2 thank them after the show? I did.

Here's the point. We should b thankful that he came out and played for us here in LA. Surely he could have chosen any of the other 9 other cities. He did't have 2 do this. I know u all have the right and freedom to say whatever u want, I'm not challenging that. I'm simply saying that those of u who r upset about the show 4 some reason need to change your attitude from expectation 2 appreciation, from greediness 2 gratitide.

A mentor once told me, "U don't have 2 share everything that comes 2 your mind."

Y'all better recognize!


It's 4 the Cause,

Mark
Orange County, CA

TheChrist said:

Well said.
[This message was edited Sat Aug 23 14:23:50 PDT 2003 by billyjackbitch]

Well I guess I am too artsy but the gig sounded cool to me. I mean it was a one off club gig celebrating a performance he did last year. I think some people should keep things in perspective. That was one gig and if he chooses to do a whole tour like that so what that would be one tour. What's the big deal? Why not enjoy it, or not! why bitch about it all the time. Some Prince fans on this site complain about everything he does. He can't please some of you because he isn't doing "Purple Rain 4" at this stage of his career. Prince moves forward not backwards. He is not concerned with your preconceived notions of him he is only concerned with the art. Maybe it's me but I don't see Bowie fans constantly knocking him. I don't see Bruce Springsteen fans or Madonna fans constantly knocking them. Now one reason is (with the exeception of Bowie) they pretty much do the same thing over and over. Well Prince doesn't. Maybe some of you aren't Prince fans as much as you are fans of a specific Prince album[s]. I can see that but I don't know why you have to hate him now becasue he has choosen to move forward from where he was when you liked him. I just think some of should start a I hate Prince site because you really don't like anything he has done recently and I can almost bet that you won't like anything he does in the future. That is just my opinion.