Prince to perform at Hong Kong festival

HONG KONG - Funk rocker Prince will headline a government-sponsored music festival aimed at boosting the image of SARS (news - web sites)-battered Hong Kong, organizers said Thursday.

Prince will perform at the opening of the four-week concert series titled "Hong Kong Harbor Fest," on Oct. 17, organizers said.

The singer, best known for his "Purple Rain" soundtrack, was recently nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Top tickets for his show are priced at 988 Hong Kong dollars (US$127) each.

The HK$130 million (US$16.7 million) event has stirred controversy, with critics questioning the government's vow to guarantee up to HK$80 million (US$10.2 million) to cover losses if necessary.

But officials say the festival will help Hong Kong recover from the impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome crisis, which killed 299 people in the territory and devastated the economy.

Other top acts to perform at the event include the Rolling Stones, tenor Jose Carreras, Irish boy band Westlife, Latin rock guitarist Carlos Santana, British R&B singer Craig David (news), Taiwan pop sensation Jay Chou (news) and boy band F4.

The Rolling Stones had been scheduled to play in Hong Kong in March, but their two shows were canceled as the SARS crisis unfolded.

HEADLINE!

Prince is really keen to get SARS these days, fist he moves to Toronto then he goes to do shows in Asia.

GoldiesParade said:

OMG!!! u CAN'T b serious!! Keen to get SARS???
the SARS "outbreak" was contained AND linked back to one specific hospital. They streets were not filled with people running in fear with masks on their faces .. unbelievable ...

LOL! At least he's touring - ne1 know if he be coming to the UK soon?

lashious said:

Aw come on lighten up, it was funny

I think he should wear a love sexy mask!



And hellooo SexLovely! Where ya been hiding these days?

June7 said:

Ohhh arrgggh, statements like that annoy me like you wouldn't believe!!! I know that for half the world these days that's what he is, but I just want to put my fist through a wall with frustration to see him talked about in that way...reduced to just the guy who sang Purple Rain back in the old days. Makes him sound like some one hit wonder! I'm not going into a rant about what we guys know he is, but I needed to vent my frustration about this. I guess if people see him as "best known for his Purple Rain" then that's totally their loss, but come ooon already! When's somebody outside his die hard fans going to recognize him for the multi-talented genious that he is?? Right now I just want to punch this journalist's lights out!

Prince and Westlife

GoldiesParade said:

June7 said:

Great news for those who see!

He looks tres beau in this picture...

Whoa, calm down elisa! Anyone who is educated in music knows what a spectacular artist Prince is. The journalist who wrote this looks like an ignorant ass...so IT'S OKAY:)

CarrieLee said:

Hey darrrlin.
I been hiding in your cleavege, just thought Id come up 4 sum air.

@ ian

Elisa said:

Sorry, but the journalist is right. Prince is in fact best known for Purple Rain. Love it or hate it, that's the way it is.

I'm so tempted to get tix for this show. Should I? I think the sealer would be if Cathay have some good flight/accomodation package.

[what am I doing edit?]I bought myself a ticket! Row two!!
My wife said that if I can afford to go then why not? Shoot, am I crazy for doing this? All up it will cost me 400 US for the airline ticket, hotel, and concert ticket. But what can I do? I haven't seen him play for 11 years. Sometimes a Prince fan just has to do this kind of thing.[/what am I doing edit]
[This message was edited Thu Sep 18 19:42:01 PDT 2003 by sabaisabai]

Therapy said:

Havig read this report now, I am really surprised hes doing something like this!!!

He is a Jehovahs Witness now, and they are renowned worldwide for not getting involved in anything political in any way shape or form!!

I thought this was just a normal music festival in Hong Kong, but didnt know that this was of a political nature!!

Gold319 said:

I don't think there's anything political about it. Controversy over government spending doesn't make something political does it? If it was a sweetener by the ruling government before an election then that would be political.

Where is this picture from?

Hey, Elisa, don't let some small minded journalists get to you.
Just be thankful Prince isn't doing a Purple Rain Revue, complete with the ruffled outfits and ejaculating guitar.
Now THAT would be depressing.

Nightcrawler said:

This is a picture from the spring-summer 2001 Hit N Run tour

i think its cool hes headlining above his rocker heroes rolling stones, who are miles more high profile than prince so im surprising they aint headlining! is he still a huge draw in asia/japan etc?

saying that, when someone says, prince is headlining, i think its alot more exciting than saying rolling stones, simply cos of the wonder of what hes going to play etc etc

I just love this picture of Prince. He looks so happy.

SANSKER7 said:

Thanx, Sansker7. He looks fine in that pic.

Prince should have done "SARStock" in Toronto additionally, but I can't blame him for not wanting any part in a show headlined by the Rolling Stones.

Aerogram said:

Maybe this time they'll boo the Stones off the stage...

Hey maybe Prince will sing through one of those "MJ Surgical Masks"

GREAT PIC OF HIM!!! gotta love that smile... ahhh...

sabaisabai said:

Purple Rain, may be one of the ten best songs ever written, performed and created, so there is nothing wrong with the journalists' remark... Prince also, shouldn't be ashamed of the track, he may be a different person from that time in his life, but there is no reason to be ashamed or "hate" to playthat song... the song is great, and not too many artists can come close to creating a masterpiece like that... but many artists feel this way about their earlier work, and I could never figure out why...

when artists come to my studio and record, I always try and give them a little advice, so I usually might say something like, "Know who you are, be who you are, and never forget who you are..."