well,

it's 4:25 in the morning and i just got home from the sunday night atlanta show at the civic center. i hope i can remain somewhat coherent for the next few moments.



to start with the atlanta civic center seats about 5,500. it's a mid-sized venue below the size of the hockey/basketball arena, but bigger than the traditional old theater. i don't know what atlanta has done to gain prince's favor but what ever it is, it's way cool by me. i mean 3 shows at the fox theater in 1998, a hit and run at a small 1,500 seat venue (the tabernacle with one of the hardest happening aftershows ever in november of 2000, and now 2 shows this weekend (actually 2 1/2 shows). i think tonight
was a first in prince lore. i have seen several aftershows, many cities get aftershows, but we got a beforeshow.



the tickets stated it was an 8:00 pm show. saturday night started
pretty much on time, although, there were opening acts. prince took me and many by surprise sunday. the stage was set similar to the fonky baldheads stage with the drum head with the
fonky baldheads logo on it.



at 9:00 pm prince walked out with his hohner and broke in to paisley park, the band consisted of the normal hit and run band minus najje, and added mike scott on guitar the full version 5-7 minutes all verses. then he introduced larry graham, and they went into a 15 minute jammed out version of the daisey chain, way cool guitar by prince and bass by larry.



then they just jammed, it was a beforeshow. also of note was a great alphabet street and the jam. the last atlanta aftershow was hard rock heavy guitar, hendrix/santana influenced. this was pure funk. they played about 90 minutes then took a 15-20 minute break and then came out and played a 100 minute regular hit and run show.



highlights were the work, a new song. and an 8-9 minute version of housequake. the crowd was unbelievable, it was sheer electricity, cali could'a tapped the joint and spared a few blackouts. i've rarely ever seen a crowd that jacked up.



it was an unbelievable weekend.



i must go i have a pharmacology class in 3 hours

jamesg