So you're glad no Larry Graham, who is one of Prince's best friends?

Ok.

But you're complaining Prince has gone corporate.

These responses are some of the lamest I've ever seen.

You're either gonna get personal, friends, with Prince having fun or you're gonna get corporate. Make up you're minds.

Oh and if anyone didn't realize Prince is a musician and he does this to make money. It's his job. He likes his job and he likes getting paid to do his job. So.... oh never mind. You'll just find something else to complain about. Prince could start playing concerts in a stadium with no lights and no air conditioning or heat to save money and charge less for tickets and you'd complain. If he charges more money and finds ways to make more money then he's corporate LOL


And about the people you see on 3121.com, this is NOT a concert with all these people. You'll see one main act a month, likely just the weekends and the rest of the nights will be no names. They would have to charge $2000 a ticket if they put on a show with all those people at once. The venue at that hotel is not a 20k seat stadium. A lot smaller so a LOT higher ticket prices per show.

I'm guessing Prince headlining will be a minimum of $312.21 per ticket.

It costs close to $100 a person to see a magic show that's been going on for 20+ YEARS with very little changes during that time. Someone with Prince's talent and all backup singers and FULL band for a few thousand people is gonna way out of most fan's budgets.
[Edited 10/25/06 14:18pm]
[Edited 10/25/06 14:19pm]

rastoma said:

Yo Dawg you are right on point...

I do a lot of work out in Las Vegas and stay at the Rio all the time. I also know a lot of the management there so I got some inside info… So here’s the deal…

As most of you already know Prince is working out a deal with Harrah’s Group Inc. (they own the Rio) to create an “Entertainment Management Proposal and Consulting Service” for the Rio Hotel. For some you that don’t know the Rio recently went through a complete redesign. Harrah’s logic was simple. They wanted to create a venue that would bring a more youthful, progressive, and upscale clientele that would hit the target market. This target market is essentially the “Next Generation” a term used to describe those of us that were born during the Vietnam and post-Vietnam era (circa 1966 through 1978). The target market demographics put them in the upper middle to lower high class bracket income levels that have:

Own homes with an average value of $350,000 to $1.2M
Income brackets of $55,000 to $250,000
Disposable income that is 25% of salary
Etc….

This is very similar to what Atlantic City did in attracting a younger clientele to the casinos there. Anyhow the program that is being created is to bring more progressive, positive and affluent musicians to the Rio that is primarily focused in the R&B, Jazz and Soul genres. The Hard Rock (only a few blocks away) is doing the same thing but for the Rock and Alternative music genres.

So what’s Prince’s take on this? Well Prince Acts more like an entertainment consultant overseeing the design (both the front and back office) as well as the entertainment bookie (lack of a better word). My understanding is that once the legal aspects where completed he put out a call to a number of artists asking if they were interested in partaking in this little experiment. My partner who works there and shall be nameless (don’t everyone calling the brotha…) said that the response was out of this world. Quote, “we have enough commitments to book for the first year”. Also Prince gets to play certain dates (without restraint) and gets a cut on ticket sales…

The club will not have live entertainment every night. Most nights the club will be open for the usual dancing, etc. Although they will have different selections of music each night. The really kewl aspect is that any artist that plays there will have “free and unrestricted” access to do whatever they want (as long as it doesn’t break any laws). So the sets are most likely going to be “raw”…

They already started doing a lot of the demolition and redesign (at least they were when I was there last month. Will be back in Vegas in two weeks so I can give an update when I get back). There are of course the legal aspects that still need to be worked out, pay the mob off, that kind of stuff….

It's funny, for ages we've had lots of people complaining they don't like the idea of Prince doing lots of dates in Vegas - now we've got complaining there isn't going to be enough Prince and too many protege acts! The expression "You can't please all the people all the time" springs to mind...

I don't really see how this is some new business model - my local nightclub I never go to books different acts almost every week, okay they're not in the same league as some of these acts, but the principle is the same. The only interest for a Prince fan is when it is an associated artist performing. I can understand Prince using his power to try to expand his fan-base's interest in other acts, but I can do that on my own thanks. Prince could book some amazing top act and I still wouldn't go if I wasn't a fan or interested in them, just because Prince says I should and he has given them his blessing? I'm a Prince fan. Primarily I want to see Prince, not these other acts. I don't think I will be alone in that.
[Edited 10/25/06 15:33pm]

I'm not getting it, why so many people are getting so freaking excited about this! I presume the people overjoyed at this are the people for whom getting to Vegas isn't a huge problem.

It seems that basically, if you can get to Vegas for these shows then hurrah! But if, like 90%+ of Prince's fans, you won't be able to, then this is all pointless. Then, to top it all, we're getting people criticising us for thinking that this is all a load of crap?

It reminds me of the legendary Year 2 of the NPGMC where members who were able to go to the live shows couldn't work out why members who couldn't were pissed off about Prince not delivering on his original 4 CD promise.

'I'm alright Jack, don't give a shit about you' syndrome.

I think I saw a picture of the "new chick"--Bria Fuentes. Did anyone else see her? Or, am I wrong. She is possibly the girl who is singing with him on "Song of the Heart".

http://www.prince.org/msg/5/204249

cool idea...can't wait for folks complaining about traveling all the way from Tokyo and prince no performing...





also, the players (thus far) really lack diversity...which is a shame.

metalorange said:

That's all well and good and you made some excellent points...Except for the fact that this proposed club is just that: a club....People come out to Las Vegas to gamble and go to shows...And with the demographic of vactioners getting younger and younger there are some folks who will spend good money to see Gnarles Barkley or The Roots...Prince is not counting on his fans to see these other acts...he's counting on Las Vegas tourists who buy tickets to see everyone from Toni Braxton to John Mayer....Again, the club scene in Las Vegas has a life of its own, Meta....Las Vegas is its own industry with, or without Prince...as it stands, it's an interesting idea...

[img]


[Edited 10/25/06 12:51pm]

sosgemini said:

I am sure it will be announced what dates Prince will actually be there. Since we didn't just meet him, it will probably be real short notice.

I am excited bout this. It may just be the fact that there is something, anything finally going on after not a peep of news in 3 months.

I may hafta whip out the card and head to Vegas again.

Where you at, babynoz?

serpan99 said:

I'm intrigued on the Prince and the band line up.

Nobody has mentioned the band-his band. Someone has mentioned there is no Tamar on the list but is that not her on the left?-will she still be in the band.

The twins are obviously at the bottom, it looks like Morris Hayes at the top in the circle and who is the guy on the right?

i have no problem with prince going with a corporate sponsorship with this whole 3121/rio thing...i mean, at least he's not having to deal with clear channel...but couldn't he have gone with coca-cola instead of pepsi?

Stymie said:

Girrrrrl, I am sooo tempted. I might hafta figure sumpthin out! I got zero balance on my card but my vacation time is maxed out.

cool idea...can't wait for folks complaining about traveling all the way from Tokyo and prince no performing...

also, the players (thus far) really lack diversity...which is a shame.

Anx said:

I hate coke!

ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod

babynoz said:

and prince is probably a pepsi person too. that dude, i tell you.

Anx said:

from here:

hottness hottness!!! the intro was awesome! the building looks amazing!!! i can't wait- i think purple is gonna replace red and green this holiday season! awesome!

sosgemini said:

thanks Debbie Downer




TRANSLATION: "Where are Wendy and Lisa"?