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PrintableWashington Post Article on Super Bowl show
No Malfunction As Prince Rocks Halftime By DOUGLAS J. ROWE The Associated Press Sunday, February 4, 2007; 10:28 PM -- Phew! CBS got through the halftime show without a "wardrobe malfunction." The Artist Formerly Known as a Munchkin of Wardrobe Dysfunction began by singing "Let's Go Crazy," but he didn't. Prince, who became a Jehovah's Witness in the mid-1990s, no longer wears yellow, butt-baring pants as he did at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards (prompting Howard Stern's send-up at the '92 VMAs). The closest thing to a fashion statement Sunday night was an odd kerchief on his head. So the NFL had no repeat of the 2004 Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake show, which happened the last time CBS broadcast the game. The 48-year-old Prince, who rose to stardom in the '80s with his distinctive fusion of R&B, funk, soul and rock, once looked androgynous and produced songs that (lest we forget) drove Tipper Gore nuts (and made her a fat target for anti-censorship types like Frank Zappa). Musically, the diminutive, erstwhile prodigy from Minneapolis kept it old-school, rockin' the house with "Purple Rain" and other golden hits. He delivered one of the best Super Bowl halftime shows _ ever. Consequently, he didn't come across as a painfully safe choice _ or a has-been, the rap against the previous couple of Super Bowl halftime acts, Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones. | |
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The stage was wonderful. I absolutely loved it. Possibly the best 360 stage he’s ever performed on next to the Lovesexy stage. I loved his rendition of the All along the Watchtower and Best of You--perfect. What I loved most about the performance was his voice. It sounded very smooth and in charge tonight and the sound was crisp. The energy was vibrant and upbeat, and Prince played off of that perfectly---remember Paul McCartney playing to an energetic crowd only to nearly put them to sleep? He did exactly what he needed to do—give a great performance, with undisputed command of his guitar skills, to a legion of football fans who otherwise wouldn’t give a damn about him. I may be famming the fuck out here, but if he didn’t win converts tonight, I’d be surprised—this performance was more dramatic than his tepid affair with Beyonce in 2004. Overall, I give it an 8.5 out of 10, simply because the theatrics could have been more dramatic—Michael Jackson had a bit more drama in his show. Also the guiatar distortion on Purple rain made it sound flat in certain parts. But not enough to make it a bad performance by any means. I fell in love with Prince all over again tonight. My only complaint is that he didn’t do a “hallway speech”. I was totally hoping that he would give a “Microchip in Yo neck—the opposite of Football is balls on your foot, Akashic records and Yo family name meets Time is a trick of the mind” style speech. I would have paid good money to watch the audience reactions to a bizzaro Prince moment circa 1999/2000. 
Did anyone notice how much dehydrogenated monoxide was in the performance? It made it very dramatic. Especially fitting for the Purple Rain and Hendrix song. | |
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My immediate reaction was that something went wrong with the pyrotechnics.
Sosososo proud of him! Doves on a stick! Pirate Twinzzzz! Revolution said: Was I the only one who thought that there was a malfunction with the pyrotechnics during the opening blast? I thought: They blew up Prince. I envisioned him on fire like Mike and his Pepsi commercial. Love wins. (Seen on bumpersticker) | |
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Washington Post Article on Super Bowl show
No Malfunction As Prince Rocks Halftime By DOUGLAS J. ROWE The Associated Press Sunday, February 4, 2007; 10:28 PM -- Phew! CBS got through the halftime show without a "wardrobe malfunction." The Artist Formerly Known as a Munchkin of Wardrobe Dysfunction began by singing "Let's Go Crazy," but he didn't. Prince, who became a Jehovah's Witness in the mid-1990s, no longer wears yellow, butt-baring pants as he did at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards (prompting Howard Stern's send-up at the '92 VMAs). The closest thing to a fashion statement Sunday night was an odd kerchief on his head. So the NFL had no repeat of the 2004 Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake show, which happened the last time CBS broadcast the game. The 48-year-old Prince, who rose to stardom in the '80s with his distinctive fusion of R&B, funk, soul and rock, once looked androgynous and produced songs that (lest we forget) drove Tipper Gore nuts (and made her a fat target for anti-censorship types like Frank Zappa). Musically, the diminutive, erstwhile prodigy from Minneapolis kept it old-school, rockin' the house with "Purple Rain" and other golden hits. He delivered one of the best Super Bowl halftime shows _ ever. Consequently, he didn't come across as a painfully safe choice _ or a has-been, the rap against the previous couple of Super Bowl halftime acts, Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones. | |
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Who else could end a rockin' show like that with a SLOW JAM, and have the entire stadium singing along?? Prince is the man!! | |
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Imago said: The stage was wonderful. I absolutely loved it. Possibly the best 360 stage he’s ever performed on next to the Lovesexy stage. I loved his rendition of the All along the Watchtower and Best of You--perfect. What I loved most about the performance was his voice. It sounded very smooth and in charge tonight and the sound was crisp. The energy was vibrant and upbeat, and Prince played off of that perfectly---remember Paul McCartney playing to an energetic crowd only to nearly put them to sleep? He did exactly what he needed to do—give a great performance, with undisputed command of his guitar skills, to a legion of football fans who otherwise wouldn’t give a damn about him. I may be famming the fuck out here, but if he didn’t win converts tonight, I’d be surprised—this performance was more dramatic than his tepid affair with Beyonce in 2004. Overall, I give it an 8.5 out of 10, simply because the theatrics could have been more dramatic—Michael Jackson had a bit more drama in his show. Also the guiatar distortion on Purple rain made it sound flat in certain parts. But not enough to make it a bad performance by any means. I fell in love with Prince all over again tonight. My only complaint is that he didn’t do a “hallway speech”. I was totally hoping that he would give a “Microchip in Yo neck—the opposite of Football is balls on your foot, Akashic records and Yo family name meets Time is a trick of the mind” style speech. I would have paid good money to watch the audience reactions to a bizzaro Prince moment circa 1999/2000.
Did anyone notice how much dehydrogenated monoxide was in the performance? It made it very dramatic. Especially fitting for the Purple Rain and Hendrix song. Why the hell are you typing in blue? Attention whore.  | |
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Anx said: gottaletitgo's post made me realize...
there was absolutely ZERO '3121' content tonight! not even a reference or a logo or anything! think he's finally starting to move on to the next thing, or just showing restraint cuz he was a guest at someone else's party? I saw someone onstage holding a 3121 tambourine at one point, but that was it.  | |
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jpav said: NY Times on Super Bowl Show
Prince’s Performance Lacks Controversy Sign In to E-Mail or Save This Share By KELEFA SANNEH Published: February 5, 2007 A brief concert in the middle of the Super Bowl, on a temporary stage, designed to thrill a captive audience with nothing in common except a love of sport or spectacle, or both. How could that ever be a good idea? Then, just when it seemed time to give up on that quaint ritual known as the halftime show, along comes Prince. Prince performed a medley of his hits Sunday night during halftime. Appropriate to the weather conditions, “Purple Rain” was among them. His performance last night at Super Bowl XLI will surely go down as one of the most thrilling halftime shows ever; certainly the most unpredictable, and perhaps the best. “Dearly beloved,” he whispered, intoning the famous first words of “Let’s Go Crazy.” What followed was a dizzying demonstration. He navigated a smooth course through a jumbled-up set built from bits and pieces, hits and covers. “Let’s Go Crazy” ended with an ad-libbed call-and-response, after which Prince was joined by a marching band. Soon came “Proud Mary” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. That gave way to a piece of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower,” which melted into “Best of You,” the 2005 hit by the Foo Fighters. He ended the medley by modifying a favorite line from the Foo Fighters’ song: “I’ve got another confession, my friend/I ain’t no fool.” Somehow, it all made sense, or maybe it made something better than sense. The heavy rain made the smoke and lights seem mysterious, instead of merely ridiculous. And there was a sneaky thrill in watching Prince steal the field from guys three times his size, if only for a few moments. At one Super Bowl gathering, at least, Prince’s extravagant guitar solos, seductive facial expressions and strutting stage manner made boozy viewers whoop and wonder in equal measure. Who knew a Super Bowl halftime show could be this delirious? No doubt National Football League officials were pretty pleased, too. They know that the halftime show is still haunted by the specter of 2004, when Justin Timberlake enlivened an otherwise unmemorable show by baring Janet Jackson’s breast. Somehow, Timberlake’s role has been largely forgotten, but Jackson’s career has still not recovered. And compared with the controversial Jackson, Prince must seem like a pretty safe bet. Would that last statement have made any sense at all 20 years ago? In 1987, Jackson was best known as Michael’s effervescent younger sister, and Prince was perhaps the most polarizing pop star in the country; the sexually frank lyrics of his “Darling Nikki” had helped spark a national debate about explicit lyrics. Yesterday’s command performance was yet more proof that Prince has made that familiar journey from pariah to American treasure. He has a catalog of hits that everybody seems to love (even the players, who normally take little interest in the halftime show, were quoted praising Prince), and he sings and plays and moves as well as he ever did. Best of all, he does not carry himself as a pop-star emeritus. Did you see his face during the first verse of “Purple Rain,” when he tossed his bandana into the crowd? He looked as if he were getting away with something. Nice comment. It was a very nice performance, very respected. I love the way the stage lights lit up as well as the purple lights around the stadium. Then it was basically "all Prince". They kept the cameras totally focused on him and although the stage was wet, he fearlessly walked across the stage, egoless, and and warranted audience participation and he got it. Fantastic performance. His largest audience yet all at one time with millions of viewers watching this performance tonight. I bet even the network execs were very pleased. He just earned himself a nice new batch of fans! [Edited 2/4/07 20:16pm] | |
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Imago said: My only complaint is that he didn’t do a “hallway speech”. I was totally hoping that he would give a “Microchip in Yo neck—the opposite of Football is balls on your foot, Akashic records and Yo family name meets Time is a trick of the mind” style speech. I would have paid good money to watch the audience reactions to a bizzaro Prince moment circa 1999/2000.
Did anyone notice how much dehydrogenated monoxide was in the performance? It made it very dramatic. Especially fitting for the Purple Rain and Hendrix song. i was totally looking forward to a nutjob speech too.   | |
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ok, so check it. if he goes on tour with that stage, i'm there. i have no desire to see another hits tour (half hits/half new is good enough cuz i know he has to do some hits) but if he takes that stage on tour i may be forced to go. i'm a sucker for a cool stage design. | |
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thekidsgirl said: However the rain did add an extra touch of emotion to the performance and an feeling of urgency and passion.
Also, Prince's hair and makeup remained flawless during the performance which brought a tear to my eye as well
Woulda been nice if he debuted a hot new song though, but whatever! Im happy! Exactly, the rain added so much to the performance. We have to remember you are given a small time frame to blow people away. And think about the crowd, those are people that paid for a football NOT A PRINCE CONCERT, so he has to hit them with something they are familar with. Whether we think he played it safe, the truth is its a blessing to have him walk on a stage 30 years after his career began with more energy than ever. "We went where our music was appreciated, and that was everywhere but the USA, we knew we had fans, but there is only so much of the world you can play at once" Magne F | |
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evenstar3 said: Anx said: gottaletitgo's post made me realize...
there was absolutely ZERO '3121' content tonight! not even a reference or a logo or anything! think he's finally starting to move on to the next thing, or just showing restraint cuz he was a guest at someone else's party? I saw someone onstage holding a 3121 tambourine at one point, but that was it. You tell his ass Laural! | |
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JustErin said: Imago said: The stage was wonderful. I absolutely loved it. Possibly the best 360 stage he’s ever performed on next to the Lovesexy stage. I loved his rendition of the All along the Watchtower and Best of You--perfect. What I loved most about the performance was his voice. It sounded very smooth and in charge tonight and the sound was crisp. The energy was vibrant and upbeat, and Prince played off of that perfectly---remember Paul McCartney playing to an energetic crowd only to nearly put them to sleep? He did exactly what he needed to do—give a great performance, with undisputed command of his guitar skills, to a legion of football fans who otherwise wouldn’t give a damn about him. I may be famming the fuck out here, but if he didn’t win converts tonight, I’d be surprised—this performance was more dramatic than his tepid affair with Beyonce in 2004. Overall, I give it an 8.5 out of 10, simply because the theatrics could have been more dramatic—Michael Jackson had a bit more drama in his show. Also the guiatar distortion on Purple rain made it sound flat in certain parts. But not enough to make it a bad performance by any means. I fell in love with Prince all over again tonight. My only complaint is that he didn’t do a “hallway speech”. I was totally hoping that he would give a “Microchip in Yo neck—the opposite of Football is balls on your foot, Akashic records and Yo family name meets Time is a trick of the mind” style speech. I would have paid good money to watch the audience reactions to a bizzaro Prince moment circa 1999/2000.
Did anyone notice how much dehydrogenated monoxide was in the performance? It made it very dramatic. Especially fitting for the Purple Rain and Hendrix song. Why the hell are you typing in blue? Attention whore. Are you flirting with me? Cuase I can flirt back in spades honey! | |
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AMAZINGLY DONE!!
I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ROCKED IT IN THE RAIN. U GO BOY  | |
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great performance obviosuly
the fact that he did so well given the weather. Dude is top notch. I don't if his guitar went out or it was the mix (I think it went out) but overall good job Dance... Let me see you dance | |
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It looked great, the guitar was great, the silhouette was inspired. I don't mind listening to Purple Rain hits, I just wish he'd played a Raspberry Beret, U Got The Look, Gold, Partyman song... you know... something of his. Alphabet St, something like that. The covers, whilst well performed, seemed to defeat the object of having someone with such a vast catalogue of songs as the half time performer.
That said. Thoroughly enjoyed the performance and, I'll say it once more, the silhouette was inspired. Goosebumps and shivers. | |
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coolcat said: I thought the performance was alright... I didn't like how that guitar sounded... too much distortion... just too noisy I thought...
I'm the opposite. That's what I loved about it! The guiter sounded gritty; very rock n roll. Perfect for an audience of Superbowl fans. As great as it is, the smoother, prettier sounds he tends to play just wouldn't have gone over quite as well as this noisiness did. I  it![Edited 2/4/07 20:14pm] "A Watcher scoffs at gravity!" | |
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evenstar3 said: Anx said: gottaletitgo's post made me realize...
there was absolutely ZERO '3121' content tonight! not even a reference or a logo or anything! think he's finally starting to move on to the next thing, or just showing restraint cuz he was a guest at someone else's party? I saw someone onstage holding a 3121 tambourine at one point, but that was it. there was absolutely ZERO '3121' content tonight! not even a reference or a logo or anything! think he's finally starting to move on to the next thing I doubt that...this was a performance strictly for the Superbowl crowd, a totally different audience, I doubt if he's letting go of 3121 anytime soon. He played the right songs for that crowd with all the different generations of people there. The Twinz, Shelby and his band did not overshadow him. It was a very classy performance to be remembered. [Edited 2/4/07 20:20pm] | |
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my husband thougth that the silhouette was phallic and he laughed. 
i thought it was normal. No matter the ©️, Paisley Park "official can never ™️  . He gave that to us verbally on Oprah in 1996. You can't take away from us, corporate. I mean O ( + > | |
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Imago said: JustErin said: Why the hell are you typing in blue? Attention whore. Are you flirting with me? Cuase I can flirt back in spades honey! It's my first time.  | |
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I watched the Superbowl in a movie theater with a couple hundred rabid football fans; almost all of them shut up for "Purple Rain," which I think says something in itself.
I was happiest with the huge horn section on "Baby I'm a Star". I could seriously have done without the Twinz, or twins, or whoever they are. Dreadful. I wanted them to back off and just let him do his thing. | |
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JustErin said: Imago said: Are you flirting with me? Cuase I can flirt back in spades honey! It's my first time. You're just sympathy-flirting with me cause I got my ass told of in that GD thread, aren't ya? | |
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FruitToAttractBears said: GottaLetitgo said: Chatboards on multiple Prince and non-Prince sites will positively glow about the performance. (2:1) Have you seen the comments on Okayplayer yet?
You'd THINK it was a fan site. links please?  I've been trying to get on the foofighters message board all night to see what they might be saying, but I can't get through....The check. The string he dropped. The Mona Lisa. The musical notes taken out of a hat. The glass. The toy shotgun painting. The things he found. Therefore, everything seen–every object, that is, plus the process of looking at it–is a Duchamp. | |
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Imago said: JustErin said: It's my first time. You're just sympathy-flirting with me cause I got my ass told of in that GD thread, aren't ya? 
And just so we don't get in trouble for going off topic. I thought Prince's eye shadow colour was fabulous. | |
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Imago said: JustErin said: It's my first time. You're just sympathy-flirting with me cause I got my ass told of in that GD thread, aren't ya?  Going to GD"Nobody makes me bleed my own blood...NOBODY!"
johnart says: "I'm THE shit" | |
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I have to say it again...I am SO PROUD to be a Prince fan!!!!  
I haven't seen anyone mention the lightning at the very beginning...that was real wasn't it??? So perfect....God helping out  Ask where they're going, they'll tell U – "Nowhere"
They've taken a lifetime lease on Paisley Park ...  | |
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FruitToAttractBears said: GottaLetitgo said: Chatboards on multiple Prince and non-Prince sites will positively glow about the performance. (2:1) Have you seen the comments on Okayplayer yet?
You'd THINK it was a fan site. [Edited 2/4/07 20:01pm] For real but I was loving what I was reading. Are there anymore sites where people are talking about Prince? I'm not a fan of "old Prince". I'm not a fan of "new Prince". I'm just a fan of Prince. Simple as that | |
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jone70 said: FruitToAttractBears said: Have you seen the comments on Okayplayer yet?
You'd THINK it was a fan site. links please? I've been trying to get on the foofighters message board all night to see what they might be saying, but I can't get through....http://board.okayplayer.c...7468&page= at the title
and: http://board.okayplayer.c...6859&page= from their GD forum.   " | |
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Like i was saying we all have to understand that the Half time performer is given 10-12 minutes to keep this crowd pumped. Also remember these are sports fans, they paid for a game not a PRINCE concert, so they arent there to hear album cuts and Bsides, they wanna hear what they know. And as much as we deny it, 95% of that Superbowl crowd know a handful of Prince songs, so he wasnt playing it safe as much as he was Keeping a Crowd UP! As for the weather, i think it enhanced the performance, Im glad he ripped that damn thing off his head and threw it away, hopefully he doesnt have another one. I heard that the "Twinz" were planninga different look but the rain caused a change in their wardrobe. All in all, Prince showed how U do it, shock people with your talent not by pulling out body parts or cursing or whatever u need to cover up the lack of talent. "We went where our music was appreciated, and that was everywhere but the USA, we knew we had fans, but there is only so much of the world you can play at once" Magne F | |
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paisley16 said: I have to say it again...I am SO PROUD to be a Prince fan!!!!
I haven't seen anyone mention the lightning at the very beginning...that was real wasn't it??? So perfect....God helping out Actually, the lightening made me roll my eyes and laugh. I thought, "Oh oh...this isn't a good start". Thankfully the rest of the performance made forget all about the cheesy lightening effects at the beginning. | |
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