Prince is an humble artist when it comes to large venues. He could play arenas and stadiums but perfers to do clubs and theaters.

Now that' not nearly fair enough for all his fans. But it's funny when he had the smaller tours early this decade they didn't sellout. Just advertisement can make the difference between a 2,000 seat venue and an arena for 2 nights.

In The States Prince hasn't played a stadium since Purple Rain. In EUrope I believe he does stadiums. Most artists are more popular there so I believe he would. But there is the issue. As you get older you lose(in The States atleast)
popularity. Michael Jackson did it. He was doing huge stadiums on The VIctory Tour but on The Bad US leg he did arenas only. Hope he can still fill an arena 1 night.

But then there's James Brown. He was the biggest artist in soul for awhile. Then to years ago when he came to my town he did a theater at The George R.Brown Convention Center. That's kind of small for James Brown The Godfather of Soul. DO you think Prince and Michael will ever get to that level where they have to do clubs and theaters to keep the venue full?

Then you've got an artist liek Brittney. Michael sold around $40 million of Thriller in the first 10 years. Hit Me Baby 1 More Time has sold that already.
Is it possible that she is as popular oeven more popular than Michael? A baffeling number a struggle to find a way how. DOes she do stadiums. As far as I recall she did an arena only 1 night here in Houston. Prince did 2 last time.Even Madonna was doing alll stadiums 4 years into her career and does in The UNited States.

fluid said:

Beg to Differ with you on your facts. Musicology Tour in Grand Rapids MI, was held at the Van Andel Arena with 12K+ seats and was sold out.

Yea, I went to the Musicology concert in a stadium in 2004. WTF are you talking about?????

At least in US parlance, a stadium is a football or soccer venue, at least 40,000 for a concert, usually outdoors (except for the indoor ones, usually known as "Domes".)

An arena is an indoor hockey/basketball venue, 8-20,000 people. Musicology must have played almost every arena in the US...twice.

I have heard it said that the key is to have your stage set and show optimized for one size to make the most money, so that you're not going from one size venue to another. I think Prince angles his marketing and setlists to the type of tour he wants to do. So, ONA was in large theaters and was not a greatest hits show. Musicology -- largely hits -- for arenas.

Stadiums...I don't think he's that big anymore. Nude in Europe and Japan was stadiums, I guess, and some others, but...that's pretty impersonal. True that some acts like U2 and Genesis have done arenas in North America and stadiums in Europe due to demand. I am unhappy U2 is doing stadiums in the US this time. For me, it's just too damn big.

As far as Prince's recent shows go, they aren't really touring, just a bunch of one-offs.

Musicology in stadiums, must have bene in Europe.DId The Nude Tour come to The US cause he hadn't been to Texas for along time till 1997.

ANd U2 are doing a stadium US tour which isn't selling out. Only the biggest cities like LA, New York, and Chicago have soldout. And they are doing onscure places like OHklahoma instead of Seattle.

Musicology wasn't touring in Europe. In USA only.. unfortunately.



the pic is from this thread:
http://prince.org/msg/7/309346?&pg=2
[Edited 5/30/09 1:56am]

Dayclear said:

Prince doesn't do stadiums n The US, what are you talking about?