Ok, have to start by saying that I'm happy for half of what has happened during that 13th of August but on the other hand... things could have been so much better for me.



I'm on a holiday here so obviously having a great time with my husband and kid.

It all started with me not checking the internet and having missed that Prince was playing in Monaco (yes, I pulled many hair from my head). I checked around the 8th of August and tickets for the two shows were sold out.

However, I wanted to go to Monaco that day to see if someone would sell tickets outside, gotta stay positive, right?

But I'm not here alone so I have to take into account the interests of my kid and husband, I can't spend a whole day waiting for Prince like when I was a teenage girl back in the days.

We planned to go to the Musée Océanographique, which is a great museum btw and after that we would go eat somewhere and then hunt for a ticket for me.
We brought my kid's Nintendo for if I could enter and hubby had to stay out late with our kid.

Things already went wrong when at 4.30pm, still being at the museum, me and my kid got hungry. So we had to eat something.
At 5.30pm we went and hubby wanted to eat some McDonalds so that we could post at the Opéra at 6pm, maybe get a ticket....

HUGE mistake number one, I wasn't hungry and the last thing I wanted was eat McDonalds, I just wanted to go to the Opéra.
Hubby very angry, telling me how stupid I was but we went. My thought was to eat before 7pm, 1st show would start at 8pm so I got some time....but restaurants only open at 7 or 8pm....forgot about that....

The backside of the Casino where Prince played that night.


Okay, so I'm still having this angry hubby by my side and I don't see anyone at the back of the Casino with tickets (which is the Opéra side). I'm feeling very uncomfortable, being so close, making mistakes, not good, NOT good.

There's this modest row at the front, the entrance of the Casino, a young crowd dressed up to the nines, nice dresses and nice suits, very modern, nothing too fancy. Waving with their tickets since it was incredibly hot that day.

I look down my own holiday dress thinking, could I ever enter with this???

Back to the Opéra side again, I'm telling my husband that I want to see if I can catch Prince on camera since there are a lot of people from the Opéra waiting for something or someone.... you never know! So I stand firmly behind the fences.

Some black cars from Sporting Monte Carlo approach, like bees to the hive, coming and leaving, they open the fences and I'm ready with my camera... the people waiting there act very nervous.



Nothing happens, normal people stepping out and entering at the back.
French photographers approach so I stand next to them but Police tell them that Prince is already inside so they leave, I just keep posted, maybe it was a diversion

They bring pizza's...not for P. I guess...



They bring trays with food and French fries...not for P. I guess....



And we're standing almost alone there at the back, some Italians who wondered if the food was for Prince, lol and this American couple that has walked by and sat on a wall, posting, just like us.



Waiting, waiting, this French tv guy passes, from the tv channel France 3, I think he walked in, not sure but had seen him come down the stairs inside the Opera after the first show so maybe some live footage???



Waiting and wondering how it comes that no-one is standing there, a father with his little daughter, some tourists but not more than 10 minutes.
Then... after waiting for a while someone comes out the back door and it is Mr. Hayes



Looking foine and sharp with his chocolate suit and orange blouse and handkerchief. Great shoes!!!

Close up



No-one recognises him

Hip hip! Hey Morris! How you doing! Hope you have a great show tonight! I hope so he says! As if he wanted to say, no need to hope, hell if it isn't so!!

He passes by and makes a chat with the American couple.



I go to them and him, give him a hand... very friendly guy.



He takes me around the shoulder so that hubby can make a pic, I tell him that he's damn tall!! He starts laughing, I tell him that 14 years ago I could have given him and Sonny T. a hand but didn't because I thought I would bother them (yes, I don't want to hear anything from you ) I had been feeling bad since then. I don't bite, he says with a big grin.



Smiling like a hilarious white girl



The couple ask him if they can get in... Oh, hubby and I say together, can we get in too???
He turns around, pointing at us, he says 3? Yes and I hear hubby say 2. I'm thinking quickly, where do I put my son? I'm not at home where I can have grandma looking over him!!! No! three tickets I say! Ok, I'll see what I can do and Morris walks away, entering the Opera again.

I'm feeling a little bit victorious, having these nice pics of him and having a possibility to enter, I'm feeling great.

I see a lady doing her make up downstairs, a little bit behind the curtains. I'm thinking someone who sings with Prince? I couldn't recognise her, short afro, big earrings, maybe one of you orgers recognises her? I don't have the opportunity here to brighten up this pic, then you could see her better.



Ok, what next, I looked up and saw the ceiling and the walls of the Opera and it looked delicious, I so wanted to be in there, Monaco is imo a very ugly city with only rich people trying to show off, it has not much to offer for the eyes, except that museum I told about, some gardens and the Plaza of the Casino with it's hotels and this Opera, just gorgeous!!

I see them close the curtains! 8pm the show is starting, people yelling and clapping.
I hear Prince singing The love we make, I love this song so much, never heard it live so I'm sitting on the steps enjoying it to the max. The sound at the back is pretty good. After that I hear the beginning of Shhh, just like in 1995, during the Gold tour. It sounds super, another song I love to the max.

Morris comes out again with another suit on





Hubby starts babling that 14 years ago I didn't give Morris a hand, blablabla, same story I told him. He's laughing again, "I don't bite girl, I don't bite... much"
I ask him to sign on a piece of paper I had with me.



He says to the American couple that he's doing his best to arrange to get them in, hubby and I are standing there, mixing in. Hubby says, only one ticket, not three! "I'm doing my best with Angele" he says, "the second show will be great!!" He then signs a A4 poster of Prince on the wall for the couple. Still no-one standing there besides us and that couple.

It's 8.30pm and my kid and I are getting very hungry. I was so positive about entering the second show, I needed to eat to stand up during that show so I didn't mind missing a part of the first show.

At 9.30 we get back and I catch the last song Purple Rain. Some tribute band in the neighbourhood is making real noise with a Mother Finest song and some Joe Cocker. They sounded good but I couldn't hear Prince that much anymore and to be honest, Purple Rain....have heard it too many times.
I hear the crowd screaming Oooh oooh oooooh ooh, ooooh ooooh oooooh oooh, his guitar squeeling along with the crowd, a long Purple Rain version. At 9.45 it ends.

The curtains open again, I see lots of people coming down the stairs, happy faces, pretty clothes, the inside view in the Opera is even better in the dark.





I'm feeling excited, waiting for Morris to come out with the final word!

He does come out, it was pretty dark at that time, he walks towards me, my heart skips a beat, hell, can I get into that gorgeous building???? With my longtime hero?????
When he's almost in front of me, he looks a little bit confused and turns left towards the American couple. Hubby looks at me with frown eyebrows, asking me, is he colorblind or so? Doesn't he see good in the dark? How should I know.
I hear Morris say "give me two more minutes"!
When he's walking tback this skinny, very high heeled brunette with curly long hair and a beige/white dress comes out, not to sound negative but she didn't very classy with that dress....
Morris takes her to the American couple, they present themselves and I hear her talk with a very British accent. She asks if they have a cellphone she can call, no, they're on a holiday. In the meanwhile I'm thinking, should I mix in? Interrupt their conversation? Stand next to them? But I'm just not like that!

So I wait a few seconds for Morris to take her to us..... This all happened in a short time.
But he doesn't Because they don't have a cellphone she says "come with me then" and Morris walks away. I almost yell, hey, what about me????? And he turns around, a little bit startled, like a toddler, stuttering "eh, she takes care of that", pointing at Angele and then he walked away to the Opera. I look at that Angele person but she's far away already, walking to the front entrance of the Casino with the couple, I should have ran after her and yelled but I didn't
Hubby did follow them, to see them quickly enter the Casino, next to where the whole line was waiting to get in.....

I was so disappointed since the couple and me were the only ones to get in. If there would have been 50 fans yelling to get in but only us 3. To see 2 enter the Opera and stand there all alone felt pretty shitty.

My kid had been stepping all the time, I felt sorry that I had made him wait there for so many hours and also for nothing.

At 10.30pm we left, my kid was tired, so was I.

Prince Albert had parked his car to get inside via the Royal lodge at the side (pic is from the afternoon), I couldn't care less



At the front the crowd for the second show was waiting to get in.....







What to say, I should have this, I should have that. I need a course in How to have a big mouth.



Tonight I'll drive by Sporting Monte-Carlo, with a full stomach! and see if I can make pics again.


[Edited 8/17/09 0:17am]

Haha, nice story. Keep the faith and good luck tonight
The casino looks much better at night. I've only been once to Monaco but it's gorgeous, especially the sea views. Don't forget to enjoy your holiday

Thanks - your photos are quite funny

and i'm really sorry, what a disappointment

CJanssen, The pictures are fantastic!! Nice and crisp and clear. What kind of camera do you have?

Sorry you didn't have any luck in getting a ticket to get into the show.

Geweldig je verhaal
En echt super met al die foto's erbij!
Ik houd de hoop hoog dat Prince Nederland nog aan gaat doen dit jaar!

its like a comic book lol!

try this-it REALLY works-for girls.....

go to the venue-be very upset-not scary upset-the type that elicits polks pity-epecially the security,,,,,tell them you lost your bag-and ticket etc. Hang around-and see where it gets you

i stood outside Indigo2 on 21st september 2007-trying to get in-and watched a girl do just this-AND GOT IN

she was alot prettier than me i do admit

CJanssen said:

AWESOME story! Reminds me of the type of things I used to do back in the 80's and 90's! Nice pics. Thanks for sharing.

Excellent pics, CJ.
Sorry you didn't get a chance to attend the concert.

rubymoon53 said:

Thank you. I have a Canon EOS350 and an extra lens. It's a nice camera.

Zinzi said:

The cartoon will be continued in a second

Beautiful Pixs !

Today, 16th of August, heading for Monaco, again...

Entering Monaco around 4pm



Before eating we first went to see where this Sporting Monte Carlo was.
Monaco seemed to be a little bit larger than we thought. Through the tunnels we saw it on the right, the coast side.



Knowing where it was we now went for "dinner"... I did eat a big Mac, all other establishments to eat are just closed until 7pm. Eating my not tasty big Mac I just had to think about the 4 course dinner that night during the Prince show

Back to the Sporting M-C.



This guard comes outside when I stand there to have a pic taken. I ask him in my best French if Prince has already arrived. No, did I make reservations? Burping my big Mac away I laugh and say no, just asking because I'm interested, the guard starts laughing too, he understands I'm a stupid fan. When does he come? He starts at 9pm until 10.30pm.

I start walking towards this bus stop just opposite of the entrance and sit there patiently



BUT all these busses stop in front of me and wait for people to come who don't come... so I'm getting a little bit annoyed.
Besides, at the entrance there are now 5 guards gathering together and 3 policemen... are they afraid of the lady in the bus stop?

I walk further and next to Le Sporting Monte Carlo is this not so pretty hotel&resort Monte Carlo Bay.



Loads of posh cars and when I say loads, I mean loads. Ladies with puffy lips, botox faces and fancy sunglasses are trying to look meaningfull... how boring.



At the left the same cars as at the Opéra are standing outside. They take care for the guests who want to attend the shows at Sporting MC, e.g. yesterday Al Bano (I saw him on the street the night that Prince was at the Opera, with overly dyed hair), today Laura Pausini etc but it drew my attention, suppose... just suppose.



The guy inside the car confirms that Prince is staying at this hotel, he hasn't come outside yet and doesn't leave his room much.
Now I understand P.'s presence at Nightclub Jimmi'z, it has the same entrance as Sporting MC and is just next door.



I walk towards this, eh, pole fence thingy and sit on it, just in front of the door, I think Prince will come through





I wait and wait and wait, ask this car boy if it's okay to sit here, yes it was.
My butt starts to hurt

It's starting to get 8pm. I walk towards this serious guy who talks from time to time to the men in the Sporting Festival cars, they wear Prince entrance cards around their neck.
Again in my best French, does Prince stay in this hotel? He doesn't know and gives me a big smile. Aha, so he does know. I get back to my pole, stick whatever.



Waiting, then at 8.25pm people get restless, the door opens and closes all the time and two cars are ready to pick up someone. I'm ready to get up and go to the door to shake Prince's hand, no matter what!

This boy comes towards me and asks me to move from my place because this certain person that is coming wants a certain space for his privacy.
Is it Prince? I don't know he says. I tell him that I only want to shake his hand... he looks cautious and then tells me "it's Princess Charlotte (the daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco), I've heard that Prince has left the hotel through the Parking".



So I stand up and walk away but I'm kinda paranoid because princess Charlotte is from Monaco so she must have an appartment there.
So I wait a little bit outside and see the cars getting ready and... umbrella's.
I'll be damned if that isn't Prince!





When they pass I see Prince's bodyguard, the chubby guy that looks like an Asian/Indian guy, next to the driver (you can see him on the picture above, right to the left).

Damn, damn, damn, it was Prince!







Hope you've had a good night P. and I won't be bothering you again, at least not until you come nearby!!! I'm harmless, really

"Princess Charlotte"

Thanks for the pics
[Edited 8/16/09 15:16pm]

missjay23 said:

That's right naive me. He made that up very quickly. I just couldn't imagine that she would want her privacy space and be in that hotel, being from Monaco.

Cool story, great pictures

Oh how annoying for you, at least if he wasnt hiding behind an umbrella you could have got a glimpse of him, i would be kicking myself.... hey but nice to know you were only a few feet away from him??

Great report!

You were certainly an orger on a mission !

great post...and i STILL love that concert poster.

Anxiety said:

great funny story love it

Anxiety said:

And I couldn't even steal or ask for one of those
Unlike in the days where a poster was just a poster in a store where you could ask for it or on an advertisement wall (and I could patiently tear it off), the few posters I saw were in a sort of safe display case or they were electronical posters.

great report !!
Thanks for that

thanks for this report!

Nice pix. Thanks for the post. Sorry you didn't get in.

i really enjoyed that, thanks!

It's horrid that now as adults with kids (quite a few of us I imagine) we can't really subject them to our fanatical exploits without massive amounts of guilt. I couldn't keep my wife and daughter hanging around Indigo on the 21st in the vain hope of getting tickets for the aftershow. Had I been younger and single I'd have waited all night.

Great story ! Not very nice of Mr. Hayes not to include you on the guest list like he obviously did with the American couple.

I can imagine you thinking "should have would have". But it's split second decisions in those moments and if you're not an arrogant, bossy or obtrusive person it's difficult to start making a scene all sudden.

But remember next time, just to keep yourself in the center of attention, throw a trantrum if you must, just do anything that prevents them from ignoring you.

I've learned a similar lesson in Indigo and only because I threw a tantrum, which I normally never do, and started shouting very loud I could keep my spot before the stage.

Awwww, I wish you'd gotten in! Great story, though!

Awesome photos!!! thanks for sharing! and I can totally relate to your story of not being able to get in