hjd said:

rob1965 said:

Parade tour, Rotterdam:

Right in front of me was this guy who didn't make any sound during the entire evening. He just stood there, holding his arms in the air ALL night. He looked completely hypnotized.

That was probably a taper. I was next to someone like that at the diamonds & pearls tour and he had taped a small microphone to both hands with the threads running in his sleeves to the recorder he had on his back. Before the show he very politely asked everyone surrounding him not to make too much noise during the show. I was impressed by the fact that he kept his hands in the air for over two hours. Sounds simple, but try it for a while: your shoulders will ache!

BTW, this reminds me of some audience tapings from the Nude Tour. At some point Purple Rain is started and the crowd goes bananas (as usual) and then this girl close to the microphone asks her friend: "Oh, is this Purple Rain? It is, right?"

I don't know from which planet she was, but if you need to ask if a certain song is Purple Rain than you either were on a different planet, committed in an institution for decades or in the Borneo jungle somewhere with no radio. I mean, come on!

Prince is so good live, it's ridiculous.

12.29.10 I went to the Welcome to America gig. I'll never forget that date. He played a lot of unexpecting songs. I caught some confetti in the air to save. AND I ALOMOST met Renato Neto but my nerves got the best of me and he left before I wanted to say hello. Worst mistake of my life. But I cheered up when Prince performed. It was amazing from beginning to end.

Unforgetable.

My first time I was 15/16, so I think it was 81/82. This was the tour when he would play 'How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore' about halfway through ( Controversy or Triple Threat). I literally cried when he played the piano the way he did. The other thing I remember was the bed on stage during International Lover. I was totally shocked and thoroughly entertained. Best concert I had ever been to since the Jackson 5 when I was 8.

I saw the Purple Rain Tour next. It was fun, but crazy loud with screaming girls and myy seats sucked.

My next concert was Hit and Run in the 90s with my new hubby. It was great, but I sat next to older women who were smoking weed the whole time. They were giggling and yelling at Prince to take it off.lol. That was my hubby's first Prince concert and I think he was more impressed with my reaction to Prince's music and my dancing in the seat than anything else. The crowd was very tame around us, but I sang every song. He ordered Crystall Ball for me the next day

Musicology was alot of fun. I loved the acoustic set. Had to trek to DC, but it was worth it.

I was in Portland on business when the ONA tour was in town, but it was sold out. I still remember standing around hoping to get a glimpse of my favorite musician. I later realized this show was recorded and part of it is on ONA live CD.

The last couple of times were -Vegas at 3121 unbelievably close and I touched his guitar. He looked in my direction and I think my heart stopped. I went with my husband so I had to chill, but that was an excellent show; MN 7/7/07 Twice in one day (Macy's and Target) and he stage dived right next to me and my friends (who I met and hung out with through myspace). I also met J7 which was cool. This was the second time he made me cry when he played piano at the Target Center. Too much... All three shows were awesome

I also saw him at MSG on Dec.29. Great experience and too funny when I came face to face with the 'impersonator and his entourage' I must say he could be his brother. The show was great including Mint Condition an Janelle Monae.

Great memories!!!

[Edited 10/20/11 13:40pm]

Melkweg Amsterdam, monday this year (2011). Great show, great musicianship. A friend of mine who was never really a fan of prince was completely blown away. Calling him an Angel. Funny enough, my girlfriend told me that when she was depressed as a teenanger, she dreamt of Prince being her guardian angel and consoling her. This stopped when she heard Diamonds and Pearls.

[Edited 10/20/11 13:57pm]

rob1965 said:

Just wanted to add my 2 cents about my experiences during Prince concerts:

Parade tour, Rotterdam:

The audience went TOTALLY nuts when he appeared on stage. Right in front of me was this guy who didn't make any sound during the entire evening. He just stood there, holding his arms in the air ALL night. He looked completely hypnotized.

Somewhere halfway the show, Prince ordered the band to stop playing because people in front of the stage were fighting. Prince was pissed and the audience didn't make a sound during that moment. Great show! Prince's first big performance in the Netherlands.

Sign O' The Times, Utrecht:

I had a seat way back in the stadium but a good overall view over the stage. The performance began during daylight, so lighting of the stage was poor at that moment. Performance itself was 100%. Prince on top of his game.

Lovesexy Rotterdam, fist night:

I was all the way up front, right in front of the stage. Speaking of being hypnotized

When he did his guitar solo during Let's Go Crazy, that's exactly what I did..... No piano interludes that night. This was also the opening of the European part of this tour.

Lovesexy Rotterdam, second night: I had a seat way back on the second balcony, so vision was poor because of the distance. The gig was magnificent and that night, he played the piano.

The atmosphere was breathtaking: the whole stadium lit up in red because of the Bengal lights people brought with them.

Lovesexy Dortmund: just watch the tape or listen to the cd's. This one speaks for itself. And Sheila E looked so damn sexy!

One of the best concerts I've ever witnessed.

Nude Tour Rotterdam, first night:

It started out so well, when suddenly after 45 minutes a huge thunderstorm broke loose over our heads. Prince was behind the piano at that moment when suddenly all the water on top of the tarpaulin was lifted by the wind and dropped on Prince's head. He was soaked.

He stood up and left backstage. While everyone in the stadium (who were all soaked as well, but didn't mind) was thinking he was changing clothes, he was already on his way to the hotel.

50,000 people started booing. I hope Prince didn't hear this....This was again the opening of the European part of this tour.

This is probably one of the shortest Prince gigs ever. If it ever has been bootlegged, this should be an interesting one.

Nude Tour Rotterdam, second night:

Because Prince left early the night before due to the rain, he got very poor reviews in the papers. The second night, rain was still falling so a lot of people probably didn't want to go thru the trouble of going to the gig although it was offcially sold out. That second night, maybe 25,000 people were in the stadium which has a capacity of 50,000.....oops!

But overall a wonderful show which was played all the way thru the end.

Nude Tour Dortmund:

Again, I was right in front of the stage. Great show and just like in 1988, the larger part of the audience was Dutch.

Nude Tour Heerenveen:

Great show, but very poor sound (way too loud). I was standing right in front of the speaker towers, so I had a noise in my ears afterwards, that lasted for 3 days.

During the encore, he wore a T-shirt of Lois Lane (Dutch band) who opened for him that night.

In front of me stood this young girl (16 years old, maybe younger) who had a camera and was taking pics. Suddenly, this huge bodyguard came over and ordered the girl to hand over the camera. She said she didnt have a camera (she was holding it behind her back). He told her again to hand over the camera. And again, she said she didn't have any while still holding the camera behind her back.

I was about to take the camera out of her hand to help her out, when the bodyguard lifted her over the fence and took her backstage. I didn't see the girl back again that night. They probably removed the film and kicked her out of the venue... This was the first time I started having my doubts about Prince's staff...

Diamonds & Pearls Tour, Maastricht:

Although I don't remember that much from this one, it was a good gig. The venue wasn't my taste, though. But that's something Prince can't help.

[Edited 10/14/11 1:35am]

[Edited 10/14/11 1:54am]

It was the loudest Prince concert I have ever been to. I even complained to one of Prince's band members about it .

Cool...should have done that myself. But hey, it's Prince so he's forgiven.

Hop Farm gig. 2011.

Great concert - shins were boring through my knees by the time Prince came on though after standing for 6 hours. (NOTE TO SELF - TAKE A MOBILE CAMPING SEAT!)

And that always ying/yang/jeez/ugh decision when you want a beer from the mobile beer crew, yet knowing the seal will be broken after the third and a trip to the 'release points' will endanger your prime position in a cramped standing field takes effort to get back too. Sigh.

Yes this is profound.

p.s awesome sound!

ejnbmore said:

I also saw him at MSG on Dec.29. Great experience and too funny when I came face to face with the 'impersonator and his entourage' I must say he could be his brother. The show was great including Mint Condition an Janelle Monae.

Great memories!!!

[Edited 10/20/11 13:40pm]

We were in the same show. It was absolutly amazing.