we all have one! i think we can celebrate by sharing. i'll start.

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lovesexy tour. philly. first concert i ever attended with a friend. we had slept out for tickets in his truck, not knowing we should have gotten in line as soon as we arrived. needless to say, our seats weren't great, but the show was amazing. (i had configured my outfit lovesexy style - black biker shorts with my name sewn up the side over black tights; purple blazer. clip on ponytail like sheena easton's [i had gotten my hair cut just like hers in "u got the look" and obviously we were growing our hair out at the same time].)

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we found some fans in the parking lot after the show; one, tracey, i had remembered from waiting in line. she eventually became my friend and my partner in crime at the great controversy fan convention. tracey told us where prince was staying: the plaza, and his band was staying across the street at the four seasons. i met miko and billy sparks and others but man, that was bush league. the doorman at the plaza told us where he was headed (and WHY was my luck so good that night?!!) - the black banana. 2nd and race street. and if that's where he was, that's where we were going. somehow we had picked up straggler fans, and we all piled into my friend's truck, on a mission.

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we arrived. i had no idea the black banana was a PRIVATE club.

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so what'd i do? i LIED. i mumbled something about controversy magazine, etc, etc, (i was very underage at the time) and dude behind the glass said, oh, you're with prince?

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YES, WE'RE WITH PRINCE.

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we paid, like, $10 each and entered, adrenalined up, and looked around.

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the place was empty, and by empty, i mean not one single other person. i was confused, befuddled, a little sad. but the brain trust among us saw the stairs and we all went up. oh, did i mention the tv's mounted all over the walls, playing porn in fast forward motion? yeah, there was that.

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we got to the top of the steps to what seemed like a smaller club-in-a-club, small dancefloor, disco ball, and a dj playing club music. it was still pretty empty, but someone in the crew whispered, "back there, in the corner - see where that guy's standing? where it's roped off? he's back there."

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dudes. you know how i felt. if prince was sitting in the corner, i wanted him to see the effort i put into the outfit. so we danced to music i had never heard until we needed a break and took a seat.

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and that's when it happened.

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i saw cat walk around the rope. and, yeah. prince right behind her, headed for the stairs to exit. i, quiet as a mouse, stood up and walked with purpose across the dance floor and followed them down the steps. MEANWHILE, some n00b who was with us stood up with such commotion that she knocked her seat over and i was pissed, but still focused. while tiptoeing down the steps, i felt a hand on my back and thought, oh fuck, security. but it wasn't. anyway. i made it out the door, onto the sidewalk.

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guys.

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cat was getting into the van. prince was standing on the sidewalk behind her. he saw me. we were, 7 feet apart?

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he looked at me. he waited. with eyes locked, my mouth dropped open. time stood still on a deserted philly sidewalk at 2AM.

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nothing. NOTHING. i forgot how to speak. i went completely mute.

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he got in the van as others, who had seen what i saw, flooded out in pursuit. the radio dj went up to the passenger side and told duane, "hi, i'm so-and-so from WXXX". duane replied, "i know who you are. he's not talking to anyone." time sped up. i started crying on the street.

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but i had my moment.

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what's yours?

Would have to be summer of 1995 Paisley Park shows. Arrive around 10, wait an hour or so just to get in, wait another couple hours before a performance started. At one of them I was front and center and could have reached out and touched his boot at times.

[Edited 4/27/16 9:00am]

My first show. 97 JOTY tour. I flash him the WILD Sign as he's playing in front of me. He looks over the top of his glasses, shoots me a grin and flashes it back and nods. I could have died a happy young man that evening.

Watching him flirt with Rhonda B at a club.

The two fav memories I have are attending the cafe de paris gig that featured on the Beautiful strange video , where Prince staged dived and i actually got to touch him, he didn't seem to mind me ruffling his hair. shame it was heavily edited for release, still i did eventually get hold of the full audio of the concert but like everything we know the full length concert is locked up at the moment.

The second was after one of the 21nights shows me and a couple of friends hung around the back gates after the aftershow at indigo2 gig and spotted Prince getting into his merc, we shouted PRINCE PRINCE the car started to drive off then made a quick turn around the rear window opened and Prince with a lovely lady besides gave us the Peace sign and drove off.

This is my first posting since.... I wanted to say so much I didn't know where to start so a happy memory is a good place to start. A BIG thanks to everyone who have managed to express feelings It has helped me know that we are all together as one.

i used to converse with kevin smith over on his old boards and the one thing i kept asking was, WHAT DID PRINCE SMELL LIKE

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btw, as an addendum to the whole kevin smith monologue, his wife told me she had a great time and prince was a lovely host.

I had a close encounter one time at an aftershow party. It was after one of the London ONA shows and the after party was at a club just off Regent Street, can't even remember the name of it now. I really am not a fan of clubs so was standing off to one side chatting with some other similar non-party animals. All of a sudden people started to move towards us and I was pushed against someone. I am able to turn around and am pressed up against a huge man mountain. I poke my head to the side of him and there's Prince, just standing there just a few feet away! It turns out we'd been hanging around near the steps to the VIP area. I have no idea how long he'd been there, clearly it was more than a few seconds as people had enough time to notice and cause a small surge towards him. Prince looked a little concerned at the people heading his way and disappeared pretty sharpish after that.

That was also the night I shook hands with Renato Neto and had a very brief chat.

My biggest Prince moment - 2002 - Xenophobia Celebration - me (as fate had it) standing for a second all alone in the guitar room - and in walks Prince - to walk through the rooms to a door that led to his private areas - I saw him coming my way - I stopped breathing - there is Prince walking right toward me - so close I could have reached out and touched him - our eyes locked - although I wanted to pass out, I managed to smile and said hey - he nodded and smiled back - and kept walking - the whole encounter was literally maybe 1 fast second - but his eyes were on me because I was the ONLY person in his path - I about died - so yeah, I had Prince NOD and SMILE at me in 2002!!! That is MY best Prince moment!!!

Great story Starkitty!!!

My moment.....

I was driving around town, in awful LA traffic. And I made a turned and got stuck in gridlock. I was frustrated at the pace of traffic, but I was bumping Prince, so I allowed that to entertain me.

Something in my mind said, very clearly... "Look to your left". I turned my head. And there he was, also stuck in traffic... Prince. He was in an all white benz, and he was dressed in white. I blinked, that can't be, no way, is it a look alike. But it was clearly MY PRINCE. Nad just like that, his side of traffic moved and he was gone.

Sure it would have been nice to make eye contact, to communicate in some way. But in that moment, it was enough. I saw, in real life, the man that is my biggest inspiration.
It just felt like God arranged that moment for me.

Managed to say something to him at a Celebration and he looked me in the eye and responded.

A bit bittersweet as I was so disapointed with the lyrics and apparent message of the TRC. Dont think he was all that thrilled with me but I was so greatful he opened his doors to us.

[Edited 4/27/16 10:57am]

purplediamonds said:

his eyes were on me because I was the ONLY person in his path - I about died - so yeah, I had Prince NOD and SMILE at me in 2002!!! That is MY best Prince moment!!!

right??!!!!!

emesem said:

Managed to say something to him at a Celebration and he looked me in the eye and responded.

A bit bittersweet as I was so disapointed with the lyrics and apparent message of the TRC. Dont think he was all that thrilled with me but I was so greatful he opened his doors to us.

what did he say??

i agree, TRC is heavy handed - and my dad is a former witness so i know.

Iluvmusic78 said:

It just felt like God arranged that moment for me.

I went to the first Celebration...I think it was the first. It was the one where the poster for it was him nude and the Symbol guitar strategically placed.

Anyway, I was meandering around in the soundstage area after taking a tour of the recording studios and everything else. I remember thinking, "damn, this is not what I paid all of this money for to come to MN; being in a big ass room with a bunch of people trying to dress like Prince". All of a sudden, I turn and see Prince and Mayte walking down the stairs and then across the room. They looked pretty comfortabie and no one really pounced in them, which I thought was cool. He walked right by me, and I simply said, "thanks for letting us in". His reply was "you're welcome, brother". That was the first time I heard him speak and seeing him up close, and two things stuck me like a brick upside the head; first, how small he was. THe man was tiny and the way he wore his hair at the time in the twists, and the jumpsuits, accentuated this fact. The second, related to the first and caused my brain twist in knots, was how huge his voice was without even seeming to speak. The disconnetc between his slight frame and that huge voice is something I'll never forget. even with all of the people talking and what not, it was crystal clear, and permeated the room.

I've never told anyone this before but I assume that others that may have been there at PP know what I'm describing. A vioce that big coming from a body that small was just incomprehensible to me at that moment.

It was the taping of Rave Un2 the Year 2000 at Paisley Park, and I was standing at the entrance into the main lobby when he got off stage, and the first crazy thing that came to my mind was, "Oh my, you did sooo good up there!" I immediatley thought, why in the world did I just say that to Prince. OF COURSE he did good up there! More than good. He actually laughed and said 'Why thank you" and I got a big warm hug from him! Such a nice, friendly and cool person. I am going to miss him so much.

GGlow said:

It was the taping of Rave Un2 the Year 2000 at Paisley Park, and I was standing at the entrance into the main lobby when he got off stage, and the first crazy thing that came to my mind was, "Oh my, you did sooo good up there!" I immediatley thought, why in the world did I just say that to Prince. OF COURSE he did good up there! More than good. He actually laughed and said 'Why thank you" and I got a big warm hug from him! Such a nice, friendly and cool person. I am going to miss him so much.

YOU GOT A BIG WARM HUG FROM HIM!??!?!?!?!??!? OMG!!!! All these moments are BEYOND awesome, but to actually get a HUG?!?! WOW!! All I can say. OH MY WOW!!!!!!

purplediamonds said:

GGlow said:

It was the taping of Rave Un2 the Year 2000 at Paisley Park, and I was standing at the entrance into the main lobby when he got off stage, and the first crazy thing that came to my mind was, "Oh my, you did sooo good up there!" I immediatley thought, why in the world did I just say that to Prince. OF COURSE he did good up there! More than good. He actually laughed and said 'Why thank you" and I got a big warm hug from him! Such a nice, friendly and cool person. I am going to miss him so much.

YOU GOT A BIG WARM HUG FROM HIM!??!?!?!?!??!? OMG!!!! All these moments are BEYOND awesome, but to actually get a HUG?!?! WOW!! All I can say. OH MY WOW!!!!!!

I will never forget that night ever. It was like surreal. My cousin who was putting out a demo, was working with Prince's brother Omar in the studio. So when she got invited to the taping by Omar, I tagged along. We were over on the side with the guest Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Lenny Kravits, Larry Graham etc, and got to go up on stage and sing 1999 at the very end with Prince and everyone. So that is how I got into the enclosed area next to the lobby in order to hug him! It was CRAZY. Like a dream or something.

TheEnglishGent said:

I had a close encounter one time at an aftershow party. It was after one of the London ONA shows and the after party was at a club just off Regent Street, can't even remember the name of it now. I really am not a fan of clubs so was standing off to one side chatting with some other similar non-party animals. All of a sudden people started to move towards us and I was pushed against someone. I am able to turn around and am pressed up against a huge man mountain. I poke my head to the side of him and there's Prince, just standing there just a few feet away! It turns out we'd been hanging around near the steps to the VIP area. I have no idea how long he'd been there, clearly it was more than a few seconds as people had enough time to notice and cause a small surge towards him. Prince looked a little concerned at the people heading his way and disappeared pretty sharpish after that.

That was also the night I shook hands with Renato Neto and had a very brief chat.

i believe it wa sthe MARQUEE club

WONDERFUL stories and photos AlwayzNmyHair86! Thank you so much for sharing! You will always hold your Prince memories in your heart!

[Edited 4/27/16 13:10pm]

GGlow said:

Too many.

Taking "time off" school while pretending to my parents that I was on a school trip to see him live for the first time ever. Lying about my age and finding mysefl close to Mica Paris at an afterparty. (Lovesexy 1988)

Going to Maine Road in 1990, and trying to find a friend in the medical tent after he'd fainted. Rushing in, to see Prince literally brush past me heading in the opposite direction, mischievous grin on his face. Apparently he'd gone in to check that all the people in the tent were OK.

Breaking up with a girlfriend because she didn't like the Prince gig I'd taken her too. (London, 1993).

Meeting my next girlfriend at G-Mex in 1995.

Tentatively taking next girlfriend to TWO dates during the 21 Nights in London.

Happily taking the same girl above, now my wife, to Hop Farm in 2011.

Arranging babysitting as my wife and I went to see him at the Manchester Academy in 2014.

Catching up with the same bunch of guys who bunked off school in 1988 for a reunion to see him at the Phones4U Arena later that year. We all wondered if we'd ever see him again, sadly it was not to be.

So basically, my Prince moment is my life.

0(+>

postiepaul3 said:

TheEnglishGent said:

I had a close encounter one time at an aftershow party. It was after one of the London ONA shows and the after party was at a club just off Regent Street, can't even remember the name of it now. I really am not a fan of clubs so was standing off to one side chatting with some other similar non-party animals. All of a sudden people started to move towards us and I was pushed against someone. I am able to turn around and am pressed up against a huge man mountain. I poke my head to the side of him and there's Prince, just standing there just a few feet away! It turns out we'd been hanging around near the steps to the VIP area. I have no idea how long he'd been there, clearly it was more than a few seconds as people had enough time to notice and cause a small surge towards him. Prince looked a little concerned at the people heading his way and disappeared pretty sharpish after that.

That was also the night I shook hands with Renato Neto and had a very brief chat.

i believe it wa sthe MARQUEE club

As i got to the end of typing I wanted to say it was the Embassy club as that was suddenly coming back to me but I wasn't 100%. But I confirmed it with a bit of searching and found one of my other posts about it. Which then led me to another Prince moment, sadly it wasn't mine but it seems like the right time and place to re-tell the story, or at least, to copy and paste it .

A guy I work with has spoken to him on the phone. He used to work as a studio engineer and was working in the studio with Mathilda May who was involved with Prince at the time. A guy rang up to speak to Mathilda but she wasn't available, my colleague asked if he wanted to leave a message but he said he'd call back and didn't leave his name or a message. When he relayed the message to Mathilda she asked if it was an American guy and when he said it was, she told him it was Prince.

The same guy also relates one of my favourite Prince stories.

Following the phone call he was chatting with Mathilda saying how amazing Prince was and she told him a story about how he works hard to be that amazing. She was at his place in America and he was working out a new piece on the piano. He was literally working on it all day, practicing, tweaking etc. The following day some record execs were there talking with him about some new album tracks, (sadly I have no idea which ones), and one of them suggested that a track needed something extra. Prince thought on this for a moment before announcing that he had an idea. He then headed over to the piano and 'spontaneously' came up with the exact part he'd been working on the previous day. The execs agreed it was perfect and acclaimed his remarkable genius.

[Edited 4/27/16 14:44pm]

Wow...I remember the Black BAnana:) Wish I had your experience though!

starkitty said:

we all have one! i think we can celebrate by sharing. i'll start.

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lovesexy tour. philly. first concert i ever attended with a friend. we had slept out for tickets in his truck, not knowing we should have gotten in line as soon as we arrived. needless to say, our seats weren't great, but the show was amazing. (i had configured my outfit lovesexy style - black biker shorts with my name sewn up the side over black tights; purple blazer. clip on ponytail like sheena easton's [i had gotten my hair cut just like hers in "u got the look" and obviously we were growing our hair out at the same time].)

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we found some fans in the parking lot after the show; one, tracey, i had remembered from waiting in line. she eventually became my friend and my partner in crime at the great controversy fan convention. tracey told us where prince was staying: the plaza, and his band was staying across the street at the four seasons. i met miko and billy sparks and others but man, that was bush league. the doorman at the plaza told us where he was headed (and WHY was my luck so good that night?!!) - the black banana. 2nd and race street. and if that's where he was, that's where we were going. somehow we had picked up straggler fans, and we all piled into my friend's truck, on a mission.

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we arrived. i had no idea the black banana was a PRIVATE club.

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so what'd i do? i LIED. i mumbled something about controversy magazine, etc, etc, (i was very underage at the time) and dude behind the glass said, oh, you're with prince?

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YES, WE'RE WITH PRINCE.

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we paid, like, $10 each and entered, adrenalined up, and looked around.

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the place was empty, and by empty, i mean not one single other person. i was confused, befuddled, a little sad. but the brain trust among us saw the stairs and we all went up. oh, did i mention the tv's mounted all over the walls, playing porn in fast forward motion? yeah, there was that.

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we got to the top of the steps to what seemed like a smaller club-in-a-club, small dancefloor, disco ball, and a dj playing club music. it was still pretty empty, but someone in the crew whispered, "back there, in the corner - see where that guy's standing? where it's roped off? he's back there."

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dudes. you know how i felt. if prince was sitting in the corner, i wanted him to see the effort i put into the outfit. so we danced to music i had never heard until we needed a break and took a seat.

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and that's when it happened.

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i saw cat walk around the rope. and, yeah. prince right behind her, headed for the stairs to exit. i, quiet as a mouse, stood up and walked with purpose across the dance floor and followed them down the steps. MEANWHILE, some n00b who was with us stood up with such commotion that she knocked her seat over and i was pissed, but still focused. while tiptoeing down the steps, i felt a hand on my back and thought, oh fuck, security. but it wasn't. anyway. i made it out the door, onto the sidewalk.

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guys.

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cat was getting into the van. prince was standing on the sidewalk behind her. he saw me. we were, 7 feet apart?

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he looked at me. he waited. with eyes locked, my mouth dropped open. time stood still on a deserted philly sidewalk at 2AM.

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nothing. NOTHING. i forgot how to speak. i went completely mute.

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he got in the van as others, who had seen what i saw, flooded out in pursuit. the radio dj went up to the passenger side and told duane, "hi, i'm so-and-so from WXXX". duane replied, "i know who you are. he's not talking to anyone." time sped up. i started crying on the street.

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but i had my moment.

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what's yours?

violectrica said:

A BIG moment for me was seeing him at The Forum in 2011 with my mom. My mom's a hug Prince fan and introduced me to his music years ago so it was just such a magical experience. He was amazing, so talented and still so beautiful. Another cool moment was in 2013, I went to an Andy Allo show at the Hotel Cafe. I was standing by the right side of the stage and close to the back entrance. All of a sudden I see a big body guard and then in walks Prince with his afro and a guitar. He went immediately to the back and greeted Andy. It was a cool experience and I was soo excited to see him. He didn't play that night but he stayed for the entire show and I kept hoping he would hop on stage.