I was asked to post an account/review of the now infamous Bagley's Warehouse aftershow party in 1993 on housequake.com so I thought some maybe interested here:


Firstly please 4give typing errors, i'm not the worlds most prolific typer and I cannot be bothered to spell check.

Ok here's what i recall...

Prince had chosen to kinda of kill himself off in London on the 7th September 1993. After running round Europe with the Act II tour (played London Wembley Stadium for the first time) he came back to London Wembley Arena for a final date of the tour.

Members of the fan club of the time 'Controversy magazine' had been given the chance to get tickets for this final show plus tickets for the 'Welcome to the Dawn' aftershow party. Hyped as having different experiences including an eastern theme, snake charmers etc. No indication of a performance though. Though it was rumoured.

When the day B4 arrived September 6th it was announced on the UK's Radio1 that Prince wanted to perform, mid-morning on BBC Radio1 as a thank u 2 fans and for those who could not get tickets for the 7th September.

Try as I did... lines were jammed when they announced the number to get these tickets and I failed to get tickets. I wasn't 2 upset as I was potentially gonna get 2 gigs in a day anyway.

September the 7th came and I turned on the Radio about 10mins B4 the performance as I overlaid. The time was 11am I believe. Needless to say the 20min performance I heard at the BBC studios was awesome. An exceptional medley of hits including 1999, DMSR, America, Pope and more. Plus an encore of Peach (extended). Of course I recorded it, as did many other people and it is now in heavy circulation as a bootleg.

Me and friends headed off 2 London for the Wembley Arena gig. Playing the tape of the earlier gig over and over again!

The Arena gig is a bit hazy. Cannot remember much. I remember it was good, pretty much along the lines of all the other concerts of that tour. A greatest hits set followed by all new material. We were all 2 excited for the Bagley's afterparty. I do remember that Prince performed the song Sacrifice of Victor that night and was covered in a sheet/cloak/shrowd and carried offstage by the gay... ahem sorry 'Game' Boyz. I remeber this because they had not been on the Act II tour and we all thought we were rid of them. Until this moment... which made us all think... "Oh no! This means they could be at the afterparty"

Anyway, Bagley's Warehouse itself.

We drove as quickly as we could across London to Kings Cross. Bagleys is just behind it. Parked up (illegally) and ran to the site of the party. Large crowds were already there. But I knew the venue and was not concerned as I knew how vast it was (or could be).

However, instead of an orderly queue there was just a massive crush of people desperately trying to get in first. This is where we started to realise that organisation of this event may be a bit of a shambles. Security were not even checking tickets properly so people without wrere getting in.

We did get in eventually. But this was just the main gate. We then had 2 queue for the venue itself. This went fairly quickly and after an extensive frisk we went in.

My memory at this point is fairly sketchy. But I recall various rooms, decorated with drapes and neon lights, cushions and incense. Quite a few of the rooms were fairly empty with people sitting down, chilling out and drinking beer. I remember my friend turned 2 me and said this looks pretty shit. And I can remember it did look a little tacky and unorganised compared 2 other club nights and parties i'd been 2.

After wondering around 4 20mins or so, thru various rooms playing run of the mill dance music, we noticed some stairs leading in2 darkness. Plenty of people wandering up them so we followed. It was at this point we noticed signs on the wall saying something along the lines of 'Photography is strictly forbidden. By order of Prince's management'. This indicated to me the up in this room Prince may show.

After alot of pushing and shoving we found ourselves in a larger room with many people gathered in front of a stage. On the stage a drum kit, microphone, guitars stood still as sound engineers buzzed around them.

Aha! At last! We're gonna witness an aftershow we thought. We all thought... "right, that's it. no matter what time he comes on... we're not moving from this room!"

And we didn't... we couldn't even if we wanted 2!

This room seemed to become absolutley rammed with people very very quickly, as people realised there was a band set up upstairs. We found out later, as it got so crowded not only did they stop people coming in... they would not allow people out!!!

It began 2 get hot... very very hot. There was a bar at the back of the room selling drinks. Alcohol was flowing. People grabbing beer like there was no 2morrow. The barman could not understand why so many people were cramming this 1 room and why they were in such a rush? Clearly he did not understand the importance of a Prince aftershow. Beer bottles rolled around all over the floor. People were still buying booze although as the temperature rose this would be replaced by the rapidly diminishing supply of water!

I cannot remeber times but I reckon this room was at capacity at about 12-12.30am. We had a long time 2 wait B4 Prince and the band showed up and the temperature and crushing was becoming unbearable.

An hour passed... I can recall feeling incredibly faint and having to lean on my friends shoulder. Girls were so hot they were stripping down to there bra. This may sound rather exciting and it should've been, there were some good looking girls in that place! But the conditions were so bad that the 6ft busty blonde pressing her loosely bra covered breasts in2 my back was a matter of extreme unimportance to me... I just wanted to keep myself on my feet.

People started to shout and hurl abuse at security. Complaints started to get louder and louder as people were overwhelmed by the heat and cramped conditions. (Amazing what we will all go thru for this Prince guy isn't it!?)

The shouts started to die down a little... not because people were less angry but becuase they had little or no energy. I cannot remember how much time had passed, maybe another hour, but it seemed like an eternity. My friend was becoming increasingly dehydrated. We decided to give up our spot in the middle of the room to go further back hoping it would be cooler and 2 try and get some water. We managed to get some water (last few bottles) and manged to secure a space leaning against one of the sweat sodden walls (yes it was that bad).

To my left was a guy with a huge afro and funky shades, he looked like hendrix... was i starting to see things in my delirious state? No, it was the funky guy who later appeared in an advert posted by Prince. Prince put out an ad in search of the Hendrix look alike after spotting him on the aftershow video footage. This guy said to me that he reckoned having a bar in this room was a bad idea. I agreed... as people were starting (quite rightly) to get very aggressive because of the conditions and alcohol was not helping. Shouts were becoming frequent again, directed at whoever appeared on stage. Be it security, cameramen, guitar techs or sound engineers.

Suddenly a large cheer was heard at the front of the room near the stage. People in the middle and further back took time 2 look what was happening. It was Sonny T walking onstage and picking up his bass. I'm not sure what time this was (possibly about 2-2:30am?). He walked up to the mike, having heard all the shouting, and shouted, "Wassup dammit?!".

With this all the rest of the Act II NPG walked onstage. People were cheering but more out of relief than excitement.

There was a little wait for u know who 2 appear, but when he did it was (as usual) out of nowhere. Prince got a massive cheer as he walked 2 the front of the small stage from the back. The back drop was a plain brick wall. All the band (were crammed in tightly). Prince looked a little nervous as he saw that the audience ere clasping glass bottles of beer etc. Plus the audience by now were leaning right on the stage with some people having managed to climb on2 the sides of the stage and lean on the amps.

However he strapped on his yellow cloud guitar and uttered the line "Let the games begin!".

He then launched in2 an awsome version of The Ride. This is one of my favourite versions of this song. He kinda played it in it's original form. Since then it's become a little more jam orientated.

Anyway... this gave the whole of the crowd a 'second wind'. The room seemed to fill with a buzz and every1 4got there fatigue and the problems they'd encoutered. This was truly an awesome version of The Ride and Prince started 2 relax. He looked very 'pimp-like' in his yellow and brown striped slacks, yellow tight top (with whole cut-out on his chest) and what looked like a string pearl netted over garment (sorry i'm not a fashion designer, some1 will undoubtedly correct me on the terminolgy).

After The Ride (my memory starts to get sketchy again here) he started to play Honky Tonk Woman... but people looked a bit bemused and didn't seem to get in2 it. So Prince siad "F*ck that!", the band stopped and he went in2 Bambi. This really did get the audience partying. My friends looked at me with a smile... this was gonna be a good night after all.

Or so we thought... after a few opening songs from Prince (or symbol) Mavis Staples appeared to perform The Undertaker. Now although this was good nothing could have prepared us for a long set of Mavis with The Steeles. The atmosphere and spark suddenly went out of the gig like a cheap firework. This combined with the conditions must have made people decide to leave because me and my friends suddenly had alot more space. We could move towards the from and actually dance. The temperature dropped (from sahara hot 2 sauna heat) and the people that stuck it out felt much more comfortable, all they had to contend with was the tiredness of a long day (3 gigs for some).

Scanterly clad women who'd stripped down 2 there bra became attractive again.

But... there was another horror around the corner!

Through all of this middle section Prince was nowhere 2 be seen by the way. Many thought he'd left the stage. In fact he was at the back of the stage but the stage was so small and cramped that u coudn't see him. But what we suddenly did see and hear was our worst fears. Yes... The Gay ahem... sorry Game Boyz came in2 view with a trademark "Yeeeaaah!" from Tony M.

"Nooo!!!" I heard some guy scream. But it was to late. Tony M took charge and went in2 Call The Law. When my ears finished bleeding I realised that all of the band were giving Tony funny looks. What had happened was Prince had come 2 the front of the stage with his guitar, ready took take over again but Tony had ignored him and carried on. Prince shot him a 'who's the boss again?' kinda looka and the unwanted (in my opinion) guests left the stage.

Phew... we were then treated to 3 last songs from Prince which lifted the remaining crowd (not a sparse crowd but it definately had thinned out).

He finished with excellent versions of 'Come', 'Endorphine Machine' and 'Peach'. During Peach Mayte staged dived and landed right in front of me. I could just pat her on the head. Prince looked on a little concerned as Mayte seemed to get a little bit of a 'groping'. But it was all in good fun (mostly for the men).

At the end of a good extended version of Peach Prince slammed his guitar down on the floor and left the stage. Many people thought he was p*ssed off at Mayte's stage dive but it was merely a 'rock n roll' ending to an over all good gig by Prince (aside from the middle section).

As we made our way our of the room, down the stairs we were suprised how many people were still partying (sitting around) down stairs. It soon became apparent that most were p*ssed off they couldn't get in 2 see the performance and were not happy with the organisation. One girl told me that security on the gates were selling the tickets taken from people already in to people at the back of the queue outside. Thus creating mass overcrowding with insufficient facilities. Many had just gone home angry and upset.

Me? I went home still buzzing from witnessing my first aftershow. Little did I know I would witness many more of a much better quality!!!

If it wasn't for the slamming encore at the end this would have rated as a very disappointing experience.

nuthinbuttamuffin said:

Yes, that was always the playing order, when he performed those songs in '93. I betcha those were the three opening tracks of the Come album which Mayte mentioned in "her" letter to Eileen at Controversy was tracked in May '93.

- justa stray sidenote...
[This message was edited Wed Sep 3 6:12:26 PDT 2003 by scififilmnerd]
[This message was edited Wed Sep 3 6:12:59 PDT 2003 by scififilmnerd]

What's worse is this was released on video. There could have been better shows with better material released that would have blown people away. I don't understand the poor choices on shows like this to be released when everyone knows there are fantastic shows sitting around gathering dust.

And why all the "guests", to take the performance away from Prince - who everyone wanted to see in the first place!


.

SANSKER7 said:

yep... and he did the same with the vegas dvd.

do u think he's hoarding material 'till he retires?

SANSKER7 said:

Oh is The Sacrifice of Victor video?

themuse said:

Yes. It is a severely edited version of the aftershow.

nuthinbuttamuffin said:

Erm, you've missed the best bit.

After that ending, many left the room (by the sounds of thing, you included) and I was in the room next door with Eileen Murton. We couldn't stand the heat in the main room so went and sat in the DJ room and watched the gig on the monitors.

Anyway, after the main show, a few of us wandered back to the main room to get a drink and after about 20 mins, Prince and the band came back. I remember it was only about another 15-20 min set but it certainly included a kick-ass version of Bambi.

Sorry to break this to you ten years on but I thought you'd want to know !

FF

freakyfeet said:

LOL

er... yeah ok.

I stood around for quite a while after he left the stage in hope he may come back. The sound engineers started dismantling everything. He'd performed Bambi at the beginning of the set.

awww, you're no fun. You could have at least reacted !

And After this Happening and Problem Controversy Magazine was Stopped. After This it Satrted with all the Fanzines getting Sued and Shut Down. Fans were Pissed Off. So Many People I know said They didn't want to be His Fn anymore. Well Phooey on Them. Nothing could Ever make me Blame and HATE On PRINCE! Trust me it is YOUR LOSS cause He's Still Gonna PERFORM and YOU All will MISS HIM. So Don't be a Fan who Cares! If you Love Prince you Stay through Thick and Thin and Throughout with him and you Don't Falter.

bananacologne said:

"The Ride" was great at this show...regardless of the overdubs.

Muffy said:

christ you talk crap.

controversy mag closing was fuck all to do with "The Dawn" show.

you really should get treatment for attention deficit dissorder you know muffy !

freakyfeet said: