Rememebr earlier I stated on a funny ONA Live thread in a diff website and how they talked about a security guard named Otis who was like the Otis from Martin tv show? Well with the help of a grand dame and her archival data set, here it is. The thread in all its glory..some racial shenannegins goin on but just look at the Otis parts etc that I have bold highlighted ..Otis is fun-nay. I actually am keeping this whole thing in because the whole report and retorrt-responses are funny (to me anyways, and a few others at tleast). So without any further dooo doo, I mean adeiu, here is what I think is the greatest review of the ONA Live tour...enjoy, rd




Because I am not like others, I'm unique in the respect I'm not U - Prince, "Hello" 12inch dance mix


Topic ID: 34085
#0, Prince in NYC Higlights and Low...
Posted by Axim on Apr-10-02 at 09:13 AM

Instead of saying review, I am going to call this post highlights
I am going to explain everything that went down which made for an entertaining night.

I’m a club member and soundcheck was at 5. So I decided to get down there at around 2. Come to find out people were there since 8 am, but it wasn’t too bad. I think I was about the 200th person there. Thinking that I would be vibing with Prince fans line position was key. In front of me was bald headed young white man who looked like Jay Buhner from the Mariners(ß remember him for lata) he did not strike me as a prince fan but hey who am I to think otherwise and 2 chimney puffing white girls behind me. I was like oh well.

You know how comedians talk about white people being nosey, no less that 15 white people was like “What is this line for?”, black folks kept it moving.

At around 4:30, the most ghettoest couple you have ever seen skipped the line.. Yo, they were wrong and strong and no one could tell them any different. They were straight form the 70’s. The man looked like CandyMan with a Perm which was slicked back and piranha teeth and the woman looked like Laura from ComicView. If you remember David Alan Grier’s parents from Boomerang but 10 times more ghetto. The people they had skipped , just skipped right back in front of them and that left 3 people who was in front of me. I pointed out to these 3 people that they had skipped the line and they were like they wasn’t worried about it so I told them, I am not having it and I am going to have to skip them to at least get in front of these 2 which is what I did. They were like cool. Got in front of these 2 and they could probably feel the anger generating off me. I looked at them both in their eyes as I got in front of them and they would not dare to look back. The lady mistakenly hit me with her bag, and started to apologize like a sweet grandmother. I gave her the brushoff and she turned to her man and was like “oh well, I did say am sorry” at this point the anger is still simmering and told them that they needed to act like I was not there because I was going go straight postal. The lady wanted some more, but the man sensing I was not bullshitting tried to defuse it as soon as possible. You know how Martin be fighting that old lady in Church, that was going to be me. You gotta understand, I was standing for 3 hours, hungry, mouth all dry and then these 2, oh hell no!!

At 5 the line started to move and I think I finally made it in inside at around 5:50. Gave my license and they gave me my member card (which I thought was pretty simple) and a yellow band around my wrist. They had a bunch of strings on the table so that you can hang it around your neck and I thought they had forgot to give me mines. When I asked for it they were like these cost $5. I said What??? And walked the fuck off.

Finally got inside, and fo sho Soundcheck was really in effect. I was in the 9th row right in the middle row which were great seats. I did not want to be in the first row and then have a crink in my neck. Prince was on stage and he was talking to people as they came in. Then as soon as I sat down he started doing Alphabet Street, checking various volumes. I was like this shit is fo real!!!. He then did Extra Ordinary and got off the stage and walked passed us to sit in the back of us to sing the song back there. We got off on people’s reaction who were still coming in and would notice him sitting there at the edge of the row. 2 girls walked by and was like “That ain’t Prince he got more hair than that! And kept walking.. not that I heard these girls saying that, but Prince mentioned it while they were walking down trough the sound system. He was fucking with people here and there. The band was jamming and they were going through certain things. At about 7:20 he said that they had to go get dressed. That left us with about 40 minutes before the show. By this time I was Nigeria famished. Went to the stand and bought a ham and cheese sandwich for $5 a small brownie for $3 and a water for $3. At this point I would have paid anything so I was like fuck it.

You couldn’t bring food back in the auditorium, so I hate half my sandwich and snuck the rest in. Careful not to get caught I ate the rest in there and the rest of the ticket holders started to file in.

There was this white boy in front of me who was annoying as hell. He just knew everything about everything been to every Prince Concert, blah, blah, blah. I was messing with my phone and he notices this me doing this. He was like you phone is working? I said yes. He was like I need to make a phone call in New York, like he knew me. If he would have asked politely or was humble about I would have done it but he was like l am making this phone call. I looked at him and was like, nah, the phone part ain’t working and then looked at the brotha next to me and I didn’t even have to say anything. He had the same look I had on my face. In our minds we were, White Folks can be some audacious people.

There was a Security Guard who we will call Otis (from Martin) (ßremenber him also) who was not playing with anyone but he was really acting like Otis. Some people came in with food and he straight shut them the fuck down!!! He was like come on lets’s go but not in that nice way but looking for a fight. This guy was straight up comical.

At around 8:20 the show started. Prince started with Rainbow Children, the Muse to the Pharoah and Mellow. If you are in the front row and he ask you if you are a leader or a follower, say follower, because he will tell you to follow him on stage where you can sit on some pillows on the stage. He then started doing Love Roller Coaster and then he started Sing a Simple Song. Here is the funny part. Larry Graham came down the aisle to join him to this Sly and Family Stone Classic. Everyone went crazy. Everyone knows who Larry Graham is except one person. That one person would be Otis. Would you believe Otis ran up on that stage and was about to tackle Larry Graham, I am not lying he jumped up on the stage and was running toward Larry Graham thinking he was a rowdy fan. When he noticed that Prince was not alarmed he stopped on the stage and realized his error. Prince gave him a look like, What the Fuck??? This is in the mid guitar playing. Otis then turned to get back off the stage and raised his Arms in retaliation to the fans laughing at him. Straight Up Comedy!! He also did La “LA LA means I love you” at this point he is done a couple of Rainbow Children Tracks and some Ol skool stuff like Sly, The Ohio Playaz, and the Dramatics and an hour as passed already. I’m thinking to myself this nigga ain’t even get started yet. He then goes off about the radio stations and how they are not programmed by the people but by the directors who get paid off. He then busts out “Strange Relationship” and then “When you were mine” house is rocking!!!.

He Brings out Q-Tip on stage, who I taught was going to try to sing. He did a couple of verses of Bonita Applebaum fucking with the audience over a mellow groove. Goes on about his admiration for Prince and how they talk and Prince was like, yeah I’m trying to get him not to curse

He then goes off about slavery for a good I would say 25 minutes. People were standing but they were not going off like before. I gotta admit he lost me at this point. I don’t know if he sensing this but he then busts out “Take me with You” and then “Rasberry Beret” . House was rocking again. While this is going on everyone is standing and I turn to my right and See Otis On top of the hand rests of the chair 4 chairs over. I was like What the fuck??? Turns out that that the baldheaded white boy (Jay Buhner) that was in front of me on the line was talking pictures. They straight fucked him the fuck up. All I saw was fists and elbows. They drug his ass out.

At the end of Rasberry Beret he starts some kind of Santana instrumental medley (he did mention that in Chicago Santana came trough and did a solo and had to put down his guitar out of respect) He did this for about 10 minutes and then was like Good Night. Of course we were like hell no!! and waited.

Five minutes later he came back out and was the only one on stage behind the piano. Started to do “Adore”, but in a way where I did know what it was at first. Even he was reading it since it was so different. When he got to the part about smashing up the ride, he was like hell naw and played that up a bit. Ladies, if you are ever in the mood for a beatdown, fuck with your man’s car, I will I mean he will straight beat you up and down. The car got nothing do to with it. Anyways…..he then did “I wanna be your lover” and then “Do me Baby’ crowd going wild. “Condition of the Heart” was next, “Diamonds and Pearls”, “The Beautiful Ones” and then Purple Rain with the band coming back on stage in the middle of it. At this point the crowd is loosing it and I think the lady next to me was having an orgasm. You gotta realize that he is not doing snippets, he is doing the entire songs here. He then goes into “Nothing Compares to U”. At this point it is over for the ladies in there and a certain amount of “fellows” if you know what I mean.

I forgot to mention that during the encores non members try to pass that magic 15th row and stand in the aisles. Once again Otis and em shut em down. Pushed them all the way back to their seats. You not a member don’t even try it.


After that he walks off stage but the band is still there, so we are waiting again. 5 minutes later he comes back. Would you believe he does “Free” “Free” from 1999. At this point even I am passing out. Again not snippets but entire song. Next he does “Starfish and Cofee” and “Sometimes it snows in April” now I am beginning to see women sprawled out on the floor. He then teases the crowd with “How come you don’t call me anymore” and was like ya’ll don’t want that. Crowd was like what??? Bring it!! He does that and then starts “Ana Stezia”. While that God is Love , Love is God part of the song is going on he tells the members to raise their fist and tells the rest of the people that we are there because we are members, and if you want to be this close become a Member. God is Love , Love is God, that’s how he ended that night.

As I am walking out I noticed Quest (who looks like he is getting Slimmer) and Chris Rock and his wife. Mind you they were sitting behind us a good amount of rows back, so if you not a member, I don’t care who you are, you are not going up front.

I then walked by to my car, threw out my Alicia Keys CD out my window and was out..


Worth every Penny.



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#1, Best Tour report ever n/m!
Posted by jefleejohnson on Apr-10-02 at 09:20 AM
In response to message #0

Cuz I's says so


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#2, otis...lol.
Posted by latenitemix on Apr-10-02 at 09:20 AM
In response to message #0

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
do your thang thang

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#6, highly entertaining
Posted by DonKnutts on Apr-10-02 at 09:31 AM
In response to message #0

what's the club member thing though? what club?

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#8, npgmc
Posted by Abbstrack on Apr-10-02 at 09:32 AM
In response to message #6

prince's music/fan club...
100 dollars a year..

u get presale/best seat tickets for concerts...

and access to music unavailable to general public...

plus all other kinds of fan club perks


message #0

He performed that during the soundcheck and it was over for me. We also go teased with Housequake during the soundcheck. Oh yeah Candy did her thing during the soundcheck and at the aftershow. I know this has got to be a bootleg. I'm sure someone out there got this show and the aftershow. Xenophobia was sick. I saw the DC show a couple of weeks ago and I didn't NY was gonna get down like the DC crowd but we surpassed that them by far. I was able to get second row stage right seats. I kept having flashbacks of seeing a speaker fall on a girl at the Roots show a Avery Fisher in January. I'm glad he added a couple songs for NYC. And since he played "Joy..." at the aftershow I'm not upset he didn't play in during the main show. I joined the club a couple of days before the presale and I'm definitely glad I did. The soundcheck and free aftershow was worth it. Maybe he'll put out this show before the bootleggers but I doubt that. Being up front for the concert and the aftershow was great. Some folk need to learn how to pass along Larry's bass though. Too bad ?uest didn't stay behind the kit for a little long though. I thought he was gonna break into "I Wonder U." Oh well maybe next time.

uncomfortable with really flirting and making women think they have a chance with him..dunno

ill.

#14, RE: i wanted to hear
Posted by Axim on Apr-10-02 at 09:44 AM
In response to message #13

drunk ass lady #2 hitting her own high notes at the aftershow..i was like STFU...i later found her standing over a pool of her own vomit
That was probably lady who skipped the line. I swear if i wasn't saved...


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#16, did you see the pimp?
Posted by Hot_Damali on Apr-10-02 at 09:51 AM
In response to message #13

he looked like Rick James...silver velour suit with a hat and long braids/locs...very gaunt face. was with this tall white girl
he was hilarious




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#17, RE: did you see the pimp?
Posted by Axim on Apr-10-02 at 09:53 AM
In response to message #16

lol yes i did. when i was on the line he came by strollin with the chick who was 10 mandatory steps back. that shit was classic. besides HBO this was my first real like pimp sighting.

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#19, lol
Posted by Abbstrack on Apr-10-02 at 10:09 AM
In response to message #17

i was shocked though, because i expected to see a LOT more wierdos..i only saw a very small amount...everyone seemed to be pretty much normal, and just huge prince fans
this one lady i was on line with for the aftershow told how she saw him at irving plaza, and he didnt get on for the aftershow til like 5 in the mornin'...

overall, the vibe was really tight..a lot of interaction, everyone was there because they obviously enjoyed the man..there seemed to be very little tension in the air...

#23, Dude in Red Robe
Posted by Navie on Apr-10-02 at 10:39 AM
In response to message #13

Yeah I saw $$ in the Lincoln Center lobby - HI-LARIOUS!
I don't think I saw the pimpin' tho...
#18, RE: more highlights
Posted by jcfii on Apr-10-02 at 09:54 AM
In response to message #11

>me catching Prince's hat (y'all
>gon get sick of me
>talking about that today..sorry..lol)
yeah, I caught that joint in ATL, and damned if I didn't wear that funky red hat to work the NEXT DAY.

#36, RE: more highlights
Posted by Riadbec on Apr-10-02 at 12:19 PM
In response to message #11

Yeah I saw you get that hat and I also saw earlier in the show that one of the security guards was trying to tell you to sit down and you were like "HELL NO!" At least I think that was you. That shit was funny.



#38, aww damn...
Posted by lightyeargroover on Apr-10-02 at 12:32 PM
In response to message #0

"Everyone knows who Larry Graham is except one person. That one person would be Otis. Would you believe Otis ran up on that stage and was about to tackle Larry Graham, I am not lying he jumped up on the stage and was running toward Larry Graham thinking he was a rowdy fan"
HILARITY!!!

and Alicia didn't know ninety-three eleven??!??!?!? how da *uck she gonna know "How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore" and NOT know 777?!?!

i would have encourgaed people to get loud about that ish.

Funny shit!

I like her description of her hunger...Nigeria famished. LOL

yes a very funny read but the author is one rascist mouthafucka.

hahaha racist?she tells the truth..im white and often have never felt whiter at a p gig!!!but i live with it

OTIS!! lol! thanks for that Rd!

To bne fair he was talkin about that black couple being ghetto and pimps etc..not too great of a characterization either ...

rdhull said:

That is some of the funniest shit I have ever read. Fucking hilarity!!!

bkw said:

lol I told ya

This had me dyin for days

alicia keyes singing how come you don't call me anymore at the aftershow...she was geeked to be playing with him and didn't hide it

musiq scatting at the aftershow and ?uestlove drumming for him




the whole story is really cool, thanks for posting it. so the above bit was all in one aftershow?! and in the actual show q-tip came on?! what exactly did he say? (sorry im utterly pedantic like this!). so was musiq and ?uestlove on stage with prince then, so i wonder what happened with uestlove since he and d'angelo jammed with him and that infamous i feel like i need a shower thing. if prince told ?uestlove to drum "right" when he plays on the offbeat or whatever.

anyone know?!

I declare, this review is like a lost Exodus vignette.





"And, it made her real mad, so we went two rounds. ... Janelle can bob. ..."

that is some funny shit..is any of this on the NY video?

Prince, ONA.
I just bought the dvd. I was dissapointed that it didn't have more Prince solo. I was hoping he would be doing what the show was called, alone. I love it when he just plays piano, probably because I'm a keyboardist. Anyway, it was as good as we expect from Prince but there was a difference from any Prince shows I've ever viewed. He did seem very restrained, not quite low key but compared to his usual self, restrained. The musicianship and singing were better than ever, literally, like a lot of older musicians, his actual skill is at a higher level. I don't know how to read his approach, It seemed as if he were inhibited, maybe it's age but I don't think so, maybe it's religion. It wasn't just that he didn't dance as much or as hard, but also his voice and personality seemed to be mellower, perhaps it's just to fit the jazz vibe. Don't know. Depressing that he's getting older, because that makes me realize I'm not a kid anymore too.

bkw said:

Otis is a