Review: 'One and only' Prince wows Omaha crowd

BY NIZ PROSKOCIL



WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Make no mistake about it. His name is Prince, and he is funky.

The superstar singer got the royal treatment Wednesday night from nearly 14,000 fans who packed the Omaha Arena for a sizzling show from one of the music world's ultimate showmen.


Prince at his induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The nearly 21/2-hour concert opened with a video montage of some of the Purple One's greatest hits, along with a replay of singer Alicia Keys' speech from last month when Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"There are many kings, but there is only one Prince," Keys gushed on video. "Ladies and gentlemen, I want you to get on your feet and pay homage to the one and only Prince."

Amid a deafening roar from the crowd, the 45-year-old superstar took the stage dressed in a long black jacket, white shirt, white pants and white boots.

He opened the show with the title track from his forthcoming album "Musicology," which concertgoers received for free on their way into the arena. During the night's second song, "Let's Go Crazy," white confetti fell from the ceiling.

On a six-foot-high stage in the middle of the arena, Prince strutted his sassy stuff on the stage's four runways while he and his eight-piece New Power Generation band tore it up, working the crowd into a frenzy.

There were no flashy back-up dancers or glitzy special effects. His talent was all fans needed.

The diverse crowd was a mix of teens, Gen-Xers, baby boomers, punk rockers, hip-hoppers and suburban soccer moms - all shaking their groove thang and loving every minute of it.

The show featured a medley of abbreviated Prince hits, including "I Would Die 4 U," "When Doves Cry" and "Baby, I'm a Star."

He also treated the audience to full versions of classic songs like "Controversy," "D.M.S.R.," "Sign O' the Times," "Nothing Compares 2 U," "The Beautiful Ones" and "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man."

He grinned and thanked the crowd repeatedly for their adoration. One fan held up a handmade poster that read "Nothing Compares 2 Prince."

One of the highlights of the evening came toward the end of the show when about two dozen fans were invited up on stage for one big dance party with Prince, now clad in white pants and a loose-fitting white shirt with tiny red polka dots.

The lucky group included Omahans Marq Manner and Richard Schultz, who got down while his Purple Badness sang songs like "Take Me With U," "Kiss," "U Got the Look' and Sam & Dave's classic "Soul Man."

For the encore, Prince sat on a swivel chair alone on stage with just an acoustic guitar and delivered amazing acoustic versions of "Little Red Corvette," "Sometimes It Snows in April" and other tunes. The band returned for the concert's closer, "Purple Rain."

Compared to the Britney Spears "concert" two weeks ago, Prince's performance was real music from a real musician.

The Britney Spears "concert" very subtle

Omaha has a very fine local music scene. You don't mess with Omaha - they know what music is.