salience
August 18, 2004
A response to the concierto anoche, por un email, si quieres:
From: Maria
Subject: Warning, warning!! Prince reaction!!
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 10:42:03 -0400
THE CONCERT WAS SO GREAT!! AMAZING!!
He didn't come on stage til about 8:45, no opening act or anything, just anticipation. The stadium was packed and when the lights went out, they played Alicia Key's intro of him into the Hall of Fame and people were going crazy.
The stage was simple, divided into four parts by a raised catwalk for them to do features and solos, otherwise each instrument had their own space in a corner. Everything was red, purple or orange. So great!! And of course, Prince, man plastic and botox, what wonders. :) What's even funnier was he joked about how "everyone changes, but I still look the same" all throughout the show.
I can't even tell you how great the concert was!! Alex had only bought one ticket cause it was impossible to get tickets together at Ticketmaster when he bought them (Prince had originally planned to do only two shows in Boston, but they both sold out so quickly that they added a third--Tuesday night was the first show). I bought another ticket (w00t!! free musicology cd with every ticket!!), way across the Fleetcenter just cause I didn't want to go to a concert by myself, way too many sketchy people for sure, of all ages. (I asked Alex to go with me, just cause I thought he might change his mind if he saw Prince live, but alas...) Both tickets were in the balcony, but we were gonna try and sit together.
We got to the center at 7:30, literally inhaled McDonalds (since I basically got Alex after work and we left for the show) and then found my seat. Luckily, the people next to us just assumed we had tickets for both seats and moved down a seat, so it wasn't our problem anymore. :)
The first set was all older funk from late eighties, his band (New Power Generation, which was formed for this past album Musicology and for the tour--first tour in six years, yes--also the first time Prince let his band write their own solos) was so tight. They were great, the music was so clean and energetic.
After a 45 minute set, the band left the stage dark and there was a cool, retro modern solo, very pink floydish by the keyboardist and then "What a Wonderful World" cover by the trombone guy. Then Prince came on stage for a solo, acoustic set. Covers and acoustic versions of his songs. His voice is so amazing, his range and how he manipulates those vocal chords. And his guitar playing, he wails and his musicality is just: perfect.
After that he lead into the next set with an acoustic "Little Red Corvette" and the lights came back on and the band was back. He did all of his early 80s stuff and he literally had the entire stadium jumping with him and singing to him. For the next hour it was just straight funk and even a booty shake by the guitar guy from a random cue to Beyonce's "Crazy in Love."
Everyone was saying how it was the best show they've ever seen. Prince was always making sly comments about radio air play, mtv, and lip synching. Everything he couldn't say all those years ago. And for being rumoured as such a shy guy, he was so outgoing and comforting in front of the stadium. (It is his job, but...) You literally felt like he was just singing to you, people were in trances and just captivated--including me, of course. (Reminded me of my Bono experience at the U2 concert in Providence, yes.)
He left the stage with everyone was still dancing (the kids down front got to even go on stage and just dance for twenty minutes of the set; the girl next to us, her sister was up there--she was freaking out!!), and people started chanting for him to come back. For fifteen minutes. By this time everyone was off the stage and everything was dark, and then this purple light shined down on stage and everyone knew what was coming and started chanting "Purple Rain, Purple Rain."
And then, of course, he came out and played it. My favorite song. Along with everyone else's. :)
But he didn't sing it, it was just the stadium screaming all the words, even his voice throws. He just played with his band. The solo was so great, his moving all around the solo we've memorized from our recordings. And when he finished, he was all, "no, we can't leave it like that ya'll" and came back and sang it for everyone. Great. I still hear it in my head, it was so good. I can't even explain it.
And then it was over, and everyone was buzzing. Alex even admitted that it was "a great show" even though he still doesn't have an affinity for him. :)
His performing just reinforces everything I love about music, you know?? His musicality is contagious, and that's what music is about. What it means to you and sharing it. I always forget how numbed I am by commercial radio and tv until I'm reminded (or slapped in the face in the case of Prince) of what it should be like again. And everyone was having such a good time, there was no lull in the entire thing. Just straight music. Worth so much more than the $45 we paid.
And that's what I want to be, you know?? Especially with all this drum major business. I want to be calm, and confident, and I want people to know I am in control and that's why I am where I am. I want people to forget everything else and just exist where we are, where it's all about the music.
He is a genius. Sigh.
And now back to life...
From: Maria
Subject: Warning, warning!! Prince reaction!!
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 10:42:03 -0400
THE CONCERT WAS SO GREAT!! AMAZING!!
He didn't come on stage til about 8:45, no opening act or anything, just anticipation. The stadium was packed and when the lights went out, they played Alicia Key's intro of him into the Hall of Fame and people were going crazy.
The stage was simple, divided into four parts by a raised catwalk for them to do features and solos, otherwise each instrument had their own space in a corner. Everything was red, purple or orange. So great!! And of course, Prince, man plastic and botox, what wonders. :) What's even funnier was he joked about how "everyone changes, but I still look the same" all throughout the show.
I can't even tell you how great the concert was!! Alex had only bought one ticket cause it was impossible to get tickets together at Ticketmaster when he bought them (Prince had originally planned to do only two shows in Boston, but they both sold out so quickly that they added a third--Tuesday night was the first show). I bought another ticket (w00t!! free musicology cd with every ticket!!), way across the Fleetcenter just cause I didn't want to go to a concert by myself, way too many sketchy people for sure, of all ages. (I asked Alex to go with me, just cause I thought he might change his mind if he saw Prince live, but alas...) Both tickets were in the balcony, but we were gonna try and sit together.
We got to the center at 7:30, literally inhaled McDonalds (since I basically got Alex after work and we left for the show) and then found my seat. Luckily, the people next to us just assumed we had tickets for both seats and moved down a seat, so it wasn't our problem anymore. :)
The first set was all older funk from late eighties, his band (New Power Generation, which was formed for this past album Musicology and for the tour--first tour in six years, yes--also the first time Prince let his band write their own solos) was so tight. They were great, the music was so clean and energetic.
After a 45 minute set, the band left the stage dark and there was a cool, retro modern solo, very pink floydish by the keyboardist and then "What a Wonderful World" cover by the trombone guy. Then Prince came on stage for a solo, acoustic set. Covers and acoustic versions of his songs. His voice is so amazing, his range and how he manipulates those vocal chords. And his guitar playing, he wails and his musicality is just: perfect.
After that he lead into the next set with an acoustic "Little Red Corvette" and the lights came back on and the band was back. He did all of his early 80s stuff and he literally had the entire stadium jumping with him and singing to him. For the next hour it was just straight funk and even a booty shake by the guitar guy from a random cue to Beyonce's "Crazy in Love."
Everyone was saying how it was the best show they've ever seen. Prince was always making sly comments about radio air play, mtv, and lip synching. Everything he couldn't say all those years ago. And for being rumoured as such a shy guy, he was so outgoing and comforting in front of the stadium. (It is his job, but...) You literally felt like he was just singing to you, people were in trances and just captivated--including me, of course. (Reminded me of my Bono experience at the U2 concert in Providence, yes.)
He left the stage with everyone was still dancing (the kids down front got to even go on stage and just dance for twenty minutes of the set; the girl next to us, her sister was up there--she was freaking out!!), and people started chanting for him to come back. For fifteen minutes. By this time everyone was off the stage and everything was dark, and then this purple light shined down on stage and everyone knew what was coming and started chanting "Purple Rain, Purple Rain."
And then, of course, he came out and played it. My favorite song. Along with everyone else's. :)
But he didn't sing it, it was just the stadium screaming all the words, even his voice throws. He just played with his band. The solo was so great, his moving all around the solo we've memorized from our recordings. And when he finished, he was all, "no, we can't leave it like that ya'll" and came back and sang it for everyone. Great. I still hear it in my head, it was so good. I can't even explain it.
And then it was over, and everyone was buzzing. Alex even admitted that it was "a great show" even though he still doesn't have an affinity for him. :)
His performing just reinforces everything I love about music, you know?? His musicality is contagious, and that's what music is about. What it means to you and sharing it. I always forget how numbed I am by commercial radio and tv until I'm reminded (or slapped in the face in the case of Prince) of what it should be like again. And everyone was having such a good time, there was no lull in the entire thing. Just straight music. Worth so much more than the $45 we paid.
And that's what I want to be, you know?? Especially with all this drum major business. I want to be calm, and confident, and I want people to know I am in control and that's why I am where I am. I want people to forget everything else and just exist where we are, where it's all about the music.
He is a genius. Sigh.
And now back to life...
lasaliente, 11:03
