Good to see you too, Andy.
Here's what I posted on HQ...
I was at all those shows--Avery Fisher soundcheck, main show, & aftershow at
the World--and Xenophobia celebration at Paisley 2002, as well as Butter in
NYC in 2006. And I have to say (as I said in my earlier post) this aftershow
smoked Butter. There was no "Joy in Repetition" moment (as at the World--but
that was really the only "moment" that I enjoyed anyway), but I enjoyed this
aftershow much much more.
Maybe it is because I haven't read/posted much online... my music
appreciation frame of reference is less fettered with chatter.
I can understand why people use setlists to guage a performance... because
they want to see new songs, new material, or see if there are any changes
from before, as an indication of artistic growth. But to me that's like
comparing a grocery list to the cooked meal. As a performer there are few
"top chefs" out there like Prince who can take what appears on the surface
to be a run-of-the-mill list and turn it into a gourmet meal.
And I felt he did that last night. I started to take notes on a set list and
a few songs into the show I stopped. I stopped because the note-taking was
taking away from my enjoyment of the show. I stopped because the note-taking
was forcing me to experience the show in a kind of "melted ice cream" kind
of way. You ever accidentally left ice cream out? It melts and all the
ingredients kind of separate... putting it back into the freezer will not
bring those ingredients back together again in the original mix that would
have been as enjoyable as it was intended. So I said, hell I better eat this
ice cream while it's good. I put away the pen and the paper, and just took
the show in.
Sorry if people are looking to get the basic ingredients/set list from me.
Not going to happen. Instead I'm going to convey the taste, the overall vibe
and energy. If you're the type who eats food trying to figure out what
ingredients went into it, be my guest--you'll find enough of that on this
thread. But I'm just trying to savor the moment because there *was*
something special at last night's aftershow to me... and I'm going to try to
put my finger on it.
(First, as a disclosure, I was one of the lucky recipients of the HQ contest
for the aftershow. For that I am truly grateful! It meant, among other
things, Ruth (who was just one of the nicest, professionals I've encountered
who is tasked with the awesome responsibility of assisting a megatalent like
Prince) escorted winners into the performance venue before the public was
let in... so I got close up to the stage, right in front of the steps in the
front right. I've been up front before, so this was not necessarily reason
for a positive experience or review. But I am not going to lie... it helps
:) It also means that as a contest winner we were each given one of those
beautiful O(+> wax candle holders as a gift.
Ok so on to the show... I have to admit that I had grown weary of Prince's
tendency to perform so many covers of other people's songs. Reading reports
of the last two years (last time I saw him was at Butter two years ago), I
went into the aftershow not expecting much. But while I stood there watching
the show, it struck me that Prince is more interested in making his show
about MUSIC rather than just PRINCE MUSIC.
Even though he is the star attraction and may have an offstage ego of a
star, it's a kind of artistic humility on stage that I found endearing last
night. His very jazzman-like democratic sharing of solos, and his clear
homages to music he's love over the years of his life. Once I stopped
fretting about "why isn't he playing his music" I realized that in a strange
way this wasn't about HIM.
Prince became this iPod of great music, and plucked one song after another,
that he performed, reinvented, reinvigorated, improvised, solo'd, clowned,
danced, sang, strummed, shook, that made it clear that yes you are hearing
Earth Wind & Fire, or Ron Woods, or India Arie, but make no mistake about it
this is a PRINCE concert. This was no karaoke, phone in performance. The
rhythm guitar licks were SICK. The screams on pitch (I hadn't heard Prince
deliver a good scream since 2004 Musicology days), his vocal control
precise, and his athleticism took him all over every available space on the
small stage.
And the smallness of the setting provided such a contrast for the bigness of
his talent. The intimacy of the evening... it was like sitting in his living
room. Or in his garage, watching a 4 piece band. No overproduction, just hot
cold sweat. They had the energy and hunger of a start up, with the
professionalism and chops of veterans.
It's like Prince succeeded in shifting the focus away from himself... there
were points in the almost 3 hours concert where I forgot who he was... where
I felt like I'm watching this amazing kid jump around in his garage or
living room with his band doing this great music. I felt like an A/R
executive who wanted to say "we've got to SIGN THIS KID!!" and then it would
hit me... holy shit I just saw PRINCE!
And that was the magic for me. That is what made this special. Prince
somehow stripped his performance of pretense, and took me back to excitement
of watching a band just getting started but playing like they'd been on the
scene for years. I felt like I was standing in the shoes of Owen Husney, or
Mo Ostin... the performance was THAT REFRESHING. This was not old hat. It
felt new, youthful, invigorating. Knowing in the back of my mind that Prince
seldom leaves ANYTHING to chance and that even what appears as spontaneity
is incredibly rehearsed--well that just made me appreciate his talent all
the more.
Thanks again to HQ for the chance to check out this show. Thanks to Ruth for
lookin out! Thanks to the NPG family for the continued sense of community--
Utopia7, Porsche, Tonia, Belinda, Andy (glad your gf enjoyed the show), &
whomever I missed. And lastly Thanks to Prince & the band for an amazing
night!
and just remember... eat your ice cream before it melts :)
On Sat, Oct 11, 2008 at 11:44 AM, Andrew Stanger
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote:
> I put this up on HQ and wanted to post here too...
>
> All the reports are great. I was at the aftershow. Anything happen after
> NPS? I took all the songs down on the my iphone but see setlists already
> up.
> Some random notes...
>
> Prince came out wearing black pants and a white sweater with a long white
> scarf. Started with glasses but took them off early. For the second half -
> black pants and orange blouse-like shirt with a big necklace - might be
the
> same one from the first show.
>
> It was very organized for a prince aftershow. I was worried as it was my
> gfs
> first show and I didn't want her to have a bad experience. We got there at
> 11. Took a little bit of time to check our name and get a wristband (no
> tickets :(
> Waited in line - got to chat with Z for a bit.
> We got let into the hotel at 12:25 or so.
> Up the elevator. Out into the bar.
> This was the only bad queue - waiting by the bar crushed a little to get
> through one door into the small room with the stage. Only about 15 mins
> though.
> Room was packed but breathable.
>
> Completely agree with Z about the setlist vs actually being there. It was
> an
> amazing show., Probably the best aftershow I've been to. Did go to irving
> plaza a few years ago with Larry and Chaka that was great and didn't go to
> the World one during ONA so that one might have been better. The covers
> were
> all great - many I haven't heard at all and many I haven't heard prince do
> live. He did a good amount of his own songs - Purple Rain seemed a little
> out of place with such a rock and then r&b show but he seems to have to do
> it for folks. 3 hours of prince is amazing. And hearing him do Shhh (one
of
> my favs) and then the time/Sheila songs were awesome. That was a highlight
> for me - hearing prince cover a prince band and do the bird and jungle
> love.
> He was in a great mood - maybe best I've ever seen, jamming, dancing, funk
> face, funny faces, interacting with the crowd.
>
> thanks
>
> AS
>
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