MANDALAY BAY CONCERT: Prince gets two hour-plus standing O
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Sterling set of greatest hits brings fans to feet and keeps them there

By DOUG ELFMAN
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Here is a trivia question for you. Other than Saturday's Prince concert, when was the last time you saw more than 10,000 people in this city stand up and sing along at an arena concert -- for more than two hours straight?

If you answered Neil Diamond, you are correct, ding ding ding. But this was Prince, playing at Mandalay Bay on Saturday night. He performed such a sterling set of greatest hits that both hard-core fans and radio slaves gave him a standing ovation for, pretty much, something like two hours and 20 minutes. That's saying something. Vegas crowds are at best half-sitters/half-standers.

It helped Prince's case that he staged a "Purple Rain"-type tour. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Prince's superstar-making movie of that title. So he performed everything from the movie soundtrack except "Darling Nikki" (the song that launched Tipper Gore's career) and "Computer Blue."

That means he did "Let's Go Crazy," "Take Me With U," "When Doves Cry," "Purple Rain," "Baby I'm A Star" and "I Would Die 4 U." His keyboardist and a saxophonist even duetted for the love-song interlude from the movie, the part when the essentially talentless actress/singer Apollonia calls Prince, "King Kong," and he replies, all bashful, "Stop!"

The "Purple Rain" song that shocked my senses once again was his first encore, "The Beautiful Ones." The song wasn't a hit because it's a melodramatic ballad. It calls out a woman for having one foot in, and one foot out, of a relationship.

The song starts quietly ("Don't make me waste my time; don't make me lose my mind, baby"), but it shifts into overdrive when Prince screams in frustration, "Do you want him? Or do you want me? 'Cause I want you!" Prince, the protagonist, does not realize that he should just dump her because she sucks.

The show was a real '80s-fest of the hits "Kiss," "Sign 'O' the Times," "U Got The Look," "Raspberry Beret," "Little Red Corvette" and "Controversy." There was the album cut that dominated R&B radio in 1988, "Adore," as well as the Prince song that Chaka Khan made into a hit, "I Feel For You." He and his crack band did a hit he made for Sheila E, "Glamorous Life," as well as his song that Sinéad O'Connor covered big-time, "Nothing Compares 2 U."

The impetus for this retrograde might be the mainstream's re-embracement of Prince. He has returned to the cover or Rolling Stone. He stole the spotlight during the Grammys. And the female Prince, Alicia Keys, inducted him into the Hall of Fame with the kind of heartfelt canonization that is usually reserved for the funerals of saints.

A lot has been written about how Prince is a big Jehovah's Witness who doesn't cuss anymore. But during "D.M.S.R." he still led the crowd through the chant, "Dance, music, sex, romance," although he did drop the original lyric, "Work your body like a whore," as well as "Girl, it ain't no sin to strip right down to your underwear."

He dipped into the early 1990s for a few gems, "The Question of U," "7" and "Cream." He performed some of these songs solo, while playing acoustic guitar, and spinning in a chair in the middle of the stage. The stage was in the round, in the center of the arena, giving everyone a good seat.

Prince shook his behind at fans and did his grand showman act. During "Cream," he sang, "You're so cool. Everything you do is success." And then he paused for effect: "Vegas, when you go home tonight, sing this part in the mirror. Believe me, that's how I wrote it -- lookin' in the mirror."

There was much more. Searing guitar solos. Pounding drums. Prince's still-wondrous falsetto, highly emotional and perfect.

Saturday's show -- he played Sunday, too -- was also a fund-raiser for "Tiger Jam," a charity concert in the name of Tiger Woods that has helped save a music program at a local school, that is helping build a learning center in Orange County, Calif., and that does other charitable things for kids.

But the concert's focus stayed on Prince. He was amazing. I could go on and on. But I won't. I will say, though, that if you weren't there, you missed a combination that is always rare: brilliant fun.

I might have to catch this tour one more time...

as for the review:

1. What "King Kong" interlude is the reporter referring to?

2. Don't call Alicia Keys the female version of Prince
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[This message was edited Mon May 31 10:43:38 2004 by SynthiaRose]

SynthiaRose said:

1. he's referring to the bedroom scene in Purple Rain between Apples and P. when he unbuttons his shirt in front of her. She runs her fingers through his hair and teasingly calls him "king kong".
2. Agree. Doesn't pay either one of them a compliment really for what they each bring to the table in their own right.

Crack Band?

The 1st time that i saw Alicia Key's video "Fallin" i thought of P bcuz of the vibe of the song. Alicia serenades like P in her own way. She got that charisma that very few Artist possess. I love her style. And after seeing her live i was thinking P is gonna love her and guess what? He does bcuz he see's his influence.

This has got to be a free paper, right? My God, what bad writing...

With reviews like this 1 P just might comeback thru the US after he goes over seas. This might b the single longest tour P goes on. And u know that P has another album raring 2 go in 2005!

I hope his song list stays about tha same when he comes to N.Y. next month. If Vegas was standing for the whole show....the Madison Square Garden shows are going to blow the roof off. Alicia Keys & Prince both have cool in their blood.

DID I SAY NEXT MONTH??? MAN! I MEANT JULY. IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YA HOW BAD I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HIM.

Great to see that he added Adore in his songlist!!

ROFLMAO!! What a long winded way to say he played "God Instrumental"



Gimme some original lyrics in San Jose & Oakland!!

Novabreaker said:

Yea, like a "crack team of experts" - it means they're excellent

Jarret said:

"It was a dark and stormy night...."

CalhounSq said:

Gimme some original lyrics in San Jose & Oakland!! [/quote]

....and throw in "What is Hip?" !!!

Wow. I'm not sure if the person who wrote that article was at the same concert I was at on 5/29. I thought the crowd was pretty subdued. Prince had to actually say to one side of the auditorium, "I KNOW you're not sitting down!" Don't get me wrong though.... The concert was off the hook! The crowd was just more of a "Purple Rain is the only song I know" type.
We went to the House of Blues right after the concert, but the after party was for the Tiger Woods foundation folks. I'm glad I get to see him again in Jersey 7/16

I head KD streaked at the concert.

both nights were incredible

Novabreaker said:

IT MEAN THEY PLAY REAL GOOD

NOT THAT THEY DRUGGIES

He deserves it

es2v said:

EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING. THE CROWD IN VEGAS WAS DEAD TO ME. IN FACT THE WORST GROUP I HAVE SEEN PRINCE WITH.

I TOLD MY FRIEND THAT PRINCE TOLD ONE SIDE OF THE AUDITORIUM TO STAND UP. BUT I HAVE A QUESTION? DID ANYONE NOTICE THAT THE HORN SECTION SCREWED UP A PART THAT SENT P INTO A WHIRL WIND?! AFTER HAVING A LITTLE TEMPER TANTRUM HE WENT AND LAID DOWN ON SOME PILLOWS. DOES ANYONE REMEMBER SEEING THAT.

I always think of Alicia Keys as the daughter Prince never had.