Prince @ O2 Arena, London
Originally published on my old blog.
The legend in his prime
I've got so many hits London, I could play all night!
Prince did a massive residency at the O2 Arena in London, 21 nights long, a record breaking run at the time. We were lucky enough to get tickets, and our friends Bek and Deidre joined Jo and me for a show put on by a living legend. So legendary in fact that at one point he changed his name to a symbol.
The ushers were super anal about photography. This is the gig I've come closest to being thrown out of for filming - I only had a not very good cellphone, but a very polite young man still took me outside and was firm about such matters. Quite firm. I managed to steal a couple of shots, you'll just have to imagine the detail.
Mostly I remember the exquisite musicianship. He played many instruments, all flawlessly. He had an entirely female band, who were of course also excellent. It was a very professionally put on, highly visual show, and remarkably cheap for an act of his stature - we even got a free CD coming in the door, which remains a cool thing to do. At one point, 7 or 8 tunes in, he paused, looked out into the crowd, and exclaimed "I've got so many hits London, I could play all night!". A bit, well, confident, but undeniable.
And then he proceeded to prove it. Hit, after hit, after hit. Check out the setlist - 29 songs! It all blurred into one big groove in the top floor of a basketball court. As we walked back to the Tube, punch drunk but ecstatic, we named a few hits somehow he didn't even play. Eternally grateful to have seen this legend once before his untimely passing. Rest in peace Prince, you were amazing.
Photos from the gig
