Soooooooooo, last night Miss Moneypenny (Along with what seemed like the rest of Charleston County) went to see Prince last night. After the announcement of the tour stop a few weeks ago I got excited about hearing that Prince was coming to town. That excitement soon waned when I saw the ticket prices. Yesterday morning, I get a text from the husband of my former co-worker saying “Call me!”[1] So I get another call and I talk to my old co-worker and my husband and they tell me that they have tickets for the Prince concert… AND THEY ARE FREE! So I thank the hell out of them both and accept the tickets. I met her husband at a local Church’s Chicken to pick up the tickets and the rest was just dopeness.[2]
Here are just a few of my thoughts and observations about the show:
- Lalah Hathaway, the opening act, can effing sang. She her own songs and then covered her dad’s “A Song For You” and didn’t miss a note. Later in the show she and Prince did a duet of a song that I’m still not familiar with.
- Shelby J, Prince’s longtime back up singer can also blow. She covered Dorothy Moore’s “Misty Blue” better than Monica or Mary J. Blige could have ever possibly dreamed of.[3]
- Dudes fan base looks like a Benetton ad had a one night stand with and AARP Convention. I think every demographic in Charleston was covered.
- “Purple Rain” may be the best song for 12,000 people to sing-a-long with ever.
- Since people like Kanye West consider themselves “rock stars” I wonder if the feel woefully inadequate when they watch Prince perform?
- I was hoping he was going to perform “Darlin Nikki” but I’m not going to complain about the fact that he didn’t. He played the first portion of the song then declared “I can’t do that, I’m in rehab.” A rendition of “She’s Always in My Hair” would have been dope too.
- I’m kind of afraid of Prince. Not in the he’d kick my a** sort of way but more in the he’s got some weird magical powers that reek of “F**k with me and I’ll turn you in Morris Day.”[4]
- Extra dope moment of the night: The performance of Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop to You Get Enough”.
- Everything is better when it’s free! Prince tickets especially.[5]
- Overall this was the best concert that I’ve ever attended. There were no bad performances of obscure songs that no one remembers, excellent crowd interaction, and a four-hour concert with three encores from the headliner put this miles ahead of any other show.
Vaya con Dios.
[1]My ninja training, Agent of M.E. status, and my Spidey sense usually tell me to be leery of text messages out of the blue saying “Call me!” I’ve read enough Walter Mosley, Elmore Leonard, and George Pelecanos to know that messages like this from people you haven’t heard from in a while usually mean things have the potential to go sideways.
[2] Nothing looks sketchier than two black dudes swapping anything in the parking lot of a Church’s Chicken in downtown Charleston.
[3] When it comes to how back up singers look, Prince’s rank up there with Ray Charles’ Raelettes. All about the voices.
[4] Although I have no proof, I think that any body who steps to Prince Rogers Nelson should be prepared to get their Skittles stepped on.
Up Here on Cloud 9 
Free Prince show??? I am so jealous!!!!
Those tickets were a blessing!
Man, it is great that Prince changes up his concert and opening acts, but I am feeling like other cities are getting better shows.. don’t get me wrong the Charlotte show was awesome but we got no duets and one encore… I even think he did a different MM song. Anyways, enjoyed hearing another’s experience.
Yeah, the show was amazing. He brought energy, and he was gracious towards the audience. Mint Conditioned opened for him in Charlotte right? He adnitted that he was imopressed by the crowd.
Concert sounded like big fun! I feel you on #7.
Dude probably has some Gene Okerlund type move that’s unstoppable.
No..it was the home town hero, Anthony Hamilton. He is good for auditorium or theater, but no Arena…that ain’t where I want to hear Anthony. I would take Chaka or Lalah any day. Like Mint Condition, but they would have put me to sleep. Sharon Jones opened for him in New York… I would have enjoyed seeing her again also.
I would rather have seen Anthony Hamilton. Two short dudes holding down the stage.
Prince is a f*cking G…I saw him when I was 18 and staying in LA with my aunt…box seats…I’ve been in love with him since I was 16 years old.
He has the same powers that Badu has, look them directly in the eye and you become their slave! lol.
He really is. My oldest sister had a cassette of the Purple Rain soundtrack, which, I think she purchased when the movie first came out. (Damn, I actually remember when that song was new.) Her and my other sister were massive Prince heads so I picked it up from them.