Photo By Cindy Ord / NPG Records
You have to be a pretty big deal to have just one name. That’s my theory. When it comes to people with one name, Prince is a pretty big deal. As I was witnessing him slay the crowd at the Sony Centre on Tuesday, I came to a realization just how unique a career and persona he has crafted for himself. Prince is someone who is so unpredictable, charismatic and weird that you have no idea what you are getting into when you are going to his (surprise) shows, yet it’s okay.
One of my favorite Prince stories (besides the Dave Chapelle one) is from a few years ago. A surprise show somewhere, Prince takes the stage to an excited crowd (there is no crowd not excited to see Prince) and then told them “I’m not interested in what you already know, I’m interested in what you are willing to learn” and then played an entire set of new songs. It was probably a different night than what that crowd had imagined.
Luckily, Tuesday nights show was mostly about what we already know. Taking the stage with more energy than one would expect for the second show of the night, Prince took us through a two hour parade of his greatest hits. To say the crowd was thrilled about this would be the understatement of the century. There were some sore hips Wednesday morning, that’s for sure.
I don’t have to list out the hits, but there was a point when he followed 1999 and Little Red Corvette with Nothing Compares 2 U and you were just like … Wow. Then he followed that up with Kiss. It was that kind of glorious night. Not lost among all the hits was the excellent musicianship displayed by the backing band 3RDEYEGIRL. They were on point with every detour that the Princely one made during the night. Prince himself is a hell of a guitarist which would probably be highlighted more if everything else about him was muted.
The encore featured a piano cover of Love Me Tender which was as precious as it sounds, eventually leading to the epic finisher Purple Rain.
Prince, he came, he saw, he conquered. Time for pancakes
