Prince - Phones 4U Arena, Manchester - May 16 2014 (Live Review)
Monday, 19 May 2014
Written by Jaspreet Kaur Takhi
It was August 7, 2007 at London’s O2 Arena when I saw Prince play for the first time, as part of his memorable 21 night residency in the capital, and the love affair is yet to hit a rough patch.
Since then, tour-wise at least, he's kept a low profile, much to my chagrin. Still, every few months I would scour social media and various publications, desperately seeking any sign of a Purple Party. Almost inevitably, I ended up disappointed.
But, seven years later, he’s back. These arena shows follow a spate of much-publicised guerrilla gigs in London and Manchester that left some fans ecstatic and others deeply wounded at having missed out. It was a genial marketing ploy, but one that left yours truly bitterly disappointed.
Be that as it may, you can't stay angry with Prince for too long. These days he resembles Jimi Hendrix, armed with a flamboyant guitar attack and afro to match, and this show was a masterclass.
Setting the bar for the rest of the night with Let's Go Crazy, he then set about belting out seminal tracks such as Guitar, Raspberry Beret, Kiss, When Doves Cry and 1999, to name but a few.
There was also giddy excitement reserved for the underplayed There's Something In The Water and Paisley Park, while it's important to commend the phenomenally talented, and gorgeous, 3rdEyeGirl, who tore the stage up with their flawless guitar work.
The highlight of the evening arrived when Prince took to the piano, stripping bare Diamonds and Pearls and The Beautiful Ones and showcasing, at the age of 55, an impeccable falsetto. Among a sea of people, at that moment, I felt I was the only person in the world. Truthfully, though, I probably wasn't the only one who felt that way.
Any criticisms? Only that his third encore was his last. His last utterance before closing with Purple Rain? "Nobody can do it like Prince do."
Prince Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Mon May 19 2014 - BIRMINGHAM LG Arena
Thu May 22 2014 - GLASGOW SSE Hydro
Fri May 23 2014 - LEEDS first direct Arena
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