Pocket Size Perfection

Now that Michael Jackson has left the planet will the heir to his Pop-dom please rise. Prince!!
While a Prince is a King in waiting many would argue that Prince formerly known as Rogers Nelson has in the last three decades been the rightful King of Pop and Funk and R & B and Hip Hop and Rock the list goes on.

Last night I had the good fortune of seeing this fifty two year old midget from Minnesota perform. If that sounds mean then that’s because I am racked with envy…so there.
Coming from Minnesota where snow is a minor inconvenience the thought of New York’s recent blizzard cancelling this sold out show was never an issue.
Madison Square Garden is just a snowballs throw from the Tree house and no amount of inclement weather was going dampen my spirits.

Janelle Monae opened the show with a fine set of songs and visual display that in today’s R&B world is slightly refreshing. During the change over the man himself dressed in white appeared in the crowd with his I Phone and proceeded to greet everyone he could captured on video. This was a welcome move especially for the people in the high altitude seats.

The stage was designed in his familiar logo which I have no idea what it means but as a performance space it proves effective. All round vision again is a welcome touch that serves the audience well.

Dressed in purple seated at the grand piano we began the Prince experience. A non stop juke box of hits rained down from the PA backed by a hammer jack band.
It is a spectacle to watch him shred a guitar in stilettos and produce a vocal range with such force and emotion. At one point a gold plated guitar was used to show off another round of blistering solos. Rumor has it that Prince was in need of a hip replacement, well for us mere mortals perhaps with all those splits and what not, but no sign that this rumor is justified.

There were costume changes from purple to black to red, even elevated sneakers were employed after all those heels, give the man a break. Each costume made him look younger, it just makes you sick!

As a closing thank you he allowed people from the audience to get up on stage and dance and sing while purple confetti rained down. One such person was Cyndi Lauper who despite pop tackiness has a fantastic voice.

It was a pocket sized perfection of a performance. There is no fault line, no part in the two hour show where you could point to old age creeping in, effecting dance, voice or guitar playing. Quite simply, he was disgustingly brilliant!

A Very British Cock Up

A very British cock up happened yesterday in London. The Government agreed to raise the tuition fees for students attending University (I say attend because studying for some is a trifle far fetched) this vote broke an election promise no surprises there. Cock up number one.

Protesters gathered and soon things turned ugly, as always in protests you get the thug element that are out for a jolly scrap with the local constabulary and evidence of this was clearly seen on telly. While the anger is justified they got the wrong location, their fury should have been directed at the City, the Bank of England and the Investment and Securities Companies that put country and beyond into this situation. Bonus time is around the corner so save your placards and Halloween masks and Google where those institutions are. Cock up number two.

While parts of London were burning ( I believe the Clash wrote something along those lines) the Royal protection unit saw fit to drive head on into a foaming mob in the most ostentatious car available, the Phantom VI model by Rolls Royce. Passengers on this occasion were the future King of England Charles and his most unfortunate wife Camilla the Thriller duchess of somewhere. With shouts from some “Off with their heads” missiles and paint came next, smashing a window and wiping away all smiles from the peeved royals. Cock up number three.

Caught up in the riotous spirit was a young man called Charles Gilmour (England is littered with Charlie’s it would appear) who was caught on film climbing up the Cenotaph with determined zeal. The Cenotaph is a cherished memorial to all those who died in the wars fought by Britons. One doesn’t mess with that; it would be like pissing on the Alamo or burning the Stars and Stripes. He also happens to be the son David Gilmour, singer / guitarist of the Pink Floyd who sang “We don’t need no education”.

David Gilmour is one the richest men in England and the privileged up bringing young Charlie has with his Cambridge education, expensive suits jars nicely with this act of disrespect. No doubt daddy Dave will punish him by curtailing his beer allowance and sending him to his dorm to listen to Roger Waters’s solo albums. Cock up number four.

Cheers!