Another Prince Party at Paisley Park
Every week my friends ask me what I am doing on Saturday night and every week my answer is the same vague non answer inclusive of “Yeah I might have plans, I’ll let you know.” After two years of spending my Saturdays waiting anxiously to hear if Prince will let us into his 55,000 square foot recording studio and concert hall in Minnesota, it has become so ingrained in me that when I do not get the invite I feel a bit like I am wandering around forgetting something. Understand this. I am on call for Prince on Saturday nights.
Every party at the park is different and that is what makes it so much fun. It is always and adventure and the “you never know what might happen” part of the experience is what makes it so much fun. Last night was no exception. Early in the week, FKA Twigs announced via her Twitter Stream that she would be playing at the park on Saturday night. The frenzy started, the Tweets, Texts and Facebook Messages erupted. The buzz had begun.
Last night I left my house at about 10:15p.m. It was a cold, snowy night with slippery roads and semi-hazardous conditions. It didn’t really faze me; I have driven much worse roads to get out to Paisley Park. I knew the Purple Gods were looking out for me; I was not going to miss it! There were cars in the ditch and it took me extra time to arrive, but I got there just in time to get ushered into the NPG Club Room right before Miss Twigs took the stage.
The house was packed. Standing room only, the parking lot was full and people were streaming in from the overflow parking up the street. The energy was good. It was going to be a fun night!
I said hey to all the regulars, we are such a tight knit family now. Kathy, our unofficial Club President was there to frost me with a stick on Swarovski crystal for my cheek. All the cool kids were wearing them. Oh it was on!
Twigs is stunning. There is no other way to describe her ethereal beauty or her sweetly sexual voice. Her music makes you blush. It is the kind of unique sound that a guy wants to put on to get his girl in the mood. Kind of like a modern day techno female Barry White.
A few people were awkwardly trying to dance but it wasn’t really dancing music. About halfway through the first song Prince popped in through the door and bolted through the back of the room, up the stairs and took his throne on the couch at the loft above us. He was wearing all white. A white artistic tunic with white matching custom bell bottoms and of course, his trademark fro. The first thing I looked for were his feet. After the colossal disappointment that I had at seeing him on Saturday Night Live wearing flats I physically needed to see him back in his heels. Whew! They were there. All is right in the fashion world again. Beautifully fitted upon his feet were white 4-inch platform boots that literally made my heart skip a beat just knowing they were back. Say what you want about it being all about the music. For me it is about all of him and Prince just isn’t the same person to me in his EasySpirits.
The entire energy of the room always changes when Prince is in it. He literally brings an aura. People were whispering and peeking up to see him and the “So do you think he will play tonight” rumors began.
Then I saw guitarist Donna Grantis in the back of the room. Hope began to build. Then came a Hannah and Josh sighting near the entrance. Finally, Ida joining Prince upstairs. The gangs all here, this is happening.
After about an hour-long performance by Twigs, we were ushered into the stage hall through the large doors in the back of the room. Josh Welton was onstage playing a new track that has yet to be released. It sounded awesome! I had flashbacks of when we heard some of the music from ArtOfficialAge for the first time and had a moment of “I am so blessed” to be here.
The lights were different. Instead of the standard lighting setup for rehearsals the lights were very dance club like, with splashes of purple and yellow bouncing and flashing to the beat. I took my standard place to the left of the stage, 3 rows in. This is where I always am in case you ever want to find me at a Prince concert. This is where he sings to and I wanted to make sure that he could find me. In my head I believe that he will look for me here.
Alas, find me he did. As Josh played new song after new song intermixed with new remixes of FixUrLifeUp and other AOA and Plectrum songs, Prince bounced through the crowd and right up to my friend Karla and I and literally popped into our faces. Now I have talked about this before. For some reason when Prince comes near me I completely lose my cool. I cannot contain myself and no matter how many times I tell myself that I am not going to be cool next time, I always completely freak out.
“GETUPONSTAGE! GETUPONSTAGE! GETUPONSTAGE!” I shrieked at him as I flailed my hands wildly and my eyes bugged unattractively out of my face. He shook his head and laughed.
Of course, not a full minute later he came by us again. I did it again.
“DON’TGO! DON’TGO! DON’TGO! DON”T GOOOOOOOO!!!!!” I blabbered at him as I scared him away with my completely frazzled Prince brain.
Why does this happen to meeeee. Why! Prince I promise you I am not such a crazy person, I just simply cannot help it around you. Please have me over for coffee sometime, I promise you will like me when I’m chill.
Well he listened to my DON’T GO battle cry. All of those that have been at Paisley have heard him play Let’sGoCrazy Reloaded. Hannah, Ida, Donna took their places on stage to form their 3rd eye and the familiar beginning guitar riff began. He was playing. HE. WAS. PLAYING! There he was. Prince onstage. Here we go!
Oh Prince was in his element. If Prince is free and feeling it, you are going to get yourself a SHOW and boy he was feeling it last night!
At least you got friends.
Go crazy we did! I literally started to cry when he ended the song with the guitar refrain that was straight from the movie that began this whole lifelong obsession of mine.
He went on to have both Josh and DJ Michael Holt mix in new songs as we danced while waiting for him to return to the stage.
Then he came back. This time with a funkadelicious guitar, showcasing “Play that Funky Music White Boy” in which each musician on stage took their turn going completely freaky with it. Donna and Ida were shredding their guitars and of course Hannah, killing on the drums in the back. Hannah I love to watch you play because you smile nonstop and you are just loving it girl! It has been so much fun to see this band grow together to become amazingly talented individuals that form a cohesive team of raw talent.
As usual, mid-song Prince took a moment to look my way and wave at me. Everyone around stopped and turned to see who he was waving to. Hi Prince. Thank you for that! Thank you for letting me know that my psycho babble doesn’t really scare you. Much.
Oh my we were just getting started!
One of my all-time favorite moments of the night came when DJ Mike spun up “The Wobble!” All of the regulars took their places in the back of the room to “Get in there, yeah, yeah” as the young crowd all around us sat back and watched how it was done. Oh yeah we got this.
At one point he came up to me a third time as I sat with Karla by the door taking a rest. You guessed it.
“HI PRINCE! HI PRINCE! HI PRINCE!” I prattled at him.
Once again. A Prince grin and a head shake in response. Well at least I make him laugh, right?
I went to console myself for my erratic behavior by doing THE BIRD on the dance floor with the crew. Hannah, Ida and Donna were doing it along with us but they were back by the forbidden ping pong tables, blocked back from us from behind the fences. It wasn’t that long ago when they used to come dance with us, remember those days?
Shortly before 2am DJ Mike stopped and played his typical last song, which is Clouds. This is key for us in the know that the party is winding down. I got my coat, bought my merchandise and waited for the lights to come on. But alas, after a few moments of silence DJ Mike started DJing again and that was clue for get on ready for the big show to come!
Pro tip: If you ever go to Paisley Park never EVER leave before they turn the lights on. Never. The best things always happen to those of us who wait.
At about 2:15a.m. Prince and co took their places at the center of the stage and we did not even know what the hell to do with ourselves as Prince played song after song including: Plectrum Electrum, Take Me With You, Hot Thing, Kiss, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, When Doves Cry, Sign of the Times and a 35 minute version of House Quake. At one point Prince traded keyboards with Ida Neilson and took control of her guitar. Prince on bass. Prince on guitar. Prince on keyboards. Prince controlling the room. Prince impressing a girl. Oh he gave it to us all right.
As Prince was singing Kiss he was positioned at the keyboards and when he got to the part of the song
“I just want your extra time and your kiss
Yes, oh, I think I wanna dance, uh”
…when he said the word “dance”, Twigs popped into the center of the stage out of nowhere and gave us a manifestation! Prince played to her, she danced for him. We were all there but neither of them was seeing any of us. Oh we were feeling it.
Twigs grinded and twisted and flew all over the dance floor. In a symbolic expression of completely freeing herself she untangled her tresses from their bind and tossed her head as her braids spun wildly out of control.
The chemistry was electrical.
Prince immediately went into Hot Thing and Twigs kept on with her overt display of confident sexuality and Prince said, “Turn off the lights! There aint nothing to see up here!”
When the crew didn’t turn off the lights because they thought he was joking he said it again and again until they obeyed.
We were left dancing in the dark. After Hot Thing was over, Twigs disappeared and Prince climaxed the night with a 35-minute rendition of House Quake where he told us “Get away from my stage! There aint nothing up here! Go on out on the dance floor!” To which we all submitted.
Dancing live in the dark to HouseQuake in the Palace that Prince built. Unreal.
When it was over we hovered to the side of the stage and watched as Prince sat on the side of a ping pong table dangling his well-heeled boot while charming Twigs with his aura. They didn’t see any of us. The lights came on, Prince stayed engaged with the girl. I have never seen him stay in the room when the lights came on. Ever. As quick as the lights went on, they went off and we were ushered out of the park and out of the party that will live on in the memories of those who were gifted to be there.
It is left up to the imagination whether or not Prince got the girl, but I am guessing the odds were stacked clearly in his favor.
What Prince wants, Prince gets. I am just glad he lets us go along for the ride. I pulled into my driveway this morning at 5:15am.
Thanks again Prince, Hannah, Donna, Josh, Ida and DJ Mike for another great night at the Park!
FKA TWIGS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhSUh7tx9J4
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @Sarasavoy
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