The One
30th August 2007, 04:58 AM
Prince at the O2: Concert 12- If Cliff Richard had turned on to funk
Julian Lloyd Webber is thoroughly entertained
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/graphics/2007/08/30/bmjulian.jpg
This was my first encounter with Prince and my first visit to the building formerly known as The Dome.
O2 has done us all a huge favour by turning this sprawling white elephant into the great rock arena London never had.
For such a huge space, the sound is excellent and the sight lines are awesome.
Prince's (late) arrival was preceded by a mass of video footage telling us how wonderful he is (any classical musician who did that would be deemed a right poseur).
A curiously old-fashioned intro - "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Prince" - and our hero bounces on in an explosion of equally old-fashioned dry ice.
Even if the intricacies of the lighting design did favour his scantily-clad dancers (not exactly a minus point), Prince, sporting his trademark outfit and strutting his trademark guitar, is really worked the crowd, and they're rocked along to every word - especially the Ollie Reed look-alike in the white satin shirt with requisite medallion in front of me.
The man is a consummate performer (Prince, I mean, not Ollie) and, backed by an excellent, tight brass section reminiscent of Stevie Wonder at his best, he gave his fan base exactly what they wanted.
He even managed to escape the tyranny of the beat when, sitting alone and playing very good keyboard, he reeled off a string of what are evidently his hits.
Prince, who somehow reminds me of a latter-day Cliff Richard, is a great entertainer, and there's nothing wrong with that.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/08/30/bmprince130.xml
Julian Lloyd Webber is thoroughly entertained
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/graphics/2007/08/30/bmjulian.jpg
This was my first encounter with Prince and my first visit to the building formerly known as The Dome.
O2 has done us all a huge favour by turning this sprawling white elephant into the great rock arena London never had.
For such a huge space, the sound is excellent and the sight lines are awesome.
Prince's (late) arrival was preceded by a mass of video footage telling us how wonderful he is (any classical musician who did that would be deemed a right poseur).
A curiously old-fashioned intro - "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Prince" - and our hero bounces on in an explosion of equally old-fashioned dry ice.
Even if the intricacies of the lighting design did favour his scantily-clad dancers (not exactly a minus point), Prince, sporting his trademark outfit and strutting his trademark guitar, is really worked the crowd, and they're rocked along to every word - especially the Ollie Reed look-alike in the white satin shirt with requisite medallion in front of me.
The man is a consummate performer (Prince, I mean, not Ollie) and, backed by an excellent, tight brass section reminiscent of Stevie Wonder at his best, he gave his fan base exactly what they wanted.
He even managed to escape the tyranny of the beat when, sitting alone and playing very good keyboard, he reeled off a string of what are evidently his hits.
Prince, who somehow reminds me of a latter-day Cliff Richard, is a great entertainer, and there's nothing wrong with that.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/08/30/bmprince130.xml