ONE NITE ALONE TOUR
Aladdin Hotel and Casino
Studio 54
Las Vegas, NV
December 15, 2002
Report courtesy of RedZRyder (Jo!) of Chicago

What a way to cap off a great year! 2002 was filled with some of the most incredible experiences I have ever had in my 25 years as a Prince fam!

This man never ceases to amaze me and with every passing year, it only seems to get better and better. Whenever I feel like I've seen it all in terms of what he can do, he always takes me to a new level and exposes me to things that I have never seen before – Paris, France; Oberhausen, Germany; flying down the German Autobahn; Seven of the most memorable nights ever at Celebration 2002! Prince took me to places that I had never seen before in 2002 and he capped off the year with another new experience for me in the form of Las Vegas, Nevada.

My good friend and travel buddy April and I were excited beyond comprehension when we saw the emale about Prince playing the Jay Leno Show on December 13, 2002. We booked our flights to Los Angeles and the plan was in affect! However, when we heard the announcement a couple days later that The Man would be closing out the One Nite Alone . . . with Prince World Tour in Las Vegas at the Aladdin Hotel and Casino two days later on Dec. 15, did you think we were NOT going to be there?

There's always a will ... there's always a way! We bought our presale tickets, changed the return date on our airline tickets, rented a car and drove from Los Angeles to Las Vegas after seeing Prince do an incredible performance of The Everlasting Now on The Jay Leno Show!

We wanted to get to Vegas early but due to some unexpected setbacks, we didn't leave Los Angeles until very late Saturday, Dec. 14th. But, like my friend April always says every time we go to see Prince, "Trust the timing of the universe. We'll get there when we are supposed to get there."

With "Rainbow Girl" Peggy and Mindy ("Crucial" as I call her) from The Detroit Crawl rolling with us, we were in for a ride full of fun! This was my very first trip to Vegas and I was totally hyped up for it! I started to get excited when we hit the "red road" section of the highway, which signified that we were about 100 miles out of Sin City. Once we finally neared the edge of the city, and I saw that beam of light ascending into the heavens from the top of the Luxor Hotel, I was mystified. All those fantastic lights and seeing Prince's image on larger-than-life billboards around the Vegas Strip and on the gigantic movie screens outside the Aladdin and inside the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, was a sight to behold. I had never seen anything like Vegas before.

We checked into our hotel, the MGM Grand, and, since we were so late getting in, they gave us a free upgrade to a suite. Sweet! "Trust the timing of the universe" thing kicked in again. We got word that everyone was supposed to meet at the Aladdin box office at 7 the morning of the show because numbered wristbands would be handed out that secured your position in line. We picked up our wristbands (I was a cool number 28) and we had the remainder of the morning to do whatever we wanted to do. This was the best way for the hotel to prevent ardent Prince fans from camping out all day in front of the concert venue, and, in my opinion, it was by far the most organized line-up situation I've ever been involved in with regard to attending a Prince function!

I hope they do the exact same thing at Celebration 2003 -- you secure your position, and then you are free to go to workshops, sleep, shop or just hang out.

We were told to return at 2pm to line up for the soundcheck. A lot of people were unhappy about being told to return at 2pm, especially since they didn't let us in until two hours later! I don't get as bent out of shape about things like that anymore simply because I understand I am dealing with Prince here. When did ANYBODY ever go see Prince and not have to wait?!?!!??! I have come to expect a wait when dealing with that brotha!

There were signs posted that the event was being filmed and cameramen were everywhere, instructing us to, "Get Rowdy," and, "Get Wild," when the cameras started rolling. That was GREAT! I had a lot of fun getting hyped in front of the cameras and laughing, talking and re-connecting with other Prince fams from around the country that I hadn't seen since The Celebration. So, I figure a two-hour wait filled with fun while standing inside a Vegas hotel surely beats standing outside of Paisley Park ... in MPLS ... in the cold ... with the temperature below freezing ... any day! Can anybody say RAVE??

When they finally let us in for the soundcheck, we were asked to really make an entrance for the cameras! I ran down the ramp, fist pumping, totally amped, cheering and giving mad props to Prince! I also made sure the camera caught shots of the badd-azz shirt Ricco airbrushed for me!

We took our seats ... AWESOME SEATS, they were ... right up front and to the left where we always like to be! Shortly thereafter, Prince strolled in, looking very cool, with his hands together like in a praying position, and a somewhat serious look on his face. I could not contain myself ... I wanted the brotha to know how happy I was to have him back in the USA! I shouted out, "Welcome Home Prince! Glad to have you home, brotha!!!" I will NEVER forget the look and the smile he tossed at me during all the applause after I said that! When he looks directly at me, it has a way of piercing me deep inside!!

The soundcheck wasn't very long but it was nevertheless amazing. Brotha was WORKIN'!!! He would go over by Sheila E. and co-sign on the cowbells while she played the congas; he'd go stand next to Renato and throw in some BAM on the keys while Neto worked the rest; Prince would stand in front of John Blackwell and direct and command; and then, he'd pick up a bass and tease us with a little bit of 777-9311! He also played the funkiest version of Xenophobia that I have ever heard! It was more uptempo ... I think I like that version better than the original!

As for the main show, just suffice it to say this was not just your usual ONA show. He changed things up! I've lost count of the number of shows I've been to in 2002 but this show in Vegas was different from all of them! I absolutely loved how he opened the show behind the drums then, with the stage going completely dark and the drums still pounding, the lights come back up and Sheila E appears, only to have the stage go dark again then JB appearing when the lights come back up, all while the drum kit was in use, never missing a beat! I heard that Prince did this at some of the overseas ONA shows but I had never seen him do that before in The States. Talk about AWESOME!

Additionally, special guest Nikka Costa was HOT! She and Prince did a song together ... forgive me for not remembering the title of it ... just know that it was so soulful and moving ... the harmonies were so ON POINT that I thought I was going need a drink! And seeing Prince imitate Ozzy Osbourne in a new dance was absolutely PRICELESS !!! That rings out as one of the night's most craziest and hilarious moments -- Prince twitching and shuffling along on the stage!

Another moment that "still will stand all time" was when my pal April PUSHED MIKE TYSON! The former boxing champ made the wrong move when he and his date walked up to the front where the NPGMC members were and stood directly in front of April, thus blocking her view of Prince! "You don't pull on Superman's cape, you don't spit into the wind," and you absolutely do not stand in front of April and block her view of Prince!!

Other celebrities spotted at the Las Vegas show and aftershow were Demi Moore and Robin Leach. Moore was at the concert while Leach was up in the VIP section of Studio 54 for the after gig.

A final unforgettable moment was when Prince invited the entire NPGMC onstage during the Days of Wild finale! Prince was wearing this long, white, gown-like outfit with a long train in the back. Why-oh-why did I have to STEP ON IT!!? I know Prince was thinking, "What the hell?!!" There were so many fams on stage that it took me a couple seconds to actually find a section of floor to finally land on! I could feel him pulling, trying to "GET FREE ... YEAH!!!!!" I was so embarrased!! I sought comfort from my friend April - who was no help! She teased me thoroughly the next morning!!

I don't do set lists when I recap shows, so I can't tell you everything that the brotha played. I just like sharing my personal experience, thoughts, feelings on what a great time me and my buddies had. Prince rocked Vegas and treated us to an aftershow that was just as potent at Studio 54! It was great to see Kat Dyson back with Prince - I had always thought that they parted company on bad terms but, she made it obvious that there is a lot of love and respect between the two of them. Sheila was incredible ... no other adjectives are needed to describe this woman. And what a surprise was to see Cyndi Lauper in the house! She sang "Ain't No Way" and I was visibly moved by her soulfulness!

Props, pounds, peace & much luv to all my "bay-bays" from The Detroit Crawl, the LA Bump Squad and San Fancisco's Dream Factory, also the purpleheads who were in Vegas from North Carolina, Arizona, San Diego and New Mexico ... and to my travel buddy and homegirl from Chi-town, April, who's always got my back!!!

Real playas don't mind ... no, we don't mind!!

Jo in Chicago