After Show Show

Well yes, there is some truth that I have been a little pre-occupied with the Xbox since I got it last week. (Out for a drink with mrs househusbandnot the other night, I was saying that I just didn’t have time to write hhn at the moment. And she said “Waddaya mean? You got time for a pint. You got time for your friggin’ Xbox.” mrs hhn as Ray Winstone shocker.)

So apologies (of sorts), but have had a good break from hhn, and I guess we should be preparing ourselves for Madame B’s return (To form? Hmm.)

In other news, actually managed to see Prince at one of his After Shows on Saturday night. Having already trekked along to one of these After Shows and been forced to watch Dr John (who remains deeply dull), I was trying not to get too excited this Saturday. But by around 11.00pm I was bouncing around the walls of %^&’s flat eager to get over to the O2. We got there around 12.30, and were just getting a drink in the venue, and %^& was grilling some innocent bar girl about IF Prince did come on, what time did he usually come on, when…Prince came on stage.

And played for two hours. I’ve checked a few official and unofficial Prince-related sites, and I don’t want to turn into too much of a purple geek, but it was absolutely extraordinary. (If you want details of the set list, you can go to any of the sites and check it. My login is hhn and password is purplegeek.) It was just ridiculously good, with Prince axing his ass off surrounded by some or all or half of The NPG etc. (I find Maceo Parker a bit too jazzist, but his extended sax solos kinda worked.)

One of the things that does really get me about being a Prince fan is other Prince fans. Apart from the odd hot chick, one of whom I had a chat with about her Prince tambourine, most people in the 2,000 odd audience were real tossers. There was one old MILNF in front of %^& and I just talking through all the songs. (“Didn’t I tell you he’d be great. This is so great. I am so great. Must remember to log onto MenWhoLikeSeeingPicturesOfOldCockneyRotters.org when I get home. Here luv, get us another pint of Stella” etc.) And a bunch of old white taxi drivers. And a few Germans, and me and %^&. %^& was wondering if Prince must be frustrated by how unfunky and white his audience is.

Anyway, despite rest of audience, had a great time. It’s up there in top five best gigs I’ve been to. (Others would include The Clash on the London Calling tour, Tricky and Lee Perry at The Festival Hall, Van Morrison at the Corn Exchange in Stoke before he turned into a full-time jazz loser, and Siouxsie And The Banshees at Blackburn Town Hall on their first national tour. [Naturally, I am managing not to mention some of the truly dreadful and unhip gigs I have been to in my life. Paul Simon, Level 42 anyone?])

So all Princeness restored, and I have now officially forgiven him for not showing at the first After Show. And I still have a main show of his to go and see with my sister in a week or so.

I have not much other news, other than the fact that I bailed out of my own birthday party before any of our guests had left, which was a bit embarrassing. (I blame the vodka smoothies, as designed by The Waunch aka Mr Flowers.)

C U 2MRw