This week, we’ve decided to change up the format of the Five Shows column and dedicate the piece to the incredible performer, musician and artist known to the world as Prince. We’ve asked five Amplify members to tell us about their favorite memories seeing Prince in concert. Have a story about Prince you’d like to share? Leave it in the comment section below. Enjoy.

February 18, 2007 at 3121 at the Rio Hotel, Las Vegas

By Bobby Reynolds, AEG Live Las Vegas

3121 was his spot. It was his club. He had the home-field advantage. I was working for AEG at the time and living in Chicago. We had comedian Katt Williams playing the Joint and it was NBA All-Star Weekend. The Katt show went great, but I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there and over to the Rio for Prince! I don’t remember a more crowded weekend in Vegas than the NBA All-Star Weekend. The city had a palpable buzz and when you walked into the Rio, wow… the buzz was strongest there. The doors opened near midnight and the crowd shuffled in. Celebrities, athletes and less famous fans alike packed the room and waited for royalty to come on stage. Prince came out and put on a clinic. His voice was impeccable, his moves were out of this world and his guitar playing… it blew me away. I had seen Prince before… in this actual venue but for some reason, this time he just crushed it on guitar. Maybe he was just extra on point that night. Maybe he was showing off in front of “his peers”. Whatever it was, was magical. Prince often took a lap around the venue while playing guitar and talking to the crowd. That night he stopped right in front of me and just played the shit out of his guitar. It’s maybe my favorite concert moment anywhere. When I’ve told this story before, people ask why I didn’t take a picture. I was far too in awe to think with a clear mind.

September 19, 1997 at the Nutter Center, Dayton

By Misty Cox, Nutter Center

Prince was the very first concert I worked at the Nutter Center. At the time, he went by his “Symbol” or The artist formerly known as Prince. He was on his Jam of the Year Tour. It was very memorable for me for two reasons. First, the show was booked, announced, went on sale and took place all within a 9-day period. Nothing like that has ever happened since. Fans were crazy with excitement. The promoters wanted hype… and they got it.

It was also the first concert I ever worked in the industry. I had just been hired as a marketing intern at the Nutter Center, and they needed a couple of runners for the show. I wasn’t sure what to expect as a “runner,” but I quickly found out. I ended up meeting Prince before he went on stage. Even though he was small and dainty, he seemed larger than life. Needless to say, it was one of the most memorable moments in my career. He played all of his hits including Purple Rain, Little Red Corvette, Raspberry Beret and Kiss. He danced around the stage and had the sold-out crowd on their feet for two hours, all the while playing his guitar and purple piano named Beautiful. It was electric; I’ll never forget it.

March 6, 1982, The MetroCentre in Rockford, Ill.

By Doug Logan, former Rockford MetroCentre General Manager

I remember someone making the date available to me in late 1981. Prince had opened for a couple of Stones shows on the West Coast on the Tattoo You! Tour that fall. I heard he was not well received and had cut his performances short, but he also had great reviews of his Palladium shows in NYC. I called Bill Graham who told me “the kid’s a genius” so I bought the date.

Backstage the corridors were filled with the luminaries of the Minneapolis music scene. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were there… Sheila Escovedo [Sheila E] was drop-dead gorgeous! Morris Day and The Time Band opened the show and the audience was almost exhausted by intermission. Then this elfin androgynous kid gets up in front of these incredible musicians [before they were known as The Revolution] and they just kill! It’s so long ago I can’t remember much of the playlist but I do remember “Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?” and “I Wanna Be Your Lover.” The sexual energy coming from the stage was palpable. I stood in behind the barricades, stage right, the entire show and was transfixed. I could tell this was the next Michael Jackson or Quincy Jones. I think the encore was “Controversy”.

This guy was an enigma. A shy, soft-spoken kitten who shouted out his art. Not quite black; not quite Italian [similar ethnic ambiguity to Tiger Woods]. A waterfall of sensuality in whatever gender package you wanted him to be. And, a master lyricist, musician, arranger, brand-maker and businessman. He was perfect for his generation, filled with contradictions, openness, disruptions and celebrity. I loved to do business with him through the ‘80s. I will remember him through a short lyric from “Controversy”.

Some people call me rude/ I wish we were all nude/ I wish there was no black and white/ I wish there were no rules.

---

May 13 & 14, 2013 at the Ogden Theatre, Denver

By Darcy Schneider, Madison House Presents

 

Hands down the most magical “evening with” we’ve ever been witness to. Prince was at The Ogden Theatre for two nights and a total of four shows. We went to the late show the first night… we paid for tickets. I don’t mean that in a spoiled way, but just to emphasize how bad we wanted to be there. I heard that Prince made Don Strasburg buy a new curtain for the shows (and it was gorgeous).

We were 2nd or 3rd row, standing… and the show started with the kick drum booming in the pitch black. Prince had his back to the audience. His hair was in a cool fro and he was shaking his little butt to the beat. When he turned around, he had the little “coke bottle glasses” on and we were totally mesmerized.

He was playing with 3rdeyegirl, who were ridiculous. Prince was wailing on the guitar and the piano as well… and I’m not sure what was more impressive, the fact that he personally played so amazingly well or the fact that he directs everyone on stage simultaneously while also playing. He performed an epic mix of what you came to hear (Purple Rain, 7, etc) but also a ton of new tunes that we hadn’t heard and that just reminded us that this dude never stops creating. Never.

The next night, we are in bed watching “Game Of Thrones” – and can’t quite get the previous night’s show out of our heads. Jake texts Don to see if he’s willing to walk us in if we come down… he agrees (shhhh….). Then we think maybe we should just chill and be responsible and stay in… until Don texts us that Prince’s crew just asked him if they could go past curfew (Prince was obviously renown for his late night marathon shredders and we ALWAYS wanted to be a part of one). Needless to say we LEAPT out of bed. Jake throws on jeans (while, truthfully, I think I was actually still wearing my pajamas), and we sped our asses to Denver from Boulder in record time.

Another breathtaking show – a little more of the old stuff (in addition to bringing all the ladies from the audience onstage, which included Sarah Finger and Mal Squitieri From AEG Live Rocky Mountain)… but alas, he ended on time. Truly – it didn’t matter. We would love the opportunity to leap out of bed for him again… sigh…

By Pam Matthews, International Entertainment Buyers Association

Dave Brooks

Founder & Executive Editor at Amplify Media

Dave Brooks has over 15 years experience as a writer, including eight years as the Managing Editor of Venues Today. He started Amplify in 2014 to give the industry its own voice and turn up the volume on live entertainment.

Latest posts by Dave Brooks (see all)

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Turns out, “the bank of mom and dad” is important in the real estate market.

A new report by Bank of America found that 54% of NYC metro area homebuyers expect help from their parents — far more than the national average of 40%, and more than in any other metropolitan area surveyed.

That percentage rockets for millennial New Yorkers, 72% of whom are counting on parental help, which could range from financial support to assistance with moving in, according to the Bank of America Homebuyer Insights Report.

But the helping hand of mom and dad may have some strings attached. In the national survey, 28% of millennials acknowledged that parental support means their folks will have a say in their final home purchase.

Purchasing an abode is a high priority for New Yorkers, according to the survey: 89% considered saving for or paying off a home to be “important,” and the same amount said saving for retirement is a prerogative.

In terms of what they’re looking for, two-thirds of local first-time buyers (versus 75% nationally) said they would rather invest in a home that suits their future needs and one they can grow into, rather than a “starter home.” More than half — 51% — said they haven’t purchased a home yet because they didn’t think they could afford what they want.

Nearly seven in 10 homebuyers in the NYC metro area said they want a single-family home and 61% said they were looking to settle in the suburbs — though that finding might be influenced by the location of the 30 local “metro” counties included in the survey. The locales ranged as far as Pike and Wayne counties in Pennsylvania and Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

By Ela Dutt

Big name lenders and elected public officials attended a homebuyer’s fair, giving hope to new immigrants mainly from South Asia, that owning a home in and extremely expensive market like New York City was not a dream.

More than 300 interested homebuyers flocked to Chhaya Community Development Corporation’s Seventh Annual Home Buyer Fair held April 9, in Jackson Heights. Co-sponsored by Council member Daniel Dromm and New York state Senator Jose Peralta, the fair connected community members, many of whom are new immigrants, with the resources and knowledge to fulfill one of their criteria that go into making the “American Dream.”

Affordable housing is scarce across NYC, especially in Queens where low inventory, high demand, and the spillover of buyers priced out of Brooklyn are driving up prices, organizers said. The fair makes it possible to connect with housing counselors and lenders and learning about down-payment and other assistance programs.

“It’s very important that you pay attention to the experts that are here and to Chhaya,” Sen. Peralta, whose district covers Jackson Heights, is quoted saying at the fair, according to a Chhaya press release. “Every year, this event gets bigger…. which means that more individuals are looking towards that American dream… This is the first step in a long process to make sure that you have that little piece of the pie,” Peralta added.

“The mortgage vendors look forward to this event because they see an opportunity with South Asian buyers,” Aniqa Nawabi, spokesperson for Chhaya told Desi Talk. “For this community, aside from children’s education, housing is the next big foundation to achieving their goals,” Nawabi added.

“Resources and assistance are hard to come by for prospective homebuyers in NYC who are not wealthy,” Afreen Alam, Chhaya’s Executive Director, noted at the opening of the event urging prospective homebuyers to take advantage of Chhaya’s services and the fair.

Maha Syed, director of programs underscored the importance that Chhaya’s services provide. “In a city that changes so fast, providing housing counseling is essential in assisting low and moderate income immigrant and minority communities navigate an increasingly unaffordable and daunting real estate market,” Syed said.

Every year, the fair hosts a panel discussion regarding homeownership trends and policies. At this year’s discussion entitled “Building Assets through Homeownership,” panelists from Legal Aid, Bank of America, HSBC Bank, Citi Bank, Municipal Credit Union, and SONYMA spoke about the nitty-gritty of the home buying process including credit and loan eligibility, applications and contracts of sale, affordable community loan products , housing discrimination, and fair housing laws. Chhaya’s Housing Preservation team also discussed down payment assistance opportunities and the roles of a counseling agency in the homebuyer process. The panel was interpreted simultaneously in Bangla and Nepali, and interpretation was provided in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Arabic, and Spanish.

Yangchen Chadotsang, Chhaya’s senior Housing counselor said the fair promotes “sustainable homeownership” and attendees often go on to complete Chhaya’s first time -homebuyer classes and to purchase their first home.

Chhaya says since it was founded in 2000, it has helped “hundreds” of residents own homes through its services.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Turns out, “the bank of mom and dad” is important in the real estate market.

A new report by Bank of America found that 54% of NYC metro area homebuyers expect help from their parents — far more than the national average of 40%, and more than in any other metropolitan area surveyed.

That percentage rockets for millennial New Yorkers, 72% of whom are counting on parental help, which could range from financial support to assistance with moving in, according to the Bank of America Homebuyer Insights Report.

But the helping hand of mom and dad may have some strings attached. In the national survey, 28% of millennials acknowledged that parental support means their folks will have a say in their final home purchase.

Purchasing an abode is a high priority for New Yorkers, according to the survey: 89% considered saving for or paying off a home to be “important,” and the same amount said saving for retirement is a prerogative.

In terms of what they’re looking for, two-thirds of local first-time buyers (versus 75% nationally) said they would rather invest in a home that suits their future needs and one they can grow into, rather than a “starter home.” More than half — 51% — said they haven’t purchased a home yet because they didn’t think they could afford what they want.

Nearly seven in 10 homebuyers in the NYC metro area said they want a single-family home and 61% said they were looking to settle in the suburbs — though that finding might be influenced by the location of the 30 local “metro” counties included in the survey. The locales ranged as far as Pike and Wayne counties in Pennsylvania and Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

By Ela Dutt

Big name lenders and elected public officials attended a homebuyer’s fair, giving hope to new immigrants mainly from South Asia, that owning a home in and extremely expensive market like New York City was not a dream.

More than 300 interested homebuyers flocked to Chhaya Community Development Corporation’s Seventh Annual Home Buyer Fair held April 9, in Jackson Heights. Co-sponsored by Council member Daniel Dromm and New York state Senator Jose Peralta, the fair connected community members, many of whom are new immigrants, with the resources and knowledge to fulfill one of their criteria that go into making the “American Dream.”

Affordable housing is scarce across NYC, especially in Queens where low inventory, high demand, and the spillover of buyers priced out of Brooklyn are driving up prices, organizers said. The fair makes it possible to connect with housing counselors and lenders and learning about down-payment and other assistance programs.

“It’s very important that you pay attention to the experts that are here and to Chhaya,” Sen. Peralta, whose district covers Jackson Heights, is quoted saying at the fair, according to a Chhaya press release. “Every year, this event gets bigger…. which means that more individuals are looking towards that American dream… This is the first step in a long process to make sure that you have that little piece of the pie,” Peralta added.

“The mortgage vendors look forward to this event because they see an opportunity with South Asian buyers,” Aniqa Nawabi, spokesperson for Chhaya told Desi Talk. “For this community, aside from children’s education, housing is the next big foundation to achieving their goals,” Nawabi added.

“Resources and assistance are hard to come by for prospective homebuyers in NYC who are not wealthy,” Afreen Alam, Chhaya’s Executive Director, noted at the opening of the event urging prospective homebuyers to take advantage of Chhaya’s services and the fair.

Maha Syed, director of programs underscored the importance that Chhaya’s services provide. “In a city that changes so fast, providing housing counseling is essential in assisting low and moderate income immigrant and minority communities navigate an increasingly unaffordable and daunting real estate market,” Syed said.

Every year, the fair hosts a panel discussion regarding homeownership trends and policies. At this year’s discussion entitled “Building Assets through Homeownership,” panelists from Legal Aid, Bank of America, HSBC Bank, Citi Bank, Municipal Credit Union, and SONYMA spoke about the nitty-gritty of the home buying process including credit and loan eligibility, applications and contracts of sale, affordable community loan products , housing discrimination, and fair housing laws. Chhaya’s Housing Preservation team also discussed down payment assistance opportunities and the roles of a counseling agency in the homebuyer process. The panel was interpreted simultaneously in Bangla and Nepali, and interpretation was provided in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Arabic, and Spanish.

Yangchen Chadotsang, Chhaya’s senior Housing counselor said the fair promotes “sustainable homeownership” and attendees often go on to complete Chhaya’s first time -homebuyer classes and to purchase their first home.

Chhaya says since it was founded in 2000, it has helped “hundreds” of residents own homes through its services.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Turns out, “the bank of mom and dad” is important in the real estate market.

A new report by Bank of America found that 54% of NYC metro area homebuyers expect help from their parents — far more than the national average of 40%, and more than in any other metropolitan area surveyed.

That percentage rockets for millennial New Yorkers, 72% of whom are counting on parental help, which could range from financial support to assistance with moving in, according to the Bank of America Homebuyer Insights Report.

But the helping hand of mom and dad may have some strings attached. In the national survey, 28% of millennials acknowledged that parental support means their folks will have a say in their final home purchase.

Purchasing an abode is a high priority for New Yorkers, according to the survey: 89% considered saving for or paying off a home to be “important,” and the same amount said saving for retirement is a prerogative.

In terms of what they’re looking for, two-thirds of local first-time buyers (versus 75% nationally) said they would rather invest in a home that suits their future needs and one they can grow into, rather than a “starter home.” More than half — 51% — said they haven’t purchased a home yet because they didn’t think they could afford what they want.

Nearly seven in 10 homebuyers in the NYC metro area said they want a single-family home and 61% said they were looking to settle in the suburbs — though that finding might be influenced by the location of the 30 local “metro” counties included in the survey. The locales ranged as far as Pike and Wayne counties in Pennsylvania and Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

By Ela Dutt

Big name lenders and elected public officials attended a homebuyer’s fair, giving hope to new immigrants mainly from South Asia, that owning a home in and extremely expensive market like New York City was not a dream.

More than 300 interested homebuyers flocked to Chhaya Community Development Corporation’s Seventh Annual Home Buyer Fair held April 9, in Jackson Heights. Co-sponsored by Council member Daniel Dromm and New York state Senator Jose Peralta, the fair connected community members, many of whom are new immigrants, with the resources and knowledge to fulfill one of their criteria that go into making the “American Dream.”

Affordable housing is scarce across NYC, especially in Queens where low inventory, high demand, and the spillover of buyers priced out of Brooklyn are driving up prices, organizers said. The fair makes it possible to connect with housing counselors and lenders and learning about down-payment and other assistance programs.

“It’s very important that you pay attention to the experts that are here and to Chhaya,” Sen. Peralta, whose district covers Jackson Heights, is quoted saying at the fair, according to a Chhaya press release. “Every year, this event gets bigger…. which means that more individuals are looking towards that American dream… This is the first step in a long process to make sure that you have that little piece of the pie,” Peralta added.

“The mortgage vendors look forward to this event because they see an opportunity with South Asian buyers,” Aniqa Nawabi, spokesperson for Chhaya told Desi Talk. “For this community, aside from children’s education, housing is the next big foundation to achieving their goals,” Nawabi added.

“Resources and assistance are hard to come by for prospective homebuyers in NYC who are not wealthy,” Afreen Alam, Chhaya’s Executive Director, noted at the opening of the event urging prospective homebuyers to take advantage of Chhaya’s services and the fair.

Maha Syed, director of programs underscored the importance that Chhaya’s services provide. “In a city that changes so fast, providing housing counseling is essential in assisting low and moderate income immigrant and minority communities navigate an increasingly unaffordable and daunting real estate market,” Syed said.

Every year, the fair hosts a panel discussion regarding homeownership trends and policies. At this year’s discussion entitled “Building Assets through Homeownership,” panelists from Legal Aid, Bank of America, HSBC Bank, Citi Bank, Municipal Credit Union, and SONYMA spoke about the nitty-gritty of the home buying process including credit and loan eligibility, applications and contracts of sale, affordable community loan products , housing discrimination, and fair housing laws. Chhaya’s Housing Preservation team also discussed down payment assistance opportunities and the roles of a counseling agency in the homebuyer process. The panel was interpreted simultaneously in Bangla and Nepali, and interpretation was provided in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Arabic, and Spanish.

Yangchen Chadotsang, Chhaya’s senior Housing counselor said the fair promotes “sustainable homeownership” and attendees often go on to complete Chhaya’s first time -homebuyer classes and to purchase their first home.

Chhaya says since it was founded in 2000, it has helped “hundreds” of residents own homes through its services.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Turns out, “the bank of mom and dad” is important in the real estate market.

A new report by Bank of America found that 54% of NYC metro area homebuyers expect help from their parents — far more than the national average of 40%, and more than in any other metropolitan area surveyed.

That percentage rockets for millennial New Yorkers, 72% of whom are counting on parental help, which could range from financial support to assistance with moving in, according to the Bank of America Homebuyer Insights Report.

But the helping hand of mom and dad may have some strings attached. In the national survey, 28% of millennials acknowledged that parental support means their folks will have a say in their final home purchase.

Purchasing an abode is a high priority for New Yorkers, according to the survey: 89% considered saving for or paying off a home to be “important,” and the same amount said saving for retirement is a prerogative.

In terms of what they’re looking for, two-thirds of local first-time buyers (versus 75% nationally) said they would rather invest in a home that suits their future needs and one they can grow into, rather than a “starter home.” More than half — 51% — said they haven’t purchased a home yet because they didn’t think they could afford what they want.

Nearly seven in 10 homebuyers in the NYC metro area said they want a single-family home and 61% said they were looking to settle in the suburbs — though that finding might be influenced by the location of the 30 local “metro” counties included in the survey. The locales ranged as far as Pike and Wayne counties in Pennsylvania and Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

By Ela Dutt

Big name lenders and elected public officials attended a homebuyer’s fair, giving hope to new immigrants mainly from South Asia, that owning a home in and extremely expensive market like New York City was not a dream.

More than 300 interested homebuyers flocked to Chhaya Community Development Corporation’s Seventh Annual Home Buyer Fair held April 9, in Jackson Heights. Co-sponsored by Council member Daniel Dromm and New York state Senator Jose Peralta, the fair connected community members, many of whom are new immigrants, with the resources and knowledge to fulfill one of their criteria that go into making the “American Dream.”

Affordable housing is scarce across NYC, especially in Queens where low inventory, high demand, and the spillover of buyers priced out of Brooklyn are driving up prices, organizers said. The fair makes it possible to connect with housing counselors and lenders and learning about down-payment and other assistance programs.

“It’s very important that you pay attention to the experts that are here and to Chhaya,” Sen. Peralta, whose district covers Jackson Heights, is quoted saying at the fair, according to a Chhaya press release. “Every year, this event gets bigger…. which means that more individuals are looking towards that American dream… This is the first step in a long process to make sure that you have that little piece of the pie,” Peralta added.

“The mortgage vendors look forward to this event because they see an opportunity with South Asian buyers,” Aniqa Nawabi, spokesperson for Chhaya told Desi Talk. “For this community, aside from children’s education, housing is the next big foundation to achieving their goals,” Nawabi added.

“Resources and assistance are hard to come by for prospective homebuyers in NYC who are not wealthy,” Afreen Alam, Chhaya’s Executive Director, noted at the opening of the event urging prospective homebuyers to take advantage of Chhaya’s services and the fair.

Maha Syed, director of programs underscored the importance that Chhaya’s services provide. “In a city that changes so fast, providing housing counseling is essential in assisting low and moderate income immigrant and minority communities navigate an increasingly unaffordable and daunting real estate market,” Syed said.

Every year, the fair hosts a panel discussion regarding homeownership trends and policies. At this year’s discussion entitled “Building Assets through Homeownership,” panelists from Legal Aid, Bank of America, HSBC Bank, Citi Bank, Municipal Credit Union, and SONYMA spoke about the nitty-gritty of the home buying process including credit and loan eligibility, applications and contracts of sale, affordable community loan products , housing discrimination, and fair housing laws. Chhaya’s Housing Preservation team also discussed down payment assistance opportunities and the roles of a counseling agency in the homebuyer process. The panel was interpreted simultaneously in Bangla and Nepali, and interpretation was provided in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Arabic, and Spanish.

Yangchen Chadotsang, Chhaya’s senior Housing counselor said the fair promotes “sustainable homeownership” and attendees often go on to complete Chhaya’s first time -homebuyer classes and to purchase their first home.

Chhaya says since it was founded in 2000, it has helped “hundreds” of residents own homes through its services.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Turns out, “the bank of mom and dad” is important in the real estate market.

A new report by Bank of America found that 54% of NYC metro area homebuyers expect help from their parents — far more than the national average of 40%, and more than in any other metropolitan area surveyed.

That percentage rockets for millennial New Yorkers, 72% of whom are counting on parental help, which could range from financial support to assistance with moving in, according to the Bank of America Homebuyer Insights Report.

But the helping hand of mom and dad may have some strings attached. In the national survey, 28% of millennials acknowledged that parental support means their folks will have a say in their final home purchase.

Purchasing an abode is a high priority for New Yorkers, according to the survey: 89% considered saving for or paying off a home to be “important,” and the same amount said saving for retirement is a prerogative.

In terms of what they’re looking for, two-thirds of local first-time buyers (versus 75% nationally) said they would rather invest in a home that suits their future needs and one they can grow into, rather than a “starter home.” More than half — 51% — said they haven’t purchased a home yet because they didn’t think they could afford what they want.

Nearly seven in 10 homebuyers in the NYC metro area said they want a single-family home and 61% said they were looking to settle in the suburbs — though that finding might be influenced by the location of the 30 local “metro” counties included in the survey. The locales ranged as far as Pike and Wayne counties in Pennsylvania and Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)