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CALGARY -- Whatever you choose to call "the Artist," formerly known as the Artist Formerly Known as Prince, he's unforgettable in concert.
For the hundreds of Edmontonians who made the trek on Wednesday night, seeing his "Jam of the Year" show at the sold-out Calgary Saddledome was worth the drive. It was worth the ridiculous Checkpoint Charlie-like security that anyone who sat in the first 25 rows was subjected to. It was worth the mad rush following the concert announcement that came just over a week ago - another scalper-thwarting measure. It was even worth not being able to call him "Prince," since his name is now that thingamagig seen above. It's his name - and don't wear it out. It was depicted with everything from his guitar to the backdrop to a huge lighting truss hung overhead.
Years from now, however, Albertans will remember this event as simply "the Prince concert."
With his vocals, guitar playing, keyboards, dancing and showmanship in absolutely top form, Prince delivered one of the most amazing shows I have ever seen. It evoked James Brown at his peak, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, even Michael Jackson ... an awe-inspiring combo of soul and talent wrapped up in this one effeminate guy who can't weigh more than 98 pounds. This two-hour-plus extravaganza was a full-contact funk-fest - equal parts tease, sexual innuendo, crowd participation and hit parade. Far from the shy recluse he's portrayed as, Prince was a live wire on his own stage, losing no opportunity to connect with his fans. He clearly enjoyed the intense adulation as much as the crowd enjoyed giving to him.
You'd expect self-indulgence - as is the curse of his recent albums - but Jam of the Year is the opposite of that. It was "crowd-indulgent." Every other tune required some form of participation - chanting, clapping, dance moves, etc. The set-list had actually been culled from fan requests via the Internet. The result was more medley than a selection of complete songs. It would've taken all night to go all the way through the tunes he did - although this crowd would've gladly been there.