If you are anybody in the Twin Cities, I’m sure you heard about the 6 Prince shows going on at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis. Well, the official announcement dropped two days ago via radio and internet. An 8p and 11p show on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. 2 shows per night, which is quite the treat for Prince fans!
While on my way to work I heard one of the local radio stations announcing (whether it came from Prince’s camp or the Dakota) that to keep scalping down the Dakota would be checking upon entrance to see if the person presenting the ticket was the original purchaser and if not, entry wouldn’t be allowed.
Huh. Throughout the day local social media exploded with people scrambling for tickets to this series of shows. From what I understand you need to show the credit card that your tickets were bought with or you’re denied entry.
Well, being a huge fan of the Purple One under no circumstances would I be willing to undergo some of the odd stipulations to see him. I get the no cameras, no phones rule. Yeah, yeah, he doesn’t like having pictures taken of events like this; it spoils the surprises and plan of the tour shows. (The regular shows I've attended had the same rule as well.)These shows are rehearsals and auditions for his up and coming tour, so ok, no pictures. Past ticket prices to go see him were expensive; "put one in the poor house" expensive. Scalping? I’ve never agreed too much with people buying dozens of tickets for cheap only to sell them to the desperate for blown up prices. I’ve been the person who’s gone online and legitimately bought tickets to concerts, never have I bought one from a scalper. I have also randomly gone to shows and simply was handed a free or discounted ticket from someone who simply needed to get rid of one.
For those who don’t live in the Twin Cities, this series of shows and this artist in particular is rare and very difficult to see. He rarely plays here so when he does, people are willing to do almost anything to get tickets. Why he’d close down an avenue for MORE people to attend seems…well, dumb.
I don’t know, there always seems to be some sort of stipulation or weird rule surrounding his shows; similiar to the scalping and no cameras or phones. I can’t say after the last show I went to, I’d go to another one. He never played a song through to the end. I find nothing more annoying than playing one song and starting another, mid-song. I understand Prince’s catalog is HUGE, expanding decades, I mean the guy has been around FOREVER, but Sir, don’t short your fans by playing only your current music no one has heard yet, stopping short on your hits (that are still paying your bills!) and making it more difficult than it already is to see your shows.
Prince’s second set of shows will begin tonight at 8p and again at 11p at the Dakota. The final set of shows will start and end tomorrow at the same times.
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