February 4, 2007

Prince!

I've just been reminded to watch Prince at the Superbowl. Here I am trying to finish up the podcast -- where I talk about not watching the Superbowl -- but finishing up the technical things, I put the TV on with the sound off and had stopped at the Superbowl, which does look snazzy in HDTV, even seen through pouring rain. So, let's watch and blog Prince. [Horrible too-much-law typo: Printz.]

***

With all this rain, I'm thinking: Keith Relf.

"All along the watchtower, princes kept the view..."

***

Well, it's purple rain.

***

Excellent. Nice of him to do hits we know. "Purple Rain" in the pouring rain. That was nice. And he escaped electrocution. Had to wear that scarf on his head though. I wonder how he felt about having to play in the rain. I only wanted 2 see him laughing in it.

You know from today's John Edwards post that I have the camera ready by the TV, and I did take some shots. I took 98 pictures! These should be better than the one from the paused TiVo of John Edwards (and that kissy shot really was just some place I chanced to pause). So wait a minute and I'll have some Prince photos (and a podcast).

***

Prince

Prince

Prince

33 comments:

PeterP said...

Can somebody tell me what that pre-match white-kids-play-Cuban-salsa was supposed to be all about?

Just one in the eye to a dying Castro or was there some there some cultural semiotic I was missing?

Simon said...

I'll wash out my earholes in anticipation. ;)

Mark Haag said...

Prince was great! He channeled Hendrix and James Brown, and all of the "fooferah" that accompanies Super Bowl half time shows didn't overwhelm the energy. It was all about him.

Ann Althouse said...

Damn! I typo'd "Printz" on the tag for the photos I'm uploading!

Simon said...

Ann Althouse said...
"Damn! I typo'd "Printz" on the tag for the photos I'm uploading!"

Make lemons into lemonade - you could use it as a chance to plug your article on the civil liberties values of the anticomandeering doctrine in the post-9/11 era, the name of which momentarily escapes me.

Irene Done said...

I loved Prince but maybe the more impressive performance was turned in by his two dancers. They were wearing far more clothes than they're probably used to and spinning around on a slick stage -- and they never wiped out! Yay dancers!

Ruth Anne Adams said...
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J said...

Yeah, but was he articulate?

Meade said...

Great job on the halftime InstaPhotoBlogging, AA!

Ruth Anne Adams said...
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Ann Althouse said...

It's not to late to simulvlog actually, since I did TiVo it in addition to watching in on HD. But thanks for reminding me. I'd forgotten about the idea of vlogging myself watching television. And that was going to be the new thing! Should have done it with the "Meet the Press." Not too late...

But if you think I'd act like this watching Prince, you're quite wrong. I never move around or act the slightest bit excited watching a musical performance. And if I did, you wouldn't want to see it in a person my age. It would be sad, I think.

Simon said...

Ann Althouse said...
"I never move around or act the slightest bit excited watching a musical performance. And if I did, you wouldn't want to see it in a person my age."

Don't count on it. ;)

Meade said...

Um... exuse us, ladies. Some of us are trying to watch the game?

Meade said...

Um, excuse me, Gavin Sullivan... some of us are trying to read Althouse and watch the game at the same time? Do you mind?

Unknown said...

"clean..."

check out that last pic. none of us watching on the big set at home missed the, um, point.

al said...

Yet another boring half time show. What has-been will be drug out for next year?

Ruth Anne Adams said...
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Ruth Anne Adams said...
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Ann Althouse said...

Ruth Anne: You can have all the points you want for that. I was in fact deliberately referring to that old post (the dance one), and picking up extra Camille is very nice. I dedicate the podcast to you (although I'm having a hell of a time getting it uploaded).

vbspurs said...

Can somebody tell me what that pre-match white-kids-play-Cuban-salsa was supposed to be all about?

Erm, I don't know how to break this to you, Peter, but Cuban-Americans are mostly white.

No, really.

Cheers,
Victoria

vbspurs said...

Yet another boring half time show. What has-been will be drug out for next year?

What! Prince was AWESOME.

We had guests over at my home, and they all loved it. Sure, I've seen better Half-Time shows, but at least Prince didn't expose himself (for once).

Cheers,
Victoria

Ron said...

Here, here, Victoria! The pyro, the light show, the use of his symbol as the stage, even the happenchance of the rain...The Purple One is quite amazing!

SippicanCottage said...

I thought it was nice that since the Prince fellow obviously couldn't make it to the show that Little Richard could perform in his place. Although poor Richard Penniman sure does look old these days.And I think he had laryngitis too. And I think his sciatica was acting up. And I think his bag was full. And he used to have a much more masculine vibe...

Adam said...

Prince ripped it up. OMG OMG OMG. Best halftime show ever.

I loved how they let his guitar actually be heard. He was shredding it up and you could hear every note. My impression was that he must have had quite a bit of creative control over the show. A network hack would never have had an idea as good as just letting the guy play and sing and be heard while doing it.

And the song choices were great too. Nice mix of hits with some interesting choices, like Proud Mary, the Foo Fighters tune, and All Along the Watchtower.

A+++++++++ A pleasure. Would order again. please have him back for halftime show evry yr k thanx

vbspurs said...

The pyro, the light show, the use of his symbol as the stage, even the happenchance of the rain...The Purple One is quite amazing!

Purple Rain, in the pouring purply rain -- I mean, is that kismet, or what, Ron?

Ann, HOW did you get your photos so crisp and wonderful?

I see on your Flickr page, that you used your Nikon not the Sony this time.

(I have the latter too, now)

Can that camera really make that much of a difference, because check out my compare-contrast snap of Prince during the Half-Time show.

Sucks.

And can you believe this, but check these two nearly IDENTICAL crowd-shot pics.

Ann's

Victoria's

I just find it freaky that up in cold, snowy Madison, and in rainy, damp Miami, two blogger ladies were pointing their cameras at the TV AT THE SAME TIME, and shot these photos.

What's more, I betcha we're not the only ones out there, either.

Cheers,
Victoria

PeterP said...

Ah well, at least the Bears scored 17, if not won by 17.

Not though, on the whole, one of my better 'Mystic Meg' years.

John Clifford said...

The reason Prince changed his name to an unpronouncable symbol and went by "the artist formerly known as Prince" is because his former record company retained ownership of the name 'Prince' along with his earlier albums. Once the agreement expired, he went back to it.

Re his halftime show, I've seen better, and I've definitely seen worse. Prince really IS a gifted and talented musician... a good songwriter and a great guitarist. I wish he'd stayed away from the medley idea and done one or two original songs, though. Maybe a duet with Sheena Easton. How's that for old-school? :-)

Hey... at least you know she'd keep her blouse on, and if she didn't there wouldn't be a freakin' piercing/ring.

Meade said...

Enjoy while it lasts as it may not stay up for long:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H97y459pOis

Matt Brown said...

Prince gave a great performance and the Colts won! WOO0-HOOO!

MadisonMan said...

Prince was great. I would've been curious to see the set-up and tear-down of the stage. That would have been much more interesting than listening to 4 has-beens try to out-shout each other in the announcers' booth.

T.K. Tortch said...

I, too, was impressed with the "liveness" of the show. And he really can play the guitar. That was all him, wailing away. The huge phallus-shadow was brilliant -- obvious enough for everything to "get", subtle enough to keep anybody from complaining about it.

Ann Althouse said...

I just did a new post about the sexy silhouette, with two more pictures. Check it out.

Xeva said...

Greaaat Show and nice solos!