So. Prince. Again.

█████ and I saw the Purple 1 N a wee-hours show at Club Black back N the spring, the night of his induction N2 the Rock and Roll Hall 'O' Fame. We missed the 1st half-hour or so due 2 the crowds crowding N, but it was such a terrific show on the whole than when his Madison Square Garden dates were announced, we decided 2 pop 4 tix. We hoped but didn't really imagine that R experience at MSG would B even better.

We bought R tix thru the fan club, npgmusicclub.com—as did ❦steelbrassnwood, whom we had hipped 2 the site. This guaranteed us reserved seats on the floor, but we wouldn't know exactly which seats until we arrived at MSG the nite of the show 2 pick up R tix at Will Call.

█████ had 2 run home after work 2 walk the dog, but Ken and I met 4 Korean BBQ at Kang Suh. We 8 early so we would have time 2 get R tix and B N R seats B4 showtime at 7:30. Ken and I split up at MSG 2 meet R respective companions. █████ and I picked up R fan club tix at the window, then made R way 2 the floor of the arena. An X-shaped stage had been erected N the center of the floor, with seats arranged all around it. An usher conducted us 2 R seats.

Front row.

"U must B kidding," said █████ 2 the usher.

"Believe me," said the usher. "I never kid about something like this."

While I visited the men's room, █████ chatted up a security guard who confided that Morris Day and The Time were rumored 2 B a surprise opening act that evening.

Ken found us. His seats were front row as well, around the corner of the stage from us. We shared the Morris Day rumor with him. He looked around at the half-filled arena and checked his watch. "Well," he said, "I guess we can assume the show's not starting at 7:30."

He went back 2 his seat. Almost immediately, the lights went down and Morris Day and The Time took the stage. They played a 45-minute set and were gr8 fun.

During the break, a Prince roadie came along and checked the tickets of every1 N R row. He then tagged each of us with a purple and white wristband. "What's this?" asked █████.

"This is so we know U belong N the front row."

█████ and I could only grin at each other and keep repeating, "This is so we know U belong N the front row."

Somewhere N there, a small commotion arose as Sean Combs (about as low-key as a migraine N his white suit) and his entourage made their way 2 seats low N the stands, displacing a young couple who were clearly a little discombobulated (and who, good Stockholm Syndromers, had P. Diddy's umbrella-carrier take their picture with Puff Daddy). █████ had spotted Sean John B4 almost any1 else, and also Lenny Kravitz, who made his low-key way 2 a seat quite a bit higher N the stands than Puffy's crew. █████ and I congratulated Rselves for having better seats than any of them.

Then Prince took the stage with his crack funk band, which included Maceo Parker and Candy Dulfer. I won't attempt 2 describe the show—plenty of others, more adept at music writing, will do that, including, I hope, Ken—other than 2 mention that it was the most fun I've had 4 2½ hours, and that Sheila E. made a surprise appearance N the middle of the set 2 applause that clearly astonished her N its extended enthusiasm.

(It was fun 2 look back during the show and see Puffy swaying back and forth like a white boy 2 the music. Later we saw him sitting over with Lenny Kravitz, the entourage nowhere around. Prince apparently knew he was there, changing a line from "Sign 'O' the Times" 2 say: "Let's fall N love, get married, have a baby, we can name him Sean John if it's a boy.")

I will say that we barely stopped dancing the whole time.