Prince - the Aftershow Party

H decided to get tickets for the Prince Aftershow Party. Although there was no guarantee that Prince would show up, we were also keen to see the inside of IndigO2, the nightclub at the O2, and thought it could be fun. Doors opened at 11:30pm, and there was still quite a queue around midnight, when we arrived. It didn't take long to get in, though, so we dropped off our coats and made our way to the bar. Everything is on one level, and very open, which is handy, but I overheard some guys talking about the decor and not being impressed, and I suppose it's not great, but it wasn't that bad either. There is actually an upstairs with tables and seats, but I'm not sure how you get there, and it didn't look as much fun anyway.

There was some fairly utilitarian music coming out over the system, but quite a crowd of people had gathered around the front of the dancefloor, where there was an empty stage with a purple curtain and lit up by purple lights. We decided to make our way to the dancefloor, wondering if anything would happen. Occasionally some smoke would come out of the machines, and there were occasional movements behind the curtain. There was a security guard at the front of the stage to stop people from getting up there, so we decided that at least there must be a band going to play, and we were still hopefully that Prince might make an appearance.

A man with a ponytail came out and played a few riffs on the guitar, presumably trying it out for sound, then disappeared again behind the curtain. The piped music was still coming out of the speakers ... and then came the sound of live music, the curtains opened, and a band were on stage! The first person I recognised was Prince's female drummer, so I realised that it was his band, which was great - but that still didn't mean that Prince would be there. However, the band are great so we knew it would be a good night, and the atmosphere had immediately become more electric.

A guy in a dark t-shirt and trousers with a flat cap walked on stage and started singing and rapping. H told me that it was Common, which was exciting, because he is the most played artist on our iTunes! He was great, and was around for a while during the evening. Then ... in the corner of the stage at first ... a more diminuitive artist, with a three quarters length jacket, slicked back black hair in a black bandana, the artist known as - Prince!

What an amazing night. For two hours, Prince, his band, his backing singers (sometimes fronting singers), his dancers, The Twinz, and Common entertained us, jamming, singing, dancing, as if this was the gig they had planned to play that night. You would never have guessed that they had just all performed for over two hours in the Arena, entertaining 20,000 people, some of whom would have been miles away - and here, we were standing about 6 yards away, watching the faces that Prince pulled as he played his guitar solos, watching him dance without inhibition as Common sang or his band played jazzy solos, watching him sit down, strumming his guitar as one or other of his singers took the lead, watching him on the electric piano synthesiser, standing quietly in the background, accompanying the others, watched him working the crowd, as we all whooped and roared and clapped and sang and danced ... A great evening.

Some other funny observations ... the way the security guards performed a three way pincer movement on anyone with mobiles out - the security guard at the front shone a bright torch at anyone illegally recording the gig, a guard upstairs shone a green laser at their head, picking them out, and a guard with a blue laser walked behind them, then assertively, quietly, without fuss or argument, escorted the offender off the dancefloor.

Some of the bizarre dance moves of a few people - well, one anyway who was standing right in front of us and who threatened to knock me over with almost every move - who were obviously enjoying themselves and giving it everything without much consideration of those around, but provided entertainment value!

The black sparkly floor with little silver and gold stars set in them that was around the dancefloor.

The palm tree at the back of the stage.

Eventually, some time after 2am, Prince and his band eventually finished, and, after one encore, officially left the building. Scores of people headed straight for the doors, keen to make a quick getaway after what may have been, for them, a long but wonderful night. That left a few of us who were still keen to dance (despite heels), who were finally able to get some space on the dancefloor to freak out, and dance the night away. There seemed to be only about twenty of us dancing, which was great - there was so much room, although we had to watch out for plastic pint glasses, straws, bits of lemon, and slippy patches where drink had been spilled. But we didn't mind, and H and I danced until the music stopped and the lights came up.

I think that was about 3:15am or so. We just managed to catch the bus home, and, only pausing to make the bed, were asleep by 5am. So I'm just up, sharing this with you at what should be lunch time! But what a night!