PRINCE
“THE GREATEST SHOWS PEOPLE HAD EVER SEEN… ”
£10 tickets. Hot chocolate for 2,000. Epic table tennis tournaments. In February 2014, PRINCE performed seven guerrilla gigs across London and Manchester. His English manager and members of 3RDEYEGIRL take us deep inside the legendary HIT AND RUN tour
KIRAN SHARMA (manager): Prince was wondering how to trump those 21 nights at the O2 when he’d last toured London [2007]. We were hanging out in the Grosvenor Apartments on Park Lane one night, drinking brandy and eating chocolate, and I suggested a tour of famous landmarks and historical places. He loved the idea, but when I looked into it there were so many issues about decibel levels, insurance and so on. So Prince said, “What about iconic venues? We could do a hit and run.” The venues could be smaller and there’d be more of a party/house feel.
IDA NIELSEN (bassist, 3rdeyegirl): The idea was to create a buzz – just pop up and play without advertising too much in advance. He wanted to do something different.
HANNAH WELTON (drummer,
3rdeyegirl): It was all about spontaneity. And because we were so well rehearsed – we were working all day every day, six days a week – we were ready for whatever situation Prince would throw at us.