Aussie fans defend Prince after some label shorter than anticipated Melbourne show a ‘rip-off’

AUSSIE Prince fans paid up to $1000 to see the pop legend perform — but some were left grumbling last night after the grieving star played just 70 minutes.

US singer and musician Prince

PRINCE fans have defended the grieving musician after a shorter than anticipated concert in Melbourne.

Prince played two shows at the State Theatre, one at 6.30pm, one at 10pm.

They are the first of his solo Piano and a Microphone shows in Australia, and also two of the first in the world after just two performances at Paisley Park studio in January.

Some fans who paid around $400 for tickets (and up to $1000 for VIP tickets) believed the show was going to run for at least two hours.

However the superstar musician was visibly shaken after hearing of the death of his ex-girlfriend Vanity before his first performance.

The first show went for around 80 minutes, in line with the length of his US shows in January.

The second clocked in at around 70 minutes.

...THANK U. pic.twitter.com/80NA5UNFDp

— Prince3EG (@Prince3EG) February 16, 2016

Fans waited for up to 20 minutes after Prince left the stage, hoping he would return — as he had in previous tours with his full band.

Some started to boo, others were grumbling loudly about a ‘rip off’ on the way out. Someone else was heard saying “I didn’t pay $400 to hear Prince being sad.”

Others were happy he hadn’t cancelled and instead opened his heart to play a deeply personal show that would never be repeated.

A rumoured after-show concert, which Prince had tweeted about last week, also failed to occur.

No confirmed running time for the Piano and a Microphone shows had been determined. Like announcing the tour a few weeks ago, Prince operates on his own time frame.

Prince dedicated his first State Theatre show to Vanity, the intensely private star opening up about their time together in a candid manner that shocked hardcore fans.

Prince fans are divided over Prince’s first shows in Australia. Picture: Supplied

“Her and I used to love each other deeply. She loved me for the artist I was, I loved her for the artist she was trying to be. She and I would fight. She was very headstrong cos she knew she was the finest woman in the world. She never missed an opportunity to tell you that.”

He dedicated a Little Red Corvette/Dirty Mind mashup to Vanity (born Denise Matthews) as well as Purple Rain’s epic The Beautiful Ones, stating “she knows about this one.”

Prince also changed the lyrics to The Ladder to reference his ex by name.

At the second show Prince apologised to anyone who had been at the early show, claiming her death had left him “distraught”.

Genius at work: Prince in 2016

Prince and Vanity on Rolling Stone

He again played Little Red Corvette and Dirty Mind for Vanity, as well as The Beautiful Ones and the reworked The Ladder.

Some fans had complained about not getting a ‘greatest hits’ show, despite a quick Google showing that the solo shows were more about an intimate experience for true fans.

Prince’s official Twitter page posted a picture of the State Theatre with ‘Thank U’ and retweeted some fans who sent messages of support.

Unexpectedly, there was a lot of crossover between the first and second shows, with some fans feeling Prince was a little rattled by the day’s events.

The second show did see him play snippets of Over the Rainbow (he said he learnt to play all the songs from The Wizard of Oz on piano by watching it on TV) and also early songs Do Me Baby and I Wanna Be Your Lover.

The final show got arguably his biggest hit, Purple Rain, as an encore.

Jason Sutton thank you for still performing tonight. And from a long term fan, thanks for the new stuff. Many of us love to see you evolve.

— Prince3EG (@Prince3EG) February 16, 2016

@Prince3EG You sounded great just now, was expecting a longer show but understand it's a hard day for you #Prince #Melbourne

— Alex Watts (@BiggAlexWatts) February 16, 2016

No media photographers were allowed at the concert, and use of mobile phones was monitored by security guards. However some fans defied Prince’s wishes and recorded photos and videos which have been uploaded onto social media.

Prince plays two more Melbourne shows tonight before shows in Sydney and Perth.

6.30pm Prince Melbourne show setlist

Big City (from HitnRun Phase Two, 2015)

Ruff Enuff (new song)

Little Red Corvette (from 1999, 1982)

Dirty Mind (Dirty Mind, 1980)

Money Don’t Matter 2 Night (from Diamonds and Pearls, 1991)

Waiting In Vain (Bob Marley cover)

If I Was Your Girlfriend (from Sign `O The Times, 1987)

How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore (b-side 1999 single, 1982)

The Ladder (from Around The World In A Day, 1985)

1000 X’s & O’s (from HitnRun Phase One, 2015)

When She Comes (from HitnRun Phase Two, 2015)

Satisfied (from 3121, 2006)

I Love U In Me (from The Hits The B-sides, 1993)

Sometimes It Snows In April (from Parade, 1986)

Automatic (from 1999, 1982)

The Beautiful Ones (from Purple Rain, 1984)

Raspberry Beret (from Around The World In A Day, 1985)

Starfish and Coffee (from Sign O The Times, 1987)

Paisley Park (from Around The World In A Day, 1985)

Adore (from Sign O The Times, 1987)

10pm Prince Melbourne show setlist

The Love We Make (from Emancipation, 1986)

Big City (from HitnRun Phase Two, 2015)

Batman (TV theme cover)

Over The Rainbow (Judy Garland cover)

The Max (from The Symbol Album, 1992)

Little Red Corvette/Dirty Mind (from 1999, 1982/Dirty Mind, 1980)

The Beautiful Ones (from Purple Rain, 1984)

How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore (b-side 1999 single, 1982)

Sweet Thing (Chaka Khan cover)

Do Me Baby (from Controversy, 1981)

Waiting In Vain (Bob Marley cover)

If I Was You Girlfriend (from Sign O The Times, 1987)

The Ballad of Dorothy Parker (from Sign O The Times, 1987)

Four (from Madhouse album 8, 1987)

I Wanna Be Your Lover (from Prince, 1979)

1000 X’s & O’s (from HitnRun Phase One, 2015)

Black Muse (from HitnRun Phase Two, 2015)

The Ladder (from Around The World In A Day, 1985)

Raspberry Beret (from Around The World In A Day, 1985)

Starfish and Coffee (from Sign O The Times, 1987)

Paisley Park (from Around The World In A Day, 1985)

Purple Rain (from Purple Rain, 1984)

Originally published as Aussie fans defend Prince after some label shorter than anticipated Melbourne show a ‘rip-off’