Lovers of Prince - aka the Purple One - are remembering his incredible performance in New Zealand, just two months ago.
Prince came to New Zealand as part of his 'Piano & a Microphone' tour. Photo: Courtesy of Dainty Group
The superstar singer, songwriter and musician died suddenly today, aged 57, in Minneapolis.
More on Prince's legacy
One music fan with an encyclopedic knowledge, @dimsie, was at the Auckland show.
"The Sky Tower was lit purple," she said.
"We were a bit grumpy because the ticket collection process was so elaborate and difficult. My husband may or may not have muttered something about Prince being a paranoid asshole.
"The muttering stopped short the moment he appeared. A small, transfixing silhouette in front of a kaleidoscopic background. I'm not sure how he did this amazing thing, filling a room with his energy simply by walking on stage.
"He made U Got The Look into an intense, minimalist jam, putting space in all the right places. He sang Ray Charles' Unchain My Heart and Joni Mitchell's A Case of You and Raspberry Beret and, somehow, made Kiss impossibly funky merely with a piano and his own incomparable self.
"All of us danced and sang and laughed and cheered.
Party over, oops, out of time.
— Clouds and Her Mixed (@dimsie) April 21, 2016
"Perhaps we were a tiny bit surprised at just how much of an experience he gave us. This morning when I heard the news I raged futilely about that incredible energy being gone, although I am informed that energy doesn't disappear, it just gets transformed.
"I just hope whichever entity gets it next can play I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man really well."
There was an outpouring of love on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for the man who made it okay to let out the freak within:
Ua Waiporoporo. Purple (waiporoporo) rain (ua). #RIPPrince pic.twitter.com/0Vpw1TO9NH
— Kupu Hou (@KupuHou) April 21, 2016
Cancelling my usual all-day Kanye Fri-ye today for obvious, Prince related reasons pic.twitter.com/Rtk959lWkT
— Kalista Campbell (@KalistaCampbell) April 21, 2016
Memories of watching the Cream video on MTV as a little girl and thinking how exciting it was https://t.co/GJDmVW0r0n via @giphy
— Jolene Simoes (@JoleneSimoes) April 21, 2016
From 1979 until his death, prince was publicly, defiantly his own person. That's so incredibly important.
— Matt Zoller Seitz (@mattzollerseitz) April 21, 2016
I'm telling you one you put on a Prince album today you will struggle not to smile. THAT'S a legacy. pic.twitter.com/WpBsIBm9QC
— Darren Watson (@Darren_WatsonNZ) April 21, 2016
Memory lecturer is playing Prince before class
— The Katriarchy (@_PocketWitch) April 21, 2016
New Zealand musicians and music journalists shared their thoughts.
World famous New Zealand musician Lorde posted on Facebook about Prince's death. Photo: FACEBOOK/Lorde
This is what it sounds like when doves cry...☔️ #ripprince
— Tami Neilson (@tamineilson) April 21, 2016
Oh wow ... My 1986 Rip It Up review of Prince at Wembley Arena: " ... the best thing I've ever seen ... ". https://t.co/nORSH1c7M5
— Russell Brown (@publicaddress) April 21, 2016
Sometimes It Snows In April
— Simon Sweetman (@BlogOnTheTracks) April 21, 2016
O boy, not @prince. Grateful to see THAT amazing show in Akld this year, thanks for so much wonderful music - RIP. pic.twitter.com/fexvvwteXQ
— Slow Boat Records (@SlowBoatRecords) April 21, 2016
Sometimes it snows in April...Something didnt seem right.
— JoelTobeck (@JoelTobeck) April 21, 2016
No.
— kuini qontrol (@cocosolid) April 21, 2016
Prince is..... my life.
But it's the fans who get the last word:
We're losing our freaks, those that told all us weirdos that we're ok, that we didn't have to be like the cool kids, to hold our freak high.
— Sarah (@Pseudony_Ms) April 21, 2016
Prince feelings 3 pic.twitter.com/92pkIZfvLu
— Donna R (@kebabette) April 21, 2016
Dearly beloved / We are gathered here today / 2 get through this thing called life. https://t.co/rFT6AWVPGm #Prince pic.twitter.com/HTQe4VfwvP
— Encyclopedia of NZ (@Te_Ara) April 21, 2016
"Dearly Beloved
— Sarah McMullan (@SarahMcMullanNZ) April 21, 2016
We are gathered here to today
To get through this thing called Life."
- Prince. pic.twitter.com/hiynFpSwkG
Check out RNZ's coverage of Prince over the years, but for now, just sit back and admire the the man in all his glory.
Prince, live in Paris in 1986. Photo: AFP
