From Plinky

Describe the best live musical performance you’ve ever attended.

It was May 2004. My friend Tina had gotten two tickets to see Prince perform at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for her and her husband, Randy. But Randy had already been invited to go a previous night with another friend, so she asked me if I wanted to go with her. Obviously, I said YES. I’ve been a Prince fan since I was a wee lad, I always loved his music. It was a fantastic show, we had 14th row seats. It was my first time at the Staples Center. I’ll be the first to point out that I suffer from a bit of social anxiety disorder. I really don’t like large crowds, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me, and I’m glad I didn’t. The show was opened by Sheila E, and she really kicked arse. She was banging on the drums so hard that sometimes one of her drumsticks would break and she would just grab another from this pouch she had next to her drumset and just keep going like nothing happened.

And Prince himself, whoa, mere words don’t do it justice. He just rocked it out like a man possessed. My only regret is that he didn’t bring Sheila onstage with him to do Erotic City, but he’s all religious now, so he doesn’t do his dirtier songs anymore. Oh well, he still had plenty of good stuff to play. I have to say it was one of the greatest nights of my life.