Just a word of warning to anyone attempting to make Yaki Soba from the Wagamama cook book - do NOT put 2tsp of salt into the Yaki Soba sauce. I have yet to work out what it should be revised down to but I tried the recipe for the first time last night and it was just SO salty - my tastebuds shrivelled and I felt my blood pressure rising by the second.
Beloved came up with an interesting theory - that they make the recipes a bit wrong so you think “blow this, I’ll go to the restaurant, it’s much easier/nicer”, I think he may have a point.
Can someone explain why it is 3minutes to 12, I have to go to work tomorrow and I am not the slightest bit tired*?
IT IS VERY ANNOYING.
* Er, check out point 29 in 100 things about me - ah yes, that might be the answer!
So off I went to the O2 again last night (thinking of getting a season ticket at this rate). I was strangley nervous which is an odd sensation before a concert but I just didn’t want to not enjoy it as much as last week (do I tie myself up in knots over the stupidest things or what?).
I needn’t have worried.
Strangely though the concert was completely different. Don’t know whether that was because last Wednesday was the first night or because we were sat in different seats (in the gods, luckily we remembered the binoculars) but everything - from the songs to the costumes; from the atmosphere to Prince’s whole demeanour. Last week he seemed to be cheeky and up for a party; last night he was the consummate showman.
Much fewer Planet Earth tracks, many more “classics” including some long-forgotten (on my part) numbers. He started with last week’s encore - an acoustic medley of Little Red Corvette, Raspberry Beret, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, Alphabet Street and Sometimes it Snows in April. Then into funky rock pop show spectacular (although no glitter or confetti this week) then just Prince and the piano which was new and fabulous - at last I got to hear Diamonds and Pearls having been teased both last week and at the One Night Alone gig in Hammersmith in 2002. He put Purple Rain back in a more expected place as an encore song - although what is an encore and what is “Prince just popping off for a quick rubdown” is very unclear.
I got most excited when he performed Do Me Baby which had been a real snogfest track when I was at college. In fact I would hazard a guess that a reasonably large percentage of girls I knew were ‘persuaded’ to take the lyrics quite literally by some young men who modelled themselves on the ultra Prince fan in my year* and was known for his incredible success with the prettiest laydeez. I would hasten to point out that I did not partake in this sort of activity.
Unfortunately I think I have exhausted the possibilities of any more nights with Prince (sell out between now and me going away) but I urge you to beg, borrow or steal to get a ticket if you can.
* The ultra prince fan in my year at college was Calum Bain, a wee Scottish chap who found himself marooned in Southampton (a come down belive me). We had our ups and downs (he dated several of my friends and broke their hearts etc) but he was a really nice guy. He disappeared in 1991 and my thoughts are with his family who must suffer on a daily basis. Wherever he is, let’s hope he’s enjoying the purple rain.
I am going again - this Tuesday! Very excited.
Went to see Prince last night at the O2 and he was in playful mood. He was also in fantastic, musically brilliant, whip-the-audience-into-a-frenzy mood.
Opening with Purple Rain, we knew we were in for a special night.
Those expecting purely a greatest hits concert may have been disappointed but most were not. Yes, things did go off a bit in the middle with some longish jazz-inspired instrumentals but if you’ve followed Prince through the years (and not just his hits of the 80s and 90s) then you would have expected that. Jazz is not my thing but Prince puts such funk into it that you can’t help but tap your toes, swing your hips and generally get with the groove.
I thought Purple Rain was the high point of the show but that doesn’t mean the concert went downhill after the first song. It’s just the opener was awesome. Apparently he’s prepared 150 songs to play over the 21 nights of his residency and I would love to go back to hear them all.
