Prince fans get the royal treatment

He might not have included WA on his current Aussie tour but that didn’t stop Perth local Pia getting in on the Prince action.

He has a name that suggests royalty and a kingdom of adoring fans to boot. Prince left Sydney in a tizz last week, rocking the first leg of his Welcome 2 Australia Tour in all his purple glory.
While we didn’t get a chance to welcome Prince to Perth, it’s a well known fact that us Perthites are in love with Melbourne (many West Aussies have been lost to its culturally rich shores), so when presented with the opportunity to see Prince in Melbourne, we required very little convincing.
The Concert
Caught up in a multi-generational crowd sporting sparkles and raspberry berets, we packed into Rod Laver Arena and around the love-symbol-shaped stage for the first of three sold-out Melbourne concerts.

Rising from centre-stage, the 53-year-old artist, once again known as Prince, opened with “Gold” and delivered an energetic show thick with funk, and ripping guitar solos. There was no shortage of classics with hits such as “Cream”, “When Doves Cry”, “Little Red Corvette” and “1999” all making an appearance.

One lucky fan even walked away with Prince’s guitar after he threw it into the audience following an electric rendition of his Oscar winning song, “Purple Rain”.

However, they’re unlikely to be the last lucky Prince fan of the Australian tour with more concerts in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane concerts to come, and the possibility of more of his infamous after parties like the one featuring Seal and Flava Flav at Sydney’s The Ivy.

Checking out Prince with Kimbra

Where to stay
Nestled in the heart of Melbourne, the iconic Grand Hotel MGallery Collection is perfect for international and interstate travellers. It’s a short walk from the city airport shuttle, has a tram stop at its front door and all the delights the CBD has to offer (think international festivals and sporting events, high-end fashion and Prince concerts).

Our bedroom apartment was very open and spacious, as well as being fitted with large windows, the length of our two-storey room, giving us an amazing view of the bustling city. Hailing from the 1880’s, the heritage-listed hotel has retained classic Victorian charm with its rich colour scheme, high ceilings and wide hallways, but still boasts all the modern amenities you would expect.

Awesome windows!

But there’s no doubting my favourite part. Just quietly, there’s nothing quite like sinking into a king-sized cloud-of-a-bed after a long night of partying to Prince!