📰 Tower Records Midnight Performance: Mar. 2006
- GlamSlamEscape
- Mar 21, 2006
- 3 min read
Date: March 21, 2006
Length: 6 min read
A spontaneous, late‑night in‑store performance announced only hours beforehand, capturing Prince in guerrilla‑gig mode with a tight band, surprise guests, and a crowd that had no idea what was about to hit them.
A secret midnight show on Sunset Blvd — raw, fast, and unforgettable.
In the early hours of March 21, 2006, Prince staged a one‑off performance at Tower Records on Sunset Blvd, turning a cryptic NPG Music Club email into a full‑blown midnight event. With a compact band, surprise guests, and a 40‑minute set that moved from funk to rock to deep‑cut curios, the show became one of the most talked‑about pop‑up gigs of the era.
📰 Key Highlights
• One‑off midnight performance at Tower Records, Sunset Blvd
• Announced only hours earlier via NPG Music Club
• Prince joined by Cora & Josh Dunham, Morris Hayes, Támar, The Twinz, DJ Rashida
• Surprise guests: Sheila E. and Mike Scott
• 40‑minute set including “Partyman,” “Fury,” “Purple Rain,” and “Beautiful Strange”
📰 Overview
This unannounced Tower Records performance sits among Prince’s most intimate guerrilla‑style appearances. Taking place just after midnight on March 21, 2006, the show was teased only through a cryptic NPG Music Club email sent to Los Angeles members earlier that afternoon. Fans who deciphered the message gathered outside the store, unaware they were about to witness a full band performance mere feet away from the CD racks.
The event showcased Prince’s 2006 live configuration, featuring Cora Coleman‑Dunham, Josh Dunham, Morris Hayes, Támar Davis, The Twinz, and DJ Rashida. The atmosphere was electric — a mix of hardcore fans, industry insiders, and curious late‑night shoppers swept into a performance that felt both spontaneous and meticulously controlled.
The setlist blended party‑starting funk, deep cuts, and emotional staples, with Támar taking lead vocals on several numbers. Sheila E. and Mike Scott appeared as unannounced guests, adding to the sense of unpredictability that defined the night.
📰 Source Details
Publication / Venue: Tower Records, Sunset Blvd
Date: March 21, 2006 (a.m.)
Format: One‑off live performance
Provenance Notes: Setlist and personnel verified through fan accounts and collector documentation.
📰 The Story
The performance began with a brief instrumental groove from Cora, Josh, Morris, and DJ Rashida — a soundcheck that doubled as a teaser for the crowd already inside the store. At 12:05 a.m., Prince stepped onto the small stage area and launched into “Partyman,” immediately transforming the retail space into a club‑level funk session.
The set moved quickly, with “Play That Funky Music” featuring an audience member on guest vocals, and Támar taking the lead on “Rock Steady” and “Redhead Stepchild.” Prince shifted between guitar heroics, bandleader cues, and moments of quiet intensity, particularly during “Beautiful Strange” and “Te Amo Corazón.”
The final stretch — “Fury,” “Purple Rain,” and “Let’s Go Crazy” — turned the store into a frenzy, with Sheila E. and Mike Scott joining in to elevate the energy even further. The entire show lasted just 40 minutes, but its impact was immediate: a reminder of Prince’s ability to turn any space, at any time, into a fully realized performance environment.
📰 Visual Archive
📰 Related Material
• 3121 (2006) — era context
• Las Vegas residency (2006–2007)
• NPG Music Club announcements and guerrilla gigs
📰 Closing Notes
This Tower Records midnight show stands as a quintessential example of Prince’s spontaneous performance philosophy — intimate, unpredictable, and delivered with total command. A fleeting moment, but one that lives vividly in the memories of those who made it inside.
📰 Sources
• Collector eyewitness accounts
• Setlist documentation
• NPG Music Club communications
📝 Copyright Notice
All photographs, scans, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership is claimed or implied.
Comments