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Paisley Park announces screening of rare Prince concert footage from London, 2007

Prince in London on May 8, 2007, announcing his O2 shows. (Claire Greenway/Getty Images)
Prince in London on May 8, 2007, announcing his O2 shows. (Claire Greenway/Getty Images)

by Jay Gabler

January 06, 2017

Paisley Park has announced that this weekend's film screening will feature live footage from Prince's record-setting 2007 concert series at the O2 Arena in London. Footage from the Sept. 13 show, never publicly released, will screen from 9-11 p.m. this Saturday, Jan. 7.

The 2007 London shows, 21 performances staged between Aug. 1 and Sept. 21, set a still-unbeaten record for a residency at the O2. The record would have been beaten by Michael Jackson, had Jackson lived to perform his scheduled "This Is It" shows at the O2. Initially reluctant to book a long series of concerts, Jackson was convinced to book a run of 50 shows by associates who challenged him to outdo his longtime friend and music rival Prince.

Prince's shows promoted his album Planet Earth, which was released via one of the star's most famous unconventional moves: he enclosed a CD of the album with every copy of the July 15, 2007 issue of The Mail on Sunday. That issue sold 600,000 copies more than usual, giving the paper its highest single-day circulation since the death of Princess Diana.

"Performing in the round at the O2," notes the Telegraph, Prince would play "for two or three hours, often followed by after parties that went on until the small hours. Every night was completely different, with no setlist, no autocue, and no standardised costume changes. He conducted his band like an orchestra."

Paisley Park After Dark tickets for tomorrow night are now on sale for $60, price including the film screening and a venue tour. Tonight (Friday, Jan. 6), the venue will host a dance party featuring DJ Michael Holtz.

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