Let's Shimmer Like Diamonds & Pearls: The Paisley Park D&P Super Deluxe Release Party

Written by Ashley Hamblin

Published November 15, 2023

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Minneapolis, MN --- There once was a girl who dreamed that she could attend her first release party at Paisley Park — a place where she felt accepted and welcomed for the first time as a person with Cerebral Palsy. That dream became a reality on October 27th, 2023, and I’m here to tell you all about it.

Arriving at what I call Prince’s Creative Sanctuary...

Ashley (above) posing in front of a large D&P poster as guest wait in line outside.

My grandmother and I arrived at Paisley Park at 5:30pm. We were told earlier in the day that we could arrive early to the venue, sit inside at the NPG Music Club, and enjoy the vibe they had going on while we waited for the event start.

There was some confusion and we weren’t allowed inside early after all. I was sad about it because I love sitting in the NPG Music Club. I could sit there for hours! Since it wasn’t time to go in yet, my grandmother and I waited outside with the others who were in line. We took pictures and had conversations with those who traveled long and far like we did!

It was freezing outside, at least 29°F, and we weren’t allowed to enter until about 6:10pm. By then, our fingers were numb. Finally inside, everyone cheered at being out of the cold. I started getting excited at this point!

3 Chains O’ Gold...

After getting our tickets scanned, all VIPs were given a gold wristband and directed towards the NPG Music Club to wait. They had music playing, music videos from the Diamonds and Pearls album looping up on the big screen, and a D&P exhibit you could look at. Food was available for purchase, including tacos and pretzel bites. Soft drinks, too. No cheesecake though!

As my grandmother and I sat on the purple couches, I got to meet some incredible people I know from social media. We talked about Prince’s influence in the 90s, why Diamonds and Pearls was such a prolific album as well as our favorite tracks from the SDE (Super Deluxe Edition).

Before I knew it, we were told that it was time to go into the soundstage! We were all under the assumption that hosts were going to let people enter the soundstage from both the gift shop and the NPG Music Club, but in the end, we all ended up going in the same way. This led to some confusion between VIP and General Admission ticket holders.

However, once we were inside, all the chaos went away. It was then time to sit down, get inspired, and learn from some of the original members of the New Power Generation!

A little disclaimer about accessibility:

When the tickets for the release party were announced, two of the key differences between VIP and General Admission was that VIPs were able to park in Paisley Park’s parking lot and had preferred seating inside the soundstage, whereas general admission had to catch a shuttle from Chanhassen High School and did not have preferred seating.

However, I was told by Paisley Park that accessibility parking is available to all ticket holders, both VIP and GA. As long as I had my handicap placard, I could park in the parking lot.

Tip: If you have a disability and plan on attending an event at Paisley Park, just call ahead and bring your placard with you to the gate!

We are the New Power Generation...

View of the soundstage from the VIP section.

The panel started a little later than anticipated, around 6:30pm. Again, there was a little miscommunication with seats because the VIPs were being directed to the back and General Admission to the front.

While we were waiting for this to get sorted, I met up with India, who I’ve known in the digital world for years. She is so much fun to be around. India ended up sitting with my grandmother and I, and we had a ball.

6:40pm rolled around and Tony M. and Tommy Barbarella were introduced as the panelists! This was a treat for me because I’d never attended a panel at Paisley Park before, and for Tony to be on it?!---Blew my mind! Chris James, the incredible sound engineer who brought the SDE to life, was also on the panel!

I recorded a few sections of the discussion, but later decided I wanted to live in the moment and be present. I’m so glad I did! Chris James gave us some insight into the hard work that went into creating the Super Deluxe Edition of Diamonds and Pearls and why it took so long to release.

Fun Fact: Instead of a "Diamonds and Pearls Super Deluxe" box, there were talks about a "Diamonds and Love" box set, a combination of Diamonds and Pearls and the Love Symbol album! This confession was met with a lot of distaste from those I was sitting by.

L. Londell McMillan, a member of the Prince Estate, spoke to the crowd, saying “That didn’t seem right. It didn’t seem like Prince. So, we scratched that idea and came up with the Diamonds and Pearls Super Deluxe. Love Symbol will have its time…separately!”

Later in the panel, Tommy B. and Tony M. told some funny stories about their time in the NPG and how it affected them. They explained why the 90s were such a prolific era for Prince, the many lessons they learned (the biggest one being that of work ethic), and their most memorable moments being in the band.

One of my favorite parts of the panel was when we were told about the making of the Diamonds and Pearls hologram that is seen on the original album cover! For the sake of his vision, it was one of the few times Prince allowed somebody to smoke around him.

I thought this portion of the panel was extremely informative and I learned a lot that I didn’t know before. The panelists were also incredibly interactive with those in attendance, which I loved and appreciated as someone who didn’t know a lot about 90s Prince.

It was 8:26pm by the time the panel ended, but there was an exciting buzz in the air because a never before seen concert was up next! Only reserved guests at last year's 2022 Celebration were granted a sneak peak of the action.

Guess which one it was? Glam Slam 1992! Yes, that Glam Slam show.

Dancing on a Wet Bar...

You guys...watching this concert film inside Prince’s creative sanctuary was the best experience. However, I’m not sure if it was because the event started so late, but the crowd was not as enthusiastic as I had imagined!

I could say so much about this Glam Slam 1992 concert. I could probably write a whole review! But I’ll sum it up in three words:

Incredible. Sexy. Funky.

Prince 90s era regalia and original yellow cloud guitar on display in the NPG Music Club.

You could tell that Prince was happy in this era. From his facial expressions, to how he moved and danced. He just looked happier.

During the performance of "Sacrifice of Victor," it was very apparent! I am an introvert, except in Minneapolis, so I danced hard to this song--- as did many others!

My favorite songs were "Insatiable," "Cream," "Sacrifice of Victor," and "Gett Off." I love how they were essentially ‘performing against the clock’ per se. Everybody in the band seemed like they were having a fun time as well! I am always in awe of how Prince danced as well as he did in those heels. It leaves me speechless every time.

Glam Slam '92 was so good and I’m glad I avoided all the audio and video clips that kept circulating on the internet beforehand. It was special watching it for the first time at Paisley Park!

The film ended a little after 11pm and this was when it went from a party, to something quite different. Let me explain…

Party Like It’s 1999…

Ashley (middle) taking a picture with Tony M. (left) and grandmother (right).

The night ended with a dance party. The legendary Lenka Paris was DJ’ing and her set started at 11pm. By this time, Paisley Park was virtually empty---It was so sad to see! There were chairs lined up in the back where people were sitting and conversing amongst one another…and there was about 10 people on the dance floor when the music commenced. One of the best positives I had was finally meeting KaNisa, aka Darling Nisi! We had always talked about meeting in person and she’s the sweetest. She’s taught me so much about Prince and knows her stuff. It made me so happy to finally hug her in person! I met so many others that I also knew from the internet. It’s crazy how much social media affects our lives and allows us to meet other like-minded people!

Lenka’s set was so good! I loved it and mostly danced by myself. I did get my grandmother to go up for Housequake though! I just wish more people would’ve stayed. By the time her set ended at midnight, there was only my grandmother, myself, and a handful of others. That was it. It was unfortunate because we were supposed to end with a bang.

This was a celebration of one of Prince’s most prolific albums of the 90s. Even more disappointing was that some folks seemed as though they had better things to do. But I didn’t let that keep me from having a good time!

Conclusion...

In closing, I had the BEST TIME! This release party was my first “big” event at Paisley Park. I have never attended Celebration or a release party. I have only attended Paisley Park After Dark events. Was there disorganization? Absolutely. However, there is new management in place and, in due time, I am hoping these kinks will be worked out. Things aren’t going to be ran the same way as they were when Prince was here. The new team has a huge job and I can imagine that it isn’t an easy task. Giving constructive criticism is the key to being heard.

Something I would suggest is that if attendees are going to have to wait outside in the elements in cold weather, staff should turn on the four outdoor heaters that were in the courtyard, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Or open the doors and let people sit in the NPG Music Club, instead of standing in the cold. It was so cold outside that people’s fingers were numb.

Another suggestion I have would be to open both doors to the soundstage to avoid the massive crowding that occurred. There was maybe 100 people that were shoulder to shoulder as we tried to enter the soundstage. To better combat this issue, I would consider opening the doors that are in the gift shop as well as the doors inside the NPG Music Club. That way, people will be spread out and not so bunched together.

Overall, if you’re on the fence about attending a release party at Paisley Park, do it! But go in with the understanding that it’ll be different than it was when the man himself would throw such gatherings.

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Ashley Hamblin is a guest contributor for Prince UniverCity based in Nashville, TN. She writes about events, travel, and accessibility from her perspective and experience. You can follow her for more content on her Instagram page.