Prince, O2 Arena, 20 September 2007

It’s over. After 21 nights, 46 encores and 63 costume changes, Prince’s residency at the O2 arena is finished. I managed to grab a couple of tickets on eBay for 40 quid each. Were they worth it? Probably.

The diminutive pop diva appeared from a puff of smoke in the centre of the ‘symbol’-shaped stage. The funky disco beats commenced and the cat in the hat strutted around in a dapper pink suit proving he hadn’t lost his moves as middle age rolls on.

He belted out his hits from Get Off to Controversy and proved guitar prowess in a cover Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love.

In fact he bashed out loads of covers to from the Beatles to Kylie. But these were at the expense of some of his other hits including my personal fave Alphabet Street.

Raspberry Beret was cut down to less than a minute in a piano medley with some of his lesser known stuff.

And his encore was Nothing Compares 2 You, which he wrote but I’m sure most people associate with the warbling snake-headed Sinead O’Conner cover.

As he changed his set every night, it was a roulette as to what he played. And on the penultimate night, the crowd were left wanting more. But after grossing a tidy £11million in ticket sales, I’m sure the shrewd little guy will be back soon in a fresh set of threads to lap up more.

The Go! Team, Electric Ballroom, 12 September 2007

Brighton based six-piece The Go! Team really know how transform a gig into a party.

They would have needed to give out free chocolate cake and ice cream on the door to get people grinning any more at the Electric Ballroom last week.

Rapper Ninja bossed the crowd of twenty-somethings around with ease but they didn’t seem to mind. When she asked everyone to jump they bounced and when she encouraged a bit more dancing they showed they could shake some booty.

Their set mainly comprised of Ninja rapping over songs from their eclectic first album Thunder Lightening Strike, but she also had a go on the maracas, tambourine and drums for a laugh.

The other band members were nearly as lively, going wild for uplifting instrumental Junior Kickstart. Electric guitarist Kaori Tsushi took over for softer yet equally uplifting harmonica-led version of Hold Yr Terror Close.

Ninja dedicated songs from new album Proof of Youth to the ladies and had the crowd chanting ‘hell yeahs!’ by the end of the set.

Their sound was 80s-influenced as were the most of their bizarre videos played on the backing screen. But my favourite film clip had to be a black and white one showing dozens of monkey-masked men cycling really slowly. Weird.

Ninja Go Go!

Following a sell-out performance at the Electric Ballroom, Go! Team’s new album Proof Of Youth is out this week. I caught up to the bands’ rapper, North London girl Ninja.


Why are you called the Go! Team?

Go teams clear up plane wreckages. It’s a dynamic name and we’re a dynamic band!

Despite the morbid name, your performances are really lively. How do you prepare?

I don’t prepare at all. That’s the best preparation. If I prepared, I’d worry that something’s going to go wrong.

What would you be doing if you weren’t in the Go! Team?

Something fantastic! I’m not someone who would settle for a bog-standard lifestyle. I wanted to be an astronaut before I joined the band. But I’d definitely be something amazing because I’d have to have an amazing life.

Where did you learn to dance?

You can either dance or you can’t. And if you can’t dance naturally, it’s very obvious that you’ve trained. I just enjoy the music so I just do what I’d do if I was at home and there was no-one there.

Where did you learn your cheerleader chants?

I’ve never had training in cheerleader chants but would have loved have gone to an American high school! I would have been a cheerleader and gone out with a captain of a sports team.

The Go! Team sample a lot of 80s TV shows. What are your faves?

I used like waking up really early to turn on channel 4 to watch a lot of Sunday morning cartoons. After the cartoons I’d watch The Waltons or Land of the Giants. But they should do a channel of just 80s cartoons.

Who was your favourite cartoon character?

I used to love ThunderCats. At school I was the fastest runner and they called me Cheetara. I’d think I was her and get into Cheetara mode and speed through the crowds!

I used to be Lion-o

Cool. I think they’re making a movie of ThunderCats now. Panthro was definitely a black guy. If they make the movie and he’s not black I’m not going to be happy! I’d love to be WilyKit or WilyKat in that movie!

I look forward to it

I’m not looking forward to it at all. They should leave it alone. I’m scared what they’re gonna turn it into. It's gonna be a new thing for kids now. They’re stealing my history!

The Go! Team! exchange a lot of their instruments when playing live. What are your favourite instruments?

I learnt to play the recorder in primary school but then I realised they don’t play recorders in orchestras. Then I found out the Go! Team play recorders so I was happy with that.

Do you like playing in Camden?

It depends on the crowd. In general I don’t really like playing in London or the major cities. It’s all industry types. They don’t come to dance. They come to stroke their chins. The fans never get to go there so you don’t get the same energy.

Your influences have been described as varied, ranging from Jackson 5 to Sonic Youth. What music doesn’t influence you?

Blues, classical music and I’m not into the indie-rock scene. I perform at the festivals with the indie-rock bands but never really watch them as I’m never really interested.

The new album is the first involving all six band members. With such varying influences, was there any fighting?

N’ah, we all get on. There are no real egos in the band. We’re all really laid back.

Who are your heroes?

I don’t have any - I might be a weirdo! I’ve never been a person who puts posters on my wall or been desperate to meet someone. I’ve always thought ‘one day I’m gonna be there.' When you worship people, it separates you from them.

You’ve always got a different look on stage. Where do you get your inspiration for your outfits?

I never plan what to wear. It’ll be the morning and I’m scrambling through clothes trying to find something. I’ll just mix and match. I like bright colours. You’ll never catch me in black or brown.

What are you doing today?

I’m being really boring! I’ve got the day off and I probably won’t get out at all. It’s my birthday soon and I really want a bike so I can go for a ride in the park on days like this.

Do you have any blades?

I’ve got hockey skates but the last time I went out on them I nearly killed myself! I ended up on the top of a really steep hill and I had no way of getting to the bottom. It never occurred to me to take them off. I went flying down into the road!

But I didn’t eat dinner at school for a year to save up for skates so I’m not getting read of them! Before that I had the Fisher Price ones where the wheels don’t actually turn.