Prince's London gig taught me this valuable life lesson

LONDON -- Two years ago, Prince turned the doldrums of London in February into a rollicking dance party with his Hit and Run tour, challenging the city to keep up with him as he popped up all over town.

The level of energy, Prince's zest for life and the amazing spectacle of it all makes it so hard to believe that Prince is no longer with us.

Seeing him play at Shepherd's Bush Empire was not only the best concert I've ever been to, but an experience that taught me a life lesson: Never say no to a dance party.

The day of the gig in 2014 my friend and flatmate Gavin texted, telling me to get over to Shepherd's Bush. Prince had been playing gigs in London with his band 3rd Eye Girl in places like Ronnie Scott's in Soho. The locations were announced on the day they would happen; all you could do was queue and hope to get in.

I had seen tales of these gigs on Twitter via the #princewatch hashtag, but didn't really believe I'd actually get into one of them.

I had already been at work on that Sunday morning. I was tired and had my doubts. It would've been easier to go home and watch TV.

But I'm eternally grateful I headed across town and joined the queue. 

It turns out that you can have a really good time despite seven hours of queueing. Tea and coffee to fight the cold was passed around -- allegedly, Prince himself even sent tea out to the crowd. We drank wine, we talked, we laughed.

Eventually, someone came around and marked our hands to prevent queue jumpers.

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We wondered if we were going to get in for £10, like with the other gigs. But we agreed that we'd happily pay £70 to see him if that's what was required.

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Sure enough, we got to the front. And it was indeed a cool £10. Amazing.

Once we got through that door, everyone literally ran for the stage. I've never seen a usually stoic, cynical London crowd so overjoyed and full of anticipation for what was about to happen.

3rd Eye Girl drummer Hannah Ford Welton opened the show by asking us to put away our phones.

"We want to ask you one simple favour -- no phones or cameras," she said. "We want you to get the full effect of this show and it makes the show so much better when you guys aren't behind technology.

"Are you ready for the best show of your lives?"

Yes. Yes we were. And it was all the more amazing without technology.

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It was mind-blowing to see 3rd Eye Girl -- these Amazonian warrior women musicians in leather catsuits -- and the legend himself. They played for over two and a half hours, shredding through old hits, covers and tracks from Plectrum Electrum.

Of course I always knew that Prince was a genius, but that night it was laid bare in front of me -- there's no one else who can play a guitar with so much precision, technical ability and raw emotion.

The gig was a blur. 

We danced with a model named Jenny whom I still follow on Instagram. 

I went to work the next day, and was fully depressed for about a week. Was that the most joy I'd ever feel in my life? 

At the time, I said I didn't want to see Prince again because I wasn't sure it could ever be as good. Sure, he made us wait for hours in the cold -- but that meant that only the truest of fans got to see him and I wouldn't trade that atmosphere for any level of inconvenience.

Apparently, after his last hospital stay last week, Prince was soon back on his feet -- out riding his bike and having a dance party.

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I think we can certainly learn something from him about loving life, and never missing the opportunity for a dance party.

R.I.P. Prince, and thank you for sharing your talent and spirit with all of us.

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