Thousands of fans packed Memorial Stadium on October 9, 1981, ready for the Rolling Stones, but they got something they did not expect. Prince walked out in thigh-high boots and a trench coat, playing his heart out. The crowd did not just boo. They threw bottles, cans, even fried chicken at him. After four songs, Prince left the stage in what became one of the most brutal nights of his early career.
It was not just rejection. It was hostility. Prince was ahead of his time, bringing funk, rock, and sexuality to a crowd that wanted something familiar. He stood out, and that made him an easy target. It was a moment of pain and humiliation, but also a moment that shaped him.
The Crowd WANTED to KILL HIM! PRINCE’s WORST CONCERT!
Fans who later heard the story could not believe it. One called it “the night that almost broke him.” Another said, “Imagine seeing Prince get booed. That is insane.” Some even admitted the crowd did not know what they were witnessing. They were watching an artist who would soon change music forever.
That first night was a scar, but it did not end the story. Mick Jagger personally convinced Prince to come back two days later. He did. He faced the same audience again, this time refusing to back down. What happened next pushed him toward a creative breakthrough that would define his career.
PRINCE OpeningAct 4 The Rolling Stones, LA 1981
Listening to the audio from that show feels like eavesdropping on history. You hear the chaos, the yelling, the defiance. Then you hear Prince power through it. Some fans who were there say it was the moment they realized he was fearless. He would go back to Minnesota soon after and start recording what became the album 1999.
Prince was never just a performer. He was a fighter, a creator who turned rejection into fuel. That night in Los Angeles did not crush him. It lit a fire. Follow Prince on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. The more you learn about moments like this, the more you see why his music still shakes people to their core.