Publication: San Jose Mercury News [US]
Date: April 20, 1997
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Title: "S.J. Juggles Events, Keeps Traffic Moving"
Written By: Raoul V. Mowatt [et. al.]

Kings, former Prince and charity ball test downtown area's party capacity

Saturday had all the makings of a night only a light-rail rider could love.

On top of all the usual goings-on in San Jose, it featured three events that could have turned downtown into a parking lot: a Golden State Warriors game, the Silicon Valley Charity Ball and a concert by the artist formerly known as Prince.

Throw in foreboding clouds and a potential closure of part of Highway 101, and you could have had a traffic nightmare.

But truth to tell, things weren't half-bad on one of the busiest nights San Jose has had. No rain. No closure. And, for the most part, the only jamming came from guitars and slam dunks.

Lt. Manuel Martinez of the San Jose police said there was some congestion near San Jose State University, the site of the concert, partly because people were heading to the charity ball and the concert about the same time.

And things could have been much worse: for one thing, the concert didn't sell out. In a way, that's a shame, because the show proved Prince remains a consummate rhythm and blues artist -- even after changing his name to an unprnounceable squiggle symbolizing androgyny.

After the set opened with the song "This is the Jam of the Year," off his new album "Emancipation," the 38-year-old addressed the crowd of nearly 7,000 at the Event Center: "San Jose, we aren't going to worry about names tonight!"

He wandered around the stage like a fluid Mick Jagger to a cover of the James Brown classic, "Talking Loud, Saying Nothing." Then, bathed in purple light, he sang his signature song "Purple Rain."

Not far away, people streamed to San Jose Arena for the last game in what has been a disappointing season for the Warriors, who called San Jose home this season as their Oakland home is being renovated.

Nevertheless, a sizable crowd came out for "Fan Appreciation Night" against the Sacramento Kings. And they drove to the game with the ease that most other teams have driving the lane on the Warriors.

Steve Marchetti said he enjoyed a surprisingly smooth commute from San Mateo to the arena. "Boy, I'm really impressed," Marchetti said. "There's a lot of activity going on, it seems like something on every corner."

In addition to the usual cruising and commuting, dining and distractions, San Jose also hosted one more premier event. The cre(gra)me de la cre(gra)me of Silicon Valley gathered at the McEnery Convention Center to dance, to schmooze and to donate to charity.

Because the events finished at different times, their closing also did not contribute to any unusual traffic problems.

There had also been the possibility that people returning from the events would have had to go through a detour on northbound 101. But CalTrans patched a well that had been flooding the highway for weeks in plenty of time.

CalTrans closed the freeway at 11 p.m. Friday, with no idea how long the repair would take. The agency did promise to have the freeway reopened by Monday morning.

CalTrans spokesman Jeff Weiss said crews located the well with a magnet and put a cap on it to prevent more water from spewing onto the road. Then, the area had to be repaved. Crews were done by 1:45 p.m., and the California Highway Patrol said there were no problems while the freeway was closed.