It was midnight on a Sunday in 2003 when a diminutive American turned up at the Melbourne laneway jazz club, inquiring if he might be able to score a gig. The staff member on duty asked the owner to make this decision: could Bennetts Lane make space for Prince? 
Michael Tortoni, of course, said "Yes", and a love affair was born between the iconic venue and the legendary artist, who would make a return appearance on a later tour.
"Disbelief," says resident Bennetts Lane manager Meg Evans of Prince's unexpected passing. "Absolutely disbelief. I found out through a few friends sending text messages and then looked up to find out what was going on - I couldn't believe it."
Evans had met Prince when he played at the club in 2003 and 2012, the first gig a warm-up for his concert at Rod Laver Arena the following night and the second a pre-dawn, post-Laver appearance that has assumed legendary status among local fans and musicians.
Of the 2003 gig, Evans recalls: "He came in the night before and asked for a gig. The person who was here at the time called the boss upstairs and he came down. He was really personable and he said, 'Can I have a gig here tomorrow night?'.
"We had the [Alan Browne Trio] performing, he was going to be on Monday night, and so he performed after Alan Browne's concert.
"He seemed so at home here. He just came in and complimented us on the club and he chose to play the small room - the vibe was definitely in the small room ...
"It was absolutely electric. Everyone was holding their breath when he played the first night, but at the second one he just came up to the bar and asked very modestly, 'Can I have a drink please?'. He was very personable. We think of the icon, but he was a very personable man.
"I wouldn't use the Australian word 'bloke'. He was a gentleman. He was confident, but without airs."
On his most recent Australian visit in   February 2016, anticipation was high that Prince would make a return appearance at Bennetts Lane - especially after he sent out an all-caps tweet just before his arrival: "ONLY TALKS PRINCE IS IN: WHERE 2 HAVE THE AFTERPARTY IN MELBOURNE ON THE 17TH? THOUGHTS?"
"We had this incredible night - a couple nights really -... of people waiting for him, the anticipation that Prince was coming. That was astonishing, people being able to share their desire for Prince."
Alas - perhaps exhausted after doing four shows in two days on his solo Piano and Microphone tour - there was no encore.