On June 7, 1958, a legend was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Prince Rogers Nelson, the son of jazz musicians and the grandchild of Louisiana natives, would grow up to be a musical prodigy, actor, filmmaker, producer, polymath, sex symbol and icon whose artistry would completely redefine his generation and beyond. Since his death in 2016, Prince’s legacy has continued to grow in retrospect of his life’s work. Albums like Controversy (1980), 1999 (1982), and Parade (1986), continue to represent, almost 40 years after their release, an inimitable artist continuing to reinvent himself. In recognition of such a life and all of its achievements, there are a few locales in New Orleans that have scheduled events to honor and pay tribute to The Artist.
On Friday, June 3, the Prytania Theatre Uptown will present a 35th-anniversary screening of Sign o’ The Times at 10 p.m. The cinema is located at 5339 Prytania Street.
In celebration of Prince’s birthday, Adonis Rose and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra are honoring the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer by throwing a New Orleans-style musical celebration on Saturday, June 4. The concert will feature Nayo Jones, Mecca Notes, and other guests. The show will take place at The New Orleans Jazz Market, 1436 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, starting at 7:30 p.m.
Prince’s innovative music incorporated a wide variety of styles, including funk, rock, R&B, new wave, soul, psychedelia, and pop. He has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musical artists of all time. For more information and ticket sales to the concert, visit here.
From June 3-7, DJ Soul Sister and Virgin Hotels New Orleans will co-present a Purple Takeover at both the hotel and Tipitina’s, including the following events:
Party it up to all of Prince’s family jams and b-sides at DJ Soul Sister’s Fifth Annual Purple Takeover on Saturday June 4, at Tipitina’s, 501 Napoleon Avenue. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to One Book New Orleans, a campaign for literacy and community in partnership with local nonprofits. Doors open at 9 p.m. and the party starts at 10 p.m. For more information and tickets, visit here.
On Sunday, June 5, Lefty Parker of Euclid Records will host a Prince trivia contest at the Commons Club inside Virgin Hotels New Orleans at 6 p.m.
Helen Gillet, the esteemed New Orleans-based cellist, will pay tribute to Prince with a special performance titled “Purple Reign,” a day before Prince’s birthday on Monday, June 3, from 7-9 p.m. The concert will be held at the Commons Club in the Virgin Hotel, 550 Baronne Street. Make a reservation at OpenTable.
DJ Soul Sister and The Pool Club—Virgin Hotels New Orleans’ rooftop venue—are inviting guests to vibe to Prince sounds curated by DJ Vintage and enjoy a festive happy hour withPrince-themed specialty cocktails and treats on Tuesday, June 7, from 5-7 p.m. A portion of cocktail proceeds will be donated to One Book One New Orleans. Guests are encouraged to wear something purple.
WYES-TV, Channel 12 in New Orleans, will present Prince and the Purple Revolution: The Purple Rain Tour on Monday, June 6, at 9 p.m. Michael Mayer writes for Broadway World: “James Brown had the Apollo. Jimi Hendrix had Monterey Pop. And Prince had Syracuse, New York’s Carrier Dome—the site of his Purple Rain Tour performance on March 30, 1985, that was beamed to millions live via satellite and captured for posterity as a Grammy Award-nominated concert film. It has since gone down in history as one of the most iconic live recordings in pop and rock history.”
For more information on the PBS special, visit here.
