"With profound loss and apocalyptic grief, we, along with the world, mourned Prince upon the news of his passing. After seeing the response outside of First Avenue and around the rest of the world’s monuments, we, as The Revolution — Wendy, Lisa, Brownmark, Dr. Fink, and Bobby Z — have decided to pay tribute to Prince at home in the city of Minneapolis."

— The Revolution

The artists who were at Prince's side as he catapulted to international superstardom — and who had a hand in putting Minneapolis and First Avenue on the map with Purple Rain — are reuniting to put on a pair of shows this September that can only be described as historic.

Much in the same spirit as the stellar NPG tribute shows at the Parkway Theater last month and Sheila E's rigorous eight-minute tour de force at the BET Awards, the Revolution will provide fans with an opportunity to hear Prince's music from the very people who helped create it — and to collectively grieve, dance, sing, and celebrate with the artists who knew him best.

Wendy, Lisa, Brownmark, Dr. Fink, and Bobby Z will be joined by Dez Dickerson (the first guitarist to tour with Prince behind his solo material in the late 1970s and early '80s) and Prince's childhood friend, bandmate, and onetime roommate André Cymone. The shows will take place in the First Avenue Mainroom on Friday, September 2 and Saturday, September 3.

The Revolution first announced they were reuniting in the days following Prince's death on April 21, and fans have been eagerly waiting to see when and how they would re-emerge on stage. Plans have yet to solidify for any career-spanning hometown tribute shows or family-sanctioned public memorials, but these gigs by the Revolution and artists from such a formative time in Prince's life should help to provide fans with some much-needed closure following an intense grieving process here in the Twin Cities.

As First Avenue General Manager Nate Kranz aptly stated in today's press release, “When we first spoke to The Revolution, and the conversation turned to a possible reunion, it only seemed natural to bring them to First Avenue — to bring them home."

Tickets for both nights of “An Evening with The Revolution” featuring Wendy, Lisa, Brownmark, Dr. Fink, and Bobby Z, with special guests Dez Dickerson and André Cymone, go on sale this Friday, July 8, 2016 at 11 a.m. CT. The Current's pre-sale begins Thursday, July 7 at 10 a.m. CT. Sign up for Cross Currents to receive the pre-sale password on Thursday morning before tickets go on sale. General admission tickets are $65, and VIP tickets are available for $99. VIP allows early access to the venue for a reception with hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. VIP includes a limited edition commemorative laminate for the event.

[image]