“We’re missing our commander in chief,” guitarist Wendy Melvoin told Billboard ahead of Celebration 2024, a five-day event in Minneapolis that marks the 40th anniversary of Prince & The Revolution’s Purple Rain . “It’s a little strange to do those things without him there,” keyboardist Lisa Coleman softly echoed. The Revolution — Wendy, Lisa, Bobby Z.
, Brownmark and Dr. Fink – disbanded in the mid ‘80s, reunited briefly in 2012 and has been back together since 2016, the year Prince unexpectedly died at age 57. But even eight years into their reunion, it felt like the band had something to prove on Friday (June 21) night.
First Avenue was where the jaw-dropping musical sequences for 1984’s Purple Rain movie where filmed, and next Thursday (June 25) will be the 40-year anniversary of the blockbuster LP that made the Purple One an international pop star. ( Purple Rain was his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, where it reigned for 24 weeks , gave Prince the first two of his Billboard Hot 100 No.
1s, “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy,” and saw him earn biggest-selling single of 1984 with the former.) So expectations for the Revolution’s Friday (June 21) concert were high. When a screen rolled up to reveal the ready-to-roar quintet, the audience cheered (and whipped out their phones – the revolution will be televised) as the Revolution opened the night with “Let’s Go Crazy.
” Melvoin and Brownmark traded lead vocals, letting the cro.
