AXS TV kicked it into high gear tonight for the premiere of their Season 3 with an excellent Prince Tribute by Purple Reign at the Whisky A Go Go.

A long time ago, I tagged along with a friend to the Prince concert (if I remember correctly he was the “Artist Formerly Known As Prince” during this time)   I was more of a casual fan when I attended, but I left that show a huge fan.

At the time, that was the best concert I had ever seen.   Over the years, I have bought just about every Prince album and I have seen him in concert many times since.  He is on a completely different level when it comes to performance and musicianship.

I remember being in Las Vegas a long while back and heard a band in a casino lounge playing marvelous versions of Prince songs.      That band was Purple Reign and I knew before the show that they were truly deserving of being billed as the World’s Greatest Tribute Band.  My first thought was “”Are they going to play Darling Nikki?”

I figured it would be a rather tame set list, but fortunately, I was way wrong.    The music and the performances with his onstage dancer were quite sexy, risqué, and at times, quite arousing.   I felt like I was really at a Prince concert and I was thinking dirty thoughts while watching the show.    It brought back memories of seeing the movie “Purple Rain” when I was a little kid.

Purple Reign kicked off the show with “Let’s Go Crazy”.   The place was rocking.   It was one awesome tune after another with “Kiss”, “I Wanna Be Your Lover” and he was joined onstage with a hot dancer during Raspberry Beret.

The show was highly entertaining and an extravagant production with all the costume changes, the excellent vocals, musicianship and excellent song selection.  The crowd really came to life for the favorites “1999” and “Little Red Corvette”

Prior to the encore, the inclusion of “Jungle Love” with a Morris Day and Jerome duo was a great call.

The encore itself was fantastic.  “When Doves Cry” was incredible, “Purple Rain” rocked as purple glow sticks lit up the venue and the ended out with “I Would Die 4 U” and went off the air with the fantastic “BAby I’m A Star”.   After that, things got wild with the most NSFW tune yet on AXS TV.  It rocked and was definitely too hot for TV.  Video below.    This show was a total win.

Purple Reign  does an amazing job at paying tribute to the incredible musician currently known as Prince.    Jason Tenner does Prince so well and the rest of the band is also top notch.   I will definitely be seeking out their Vegas show the next time I am in Sin City.

Set list:

Let’s Go Crazy
Kiss
Wanna Be Your Lover
Raspberry Beret
Little Red Corvette
Poplife
1999
Jungle Love

Encore:
When Doves Cry
Purple Rain
I Would Die 4 U
Baby I’m A Star

Second Encore:
Sexy MF

http://www.axs.tv/programs/worlds-greatest-tribute-bands/

MORE PICTURES OF THE EVENT:

EVENT SLIDE SHOW (300 PICTURES)

AXS TRIBUTE ALLSTARS

OUT Front of the Whisky