‘Purple Rain’ world premiere afterparty at First Ave draws VIPs and music stars

On one hand, it felt like an average night at Minneapolis’ venerable rock club from over its past 40 years. The DJ spun a lot of Prince songs. Bartender Pete Rasmussen was working his upstairs post. Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum was there just hanging out.

But there were other indicators it was a very different kind of night around First Avenue on Wednesday, when the venue that helped birth Prince’s 1984 “Purple Rain” movie and album hosted the afterparty for opening night of the Broadway-bound musical based on those iconic works.

Attendees gathered around purple-tableclothed cocktail tables. Servers walked around with trays of toasted steak crostini and caprese skewers. Free copies of Andrea Swensson’s book “Prince and Purple Rain: 40 Years” were handed out at the door. The Prince star on the wall outside the venue was transformed into an official selfie station with lights and a purple carpet under it.

Wednesday’s party was a VIP-style affair hosted by producers of “Purple Rain: The Musical” and Hennepin Arts, which operates the State Theatre (two blocks from First Ave) where the ambitious production is being staged for the first time. The musical had its official premiere Wednesday after three weeks of preview shows at the State.

Most of the Broadway-seasoned cast made it to the afterparty. They didn’t sing, but many of them did get onstage and dance behind DJ Rashida, a Prince-endorsed regular at his Paisley Park complex in Chanhassen.

The easily recognizable actor who plays Prince’s character the Kid in the musical, Miami-based newcomer Kris Kollins, happily posed for selfies with partygoers — something Prince himself never did.

Looking relieved and content after the opening-night show, the actor who plays the Revolution’s drummer Bobby in the musical, Gían Pérez, said he and other cast members had been given a private tour of First Ave during rehearsals.

The real-life drummer for Prince’s Revolution, Bobby Z — who’s serving as a music adviser for the production — was also at the party with his wife, Vicki Rivkin, whom he met 42 years earlier at First Ave. Bobby (the real one) said he was happy to see the musical’s cast going just a little bit crazy on the same stage where he sat behind Prince as they played the song “Purple Rain” live to tape, the recording that wound up being used for the movie and soundtrack.

“Those kids have been working so incredibly hard to get this thing right,” he said, also singing the praises of another party attendee, the show’s music director Jason Michael Webb. “He’s done some amazing things with the music.”

At least one other member of Prince’s musical family made it to the afterparty, NPG keyboardist Tommy Barbarella. Members of his actual family stopped in, too, including sister Sharon Nelson and nephew President Nelson.

Several younger Twin Cities musicians who’ve played at First Ave in recent years also made the shindig, including Motion City Soundtrack frontman Justin Pierre, Atmosphere hip-hop DJ Ant and Gully Boys drummer/singer Nadirah McGill — all of whom gave it a thumbs-up. Other local music stars spotted in attendance at the State performance included the Suburbs’ Chan Poling and blues/folk mainstay Charlie Parr.

Prince’s own music remained the star attraction at the party. DJ Rashida picked tunes from throughout his 38-year recording canon, including, of course, many heard reinterpreted earlier that night at the State.