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Photos: Prince fans gather outside First Avenue for Memorial Street Party

deM atlaS performs at the First Avenue Memorial Dance Party on April 22, 2017. All photos by Nate Ryan | MPR.
deM atlaS performs at the First Avenue Memorial Dance Party on April 22, 2017. All photos by Nate Ryan | MPR.

by Cecilia Johnson

April 22, 2017

A year and a day after Minnesotans flocked to First Avenue to mourn the news of Prince's death, 7th Street in Minneapolis is filled with fans once again. The Current and First Avenue have teamed up to stage a Memorial Block Party to honor Minnesota's brightest star, and the party is going strong as locals like Proper-T ("The Beautiful Ones," "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?"), deM atlaS ("Let's Go Crazy," "Little Red Corvette") perform the hits (and B-sides).

The MB Band (NPG drummer Michael Bland, Mint Condition bassist Ricky Kinchen, keyboardist/vocalist Ryan, and guitarists Jeremy Ylvisaker and Homer O'Dell of Mint Condition) worked as a house band all night, accompanying vocalists as they tag-teamed mini-sets. Between performances, DJ Sophia Eris, DJ Shannon Blowtorch, and the Larkin Dancers kept the audience moving.

Update: After the outdoor show ended at 10 p.m., the party moved inside for a ticketed First Avenue dance party that will last until 4 a.m.

Setlist

Prairie Fire Lady Choir — Megamix

Claire de Lune — Nothing Compares 2 U

PaviElle — Pop Life, Take Me With U

Curtiss A — When You Were Mine

Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum) — I Wish U Heaven, The Cross

Proper-T — The Beautiful Ones, How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore?

Ed Bok Lee — "Will of a Prince"

Taiyon J. Coleman — poem

OneGunn & Tony Christian (of Maserati) — D.M.S.R., Kiss, She's Always In My Hair

deM atlaS — Let's Go Crazy, Little Red Corvette

Mark Mallman — Raspberry Beret, Delirious

Kerry Alexander (Bad Bad Hats) — I Feel For You

Adam Levy (The Honeydogs) — Soft And Wet, ?, Darling Nikki

Jack Brass Band — 7

Julius Collins — Let's Work, Sometimes It Snows In April, Uptown

Jack Brass Band — ?

Maria Isa — Sign O The Times, 1999

Julius Collins — Purple Rain

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Curtiss A outside First Avenue, April 2017 (Nate Ryan/MPR)
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Michael Bland performs at the Memorial Street Party outside of First Avenue on April 21, 2017 (Nate Ryan/MPR)
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Julius Collins performs at the Memorial Street Party outside First Avenue in Minneapolis, April 22, 2017. (Nate Ryan/MPR)
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Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment
This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.