- Music
- 06 Oct 16
Our Hot Press correspondent in the States has just landed in Minneapolis and she is undertaking a pilgrimage around the hallowed spots that have marked Prince's career.
"It’s not quite purple, but there’s a brilliant sunset nonetheless as I land in Minneapolis," she reports. "The city and its architecture are beautiful sites – churches, monuments, green belts, a neat infrastructure, very few high rise buildings, and everything spotlessly clean."
"It's easy to see why Prince chose the well-manicured suburb of Chanhassen as his hometown to live, and work. Superstars naturally tend to be gravity towards bright lights, often with satellite homes in tutti frutti cities such as New York, London, Paris or L.A. – perhaps to find inspiration amidst the hustle and bustle. Not so for Prince. With a population of 25,000, Chanhassen is a quiet, family-friendly town far from the maddening crowds. It's not isolated or desolate, it's normal. It's fully functional vanilla."
"First stop is First Avenue to the club where Purple Rain was filmed. Not a lot has changed since the film was shot there on July 27 1984 and, as I enter, it feels like walking onto the set of the movie. I quote the film as I wander, remembering where each character was placed. One thing that strikes me is the extraordinary use of space that was made by Prince's dancing and The Revolutions' routine. He may have been diminutive in stature but Prince made himself a giant on that platform."
"Strolling down First Avenue, there’s something for every music lover. To put it in context for Irish fans, it’s a cross between Dublin’s Whelan's and Vicar Street music venues. When I leave First Avenue and step into my taxi, the instantly recognisable live version of 'The Ballad of Dorothy Parker' greets me."
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"Onto the next stop."
Stay tuned to hotpress.com for more reports.