New Purple Celebration

NEW Purple Celebration, the band formally known as Purple Rain: A Celebration of Prince, are back with a brand new name but the same “brilliantly funky,” (Basingstoke Observer) musical extravaganza celebrating the music, life and legacy of Prince. 

The band will be playing at the Cheese & Grain on Tuesday 18th December at 7.30pm.

New Purple Celebration deliver a non-stop, hit-packed show, spanning more than two hours. Described by the Basingstoke Observer as “nothing short of a huge party,” expect to see, hear and feel the hits from one of the most loved artists of all time; 1999, Little Red Corvette, Purple Rain, Kiss, Diamonds And Pearls, U Got The Look, When Doves Cry, Cream, I Wanna Be Your Lover and many more. 

A full nine-piece band, New Purple Celebration have been together for 13 years. The band is fronted by foundermember Jimi Love, and includes a horn section, backing vocals and keys. 

“An excellent night of great songs and terrific musicianship… If you’re looking for a night out, this is the show to see.” Bournemouth Echo

For tickets, contact the box office on 01373 455420 or cheeseandgrain.com 

Jimi Love says, “I’ve been into Prince since I was 10. My Godfather played me Let’s Go Crazy in his car and I was blown away by the energy… I washed so many cars to raise the £10 needed to buy Purple Rain on vinyl, my first Prince album! I loved music as a kid and thought performers like Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury were as good as it got, but Prince was in a league of his own! 

“The guy’s musical output was insane, not just the quantity, but the quality! Stuff that he would put out, almost as a throwaway track, 99% of artists would have as their main single! I spent my late teens/early 20s playing in various bands, but I never learnt any Prince stuff on guitar. I think I was a bit scared and in awe! 

“Then one November night, I was playing a gig in a covers band and we ended up jamming Purple Rain…. In the pub, later that night, I started the band. My good friend Adrian (who sadly left us a few years back) was running a venue and suggested we do a Prince night for New Year’s Eve. Cue a mad dash to find some musicians who wanted to be involved. That’s when I realised Prince was the musician’s musician! I got a band together and we had so much fun playing the songs, I decided to pursue it properly. 

“Fast forward a couple of years and we had a great band lineup and plenty of gigs under our belt. In 2008, we made a last minute dash to Dublin when Prince cancelled his Croke Park gig with 4 days’ notice. We came on stage at 10pm to a packed club full of angry fans, who had travelled anyway, it being too short notice to cancel flights and hotels, and we played until 1.30am! 

“I’ve always tried to avoid being a Prince ‘impersonator’. There was only one Prince, and he was just so far ahead of anyone as a musician and performer, to impersonate him is just an impossible task! This band has always been about playing the music in the spirit of Prince. Yes, we dress up a bit for the vibe, but we all just love jamming his songs, and introducing his music to new people…the whole thing is about our passion and love for Prince’s music. 

“Since April 21st 2016, the whole thing has taken on new meaning. Every gig is dedicated to Prince now, a celebration of all the gifts he left and the impact he had on so many lives, including mine. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to play Purple Rain without a tear in my eye again.