On Thursday, tribute band The Purple Xperience put on a show that even the recently deceased Prince would have approved.

Hailing from Minneapolis, The Purple Xperience gave the audience at the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center a show of funk, soul, rock and innuendo. Perhaps it helped that Matt Fink, original keyboardist of Prince and the Revolution, has given the tribute band a level of authenticity needed to reproduce a Prince experience.

It also helped having the precision of front man Marshall Charloff, who wasted no time in reminding the audience that this was indeed a Prince show. Additionally, the talent of lead guitarist Tracey Blake and bassist Ace took all those elements that Prince was known for and created a worthy adaptation.

Prince songs in the past featured numerous guest vocalists, and Charloff made up for it by finding the middle ground in the baritone range of Prince and the soprano range of the female singers that were in the original songs. Although the wardrobe and facial hair of Charloff resembles Prince’s style, the two artists differentiate in their instrumental improvisation.

Like the jam bands of the ’70s, The Purple Xperience bounced off auditory cues from one another that would extend a guitar solo, a section of simple yet funky riffs or just repeated refrains. But the end result was moving and soaring. Blake’s guitar solos made spines chill, while the funk of Ace and Fink demanded the audience to dance along.

Charloff was the center of it all. Early on, he put on a large white fur coat and sported an equally white Cloud Schecter Diamond guitar, which would sell for $15,000 today. He walked out into the crowd with a sexy strut while improvising on his shiny guitar.

Charloff was not just showing off his impressive skills, but he reminded everyone that this show was personal for everyone who loved Prince and mourned his death in April.

Classic Prince tunes played, such as “Delirious,” “1999,” “U Got the Look” and the melancholy “Purple Rain.” It was not just a show to play some Prince songs; it was a celebration and a sign of gratitude to what Prince gave to music. The best part is that Prince’s music lives on through tributes like The Purple Xperience. The artist is no longer with us, but the art remains, and tributes to art cannot be accomplished without accuracy and honor. 

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