'It's got to take you back': Classic Albums Live plays iconic 'Purple Rain' | Things to do

LAKELAND – It’s now been eight years since “The Purple One” died, leaving a reel of renowned hit music and movies streaming far into the future.

To capture the spirit, musical arrangements and breadth of one of Prince’s most popular albums, Classic Albums Live will perform note-for-note, nuance-by-nuance Prince’s “Purple Rain.”

Classic Albums Live is a concert series based in Toronto, Ontario, in which musicians perform a classic rock album in its entirety. The series was founded in 2003 by Craig Martin, who composed music for television and film.

CAL will take “Purple Rain” to the Youkey Theatre stage at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 13.

Released June 25, 1984, “Purple Rain” was the sixth studio album for Prince, who died April 21, 2016. It was the soundtrack to the 1984 movie, “Purple Rain.” The album became Prince's first to make No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200, spending 24 consecutive weeks there, and was on the chart for 167 weeks.

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For the CAL performance, musician Wade Brown will play keyboards, a dominant instrument throughout the nine-track album featuring the hits “I Would Die 4 U,” “When Doves Cry,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” “Little Red Corvette,” “1999” and “Purple Rain,” among others.

From his home in Detroit, Brown, who also sings, said he is in his sixth year with CAL. In addition to playing with CAL, he wrote Drake’s 2019 hit “Girls Love Beyonce” and toured with him on his “Take Care” tour.

Brown said although Prince’s music is generally upbeat party music, some of his writing is deep and much more intricate and involved than it sounds on the surface.

“As much as I grew up with his music … the challenge in playing it is still there because you know the intricacies of his music. You need to know those intricacies with Classic Albums Live and you really want to hit those,” he said.

Wade said much of the CAL audiences were in their teens when “Purple Rain” first came out and the CAL goal is to replicate what they heard then in a current setting.

“We want to take on the challenge to represent the teens that were listening to that record and give those folks the complete experience of what it was like when they first heard it,” he said. “It’s got to take you back; it’s a pleasure to take them back to a certain point in their youth.”

Wade said CAL often reproduces albums that were recorded in a studio, but some of “Purple Rain” was performed live – “so we haven’t accomplished a thing if you didn’t leave with a feeling you were at a live concert hearing a great tribute to what a great artist Prince was.”

The RP Funding Center is at 701 W. Lime St., Lakeland. Tickets for “CAL: Prince – Purple Rain” are $41, parking $10. For information, see www.rpfundingcenter.com.

Polk Pride

The annual Polk Pride week continues across Lakeland with: “Pride in Faith,” 7 p.m. Thursday, June 13, Beacon Hill Fellowship, 220 W. Beacon Road; “Friday Night Pride,” 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, June 14, The Parrot, 1030 E. Main St.; “Pride in the Park,” 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 15, Munn Park, 201 E. Main St.; and “Pride After Dark,” 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, June 15, Lkld Live@Rec Room, 202 N. Massachusetts Ave. For information and details, see www.polkpridefl.org.

Beers & Bubbles

on Thursday, June 13 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Main Street Winter Haven and local breweries are hosting a craft beer and wine/champagne sampling and food event supported by more than 35 local businesses. Cost is $30 for a tasting glass and map for the self-guided event. For information, see www.mainstreetwh.com; email Meghan@mainstreetwh.com or call 863-295-9422 

At The Polk Theatre

Here's a look at what's coming up at the historic Polk Theatre, 121 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland. See www.polktheatre.org or call 863-682-7533:

• Movie – “The Flintstones,” 6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 13, $5. Rated PG.
• Movie – “Mamma Mia!” 7:30 p.m., Friday, June 14, $5. Rated PG-13.
• Movie – “Vacation,” 4 p.m., Sunday, June 16, $5. Rated R.
• Movie – "Tremors," 6:30 p.m., Monday, June 17, $5. Rated PG-13