This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
A tribute concert in honor of Prince, who died on April 21, was held in downtown Los Angeles Friday, and featured a moving performance by Stevie Wonder singing "Purple Rain."
According to the Daily News, 5,000 Prince fans were in attendance at the tribute concert in front of downtown's City Hall, organized in part by Mayor Eric Garcetti and L.A. City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, in less than a week.
To honor the Purple One, the crowd itself was a sea of purple: people wore boas, suits, airbrushed t-shirts, satin tour jackets, and even dyed their hair in Prince's preferred hue. Signs of Prince's symbol were in abundance, and the mood was celebratory, and festive. One Prince fan, Annalisa Perez told the L.A. Times that she traveled from Colorado just to attend this event.
"I nearly missed my plane, but Prince was with me so I made it," she said. "I travel far and wide for Prince." Perez said she got a tattoo that says “Beautiful Ones," along with Prince's symbol on the day he died.
Wonder, a friend of Prince, owns the radio station KJLH 102.3, a sponsor of the event, which also featured performances from Faith Evans, Eric Benet, Aloe Blacc and gospel singer-songwriter Deitrick Haddon, who each sang a collection of Prince's greatest hits, of which there are many.
And this rogue performer played Prince songs on a drum set from the back of a truck, before police sent him away for blocking traffic. We like to think Prince would be proud!
