Purple Reign - The Prince Tribute

This show was reviewed in the May 2017 LVA; some of the information contained in this review may no longer be accurate.

 

Now here’s a show that’s been kicking around Vegas for a while. After honing his act in local bars, then playing the little rooms at Hooters, the D, and assorted Station Casinos for the better part of two decades, Jason Trenner’s Prince tribute has made it to the big room at the Westgate.

 

Trenner looks like Prince, sounds like Prince, and acts like Prince. Good start. In fact, the start is where this show excels, coming right out of the box with “Let’s Go Crazy,” then following with more Prince classics like “Kiss, “When Doves Cry,” and “1999.” Yep, that’s why we came. But suddenly the show takes a 90-degree turn into the movie Purple Rain. Now it’s no longer Prince, but different performers portraying Morris Day and Jerome. It’s not “Little Red Corvette,” but “Jungle Love” and “The Bird” from The Time. Then “Nasty Girl” from Vanity 6 and “Sex Shooter” from Apollonia 6. If you’re a Purple Rain fanatic or into the nostalgia, you won’t mind the detour. But if you were expecting a nonstop Prince-fest, this segment takes the air out of the show and it begins to feel like the hour-and-a-half revue is about a half-hour too long.

 

All considered, you still get a darn good Prince fix delivered by talented performers with a four-man backing band playing live in a theater that was absolutely made for live concerts. Then there’s the value. The lowest ticket isn’t that low, but you can get twofer deals everywhere, including our Member Rewards Book. Is the show worth $35 on a 2-for-1 deal? Without question! You’ll get that much back in the first 30 minutes.

 

The Good: When it’s Prince, it rocks—strong musicianship and a sweet party vibe. Good value with a twofer.

 

The Bad: When it’s Morris, Jerome, etc., it drags.

 

The Downer: Yes, of course they play “Purple Rain,” but in the finale, where if comes off as a melancholic downer.