D’Angelo, The Roots, Elvis Costello, Bilal, Chris Rock, Bettye LaVette & more played the Prince tribute @ Carnegie Hall (pics)
by Fred Pessaro // BBG
D'Angelo / Elvis Costello + Princess / Chris Rock & more @ Carnegie Hall
Amidst a snowy midtown backdrop, Carnegie Hall generated a little heat when the Michael Dorf-produced Prince Tribute opened last night (3/7). Stacked with performers giving props to the man in purple and paisley, the lineup featured some of the same names from the previous evening's "rehearsal" at City Winery, as well as surprise appearances from names like Chris Rock and more. Backed by The Roots with guitarist Wendy Melvion (of Prince's backing band The Revolution), D'Angelo show-closing numbers "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night" / "1999" were the clear highlights of the evening, with performances from Bilal (doing "Sister" and channeling Keith Sweat circa 1990s), Bettye LaVette ("Kiss"), Sandra Bernhard ('Little Red Corvette") and Fdeluxe ("High Fashion/Mutiny") also causing impromptu aisle dances. Fun night, and it was great to see people up and out of their seats, wilding out in a buttoned-up place like Carnegie Hall.
More pics from last night including the setlist, The Waterboys, The Roots, Eric Leeds, Diane Birch, the Cardigans' Nina Perrson, DeVotchka, Bhi Bhiman, Kat Edmonson, Blind Boys of Alabama, Citizen Cope & Alice Smith, Talib Kweli, Princess (Gretchen Lieberum & Maya Rudolph) and all iterations there within, are below.
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Michael Dorf
The Waterboys
Wendy Melvion
Fred Armisen
Eric Leeds
Princess (Gretchen Lieberum & Maya Rudolph)
Diane Burch
Nina Perrson
Fdeluxe
Sandra Bernhard
Devotchka
Bhi Bhiman
Kat Edmonson
Blind Boys of Alabama
Alice Smith & Citizen Cope
Talib Kweli
BIlal
Chris Rock
Bettye LaVette
Elvis Costello
D'Angelo
PRINCE TRIBUTE SETLIST
The Waterboys - "Purple Rain"
The Roots with Eric Leeds - "One/I Wonder You"
Booker T Jones w/ Choir & Diane Birch - "Raspberry Beret"
Nina Perrson - "Nothing Compares 2 U"
Fdeluxe - "High Fashion/Mutiny"
Sandra Bernhard - "Little Red Corvette"
DeVotchka - "Mountaints"
Bhi Bhiman - "When Doves Cry"
Kat Edmonson - "The Beautiful Ones"
Blind Boys of Alabama - "The Cross"
Citizen Cope & Alice Smith - "Pop Life"
Talib Kweli - "Annie Christian"
Bilal - "Sister"
Bettye Lavette - "Kiss"
Princess - "Darling Nikki"
Elvis Costello - "Moonbeam Levels"
D'Angelo - "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night"
Ensemble - "1999"