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Prince Fest 2008 to party like it’s 1999
June 7, 2008 will mark Princes’ 50th birthday. That’s right, the soulful R&B funkster who brought us “Purple Rain,” made being short cool (he was once featured as one of Maxim’s “25 Greatest Short Dudes”) and eating meatless hot (he was voted the “world’s sexiest vegetarian” in a PETA online poll) is turning 50. And while June is a while off, there are many opportunities to celebrate early.
Newport Kentucky’s Southgate House, 25 E. Third St., will be having Prince Fest 2008 on Sat., March 1 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Covers from 17 bands playing from the catalog of the High Priest of Pop? Should be “Joy In Repitition.”
Go to www.princefest.com for more. And while we’re on the subject of covers, a new album out, “Controversy” features 12 covers by names like the soulful D’Angelo, dance floor grooves from Osunlade and reggae from the Dynamics. Although I can’t recommend the whole disc, there are several great covers here worth sampling, adding to a roster of tunes from other acts that have covered his Purpledom over the years including artists as diverse as George Clinton, Ani Difranco, Sinead O’Connor, Foo Fighters, The Replacements and Patti Smith — There’s even a Web page devoted to keeping track of them all — although it’s not completely up-to-date.
Still, nothing beats the real thing, especially if it’s been a while since your last visit. While we’re on the subject, what’s your favorite Prince song and Prince cover? I’ll start … I love all of his songs, but right now am feeling like a bit of “Controversy” and for me nothing beats Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U.”
