Prince announces “three-day international dance party” at Paisley Park

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To celebrate the Monday release of his new album HITNRUN, Prince has announced a “three-day international dance party” to be held at Paisley Park this coming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday—Sept. 4-6. The party is billed as “presented by Tidal,” the streaming service where the album will exclusively premiere.

On each of the three nights, the doors of the Chanhassen music mecca will open at 9:30; for a cover charge of $40, attendees will enjoy “food & beverage” (hopefully pancakes), “live music” (hopefully Prince), tunes spun by the aptly-named DJ Kiss, and “advance listening” – presumably to the new album, which debuts Monday exclusively on Tidal.

A tweet announcing the party also linked to a newly-published Medium profile of producer-performer Joshua Welton—Prince’s close collaborator on the new album, as well as a keyboardist in his band and the husband of 3RDEYEGIRL drummer Hannah Welton. Writer Smokey D. Fontaine visited Paisley Park to speak with both Welton and Prince, and the article is full of behind-the-scenes information about the making of the album and the general state of the purple union.

“Jay Z and I did a deal in 90 days,” says Prince about his relationship with Tidal and its principal owner. “He gets it.”

Update 9/3: Members of GRRRL PRTY are dropping hints that the hip-hop supergroup might be playing at Paisley Park on Friday night. “I’m super excited to be on stage at Paisley Park!” said Shannon Blowtorch on Facebook, and Lizzo tweeted the event flyer with the message “C U THERE.”

If GRRRL PRTY do play Prince’s place, it will be a return trip for Lizzo and Sophia Eris—who recorded their contributions to the Prince/3RDEYEGIRL song “Boy Trouble” at Paisley Park. 3RDEYEGRRRLPRTY? In the Purple Palace, anything can happen.

Meanwhile, Leeds/Peterson Music have announced that they’re playing Paisley Park on Saturday night at 10:30. The group is led by longtime Prince saxophonist Eric Leeds and St. Paul Peterson, a keyboardist best known for being a member of the Time.