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Calgarian pays tribute to Prince at Minneapolis club where he filmed Purple Rain

Danielle Nerman | CBC News | Posted: April 22, 2016 6:00 PM | Last Updated: April 22, 2016

Rain poured down at First Avenue as fans said farewell to the legendary musician

Image | Lisa Jacobs at Purple Rain nightclub

Caption: On the day Prince died, Calgary bass player Lisa Jacobs had a brief layover in Minneapolis — so she made a hasty trip to the First Avenue nightclub where Purple Rain was filmed. (Lisa Jacobs)

It didn't hit her until they started playing Purple Rain over the intercom at the LaGuardia Airport.
That's when Lisa Jacobs lost it.
"I just burst into tears," said the bass player about her emotional reaction yesterday to the death of Prince.
Jacobs was minutes away from boarding a flight home to Calgary from New York City — a flight that just happened to be stopping in Minneapolis.
"I had a one-and-a-half-hour layover. So I jumped on a train."
Her destination was the historic First Avenue nightclub, the setting for Prince's 1984 movie Purple Rain.
Jacobs said the moment she got off the train the skies opened.
"It just started pouring."
Mobile app users can see video tribute to Prince at First Avenue nightclub here(external link).
She said the weather fit the mood of the city and the hundreds of fans loitering "quietly" outside — leaving behind cards, flowers, balloons and even a guitar.

Image | First Avenue Night Club

Caption: Throughout his career, Prince performed many times at the First Avenue nightclub in Minneapolis — the setting for his 1984 film Purple Rain. (Lisa Jacobs)

Image | First Avenue nightclub Prince

Caption: On the day of his death, Prince fans paid their respects outside the historic First Avenue nightclub in Minneapolis where he filmed his 1984 rock drama Purple Rain. (Lisa Jacobs)

Champion for female musicians

Jacobs, who tours with Calgary musicians Michael Bernard Fitzgerald and Jocelyn Alice, will remember Prince as a champion for female musicians everywhere.
"Rhonda Smith was the first female bass player I ever saw," she said.
Smith(external link), who hails from Halifax, played alongside Prince for more than a decade.
Prince employed and helped build the careers of many talented women such as percussionist Shelia E(external link). and singer Andy Allo(external link).

Image | Lisa Jacobs

Caption: Prince always had 'tons of incredible female musicians in his band,' says Calgary bass player Lisa Jacobs. (Alex Lam)

Jacobs calls him a huge inspiration and feels lucky to have caught one of his more intimate Calgary performances.
After playing the Saddledome in 2011, Prince put on a late-night show for fans at the Japanese restaurant Ki.
"And he starts playing The Most Beautiful Girl In the World, and I swear he's staring at me — singing," Jacobs told the Calgary Eyeopener(external link) on Friday.
"And he had sunglasses on so I'm 90 per cent sure he was looking at me."

Media Audio | Calgary Eyeopener : Remembering Prince

Caption: Three Calgary musicians share their personal memories of Prince, the legendary musician who died on Thursday at the age of 57.

Open Full Embed in New Tab (external link)Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage.
With files from the Calgary Eyeopener(external link)

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