The MN Record Show, The Hook & Ladder Theater and Zen Arcade are teaming up for another special Prince-themed indoor/outdoor summer Record Show event on Sat, August 3rd, on the heels of the 40th anniversary of Prince’s Purple Rain.

 

In addition to dozens of vintage vinyl, poster, collectibles and T-shirt vendors, we will also be featuring a couple very special guests;

 

Andrea Swensson is an author, podcast host, and music journalist in Minneapolis. She hosts the Official Prince Podcast and has contributed music journalism to numerous publications including NPR Music, Pitchfork, The Minneapolis Star Tribune, City Pages, and The Current, where she previously hosted The Local Show. Her first book, Got to Be Something Here: The Rise of the Minneapolis Sound, was released in 2017 by the University of Minnesota Press and honored with a Minnesota Book Award. This summer she is releasing two new books: Prince and Purple Rain: 40 Years and the biography Deeper Blues: The Life, Songs and Salvation of Cornbread Harris.

 

Photographer – Allen Beaulieu began his photography career in fashion doing photo shoots for local department stores.   Bernadette Anderson, mother of Andre Cymone, had some images from “Shades Of Blackness” that Allen had photographed.  Prince was living in their basement at the time, saw the photos and immediately called Allen Beaulieu for a 3-Day photo shoot.   Allen subsequently became Prince’s own personal photographer and shot album covers, record sleeve art, posters, live concerts, backstage and personal photos for Prince as he developed his career up to the rise of Purple Rain.   Allen’s iconic images are seen on the covers of “Dirty Mind”, “Controversy”, the inner sleeves of “1999” and several other iconic images including one of Allen’s personal favorites he calls “smoke” that is included here.  Allen Beaulieu’s work was published in a comprehensive book titled “Before The Rain” and also had a large gallery exhibit at the Minnesota Historical Society.  *Allen will be on-site signing prints/books from noon-2pm!