The gorgeous virtuosity of the Portland Cello Project (PCP), which first took the stage in 2006 to bring classical instruments to the masses by playing pop music in unusual venues, has hit a goldmine this time around by taking on the hits of Prince in a performance titled “Purple Reign.” And with some help from former Prince contributors Saeeda Wright and Tyrone Hendrix, of course you’ll hear classics such as "When Doves Cry" and "I Would Die 4 U," which seem tailor-made for PCP’s lush orchestrations. But I’d pluck out my own eye to hear their take on the Purple One’s sexier compositions like "Darling Nikki" and "U Got the Look." I only have one two-part question: Why didn’t they do this sooner, and why can’t they keep performing this sold-out show for the rest of my life?

To purchase tickets to the 12/7 show, click here.
To purchase tickets to the 12/8 show, click here. by Wm. Steven Humphrey