Watch Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Purple Rain’ Cover at Brooklyn Concert

Bruce Springsteen paid tribute to Prince by opening up his Brooklyn concert Saturday night with a poignant cover of the late icon’s 1984 classic, “Purple Rain.” While Nils Lofgren delivered a searing stab at the song’s distinct guitar solo, Springsteen sang and the crowd chanted along with the track’s chorus. After early cell phone footage surfaced, there’s now professional video of the powerful performance. On Monday, the song became available as a free download, with the E Street Band performing it again at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

Since Prince’s death at the age of 57 on Thursday, April 21st, there’s been a huge outpouring of emotion and many others have performed covers of his hits – including “Nothing Compares 2 U,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” “Raspberry Beret” and “Diamonds and Pearls” – to celebrate his life.

As noted earlier, the “Purple Rain” performance marked the third time the E Street Band honored a rock giant who died in 2016 with an onstage tribute. Earlier this year, they performed covers of David Bowie’s “Rebel Rebel” and Glenn Frey’s signature Eagles cut “Take It Easy.”