Prince's backing band The Revolution to reunite for two shows

The band that helped catapult Prince to international superstardom is reuniting in his memory.

The Revolution, which backed Prince in the 1980s, will play two shows on September 2 and September 3 at First Avenue, the central Minneapolis nightclub in Minnesota where Prince and The Revolution filmed Purple Rain.

The Revolution said on Wednesday that they and the world mourned Prince "with profound loss and apocalyptic grief" after learning of his death in April.

The shows will feature Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman, BrownMark, Dr Fink, and Bobby Z, with special guests Dez Dickerson and Andre Cymone, who were Prince's sidemen early in his career.

The Revolution disbanded in 1986 but reunited for a few shows without Prince, including a 2012 benefit.