Concerts: July 3rd, 2012 at "The Wild Boar" in Hopkins MN., & July 18, 2012 at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – Robert Rivkin, better known as Bobby Z the former drummer for Prince & The Revolution, will host two summer concerts filled with fun C lassic Rock at Its best, with his family’s band “The Rivkinz."

The band, composed of Bobby and his sons Adam, Joey and Sam, and nephew Josh will play July 3 at The Wild Boar in Hopkins, Minn. and July 18 at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis.

After surviving a near-fatal heart attack in February of 2011, Z started his own organization My Purple Heart and partnered with the American Heart Association to raise awareness about heart disease, warning symptoms and CPR. He brought The Revolution (Prince’s back-up band from the Purple Rain-era)—Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman, Brown Mark, Dr. Fink and Bobby Z—together for a rare reunion concert at First Ave in February as a benefit for the Heart Association. Z continues his mission to educate the public about heart disease with the upcoming summer concerts with his family band.

“The American Heart Association is excited to grow its partnership with Bobby Z, his family and his organization My Purple Heart,” said Barbara Ducharme, Twin Cities’ director for community health for the American Heart Association. “We appreciate the spotlight that he is shining on this prevalent, and largely preventable, disease.”

The concert on July 3, 2012 at The Wild Boar opens at 9 p.m. and tickets are $10 at the door. The concert on July 18, 2012 at 7th Street Entry, 2012, will open at 8 p.m. with local rap duo “KiDs LiKe Us” featuring Z’s cousin Eli Fhima, followed by “Hello Blue” featuring Noah Paster, son of local singer Patty Peterson, and then “The Rivkinz” will headline the event. Tickets for the July 18 concert are $20 and can be purchased online with First Ave at http://first-avenue.com.

"Playing with my family brings my recovery full circle,” said Z. "It is very surreal, and fun, and we are surprisingly good!"

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[Edited 6/28/12 12:02pm]

Very cool!