First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom

He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and two daughters. He has been attending shows and events at First Avenue for decades and has rubbed elbows with the great and not-so-great who have graced the stages of the Main Room and the 7th Street Entry. About the Author Chris Riemenschneider is longtime music critic and reporter for the Star Tribune and has contributed articles to a wide variety of newspapers and music publications.

One of the longest running clubs in American rock 'n' roll—and most recognizable venues in Minnesota—First Avenue in Minneapolis finally gets the rock-star treatment it deserves in print. Amidst all that history, the book is interlaced with anecdotes, quotes, and occasionally cloudy memories from musicians, employees, and regulars—many of whom are as unique as the club itself. More recently, it survived corporate competitors, bankruptcy, and a bitter ownership battle to become one of the most successful independent clubs in the country and ground zero to Minneapolis's thriving community of hip-hop and indie-rock acts. In the 1980s, it earned global attention as the hub of Prince's "Purple Rain" and the incubator for widely revered, wild-eyed indie-rock bands such as the Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Soul Asylum, and Babes in Toyland. Chock full of concert photos and memorabilia collected from professional photographers and average fans alike, the book is a lavish celebration of a rock 'n' roll landmark.. This book chronicles the club's storied past, beginning with its impressive inaugural show in April 1970 (Joe Cocker's "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" tour) and through its oft-maligned disco era of the late 1970s

. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and two daughters. Chris Riemenschneider is longtime music critic and reporter for the Star Tribune and has contributed articles to a wide variety of newspapers and music publications. He has been attending shows and events at First Avenue for decades and has rubbed elbows with the great and not-so-great who have graced