{"product_id":"first-avenue-minnesotas-mainroom-9781681342399","title":"First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom","description":"\u003cb\u003eWhere Prince and Minnesota made rock 'n' roll history--a glorious look back at one of rock's most storied clubs and the thousands of musicians who took the stage there.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOne of the longest running rock clubs in America, First Avenue in Minneapolis gets the rock-star treatment it deserves with this glorious celebration of a true rock 'n' roll landmark. Revised and updated through the club's 50th anniversary celebrations, the book chronicles the club's storied past--from its impressive inaugural show in April 1970 (Joe Cocker's \"Mad Dogs \u0026amp; Englishmen\" tour) up through the latest acts to take the stage at this beloved venue. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn its initial incarnation as the Depot, the club hosted music legends as varied as the Kinks, Ike and Tina Turner, Alice Cooper, and B. B. King before transforming into a disco club known as Uncle Sam's. In the '80s, First Avenue catapulted to the global stage as the hub of Prince's \u003ci\u003ePurple Rain\u003c\/i\u003e and the incubator for widely revered, wild-eyed indie-rock bands such as the Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Soul Asylum, and Babes in Toyland. During the past half-century, First Avenue and 7th Street Entry have hosted everyone from the Ramones to R.E.M., Wilco to the Wu-Tang Clan, Billy Idol to Billie Eilish, Lizz Winstead to Lizzo, and hundreds more--all immortalized in this volume. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOver the decades, First Avenue survived corporate competitors, bankruptcy, a bitter ownership battle, and most recently, a global pandemic 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. 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. Chock full of concert photos and memorabilia collected from professional photographers and average fans alike, the book is a lavish tribute to a rock 'n' roll landmark.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRiemenschneider, Chris:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cb\u003eChris Riemenschneider\u003c\/b\u003e is longtime music critic and reporter for the \u003cem\u003eStar Tribune\u003c\/em\u003e 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 the stages of the Main Room and the 7th Street Entry. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and two daughters.","brand":"Minnesota Historical Society Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50705783128338,"sku":"9781681342399","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_626fa738-d0b1-4927-9999-9507bf92a1a2.jpg?v=1760432715","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/first-avenue-minnesotas-mainroom-9781681342399","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}