Culture Queue

This week, we’re paying tribute to a Minnesotan institution. The venue that is synonymous with Minneapolis nightlife, and a place that helped distinguish the city’s thriving music scene. I’m of course talking about First Avenue. The famous venue has had quite the identity crisis over the last 45 years. It was a bus station turned club called The Depo, which was later changed to the whimsically patriotic Uncle Sam’s, then just Sam’s and finally, on New Year’s Eve 1981, First Avenue as we know and love it was born. Thousands of bands have graced First Ave’s stage, with many of them earning a place on their exterior wall of stars. We went to find out the secrets behind the venue and what it takes to turn nights of crowds, bands and booze into a business.