I've seen some amazing shows here at the historic First Avenue. However, the space itself leaves much to be desired. It gets extremely hot, sound quality is not great, bathroom access is challenging, and it's just super crowded. Standing so long, if you get there for the opener, is really hard on the feet. There's almost no seating in the whole venue. Every time I'm there, at least one person passes out and has to be taken away. Make sure you drink enough water and are healthy enough for a very hot, stand on your feet evening. read more

First Avenue - The back door of the bathroom - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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A true Minnesota legend! I highly recommend everyone see at least one show here. The place is small and gets packed but the energy is infectious! Standing room only although if you get there early enough you maybe able to snag a spot on the wall which offers great views if you are short like me! The sound is loud so you may want to bring earplugs if that sort of thing bothers you. Tickets are usually very reasonably priced and the drinks are standard concert prices. read more

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I spent quite some time looking at all the stars on the outside walls of First Avenue. The Reverend Horton Heat also played a show on a Wednesday night the week I was there. read more

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If you haven't visited this iconic spot in Minneapolis- than are you really a Minnesotan??? Been here a few times for various concerts/ events-great venue , sound system great Bathrooms -1/10 get dirty real quick, not sure where the staff are to clean up Bartenders are heavy on the alcohol so watch your drinking! read more

First Avenue - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I have not been here since before Covid. Thought I would catch one of my fave bands, Minus the Bear. Well the experience was great. Tiz were about $60 a person. Which is a bargain these days. Audio was reasonably good and they put on a great show. It filled up as it should. These guys are great. The opening act was pretty enjoyable too. read more

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First Avenue is dark, downtown and delightful. It's intimate (small) inside. But also large and spacious. If the first bar you see has a line or a wait, there is a bar to the right and more bar and beverage service upstairs. The view from upstairs is pretty good, close and as good as anywhere except the front few rows. We saw a SUBURBS show, in 2025, and it was an excellent experience. No onsite parking but a zillion nearby lots and ramps. Or take the light rail. The stars, the ones with the band names painted on the wall are outside (some inside too) and a must see when visiting Minneapolis. read more

First Avenue - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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What a great venue! It's pretty much standing room only, so you can find an awesome spot pretty much everywhere if you show up early enough. There's ample and affordable parking on the adjacent lot and also in any of the many lots within walking distance if you're not super into taking your chances looking for street parking. I was super impressed with the staff--efficient as heck! Even though the line for entry was already wrapped halfway around the building when I arrived shortly after doors opened, I was in within a few minutes. I was also super impressed with their selection of beverages--they have some absolutely excellent NA beers. I love to see it. Add in easily available earplugs, clean and spacious bathrooms (no wait!), and this may be my new favorite venue for music. read more

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Five for Shaboozey And big fat one for First Ave Washes out to three My first time here in quite a few years. Used to be way more fun. Can't believe they made this an all ages show. Half of his songs are about drinking! Being all ages, they only had alcohol on the second floor where you are packed in like sardines. Think I saw two, maybe three, kids with their parents. Why kill everybody else's vibe for some parents who should have left their crotchdroppings at home with the babysitter? Worst of all, on the second floor where you can get a drink, you are not allowed to bring it into the bathroom. Just beyond stupid and lame! Great show, though! Hope to see him again at some place that is not so assbackwards. read more

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​Extremely disappointed with First Avenue. As a loyal patron who has been coming here for years, I was kicked out last night and repeatedly lied to about why--getting completely different excuses from staff members. Security was on an absolute power trip with zero accountability or professionalism. Neither I nor my friends will ever return. Unacceptable way to treat long-time supporters. read more

The happiest place on Earth except when my friend got drunk and I had to take care of her so we missed SPOON before they came on stage. Seen so many people here... Devotchka, MIA, Metric, Lykke Li, Dave Chappelle, the XX, Polica, and just soo many more. A fav aand such an iconic and historical venue. 7th St Entry is also a great intimate space. We love 1st Ave. read more

This was a drive by visit, and I took a few pics... would love one day to actually go to a concert at this location. First Avenue is Minneapolis' historic nightclub, made famous by Prince's Purple Rain shot in 1983. First Avenue opened in a former Greyhound Bus terminal in downtown Minneapolis on April 3, 1970. Originally called The Depot, the club brought in prominent national acts. Prince often performed at First Avenue along with other popular artist. Don't forget to see the gold Prince star on the outside of building. Silver stars commemorated key artists who had played at First Avenue. Prince Rogers Nelson died of on April 21, 2016. Its worth a stop if you get a chance to visit Minneapolis. read more

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First Avenue one of the co-stars of the movie Purple Rain made famous by Prince in the movie Purple Rain. TBH this venue is great for live music or even dance parties, but the movie Purple Rain put it on the map. I may have never seen Prince perform here and had never even been inside of here until after Prince passed away, but since 2017 I have been to a couple of dance parties and seen a couple of shows, all Prince related including seeing The Revolution here on the 40th anniversary of the movie Purple Rain. It's nice to see some of the artists who have performed here over the years on the stars outside on the wall. Great that they also moved The Revolution's star next to the Prince star. Go see a show here when you get a chance. read more

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I finally got to see First Avenue up close and personal during the Prince Celebration. It was packed and everyone was cool and enjoying the concert and DJ was awesome, as we danced and sang Prince songs. Nostalgic. Friendly people from the front door to the dance floor. It was walking distance from our hotel, so the perfect spot. To see all the names of musicians on the wall was EPIC!!! An amazing time was had!!! read more

First Ave is a classic, timeless must-see venue in Minneapolis. Go for live music, fabulous dance parties, local talent and an atmosphere unlike any other. Expect standing room only, very limited parking. read more

We've been to first Ave a few times. Went again last night for a show. I love this place. The bartenders are great and the space is awesome. It's mostly standing, and the venue is big enough and has a set up that even when it's crowded you can usually find a spot where you can see the stage. I will always be willing to go to here and hear some live music. definitely a Minneapolis staple. read more

One of the great music venues of all time!! Great sound as always and your so close to the action. Drinks are reasonably priced and it's in the heart of Minneapolis. Plenty of parking ramps nearby. Love the Minnesota music scene!! read more

First Avenue - a group of people on stage - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I traveled from Kansas City to knock two items off my bucket list: seeing Paul Weller in concert and attending a show at First Avenue. I watched the PBS documentary of the history of First Avenue, so I would have a deeper appreciation of the space when I arrived. Standing in line has never been such a cool experience since you can see the artists stars that have played there over the decades. After we entered we had a decision to make; get down on the floor for a close up experience or secure a railing on the balcony. We chose the railing - clear siteline, and next to a bar and restrooms. The looping videos pre-show and intermission were interspersed with ads for upcoming shows for First Avenue and their sister venues as well as clips and pics from past concerts. The sound was great and of course Paul Weller put on show that rocked the packed space. I'm so glad that I bought the tickets and built a vacation around this show. read more

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I think it's taken me so long to write this review because I couldn't come up with the words. In fact, I wish I could just make a playlist that would describe this place! But I know I have to use my words for this review. This is such a magical place! I've seen only amazing shows here, from bands before they made it big, to local rappers, comedians like Dave Chapelle and those who are never too cool to do a small hometown show! I've had many birthdays here and gone backstage or met the band after the show because of it. I've stood in line waiting forever to get in and get a front of stage spot, a drink, the bathroom and coatcheck! It's all part of the experience! Definitely go here for a show, enjoy the smaller intimate experience, and walk away with great memories of this iconic place! read more

Can't ask for much more in a local concert venue. I've also never seen so many bars in a venue this size. No need to ever wait in a line to get another drink mid show which is awesome. Will definitely be back! read more

This iconic venue has been on my bucket list for many years and I was not let down. The staff was amazing in their service and quite knowledgeable in First Avenue's rich history - read more

Awesome vibe, had a great time. Knowing that parts of Purple Rain was filmed there was an added plus. read more

I made sure to add First Avenue to my list of places to visit while here in Minneapolis. This is where the late great Prince made his first performance. First Avenue was also feature in the movie "Purple Rain" The outside mural is painted in black with stars of everyone who performed at this venue. Of course there is a Big Gold Star with Prince's name. It was such a pleasure for me to be standing in front of this venue. This is where so many legends have walked through the doors to perform their greatest hit songs. The history of some of the greatest performances who grace the stage at First Avenue. read more

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First Avenue is my favorite venue, full stop. The bookings (at the full family of venues) rule, bands seem happy to play there, and the experience -- from the sound to the staff -- is excellent. I wish there was a better ticket provider than AXS, but so it goes. Having lived in places where a dominant booking entity uses their power for ill, it's great to have a genuinely independent outfit as an option. I'm posting to note how much I like the membership program, since there's a weirdly negative review about that. This is my first year as a gold member, and it's been terrific. The free-for-member shows is a great way to discover new acts; the free tickets for the various venues has worked well for me (occasionally a show becomes a free show, and then I get to use the credits for another show, so win-win), and the online community is fun. The fact that incredibly high demand shows are sometimes hard to get tickets for seems like an odd complaint. When I went to use my last couple of tickets for the Mainroom the other day, there were a *ton* of shows available for tickets between now and the end of the year. The program isn't pitched as a way to somehow get into every show you might want to go to or to cut the line, and that's not what it is. What it is, is great. I'll be renewing. read more

I'm in love with First Ave. I've never been before but my favorite band, Walk the Moon, was in town and I had to go. I was nervous about parking but there are so many ramps nearby that it wasn't a problem. They also have a coat check. They'll check your bags for free but coats are $5 so bring a bag that can fit your coat to save money But the venue itself is so amazing. I was four rows away from the stage and I didn't get there super early (maybe an hour ahead). I'd recommend bringing ear plugs for sure but I had an amazing time and I hope to visit again soon. read more

First Avenue - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This review is strictly for their membership program. The rest of my review still stands, but my overall consideration of First Avenue has gone down a bit because of this. Probably 3-4 stars overall. Their gold membership program costs $200+ and almost seems worth it considering that you get two tickets to a fine line show, two tickets to a turf club show, and two tickets to a first avenue show. This is a bait and switch fraud because they don't mention that members can't get tickets to the shows that you want to. It's practically impossible to get those "member tickets" to a show that you actually want to see. They limit the number of tickets so much that members can get and any of the good ones are sold out practically immediately. Then you're left with free tickets to shows that you would not have wanted to go to anyways. There will be shows that don't ever sell out which are "sold out" to members. The membership also includes other "member shows" some of which are okay to good. It's generally the stuff that First Avenue hasn't sold very well and want to get more people into. Some of those shows were good and it is a good way to see lots of new music. The regular membership includes that and costs much less than the gold membership. The gold membership is a bait and switch rip off. read more

This is always a great venue. I always park in the lot across from Target Field and walk a couple blocks. $20 and typically easy to get in and out of when attending concerts at First Ave. Sometimes lines can be long, so we generally will grab a drink nearby and get in around show time. You can view the main stage from pretty much anywhere. The balcony is a cool spot if you get there early enough. read more

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Great legendary venue for mid sized artists. Staff is usually pretty quick and adamant about getting people in and keeping everything running well. The venue itself is nice and has an easy layout to maneuver. My main issue is the staff almost never explains which side the lines should be on and how to differentiate VIP and regular lines along with the 1st Ave line and the 7th St line read more

First Avenue - KILLER MIKE - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Just saw OsamaSon there on April 11 and had a great time. Place was clean, sound was good and parking was as expected.

Wow this place did not fail to impress. An absolutely incredible and legendary intimate place to see your favorite band. Excellent prices drinks, clean restrooms, super friendly staff, the sound and stage are incredible and easy to see from anywhere. Can't wait to come back. read more

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I had a great return trip to First Avenue last night! I'm always amazed and pleased at what great crowds this venue seems to draw. It is truly a must-see in the Minnesota music scene and I am lucky to have it so close! The staff was all on their A-game even with the event being sold-out. We had to wait about 10-15 minutes to get in but the wait is easy, especially with being able to admire all the stars of the past bands who have played. It was simple and straightforward to get ID checked, ticketed, metal detected, and into the venue. With it being a busy evening the only real plug up I noticed was the line to the merch table (wrapped a semi-circle around the venue). The bars were providing fast service with a good variety of spirits and beer available for very reasonable concert prices ($9-$10 a beer). We had the first avenue beer and a brew by Surly and enjoyed them both! At this particular event they also had a server walking through the crowd during the set which was such a fun and convenient way to buy a beer during the show when neither of us would've walked away to get one - I hope they continue to do this! I can't wait to see another show here soon! read more

First Avenue - Waiting in line to enter the venue! - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

It's a really small, but with really great experiences. I love this place. This has everything like a bar and concerts. Recommend it! read more

First Avenue - Stuff - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Without a doubt the best place to see a concert in the Twin Cities. Staff is great, you have a decent view from most places, and everyone is generally pretty friendly. Plus, the Depot next door has great food that you can get right before so you don't need to walk too far or move your car. Worth checking out! read more

Awesome concert venue! It's standing room only on the main floor (there are a few tables near the back, but you cannot see the stage from there). No need to get there super early because there's hardly a bad spot to see the stage (aside from the tables I just mentioned)... that is, unless somebody super freaking tall stands directly in front of you and blocks your view like a human eclipse, or someone decides to stand in directly in your line of sight with their S.O. and proceed to make out as you're trying to watch the show. Not that either of these incidents happened to me several times during the show I went to see... There's additional seating available on the upper level as well, with an equally amazing view of the stage.There are also multiple bars in the venue, so you never have to wait too long for a drink. The sound system is fantastic, and small venues like this are my absolute favorite kinds of places to see artists perform. They're almost close enough to touch and the interaction between the artists and fans is so much more electric and energetic. (Plus, you get much better pics and videos of the artists!) I had to knock off a star because it is a pain in the ass to buy tickets online if you have an out-of-state billing address. I am in town on business and staying at a nearby hotel, so I'm technically "local", but the website automatically populates/retains 'Minnesota' in the "state" field where payment/billing address info is entered, and users receive an incoherent error message if they try to process a transaction with any other state information entered. Since I was "out of state", they wanted to charge me an extra few bucks to pick up my ticket at Will-Call (which is actually NOT a ticket at all, but rather a guy checking your name off of a list) instead of printing my own for free. Why do I have to be in-state to print my ticket? There are printers outside of Minnesota. And I didn't even get a ticket stub at "will call" to keep as a memento so wtf am I actually paying for? . read more

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so many one-of-a-kind, unforgettable events!!!! it's a piece of msp history-- i don't know what else to say, the ambiance even alone-- service, well, your typical super busy, popular music venue bar busy-ness-- be realistic! haha - don't know if i've ever attempted a food offer just to cover that base honestly, but still-- do.it. :p read more

After pre-ordering tickets staff members out front turned us away from an 18+ event because one of our group, who is 45, had a license that had expired. We drove 2 hours to see Mr. Bungle and had to turn around and drive home because staff could not make an appropriate decision to determine that a 45 year old guy was over the age of 18. It was heartbreaking. We had been looking forward to this concert for months. It would have been my first time in First Ave and my first time seeing Mike Patton but I wasn't going in without my best friend. read more

First Ave is a must visit if you are able to see a show if not just doing a photo op is great. I've been to First Ave for both concert and dance/drag parties. Going to many venues you learn the quirks of the space. First Ave is pretty spacious, the bathrooms are pretty decent too, and drinks are a bit more than what you expect at a restaurant. If you ever see a Flip Phone event at First Ave, you know that it will be a good time. Good music and good vibes. Tickets for the most part will be sold out. First Ave tends to bring amazing talent as it a legendary space as Price has played at this venue. So once again if you are able to visit, please do! read more

I've had good experiences here since I was young. I was able to bring my kids to a concert recently and we had a great time! Organized and pleasant staff. read more

They use AXS for ticket sales. They cancelled a show I have tickets for. When they rescheduled it for 6 months later, AXS sent one email which I didn't happen to read. By the time they sent the second email telling me the new date, the 30 day window for refunds was closed. Meaning, while they still have six months to go before the show, they will not give me a refund after they cancelled the show I have tickets to because I didn't ask during the 30 day window. I will not buy tickets to First Ave in the future, this is not how a reputable business works, it is down right scammy. read more

I love this place! I really only ever moved to this city because of the movie Purple Rain & Prince. So seeing any live band or just dancing in this space is joyful. The long history, the various artists (listed in stars on the outside of the building), the huge space to soak in music! Now I've tried to sample it all. Live bands and even DJ's for dancing. I've never had a bad time. Now I'm pretty short and I've sat and stood all over the building to get different experiences. If you prefer to sit get in line extra early to grab a table in the balcony or sit on the ledge on the left side of the building. Dancing anywhere on the lower level is good. And always stop and take it all in up in the balcony as you walk to the restrooms. Soak in that history and nostalgia! The Depot is a great place to grab food before your concert. Plus check out shows at the 7th Street entry for up and comers. Nice intimate setting. Go crazy! read more

First Avenue - Jeremy Messersmith June 2017 - Music Venues Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Amazing how they managed to build a venue where it's basically impossible to see the stage from anywhere at all if the venue isn't basically empty. read more