Stone in 1985 that previously “you’d be your- In 2004, Fingerhut’s ownership culminated for several years by Dayna, who took over the self, and you’d feel comfortable,” but that now in bankruptcy, and Byron teamed with Mc- business to keep it independent after Byron “it felt a little strange.” Clellan and Meyers to buy the club. suffered a stroke in 2009. But the “Purple Rain” glow faded, and First The acquisition “happened at a real auspi- “What would Prince want right now?” she Avenue soldiered on, attracting the biggest cious time,” Kranz says. “Nobody wanted to recalls the First Avenue team thinking. “He names in alt-rock, hip-hop, R&B, world music, go through bankruptcy again. We were like, would want people dancing, and he would and more in the late ’80s and ’90s. ‘How can we merge the freewheelin’, rock ’n’ want them dancing all night, because that’s As the new millennium approached, howev- roll office with some actually good business what he loved. We had people flying in from er, First Avenue began to change once again. sense and run this thing the right way?’ That’s Chicago: they’d land at midnight, they’d “When we first started there, they would what Byron was definitely able to bring in.” dance from 1 to 5 a.m., and then they’d get have dance nights most nights,” says talent When Kranz and others suggested “more of back on a plane and fly back. It was unbeliev- buyer Sonia Grover who, like Kranz, has a concert-forward approach as opposed to re- able that we were able to put that on.” worked at First Avenue since 1998. lying on dance nights,” Byron listened, and as The parties speak to First Avenue’s centrali- Kranz’s first time at the venue was for one the strategy proved financially beneficial, he ty in Twin Cities culture, which has helped the such event, in the early ’90s, and they were directed the money into improving the venue. venue acquire several local venues, including an institution — but one that fundamentally “We had the talented staff, we had the great Minneapolis’ Fine Line and St. Paul’s Turf influenced First Avenue’s role in nightlife. location, we had the historic club, we had started Club and Palace Theatre, while booking gigs Because the dance nights began at 10 p.m., to learn how to run a business, but we were also at several others, such as Northrup Auditori- hard-ticket shows had to be done by about in a woefully outdated building that had had 30 um and Cedar Cultural Center. The concept 9:30, forcing early start times. years of deferred maintenance,” Kranz says. for a 10,000-capacity open-air community “People were accustomed to it, both con- The decade was a prosperous one and even performing arts center at Minneapolis’ Upper certgoers and agents, but that doesn’t mean included Prince’s return to the venue. Days Harbor Terminal, to be operated by First Ave- everyone loved it,” says Grover. When once before the Purple One played Target Center nue, was approved by the City Council in 2019. “insane” dance night attendance numbers across the street on July 7, 2007, his team got Pollstar Boxoffice reports over the last 36 declined, it necessitated a change. in touch with First Avenue about an aftershow months for the main room show an average Kranz, Grover and their peers identified — his first performance at the club since 1987. 1,107 tickets sold and gross of $23,442. the need for a fresh strategy as First Avenue The show came to fruition, but as he was “It’s all been really natural and organic,” underwent one of its biggest changes to date: wont to do, Prince arrived in the wee hours Dayna says. “Whatever stage the artist is at, Dayna’s father, Bryon, who had worked with of the morning, and the police shut the show whatever kind of room or type of room they the club’s management since the ’80s as a down early. want, we want to be able to help them.” financial adviser, helped Fingerhut purchase “Our production person was just like, ‘Yeah, Adds Grover: “We love being involved every the venue outright from Mann, who had I saw the setlist. He would’ve gone for a couple step of the way. We want to develop the band served as lessor for three decades. more hours at least,’” Grover says. in the market.” Byron immediately set about modernizing The debacle led First Avenue to negotiate a The coronavirus crisis has complicated mat- the venue’s facilities and practices — “Some standing after-hours agreement with the city ters for First Avenue, which like most venues of the things that old rock clubs didn’t always known as the Prince Permit, allowing the club throughout the country has seen business dry aspire to,” says Kranz with a laugh — but all-night operation should the Minnesota leg- up. But Dayna expects the venue to emerge Fingerhut quickly forced him out following a end perform there again. While it wasn’t used stronger than ever – as it has for its entire financial dispute. during his lifetime, the club invoked it after half-century history. “Those next couple years were pretty weird,” his passing in April 2016 so it could host three “First Avenue has been about supporting Kranz says. “We were living halfway between till-dawn dance parties in his honor. music and community for 50 years,” she says. the old days and where things ended up going.” By then, First Avenue had been operated “We’re not going to let this stop us.”

HOTTICKETS FIRST AVENUE Ranked by gross. Based on data from concerts and events August 1983-February 2020 as reported to Pollstar. Data updated as of March 9.

TICKETS RANK GROSS EVENT SOLD PROMOTER DATE SHOWS 1 $232,886 Dave Chappelle 4,353 Live Nation, First Avenue Productions Nov. 11-14, 2013 8 2 $120,846 Umphrey’s McGee 4,020 First Avenue Productions April 28-30, 2016 3 3 $115,984 Umphrey’s McGee 4,231 First Avenue Productions April 23-25, 2015 3 4 $110,049 The Revolution 1,834 First Avenue Productions Feb. 19, 2012 1 5 $109,816 Trampled By Turtles 4,673 First Avenue Productions April 17-19, 2013 3 6 $106,518 Billy Idol 1,555 First Avenue Productions July 10, 2016 1 7 $104,152 Neutral Milk Hotel 3,109 First Avenue Productions Feb. 10-11, 2014 2 8 $103,175 Semisonic 3,103 First Avenue Productions Dec. 15-16, 2017 2 9 $99,330 Taking Back Sunday 3,010 First Avenue Productions April 27-28, 2019 2 10 $99,124 Ms. Lauryn Hill 1,561 First Avenue Productions June 30, 2014 1

36 MAY 2020