TCR 10 PRINCE OF THE AVENUE - 20210815

First Avenue

Prince only played nine concerts at First Avenue. But the superstar artist and the nightclub are forever intertwined in popular imagination because of Purple Rain. For a time in 1984, Prince had the number one song (“When Doves Cry”), album and film in the nation—and the last two were partially recorded at the Minneapolis club that has since become a destination for Purple fans around the world. Britt Aamodt spoke to Star Tribune music critic Chris Riemenschneider, author of First Avenue: Minnesota’s Mainroom, about Prince and his relationship to First Avenue, from his club debut in 1981 to his last concert in 2007.

Support for MinneCulture on KFAI is provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

The artist that defined a venue, the venue that defined an artist

MinneCulture is KFAI’s award-winning audio storytelling program. We produce audio documentaries exploring Minnesota’s art, culture, and history — stories about musical sensations, small town heroes, cultural icons, local lore, and everything in between.

Mostly electronic 80’s music. That is all!

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