First Avenue is excited to announce the purchase of the Fine Line Music Café. First Avenue takes over ownership, management, and exclusive booking of the live music and event venue, located at 318 N 1st Avenue in Minneapolis, on October 1, 2018. Private events will continue to be organized by Minneapolis Event Centers.
“We’re incredibly excited to add the Fine Line to the First Avenue family, and really—more importantly—to keep this local venue independently owned and operated,” said First Avenue Owner, Dayna Frank.
The Fine Line is located in the heart of the Warehouse District in downtown Minneapolis. The club is in the main level of the historic Consortium building, which was built in 1907. Originally opened as a music venue in 1987, the Fine Line has hosted thousands of influential acts over their 30-plus year history, including the Pixies, Buddy Guy, and Lady Gaga. The 650-capacity room is a uniquely-sized venue, offering a platform for up-and-coming artists, and intimate underplays for major acts.
Future bookings will be live-music driven, with the addition of dance parties, live comedy, and live podcasting performances. Upcoming September shows include toe., Japanese Breakfast, ABBARAMA, Blitzen Trapper, Frankie Cosmos, and HONNE.
“After nearly 20 years of promoting concerts at the Fine Line, we are very excited to take over the management of the venue. While there are no immediate major changes planned, we are really eager to get in there, assess the room, and start to make scaled improvements. We want to put the First Avenue mark on it, and we want to do it right,” notes First Avenue General Manager, Nate Kranz.
First Avenue owns and operates the 250-capacity 7th St Entry, the 350-capacity Turf Club, the 650-capacity Fine Line, 1550-capacity First Avenue Mainroom, and co-operates the 2400-capacity Palace Theatre. Additionally, First Avenue promotes concerts and events at numerous venues in Minnesota, including but not limited to, Amsterdam Bar & Hall, The Cedar Cultural Center, The Historic State, Orpheum, and Pantages Theatres in Minneapolis, and the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, as well as Surly Brewing Festival Field.
First Avenue is celebrated as one of the longest-running, independently-owned and operated clubs in the United States. Its commitment to independence is led by the belief that unique, locally-owned live music rooms are imperative to the health of the community and economy. First Avenue is dedicated to promoting artistic expression in voices old and new, to provide a community by offering artists a stage and a mic, and fans a place to gather.
As the musical epicenter of the Twin Cities, First Avenue—and by extension, the venues it owns and operates—opens its doors to all of the thousands of music lovers who are First Avenue’s past, present, and future.
