https://www.startribune.c...568485031/

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Starting with its wild opening night, April 3, 1970 — when Joe Cocker rolled in with a 40-member entourage, including a dog — First Avenue nightclub has seen more chaos and calamity than any other building in downtown Minneapolis except maybe the Hennepin County jail, which maybe has the nicer bathrooms.

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Here are 50 random facts about First Ave to keep the celebration going.

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59. Prince’s final gig there in July 2007 followed a 2 ½-hour show across the street at Target Center and did not start until 2:45 a.m. Minneapolis police shut it down about 50 minutes in, citing a curfew.

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50. First Ave was able to host all-night dance parties after Prince’s death in 2016 thanks to the so-called “Prince permit,” a deal hammered out with city officials after that abbreviated 2007 gig. The plan was to already have a green light the next time the purple wonder showed up late to play there.

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The article also contains a photo from the 1984 birthday gig.