First Avenue

First Avenue is a Minneapolis institution and the stars covering the exterior of the building are legitimately earned - artists who sell out the mainroom get a star. Prince is on there. So are hundreds of others who played here on the way up or while at the peak. The room holds about 1,500 and the low ceiling, dark lighting, and general lack of VIP nonsense makes every show feel properly underground even when it's a mid-tier national touring act.

The main floor is general admission standing, which means you want to arrive early if you care about your position in the room. The upstairs bar area has a view down to the stage that works well if you'd rather watch from a higher angle with a drink in hand. Seventh Street in downtown Minneapolis has good options for food and drinks before the show. First Avenue is walkable from both light rail lines and there are parking ramps in the surrounding blocks if you're driving from outside downtown.

Check what's coming up at First Avenue on Evil Tickets - the booking quality here is consistently excellent.