A wall of stars painted accordingly. First Avenue’s Northwestern exterior showcases some of the artists who have graced the stage inside. George Floyd is the lone red star exception. Floyd was killed by Officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020. Senator Amy Klobuchar has a star on the wall, too, but I believe she graced the stage at some point. The Northeastern wall is also lined with a plethora of stars spotlighting past performers. Maybe someday I’ll get a shot of those.

Alan Fingerhut was one of the original investors of the club that became First Avenue. The Depot opened at the former Greyhound Bus building in 1970 with a performance from Joe Cocker’s Mad Dog’s and Englishmen tour. Leon Russell was the featured keys player. After going through a Disco club era in the 70s, the 80s would bring international fame to the downtown Minneapolis club when Prince and his crew filmed Purple Rain there. From that point on, we had out Minneapolis gem. I was just there a few months ago and plan to be back soon, as their lineup of shows is still one of the best. Here’s a playlist of songs featuring artists on the stars on this wall.

Equipment: Canon R6 Mark II
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Date: August 2025