“VOTE 2020” Marquee at First Avenue During Empty Streets

First Avenue, the nightclub at 701 First Avenue North, occupies a building that opened in 1937 as a Greyhound bus depot before its conversion to a music venue in 1970. Its Mainroom has hosted acts from Prince—who filmed key s of "Purple Rain" here—to touring bands across nearly every genre. The 7th Street Entry, the smaller adjoining room, opened in 1980 as a launching pad for punk and indie acts. The building's exterior stars, added over the years, each mark a musician who has performed there. On this night the marquee read "VOTE 2020" instead of a show listing, a message posted while the venue sat closed under Minnesota's statewide shutdown orders.

Taken April 2020