First Ave Tonight?

[joyinrepatition]

Is Prince Playing First Ave Tonight?...

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc1/Joyinrepatition/first_avenue-02.jpg

An unlikely rumor, but an exciting one nonetheless: The OMG/LOL gossip blog is reporting (http://lol-omg-blog.blogspot.com/2010/01/omg-prince-rumored-to-appear-at-first.html) that "a little birdie" told them Prince might show up at the Current's fifth birthday show tonight at First Avenue. While we were skeptical at first, this little update they just posted has us curious: "One of our tipsters just got word from a 'Radio DJ who will remain nameless' that the MPR crew just got a call from Prince's handler asking about set times for tonight!!!"

The show is sold out, but Gimme Noise will be on the scene tonight to see if this little rumor comes to life. Follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/gimme_noise) to receive updates from tonight's show.


http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2010/01/is_prince_playi.php

[joyinrepatition]

From today's Star-Tribune:

"Yes, Prince was at First Ave last night
Posted by Chris Riemenschneider

Last update: January 30, 2010 - 10:05 AM

As much as the black paint and the giant video screen, Prince rumors are a permanent part of the facade at First Avenue. So even the club's staff was skeptical when it first heard that our town's Biggest Bad Ass planned to attend the Current's fifth anniversary party last night.

Lo and behold, a week after he gave the Vikings a push with his hastily recorded "Purple and Gold" fight anthem (now as hastily a thing of the past), Prince cheered on another hard-charging home team. He didn't perform or anything. But just by showing up at the Current party for about a half-hour, he gave the hip public radio station the Twin Cities version of a papal blessing. It was believed to be his first time in the club since his late-night jam on 7/7/07. Local Prince sightings have been numerous this fall and winter, as he's reportedly been recording out at Paisley Park a lot.

His visit last night was curiously timed to Mason Jennings' solo acoustic set (and not to the Revolution-copping synth-pop duo Lookbook or the night's lone African American act, P.O.S., who came before and after Jennings, respectively). He watched from the DJ booth/owners box on the second floor, and people who saw him there said he indeed appeared to be digging Mason's act. The Current's program director Jim McGuinn was ushered into the box and got to chat with him. A Twin Cities newcomer from Philadelphia, McGuinn admitted afterward he was nervous and greatly honored, but he didn't fully understand how rare Prince's appearances at First Ave actually are these days.

Word is one of Prince's personal reps had made contact with the Current about a month earlier and passed along the singer's thumbs up, and that led to talk of last night's party. This all makes pretty good sense when you consider the station (89.3 FM) has given his music more airplay than any other hometown station has in probably about two decades, except for maybe small community station KMOJ.

So mark your calendar: January 2015, Prince headlines the Current's 10th anniversary party. Or maybe he'll at least hang out for a full hour that night.

http://www.startribune.co...DieyckcUsI (http://www.startribune.com/blogs/83149682.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD 3aPc:_Yyc:aUgOy9cP3DieyckcUsI)