***
When the future of an iconic music venue is on the line, artists and music lovers haven’t just stood around. Colleen Cowie reports from Minneapolis where a group of volunteers created the First Love Project, a compilation album that gives back to the famed music venue, First Avenue. Listen here:
Like many Minnesotans, musician and guitar technician Molly Maher has many favorite memories from inside First Avenue’s star-studded walls.
“First Avenue is truly the holy grail of venues,” says Maher. “Emmylou Harris turned 50 and she was playing First Avenue and somebody in the crowd made her a birthday cake. And to see Lucinda Williams get married! It’s not just a local iconic stage for us – it’s embraced all around by the music community all around the states and all around the world.”