This past Thursday I rode my bike to downtown Minneapolis so that I could catch post-punk outfit Ought perform at the 7th Street Entry. Since moving to the Twin Cities a couple months ago, this would be my third show at the club that plays little brother to the more famous First Avenue, where Prince filmed “Purple Rain” and an incredible list of artists have performed.
7th Street Entry seems like an afterthought to the legend of First Ave, but last night I found evidence that speaks to the contrary. As I was perusing YouTube in the wee hours of the night, I found a series of Replacements performances that took place in the tiny performance space. Seeing the clips is a bit surreal – the stage looks pretty much the same and the crowd resembled the same small mass that assembled for Ought on Thursday. I know this was just the beginning of the legend that is the Minneapolis born Replacements, but the idea of them performing in this cramped room made me realize that 7th Street Entry has a storied past just as remarkable as First Ave. If you have an hour to kill, watch this series of clips capturing The Replacements at their most raw and earnest.
Bob Dylan Wrote Propaganda Songs 