Rendering courtesy of The Fillmore
The Fillmore Minneapolis
“It’s not just a black box with people in it,” Ron Bension, Live Nation’s president of clubs and theaters, said innocently enough at a press preview of the Fillmore Minneapolis in the North Loop last week.
But the damage was already done. It didn’t take long for First Avenue to respond to the gaffe after news started to trickle out.
The statement was tone deaf considering the history of that black box, and Bension should've been more careful in choosing his words when encroaching on the turf of a town protective of its music scene.
"The big missing link [in the neighborhood] has been an exceptional music venue," Mayor Jacob Frey said about the addition of the concert space to the North Loop. "We know the Fillmore provides exactly that because they have a reputation for doing so in so many cities."
Located next to Target Field, the venue will be joining the Element by Westin Hotel and Trax Burgers and Bar restaurant that are also under construction. At 36,000 square feet, the Fillmore will be able to accommodate 1850 people when it opens up shop in February. By comparison, the First Avenue Mainroom has a 1500 capacity.
It’s the ninth in the line of Fillmores that Live Nation has been expanding since 2007–others appear in Denver, Detroit, New Orleans, Charlotte, along with the original iconic venue in San Francisco. The Fillmore Minneapolis is looking to house 175 shows per year, and anticipating having 125-150 part-time and 20-25 full time employees on staff.
Currently, Live Nation promotes shows around U.S. Bank Stadium, the Xcel, The Armory, the Varsity Theater, and The Hennepin Theaters, in addition to Target Center and Target Field. This was also the first year that Live Nation booked the artists playing the Basilica Block Party.
The original Fillmore was first built by legendary concert promoter Bill Graham. Count The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Sly and the Family Stone, Jimi Hendrix, and The Who among the acts he was able to pin down at his Fillmore clubs in San Francisco and New York City between 1968 and 1971.
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The Fillmore Minneapolis
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The Fillmore Minneapolis
Although it's still very much under construction, the Fillmore does have a prime location along the light rail, alongside the plentiful bike parking spots and garages in the area.
Upon entering, two bars that will serve local beers sit on both sides of the venue, with custom murals above them, and direct sight-lines to the stage. The looks will be all Fillmore: Red velvet drapes will line the walls, the dance floor will be made of wood, and four crystal chandeliers will dot the ceiling.
The mezzanine level contains the VIP room–BG’s Lounge (named for Bill Graham), that’ll serve craft cocktails and an upscale menu, occasionally hosting DJs and smaller bands. Most nights, it will be open to all guests, but can be reserved. The Fillmore will also house other private spaces for hosting corporate events, private concerts, weddings, dinners and the like.
The Fillmore will be announcing its initial music lineup in October, as it makes the finishing touches on the space by November. Tamsen Preston, who also booked the Basilica Block Party this year, will lead local booking.
After leaving the venue, concertgoers will be encouraged to take an apple from a basket near the exit, a Fillmore touch that Graham started.
"This is something that is going to add an extraordinary wave of vibrancy to a neighborhood that is already rockin'," Mayor Frey said, "and the Fillmore will rock along right with it."
