Some Minneapolis venues you visit — First Avenue you make a pilgrimage to. The black-walled, silver-starred club at 701 First Avenue North has anchored downtown’s music scene since 1970 and became world-famous as the home stage in Prince’s Purple Rain. This August the mainroom calendar is stacked, and every show on it is a short walk from your own furnished studio at Oaklands on 9th. Here’s what’s coming — and why it’s worth booking your room now, while the good dates are still open.
The August 2026 lineup at First Avenue
All dates and door times below were confirmed on First Avenue’s official calendar; grab tickets on each event page. Most mainroom shows are 18+, so check before you bring the family — The Crane Wives on August 15 is the all-ages pick.
- Wednesday, August 5 — Tomahawk with Melvins (doors 7 p.m., 18+). Two heavyweights of loud, adventurous rock on one bill.
- Sunday, August 9 — Juvenile — the ‘Boiling Point’ album release tour with The 400 Degreez Band & Friends (doors 7 p.m., 18+).
- Saturday, August 15 — The Crane Wives: ACT III with Brye (doors 6:30 p.m., all ages).
- Sunday, August 16 — American Football with Afternoon Bike Ride (doors 7 p.m., 18+).
- Saturday, August 22 — Eagles of Death Metal — the ‘Death By Sexy’ 20th-anniversary tour with Mountain Head (doors 7 p.m., 18+).
- Sunday, August 23 — Umphrey’s McGee (doors 7 p.m., 18+).
One heads-up: Saturday, August 15 is also the night Ed Sheeran plays U.S. Bank Stadium, so downtown will be full of concert-goers and rooms will go fast — if the Crane Wives show is your night, book early. And the music doesn’t stop at the mainroom: the attached 7th St Entry hosts smaller touring and local acts almost nightly all month.
Why concert-goers stay at Oaklands on 9th
Oaklands on 9th is a restored 1889 brownstone at 215 South 9th Street, about a 15-minute walk from First Avenue. Every studio is fully furnished with a full kitchen, and WiFi, all utilities, heat, and free laundry are included. There are no contracts — stay the night of the show, make it a long weekend, or settle in for a month — and some studios are pet friendly. After the encore you walk home through downtown, make a late-night snack in your own kitchen, and wake up in a real apartment instead of a hotel hallway.
Make a bigger Minneapolis weekend of it
First Avenue sits next door to Target Center and a few blocks from Target Field, so August is a great month to stack plans: the Twins are home for two long homestands, and the Armory has a stacked August of its own. If you drive, the 215 Lot behind our building is $19 a night — or $11.40 a night on stays of five nights or more — so you can park once and walk everywhere. Prefer to skip the car? Metro Transit covers downtown, and Meet Minneapolis keeps a running list of everything else happening around your show date. And if half your group wants something more romantic than a rock club, our sister property 300 Clifton is a Gilded Age mansion B&B across downtown near Loring Park, while Minneapolis Trolley Tours makes a fun show-day afternoon.
Book your show-night studio
Pick your date, then pick your studio — Good, Better, or Best. Check availability and book online, call us at (612) 314-5124, or email info@oaklandson9th.com. We’ll leave the light on for your walk home.
Keep reading: First Avenue isn’t the only big show downtown this August — WWE SummerSlam takes over U.S. Bank Stadium August 1–2, a short walk from your studio.