First Avenue

First Avenue is a legendary downtown Minneapolis music venue. The club was established in 1970, helped contribute to the city's reputation in the 1980s, and frequently makes lists of best live venues. It is particularly associated with Prince and was a prominent location for the movie Purple Rain. Many of the artists heard on Transmission have played in the club's main room or in the smaller Seventh Street Entry.

Beginning in 2011, DJ Jake Rudh has hosted Transmission dance nights at First Avenue several times a year. The nights were initially in March (celebrating the anniversary of the Transmission club night) and August, but have become more frequent as Transmission established a history of being able to sell out the main room. A series of Tranmission nights in the summer of 2016, paying tribute to Prince, were among the major events that honored the musician following his untimely death. Rudh has also frequently been invited to provide an opening DJ set for artists playing the main room.

As a beloved anchor for the Twin Cities music scene, First Avenue was the subject of a Minnesota History Center exhibit in commemoration of its 50th anniversary. The Minnesota Historical Society holds archival materials from the bands who have played at the venue.

First Avenue is also the site of Transmission-adjacent events, such as an annual Bowie tribute.