I made my first visit to the famed Minneapolis live music venue -- 1st Avenue -- on Friday night to see local legend Tommy Stinson perform with his new band including his fiancee. I very nearly made a very early exit from said-club, but we'll get back to that...

Opening as solo acoustic was Dave Hause from The Loved Ones. I don't really know his band, but after his set I will go look for them. He wore his brand of earnestness on his flannel sleeve, but his cover of Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros' "Coma Girl" earned him the punk rock points he seemingly was going after. Good on him.

Can't say the same for the local, second support act, 4 on the Floor. Should have recognized the hats, beards and bandanas as a bad sign. We escaped to the upstairs bar to be further from the stage and closer to where our tab was. Yes, I will have another Furious, please...

And yes, we noticed the very cute, under-age girl with her mom up there with us. All smiles, faux-hawk and brand, spanking new Replacements t-shirt were giveaways, as was the big black X sharpied on the back of her hand. 1st Avenue was not nearly as packed as I had heard it had just been for The Cars, so really -- people up front didn't HAVE to be pressed up to the front as close as they were. Did we bother the 3 dudes in their GNR t-shirts in the very front? You betcha. But our little, friendly and not violent at all pit up front was comprised of nothing but those who wanted to be there-- including the young girl.

And yes, I didn't hear about the zero-tolerance policy during all-ages shows but we were exhibiting no behavior (despite the multiple Furiouses imbibed) that required tolerance and yet I was escorted toward the red exit signs by a few bouncers partway through the set. But now get this: not only was I able to talk my way out of being kicked out, one of the bouncers came up to me later and freakin' apologized. Gosh darn! Still waiting for an apology from the bouncers who threw me out of a Replacements gig and got me arrested almost 25 years ago. Had we had a repeat of that experience ("Hello Dad? I'm in jail" -- no really!) this too would have been mostly Tommy Stinson's fault. I submit this as verbatim as I can as evidence as to who was really in the wrong. After the gig, a girl came up to my friend Ephraim and informed him, "If you want to dance, you should stay home and listen to the records." Defense rests...

Stinson, not distracted by my problems, played a really sharp set including some tracks off his new upcoming solo record as well as songs from Bash & Pop, Perfect and his other solo ventures. Hoping for an appearance from Paul Westerberg, had to be satisfied with a smiling Dave Pirner who joined band-mate Stinson for a song or so, but that ain't a complaint, although...

My expired NY ID failed to gain us entry later into either Lee's Liquors and another joint, but that was probably for the best. Sweaty, drunk and maybe worked up a little as it approached 2AM these bouncers probably wouldn't have wound up apologizing for letting us in.

Rock on...