331 Club

Step onto 13th Ave NE in Northeast Minneapolis and you'll hear the sound bleed right through the front glass of the 331 Club. It's a neighborhood saloon that's been holding down the corner forever, and there's usually a loose crowd hanging out by the door smoking and arguing about local bands. You walk past the bar and head straight back to the small back room where the amps are practically touching the front row.

The floor is sticky and the walls are plastered with old gig posters that're peeling at the corners. Sound guy's running board from a corner table, keeping levels tight while people crowd in close. Beers stay cheap and nobody's putting on airs here because it's just working musicians, artists, and neighborhood regulars packed tight against each other.

No cover most nights, which means you can drop your cash on tallboys instead of tickets. Sets run late and you'll find yourself standing shoulder-to-shoulder with whoever just finished playing their set outside. Grab a pint at the wooden bar before it gets three deep.