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Music News: First Avenue shares details of proposed riverfront amphitheater

Proposed development of Upper Harbor site in Minneapolis
Proposed development of Upper Harbor site in MinneapolisFirst Avenue

October 26, 2016

First Avenue and its partners have shared a detailed proposal for the outdoor amphitheater they're hoping to construct in North Minneapolis as part of the redevelopment of a former barge terminal. The partners say that are listening to community input on uses for the space, which would be developed to include a 100-foot riverwalk and a "central node of green space," with renovations to preserve and reuse the existing industrial dome structures at the site. A survey published by the partners provides an opportunity for local residents to weigh in on the proposed development.

Bon Iver selling flannel shirts

Blogs like Bon Iver Erotica have helped to associate flannel shirts with Bon Iver perhaps more closely than any other band since the grunge era. Now flannel shirts are actually official Bon Iver merch. Flannel shirts emblazoned with the logo for the band's new album 22, A Million are now being offered for presale ($75) on Bon Iver's website.

Rumors of Jay Z's Prince vault purchase have been greatly exaggerated

After a TMZ report of a meeting between Jay Z and Prince’s sister Tyka Nelson — no surprise, given that Prince had a tight relationship with Jay Z's streaming service Tidal — rumors flew that Jay Z was offering to purchase rights to the contents of Prince's fabled music vault for $40 million. However, L. Londell McMillan, an advisor to the Prince estate, tells Billboard that "those responsible for the assets are not in discussions with anyone regarding a sale."

Dave Grohl remembers Wisconsin studio

A new documentary called The Smart Studios Story chronicles the history of the Madison, Wisc. studio founded by Butch Vig and Steve Marker. The film screens Nov. 1 at the Turf Club, and will be released on DVD on Black Friday along with a companion album. (Pitchfork) Below, Dave Grohl talks about how Nirvana was connected with Vig, who produced Nevermind.

Today's sports news

Chicago native Chance the Rapper is clear about his baseball loyalties — he's a White Sox fan — but nonetheless, he's cool with the Hood Internet mashing up his song "No Problem" with the rally song "Go Cubs Go." (Pitchfork)

John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats penned an essay for Slate, remembering how he wrote his 1995 song "Cubs in Five." Darnielle says that "over the years the song's taken on a life of its own: Everybody knows that feeling of the hopelessly doomed vow to renounce something or someone you won't and can't forget."

Today's political news

Donald Trump can't understand why people are giving him a hard time for taking a break from the campaign trail to attend the openings of his golf courses and hotels. After all, he argues, Hillary Clinton takes time off too. "Nobody complains when she goes to an Adele concert all night long," Trump told ABC.

ABBA VR

ABBA are going on tour. No, not the real ABBA — but a "hyper-realistic" ABBA, they promise. Next year's touring ABBA "entertainment experience" is being created by a company that's been "developing hyper-realistic digital humans in the field of entertainment." (Pitchfork)

Genesis, a.k.a. the Roots

Comeback kid Phil Collins visited The Tonight Show to play his classic "In the Air Tonight." As longstanding injuries prevented Collins himself from getting behind the drum kit, Questlove kicked it with style. (Billboard)