The Brick Renovates

Three weeks after The Brick made an inglorious debut in Minneapolis, the club will be renovating during its quieter moments.

AEG Live debuted the three-story facility in the city’s Warehouse District with a Jane’s Addiction show March 19 but the venue soured the enthusiasm of its first crowd.

Fans and critics vocalized concerns about sight lines, food and beverage selections, bathroom lines, and even the quality of the monitors. Some on the upper deck apparently never got close enough to the railing to see the band. AEG offered refunds to everyone who attended the show.

AEG has decided to lower its ticket-sale capacity, add risers to improve sightlines, and install 25 new monitors, according to the Star-Tribune. The stage has already been raised a foot and the front entrance will be doubled to four doors.

The renovations are expected to take place over the next two months.

The sold-out April 13 show with pop band Fun. has been moved to the Myth nightclub in Maplewood, as have shows for Incubus, Shinedown and Marilyn Manson. Myth has a capacity of 3,500 versus The Brick’s 2,100. A June 1 appearance by The Shins has been moved to the Orpheum Theatre.

“No matter what, we want these shows to be successful, and for the fans to get what they paid for,” Brick GM Jeff Kehr said. He added that there will “definitely” be a reduction in capacity. The paper noted that, although the Jane’s Addiction show had an attendance of 1,600, the venue could barely accommodate that number.