Prince faithful party through the night at First Avenue

Photos by Emmet Kowler for MPR

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As day became night on Thursday, Minneapolis continued to grieve Prince’s passing. After congregating at a block party outside First Avenue, the club that Purple Rain made internationally famous, the hordes moved the dancing inside the storied venue.

As the party inside First Avenue began, the venue announced that Thursday would be just the first of three Prince dance nights, with both shows already on the calendar.

As DJ Jake Rudh kicked off the party, Thursday’s setlist leaned heavily on Purple Rain favorites; “Let’s Go Crazy” and “Purple Rain,” easy crowdpleasers at First Avenue, came up early and often. The crowd devoured the hits, screaming along for hours.

Massive singalong to Purple Rain – shown on the very spot where it was recorded, at @FirstAvenue. pic.twitter.com/Ba0fzpWx6I — Jay Gabler (@JayGabler) April 22, 2016

As of nearly 3:00 a.m., many remained outside the at-capacity venue attempting to get in. Mingling on the still-mostly-blocked-off streets outside First Avenue, the crowds shared stories and sympathies with each other.

We’ll continue to update this story as the night unfolds.

Update: Just two hours shy of the party’s end time, fans continued to dance in First Avenue, even forming a dance circle on the second floor.