Metal Circus Husker Du is a long way from New Day Rising Husker Du. I remember hearing that first album and going, "Holy Shit! That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!" By the time New Day came out, they had evolved substatially. Sadly, I too only got to see them once, very near the bitter end in some theater in L.A. the name of which escapes me. I am still hooked on Bob Mould and all of his various projects.
Came across this flyer from First Avenue (it was called Sam's back then). 7th St. Entry was a tiny punk club that was part of First Avenue. Like a closet off to the side where the disco people could ignore it. But when they weren't playing disco they had some great shows in the main room.
In March of 1981 you could have seen Husker Du, Prince and the Replacements in one week (and Curtiss A., who was great, but who you've never heard of). The month previous we played our only show there. Saw Bo Diddley there, King Sunny Ade, Johnny Thunders and Wayne Kramer, the Pretenders, Bad Brains, Joe Perry, U2 played there (I didn't see that)...I guess
everyone played there. A great club. Hard to imagine a time when King Sunny Ade and Johnny Thunders could play the same club, but there you go.