Foundry x First Avenue: Same Stage. New Ritual.
Foundry Nation and BLNCD are now the exclusive THC beverage partners across First Avenue’s iconic venue family for the next two years, marking a natural evolution at the intersection of music, culture, and modern social rituals.
It’s a collaboration rooted in music, culture, and the way people actually gather now. Live music and cannabis have always shared the same energy—about tuning in, not checking out. About being present for the moment, the sound, the room.
This partnership spans some of the most respected independent rooms in the country, including First Avenue, 7th St Entry, Fine Line, Palace Theatre, The Fitzgerald Theater, and Turf Club, with additional offerings at Palace Pub and Depot Tavern.
It represents one of the most significant long-term THC beverage collaborations in live entertainment to date—built for venues that have always shaped what comes next.
It’s Always Been About the Feeling
Live shows aren’t just about the band.
They’re about the crowd pressing forward. The bar humming between sets. The quiet moment before the lights come back on.
People are changing how they show up. Drinking less. Choosing intention over excess. Looking for something they can sip without losing the thread.
That’s the lane.
Foundry Nation THC sodas and BLNCD THC sparklings slide naturally into First Avenue’s bar programs. Same rooms. Same energy. Just another option for staying present.
First Avenue has always been a tastemaker. This collaboration reinforces that—not just in music, but in how live experiences continue to evolve.
From the Crowd to the Bar
“This moment feels especially meaningful,” says Allison Vaillancourt, Founder and CMO of BLNCD & Foundry Nation. “First Avenue is an institution that’s helped define eras for Minneapolis, independent music, and local culture. This partnership means a lot.”
The roots go deeper than logos. Foundry Nation & BLNCD partner Beecher Vaillancourt came up inside the live music world—promoting shows, booking rooms, helping build independent venues in Minneapolis. That perspective shaped a partnership meant to support the experience.
“From catching shows at First Ave in the ’90s, to producing events there in the 2000s, to being back nearly 30 years later—it feels right,” Vaillancourt says. “I’ve always been a music head. Now I get to enjoy a THC drink at the shows that raised me.”
See You at the Show
Starting in January, a curated selection of BLNCD and Foundry Nation THC beverages will roll out across First Avenue venues, with collaborative moments dropping throughout the two-year partnership.