Downtown Minneapolis is soon to be home to a new rock club: The Brick, a new venue owned and operated by concert promoter AEG Live, is slated to open this spring in the space formerly occupied by Christian rock club and youth-oriented ministry Club 3 Degrees.

Update: Read about the venue as it was presented to the media and take an interactive virtual photo tour of the space.

The announcement of a new venue in that section of downtown is a surprising one, especially given its proximity to the similarly sized Epic (which is located directly across 5th St. from the Brick) and Minneapolis landmark First Avenue. AEG says they are in the process of remodeling the former 3 Degrees space, and expect the capacity of the new venue to be upwards of 2,000, which will put it in direct booking competition with the other downtown venues.

"We've been searching for several years for the right space and the right time to become more deeply entrenched in the vibrant Twin Cities marketplace," says Joe Litvag, the senior vice president of AEG Live who oversees their Midwest operations. "The Brick will compliment AEG's already-positive presence at Target Center, and we're thrilled to offer a first-class intimate option for the music lovers that will set us apart from others in town."

AEG won’t confirm any of their upcoming concert plans, but news of the Brick began to spread locally yesterday following a tour announcement by Jane’s Addiction, who posted on their website that they have a show booked at the new club with Black Box Revelation on March 19. The promoter says that their local talent buyer, Brad Saks, has already put in numerous offers for bookings and they plan on announcing 8-12 shows by the end of the month, presumably including the Jane’s Addiction show.

The venue's general manager, Jeff Kehr, says he expects a wide variety of acts to perform in the club. "Our goal will be to welcome all genres of music and all audiences to experience this versatile facility," he says. "The venue itself will lend itself well to all types of touring artists, from rock, country and pop to R&B, jazz, comedy and more."

In addition to a two-tiered concert space, the building will also be home to a lower-level bar called the Basement at the Brick, which will be open to concertgoers on show nights and to the general public Thursday through Saturday nights.

Club 3 Degrees vacated their location at 111 N 5th St. last March, and are now hosting sporadic events at Epic.

Update: Check out our coverage of The Brick's inaugural and overcrowded show with Jane's Addiction