Spring and summer concert calendar includes Foo Fighters, Metallica, Nicki Minaj

Ross Raihala, Pioneer Press
Updated ·10 min read
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The spring and summer concert calendar has a little something for everyone, from country stars (Kenny Chesney, Morgan Wallen) to rockers (Foo Fighters, Metallica) to a brand new festival on Harriet Island (Minnesota Yacht Club Festival).

Keep in mind that some large venues use dynamic pricing, which means ticket prices can vary. Also, the prices noted here do not include VIP packages or platinum tickets, which typically run into the hundreds of dollars.

Here’s a look at what’s on tap in the coming months.

Nicki Minaj

April 27: Hip-hop star Nicki Minaj scored her first hit way back in 2010, but she’s making her local debut as an arena headliner. Born in Trinidad and Tobago in 1982 to gospel-singing parents, Minaj initially pursued an acting career and landed a role in the Off-Broadway play “In Case You Forget” in 2001. Frustrated by a lack of roles, she shifted to rapping and landed a series of 2010 guest spots on singles from the likes of Mariah Carey, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Rihanna that made her an in-demand featured artist with more than 80 collaborations in the years since. Her debut album “Pink Friday” went triple platinum and spawned seven hits, including “Super Bass,” which hit the Top 10 in charts around the world. Her latest album, “Pink Friday 2,” debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard charts in December. 8 p.m.; Target Center, 600 First Ave. N., Mpls.; $199.50-$79.50; ticketmaster.com.

More hip-hop: Gunna (7 p.m. May 10; Armory; $77), Megan Thee Stallion (7 p.m. May 14; Target Center; $233.50-$38.25), Russ (8 p.m. June 21; Xcel Energy Center; $124.50-$34.50), The Kid Laroi (7:30 p.m. July 5; Armory; $57-$47), Kid Cudi (7 p.m. Aug. 7; Target Center; $139.95-$49.95), Chance the Rapper (7 p.m. Aug. 23; Minnesota State Fair Grandstand; $148-$48).

Kenny Chesney

May 4: Country star Kenny Chesney will play his seventh Twin Cities stadium show when he headlines U.S. Bank Stadium for the third time. As is typically the case for the 56-year-old Tennessee native, he’s bringing along some high-profile opening acts in 2023 CMA song of the year and new artist nominee Megan Moroney, “When The Sun Goes Down” duet partner Uncle Kracker and Zac Brown Band, who previously warmed the stage for Chesney at Target Field in 2013. Chesney is out in support of his recently released 20th album, “Born.” 5 p.m.; U.S. Bank Stadium, 401 Chicago Ave., Mpls.; $280-$50; axs.com.

More country: Tim McGraw (7 p.m. April 20; Xcel Energy Center; $214.50-$34.50), Lady A (8 p.m. June 13; Mystic Amphitheater; $149-$49), Brooks and Dunn (7 p.m. Aug. 10; Treasure Island Amphitheater; $85-$45), Blake Shelton (7 p.m. Aug. 25; Minnesota State Fair Grandstand; $207-$77).

Noah Kahan

June 7-8: Raised on a tree farm in Vermont, Noah Kahan started writing songs at 8. He later applied and was accepted to Tulane University, but chose instead to focus on his music. In 2017, he signed a deal with Republic Records and went on to score a hit in 2019 with the single “Hurt Somebody.” Kahan’s second album “I Was/I Am” was largely ignored in 2021. When he set out to make 2022’s “Stick Season,” he adopted a more pronounced folk-pop style that struck a chord with listeners. Thanks in part to TikTok, the title track became a worldwide hit, as did last year’s “Dial Drunk” with guest Post Malone. Collaborating with other artists has become common for Kahan, who made “She Calls Me Back” with Kacey Musgraves, “Northern Attitude” with Hozier, “Everything, Everywhere” with Gracie Abrams and “Homesick” with Sam Fender. Kahan also guested on Zach Bryan’s single “Sarah’s Place,” a Top 5 hit on both rock and country radio. 8 p.m.; Xcel Energy Center, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; $399; ticketmaster.com.

More folk pop: AJR (7 p.m. April 17; Xcel Energy Center; $144.50-$50.50), Niall Horan (7:30 p.m. July 7; Xcel Energy Center; $294-$44.50), Cage the Elephant (6:30 p.m. Aug. 12; Target Center; $129.50-$29.50), Hozier (8 p.m. Aug. 17; Xcel Energy Center; sold out).

Morgan Wallen

June 20-21: With his upcoming local shows, Morgan Wallen joins the extremely short list of acts — Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks and (come August) Metallica — to have played two consecutive nights at one of the three Twin Cities stadiums. Wallen emerged in 2014 as a contestant on the sixth season of “The Voice,” but was eliminated during the playoffs. He released his debut EP the following year and scored his first major hit with 2017’s “Up Down.” Nearly every single he’s released since has landed at either No. 1 or 2 on the country charts. His sophomore effort, “Dangerous: The Double Album,” earned glowing reviews and was the biggest hit of any genre in 2021. Wallen got his first taste of U.S. Bank Stadium when he opened for Eric Church in 2022. The following year, he released his third album “One Thing at a Time,” a 36-song collection that has (so far) spawned eight singles. 6 p.m.; U.S. Bank Stadium, 401 Chicago Ave., Mpls.; $699.75-$169.75 (both shows); ticketmaster.com.

More new country: Dustin Lynch (8 p.m. April 28; Armory; $42.50-$37.50), Zach Bryan (7 p.m. Aug. 24; U.S. Bank Stadium; $399.50-$265.15).

Minnesota Yacht Club Festival

July 19-20: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gwen Stefani and Alanis Morissette headline the inaugural Minnesota Yacht Club Festival, the first major rock and pop music festival on St. Paul’s Harriet Island since 2012’s River’s Edge Music Festival. Stefani and Morissette headline the opening day, which also features the Black Crowes, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, the Head and the Heart, Durry, Morgan Wade, Michigander, Gully Boys and Harbor and Home. Red Hot Chili Peppers top the second-day bill, which also includes the Offspring, Hippo Campus, Gary Clark Jr., the Hold Steady, Soul Asylum, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Wilderado, Nico Vega and Irontom. Harriet Island Regional Park, 49 Harriet Island Road, St. Paul; $285-$135 (single day) and $365-$255 (both days); minnesotayachtclubfestival.com.

More festivals: Winstock Country Music Festival (June 14-15; adjacent to the Winsted Airport; $245-$165), Twin Cities Jazz Festival (June 21-22; Mears Park; free), Lakefront Music Festival (July 12-13; Lakefront Park; $100-$75), Basilica Block Party (Aug. 2-3; Boom Island Park; $159-$89).

Foo Fighters

July 28: Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Foo Fighters will play their largest show yet in the metro when they headline Target Field. Led by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, the Foo Fighters have become one of the most successful contemporary rock bands of the era. In 2021, Paul McCartney inducted the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the band’s first year of eligibility. In June, the group released their 11th album, “But Here We Are.” The first two singles, “Rescued” and “Under You,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard alternative and mainstream rock charts. They’ve played local venues more than a dozen times, and most recently performed a sold-out show at Xcel Energy Center in October 2018. Fellow Rock Hall inductees the Pretenders and grunge-era rockers L7 are also on the bill. 5:30 p.m.; Target Field, 1 Twins Way, Mpls.; $149.50; ticketmaster.com.

More Rock and Roll Hall of Famers: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss (8 p.m. June 7; Mystic Amphitheater; sold out), Def Leppard and Journey (6 p.m. Aug. 19; Target Field; resale tickets available), Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top (8 p.m. Aug. 30; Treasure Island Amphitheater; $109-$49).

Barry Manilow

Aug. 2: Barry Manilow may be from New York, but he’s perfected the Minnesota Goodbye. The 80-year-old retro pop star embarked on a farewell tour in 2016 he called One Last Time! But he has continued to perform live anyway, playing as many as 80 shows a year ever since. This gig is dubbed The Final St. Paul Concert, so maybe this really is the end? Whatever the case, expect to hear his big hits from the ’70s like “Mandy,” “Could it Be Magic,” “I Write the Songs,” “Daybreak,” “Can’t Smile Without You,” “Ready to Take a Chance Again” and “Copacabana (At the Copa).” 7 p.m.; Xcel Energy Center, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; $244.50-$94.50; ticketmaster.com.

More retro acts: Janet Jackson (8 p.m. June 18; Xcel Energy Center; $294.95-$34.95), New Kids on the Block (7 p.m. June 23; Mystic Amphitheater; $69), Earth, Wind and Fire and Chicago (7:30 p.m. July 13; Xcel Energy Center; $494.50-$34.50), Happy Together Tour (7 p.m. Aug. 26; Minnesota State Fair Grandstand; $66-$33).

Metallica

Aug. 16 and 18: It’ll be a long time coming once Metallica takes the stage at U.S. Bank Stadium for a two-night run. Tickets went on sale — for either single shows or both nights — nearly two years ago for the ambitious two-year tour that sees the foursome playing unique set lists each night. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers are performing on an in-the-round setup, with a VIP general admission area inside the center of the stage. Minneapolis is one of just four U.S. cities Metallica is hitting this year, so expect to see plenty of out-of-towners in the crowd. Pantera and Wolfgang Van Halen’s band Mammoth open the first night, with Five Finger Death Punch and Ice Nine Kills warming the stage the second night. 7 p.m.; U.S. Bank Stadium, 401 Chicago Ave., Mpls.; $165-$54.75 (single show) and $380-$145 (both shows); ticketmaster.com.

More metal: Judas Priest (7:30 p.m. May 2; Armory; $67), Staind (6:30 p.m. May 4; Xcel Energy Center; $95-$35), Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper (6 p.m. Aug. 25; Xcel Energy Center; $164.50-$54.50), Motley Crue (7 p.m. Aug. 28; Minnesota State Fair Grandstand; $207-$77).

Green Day

Aug. 17: Green Day heads up an unlikely trio of Gen X nostalgia acts and a group of up-and-coming Zoomers for their second show at Target Field. They’ll be joined by reunited ’90s rockers Smashing Pumpkins, fellow ’90s punk act Rancid and the Linda Lindas, a band of four young women who opened for Paramore last August at Xcel Energy Center. Green Day has three reasons to celebrate as 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of their breakthrough album “Dookie,” the 20th anniversary of their comeback record “American Idiot” and the release of their 14th album “Saviors.” In August 2021, they drew a crowd of more than 36,000 to Target Field on a bill with Fall Out Boy and Weezer. Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong is quite familiar with the area, as his wife, Adrienne, is a Twin Cities native. 5:30 p.m.; Target Field, 1 Twins Way, Mpls.; $193-$93; ticketmaster.com.

More rock: Sum 41 (7 p.m. April 23; Armory; $125-$46), Blink-182 (7 p.m. Aug. 6; Target Center; $200-$39.50), Creed (7 p.m. Aug. 17; Treasure Island Amphitheater; $199).

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