This will take some getting used to. While some major names are coming to town this fall — Paul McCartney, the Jonas Brothers and Stevie Nicks among them — perhaps the biggest news is that the downtown St. Paul hockey arena that opened 25 years ago as Xcel Energy Center is now known as Grand Casino Arena.
It’ll be interesting to see what nickname it eventually gets. Might I suggest the Ex X?
Here’s a look at the highlights of the biggest Twin Cities concerts. Listed ticket prices are subject to change and do not include VIP or other premium packages.
Evanescence
Sept. 19: Singer and keyboardist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody began working together in 1994, initially performing acoustic sets at bookstores and coffee shops in Little Rock. The pair fused Lee’s love of classical with Moody’s taste for metal and hard rock and eventually released two EPs that earned some airplay in Little Rock. In 2000, Lee and Moody recorded a demo that helped land them a deal with Wind-up Records. Their 2003 debut album “Fallen” spawned worldwide hits in “Bring Me to Life” and “My Immortal.” Evanescence went on to earn five Grammy nominations and won best new artist and best hard rock performance for “Bring Me to Life.” But Moody quickly grew dissatisfied with the group and quit during a European tour in the fall of 2003. In the years since, the band has gone independent and has a new album in the works. 6 p.m.; Grand Casino Arena, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; $287.95-$66.35; grandcasinoarena.com.
Farm Aid
From left, Lukas Nelson, Willie Nelson, and Particle Kid will perform as part of Farm Aid on Sept. 20 at Huntington Bank Stadium. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Sept. 20: Willie Nelson is bringing Farm Aid to Minnesota for the first time. Now in its 40th year, Farm Aid is a nonprofit annual festival that has raised more than $85 million to support family farms, promote sustainable agriculture and strengthen rural communities. The lineup includes Farm Aid board members Nelson, Neil Young (and the Chrome Hearts), John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds) and Margo Price along with Kenny Chesney, Billy Strings, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Lukas Nelson, Trampled by Turtles, Wynonna Judd, Steve Earle, Waxahatchee, Eric Burton of Black Pumas, Jesse Welles and Madeline Edwards. The festival is expected to run more than 11 hours. Noon; Huntington Bank Stadium, 2009 University Ave. S.E., Mpls.; $437-$113; farmaid.org.
Keith Urban
Keith Urban will appear at Grand Casino Arena in ST. Paul on Sept. 26. (Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Sept. 26: Keith Urban has been a consistent presence on the country charts since his first hit, 1999’s “It’s a Love Thing.” He has landed at No. 1 with 20 singles, including “Somebody Like You,” “Days Go By,” “Better Life,” “You Look Good in My Shirt,” “Without You,” “Long Hot Summer” and “Blue Ain’t Your Color.” Last year, Urban released his 12th album, “High.” He told Billboard about the inspiration behind the record’s title: “What makes you ‘high’ can mean whatever you want it to mean. It might be physical, spiritual, herbal, meditative, chemical or musical, but it’s definitely a place of utopia.” Urban is a familiar face to local concertgoers and has played Target Center, Winstock County Music Festival and the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand. Last summer, he played a surprise club gig in front of 650 fans at the Fine Line in downtown Minneapolis. Chase Matthew, Alana Springsteen and Karley Scott Collins are also on the bill. 7 p.m.; Grand Casino Arena, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; $156.15-$54.05; grandcasinoarena.com.
Mumford and Sons
Oct. 9: British folk rock band Mumford and Sons return to the metro for their first local show in nearly a decade. Led by vocalist/guitarist Marcus Mumford, the band quietly released their debut album, “Sigh No More,” in late 2009. It earned comparisons to American acts like the Avett Brothers and Fleet Foxes and quickly found an audience in England and the States. It topped 3 million in sales and earned the group a pair of Grammy nominations. The band’s follow-up, 2012’s “Babel,” was the first of three consecutive albums from Mumford and Sons to hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts. It also won a Grammy for album of the year and spawned radio hits with “I Will Wait,” “Lover of the Light” and “Whispers in the Dark.” The group is touring in support of their fifth album, “Rushmere.” Michael Kiwanuka opens. 7:30 p.m.; Grand Casino Arena, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; $205.65-$54.85; grandcasinoarena.com.
Jonas Brothers
From left, Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas and Kevin Jonas of the Jonas Brothers will perform Oct. 10 at Grand Casino Arena. (Charles Sykes / Invision via Associated Press)
Oct. 10: Siblings Kevin, Joe and Nick formed the Jonas Brothers in 2005 and rose to fame two years later when they signed a deal with Disney’s Hollywood Records. After making a guest appearance on Miley Cyrus’ Disney Channel show “Hannah Montana,” they hit the road with Cyrus as her opening act. Soon after, they began headlining arenas on their own. After releasing four albums, the trio canceled what was to be their fifth record together and a planned 2013 tour, citing a “deep rift within the band” over “creative differences.” In February 2019, the Jonas Brothers announced they had reunited and released a new single, “Sucker,” which entered the Billboard charts at No. 1. The tour will offer a “full, career-spanning journey” of the Jonas Brothers catalog along with sets dedicated to Nick Jonas’ solo career and his 2010 album with the Administration, which featured former Prince sidemen Michael Bland, Tommy Barbarella and Sonny Thompson. Joe Jonas’ solo career and work with DNCE will also be represented. The All-American Rejects open. 7:30 p.m.; Grand Casino Arena, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; $519.60-$75; grandcasinoarena.com.
Paul McCartney
Oct. 17: Could this be the final time the Twin Cities sees Sir Paul McCartney live? McCartney, 83, has taken long breaks between local performances. He first played here in 1965 when the Beatles headlined the old Met Stadium, and he returned for shows in 1976 (St. Paul Civic Center with Wings), 1993 (Metrodome), 2002 and 2005 (both at Xcel Energy Center), 2014 (Target Field) and 2016 (two nights at Target Center). A native of Liverpool, McCartney changed the world as a member of the Beatles. With John Lennon, he wrote the bulk of the Beatles’ songs and spearheaded 1967’s “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” But McCartney also pushed the band to record the back-to-basics “Let it Be” album, an ill-fated project that helped bring on the Fab Four’s demise and was revisited by director Peter Jackson in 2021 with the hit docuseries “The Beatles: Get Back.” Of all the Beatles, McCartney found the greatest success in the ’70s, fronting Wings and breaking records with his 1975-76 world tour. His current outing, dubbed “Got Back,” began in 2022 and included a two-night stand at Boston’s Fenway Park that drew more than 71,000 fans. 8 p.m.; U.S. Bank Stadium, 401 Chicago Ave., Mpls.; $532.40-$132.60; ticketmaster.com.
Lainey Wilson
Lainey Wilson will play Grand Casino Arena on Oct. 18. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Oct. 18: Country star Lainey Wilson — who in 2023 became the first woman to be named Country Music Association entertainer of the year since Taylor Swift in 2009 — makes her local arena debut in St. Paul. The Louisiana native fell in love with music after attending a concert at the Grand Ole Opry at the age of 9. She began writing her own songs soon after and spent her teen years performing as a Hannah Montana impersonator at birthday parties, fairs and festivals. After graduating from high school, she moved to Nashville and lived in a camper trailer outside a recording studio. She released two albums on small labels before landing a deal with a major in 2018. Two years later, her debut single “Things a Man Oughta Know” hit No. 1 on Billboard’s country airplay chart. She has since found similar success with “Heart Like a Truck,” “Watermelon Moonshine” and “Wildflowers and Wild Horses.” 7 p.m.; Grand Casino Arena, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; $249.80; grandcasinoarena.com.
Playboi Carti
Playboi Carti comes to Grand Casino Arena on Oct. 23. (Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)
Oct. 23: Born Jordan Terrell Carter in Atlanta, Playboi Carti began posting his music online in 2011 and, four years later, began attracting attention for his singles “Broke Boi” and “Fetti.” At that time, he was also collaborating with artists in Atlanta’s underground rap scene, which led to a record deal with Interscope. His self-titled mixtape entered the charts at No. 12 in 2017 and spawned the multi-platinum hits “Wokeuplikethis” and “Magnolia.” The following year, his debut studio album “Die Lit” debuted at No. 3. In the years since, Carti has continued to release his own music and collaborate with the likes of Trippie Redd, Future, Metro Boomin, Travis Scott, Kanye West, Ty Dolla Sign and Camila Cabello. He’s also recorded several songs with the Weeknd and opened for the Canadian star at U.S. Bank Stadium in June. 7 p.m.; Grand Casino Arena, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; $235.70-$64.20; grandcasinoarena.com.
Maroon 5
Oct. 29: Maroon 5 will be back in town for their first local show since 2018. The band emerged in the early ’00s with a string of radio hits including “This Love,” “She Will Be Loved” and “Sunday Morning.” The band’s 2002 debut album, “Songs About Jane,” sold more than 5 million copies. Following up that success proved to be difficult, though, with the band making what looked like their final trip to the Top 10 with the 2007 single “Makes Me Wonder.” But after bandleader Adam Levine joined the then-new competitive reality TV show “The Voice” as a coach in 2011, Maroon 5 returned to the charts for a string of smashes including “Moves Like Jagger,” “Payphone,” “One More Night,” “Daylight,” “Maps,” “Sugar,” “Don’t Wanna Know” and “What Lovers Do.” The group released their eighth album “Love Is Like” last month. 8 p.m.; Grand Casino Arena, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; $204.85-$64.45; grandcasinoarena.com.
Stevie Nicks
Stevie Nicks will appear at Grand Casino Arena on Nov. 12. (Scott Dudelson / Getty Image)
Nov. 12: Stevie Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac in 1975 with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham. Two years later, the duo helped the band make “Rumours,” which has since become one of the best-selling albums of all time, with more than 20 million copies sold in the United States alone. Fleetwood Mac went on a hiatus after 1979’s “Tusk.” Two years later, Nicks released her debut solo album “Bella Donna,” which spawned the hit duets “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” (with Tom Petty) and “Leather and Lace” (with Don Henley) as well as what became her signature song, “Edge of Seventeen.” Her sophomore record “The Wild Heart” included the single “Stand Back,” which features an uncredited Prince on synthesizer. The “Rumours”-era lineup of Fleetwood Mac reunited for a wildly popular 1997 tour and Nicks spent the next few decades playing with the band while also maintaining her solo career. Nicks is the first woman to have been inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, first with Fleetwood Mac in 1998 and then as a solo artist in 2019. 7 p.m.; Grand Casino Arena, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; $319.55-$148.55; grandcasinoarena.com.
Pentatonix
Nov. 20: The holidays will start early this fall when a cappella group Pentatonix bring their Christmas in the City Tour to St. Paul. The Texas-based five-piece group won the third season of NBC’s “The Sing-Off” and a contract with Sony Music. They built a strong online following through the group’s YouTube channel, which now boasts 20.5 million subscribers. The group’s Daft Punk medley, which has been viewed 381 million times on YouTube, won them their first of three Grammy Awards. The single also went gold, along with the group’s covers of Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” While the group has released other covers and original songs, they’ve leaned heavily into seasonal music. In 2022, they released their seventh Christmas album, “Holidays Around the World,” and followed it up in 2023 with the compilation “The Greatest Christmas Hits.” 7 p.m.; Grand Casino Arena, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; $155.90-$74.55; grandcasinoarena.com.
Leave a Reply