It’s shaping up to be a hot summer for live music in the Twin Cities.
On Monday, Guns N’ Roses announced they’re playing at Target Field this summer.
The band joins a long list of big-name acts that are making stops in Minneapolis later this year.
Green Day, Weezer and Fallout Boy are all playing at Target Field during the “Hella Mega Tour” in August.
Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Motley Crue, Def Leppard and Rammstein are also playing at U.S. Bank Stadium this summer.
Nickelback, Elton John, Maroon 5, and The Black Crowes are playing at Xcel Energy Center.
And Justin Bieber and Roger Waters are both scheduled to play at the Target Center.
“It’s going to be an action-packed summer,” Star Tribune music writer Chris Riemenschneider says.
Over the last few years the Twin Cities have quietly become one of the go-to stops for concert promoters.
Riemenschneider says there are several reasons for that.
“Some of it is luck of the draw and timing. Having our new stadium certainly helps us land some of these bands.”
Riemenschneider says the Twin Cities offers venues of all sizes, from big arenas like U.S. Bank Stadium, to smaller clubs like First Avenue, and concert promoters like to see that.
“Live Nation in particular has really eyed us as a market to come to and they work all of those levels, from the bigger venues to the smaller ones,” Riemenschneider says.
The weather also plays a role.
With Minnesotans being cooped up inside all winter they tend to get out more in the summer.
“I think people here tend to take advantage of that more than in other cities,” Riemenschneider says.
City Pages Music Editor Keith Harris says the local economy is also a big draw for concert promoters.
RELATED: Guns N' Roses to play Target Field
With more disposable income, residents are more likely to spend money on concert tickets.
“In some ways the market has sort of proven itself by selling out shows,” Harris says. “When you’re booking shows consistently and then selling out consistently, they’re going to keep booking shows.”
Another factor that might explain this sudden uptick in big name bands coming to town is the music industry itself.
With less money being made on album sales, bands are touring more to make up for that revenue.
"Bands make all of their money on the road these days. Hardly anybody makes record sales. So, they are touring a lot more,” Riemenschneider says.
And there are rumors floating around that possibly an even bigger band will be coming to the Twin Cities this summer.
An ice sculpture of The Rolling Stones’ iconic lips and tongue logo randomly showed up at Nicollet Mall Monday morning.
This came on the same morning that The Rolling Stones posted a cryptic message on the band’s Twitter page.
The post simply reads “Feeling Restless.”
Fans are assuming it means the band is anxious to get back out on the road with a possible stop here in the Twin Cities.
OTHER NEWS: Twins announce 2020 ballpark pass ticket plans
