Everything you need to know before your first concert in the cities.
By Natasha Delion
Nights out in a new city can be intimidating, especially when it comes to concerts. You’re still trying to figure out where venues are, how to get there and how to not spend all your rent money before it’s due. Here’s what you need to know to let go of that stress and enjoy your night out.
The Venues
First Avenue & 7th St Entry. Located on the corner of First Avenue and Seventh Street, this venue is known for the stars painted on the building. The stars feature artists who have performed at the venue throughout the 53 years it’s been open. Check out some of the names as you wait in line before a show.
The Fillmore Minneapolis. The Fillmore was popular in San Francisco and New York in the late 1960s where famous musicians like Aretha Franklin and Jimi Hendrix recorded live albums. The Fillmore opened in Minneapolis in February 2020.
The Armory. Fun fact about The Armory– Minneapolis native Prince filmed the music video for his song “1999” in the building and 16 years later the music video for Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” was filmed there.
According to Calvin Hume, a frequent concert attendee in the Twin Cities, the venue provides an intimate concert experience without being too small.
“I think the armory is my favorite because that’s where I saw my first two concerts,” said Hume. He saw Conan Gray and Olivia Rodrigo, both in the spring of 2022.
The Palace Theater. Originating as a theater in 1916 and then closing in 1984, the theater went through a $15 million renovation and re-opened as a music venue in 2017. The Palace Theater is one of two music venues located in St. Paul.
Target Center. Moving on to the larger venues, Target Center has hosted performances of 35 members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame including Prince and Bob Dylan. Also, in case you didn’t know, Target was founded in Minneapolis in 1902 and its headquarters are currently still located here as well.
Xcel Energy Center. Home of the Minnesota Wild, this is the larger of the two venues in St. Paul. At this venue, you can find concerts for larger mainstream artists as well as all the Minnesota Wild home games.
U.S. Bank Stadium. Along with being the home stadium for the Minnesota Vikings, it hosted two sold-out shows of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in June 2023.
Remember to leave your pepper spray at home when visiting any of these venues.
If you’re wondering how to get there…
Public transportation in the Twin Cities is your best friend when it comes to music venues. It’s significantly cheaper than taking an Uber and you wouldn’t have to deal with finding and paying for parking. The Metro Green Line can take you to almost every venue on the list. Here’s where you should get off for each venue.
- First Avenue- Warehouse District/Hennepin
- The Fillmore and Target Center- Target Field
- U.S. Bank Stadium and The Armory- U.S. Bank Stadium
- Palace Theater- 10th St
It’s not impossible to get to Xcel Energy Center via public transportation, but it might be best just to take an Uber. Keep that in mind when budgeting for a concert at this venue.
Budgeting
Concerts don’t need to be insanely expensive if you budget correctly. Concert tickets vary in price depending on the venue. Venues like U.S. Bank Stadium, Target Center and Xcel Energy Center are larger, so ticket prices tend to be higher. Smaller venues like The Armory, First Avenue and The Fillmore tend to be less expensive for a more intimate experience. However, this all depends on whether you get the ticket at its original price or resale. Beyond tickets, think about what you could go without at a concert.
Do you NEED to buy merch? Is a drink necessary? Will you be going out to eat before? Will you be taking an Uber? Do you absolutely need to see this artist or you’ll regret it forever? Will your friend really pay you back for their ticket? These are questions you should ask yourself when planning to go to a concert.
How early should you arrive at the venue?
There are a few factors to consider when answering this question. If you have a seat, it doesn’t really matter, but if you have general admission you must decide how dedicated you are to actually seeing the artist. Being in the back can be heartbreaking, especially if you’re stuck behind someone tall, if you LOVE the artist.
Hume said he usually arrives about an hour before the doors open so he can grab water and get a good spot in the crowd. One decision he must make at the start of each concert is if he wants to sacrifice a good spot for a shorter merch line. As a fairly tall person it’s not too difficult of a decision for him.
What happens when it’s over?
When the concert ends, relish in the adrenaline left from the show. If you attended with a friend, talk about your favorite parts of the concert. If you didn’t, call up one of your friends or your parents and rave about how amazing your experience was.
All in all, concerts are an enjoyable experience that you’ll often remember for years to come. Get out there, see your favorite artists, see an artist you’ve never heard of before, enjoy the night out and make some memories.
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