Minnesotans love to spend summer outdoors and folks in the Twin Cities love to spend summer weekends outside of the metro.
Luckily, there are a wide array of outdoor concerts this summer for folks looking for a quick break. Here’s a look at what’s on tap at three venues, each an hour or more out of the city, in the coming months, and details about one of the biggest country music festivals around.
Keep in mind that ticket prices can fluctuate and the prices listed here do not include VIP and other options. (Concertgoers know full well that artists and venues will take all the money you’re willing to give them.)
Somerset Amphitheater
In 2022, Live Nation took over operations of this 30,000 capacity outdoor venue, located 30 miles northeast of St. Paul in Wisconsin, which has since hosted a somewhat steady series of summer concerts.
The big one this year, at least for aging nu metal fans, is Limp Bizkit (6:30 p.m. July 16; $143.50-$45.65), who haven’t played the metro in a decade. At the turn of the century, the band led rap-rock fusion boom, which offered an alternative to the boy bands that ruled the era.
Limp Bizkit broke through with a roughed-up cover of George Michael’s “Faith” and went on to sell an astonishing 15 million copies of their albums “Significant Other” and “Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water.” Guitarist Wes Borland quit the band at the height of their success in 2001. While he returned to the fold three years later, the group never returned to their early, massive success.
Still, Limp Bizkit’s 2021 album “Still Sucks” earned some surprisingly warm reviews and they’ve proved they can still draw a crowd on the road. For this tour stop, they’ll be joined by electronic oddball N8NOFACE, rappers Riff Raff and Bones and … Corey Feldman. Yup, that Corey Feldman.
Also at Somerset (tickets at somersetamphitheater.com):
Soft rockers Train and REO Speedwagon with Yacht Rock Revue; 6:25 p.m. July 8; $179.50-$48.65.
’90s throwbacks Hootie and the Blowfish with Collective Soul and Edwin McCain; 7 p.m. Aug. 8; $179.75-$41.55.
Country star Luke Bryan with George Birge, Larry Fleet and Ella Langley; 7 p.m. Sept. 5; $155.75-$54.60.
The Outlaw Music Festival featuring Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan and John Mellencamp with Southern Avenue; 5:45 p.m. Sept. 6; $419.50-$62.70.
The Ledge Amphitheater
The Ledge Amphitheater in Waite Park, which opened in 2021, is offering its biggest summer of concerts to date. Located between two rock quarries about 90 minutes northwest of St. Paul, it offers a more intimate outdoor experience with a capacity of up to 6,000. Further details and tickets are available at theledgeamp.com.
The lineup includes:
Warped Tour vets A Day to Remember with the Story So Far and Four Year Strong; 6 p.m. June 6; $69.50.
Blues legend Buddy Guy with Samantha Fish; 7 p.m. June 7; $129-$55.
Grateful Dead tribute act Dark Star Orchestra; 6:30 p.m. June 28; $99-$35.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famers the Beach Boys with Dave Mason; 7 p.m. July 10; $145-$49.
’70s stars Three Dog Night and Little River Band; 7 p.m. July 19; sold out.
Singer/songwriter Jason Mraz; 7 p.m. July 20; $111-$60.
Jared Leto’s rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars; 7:30 p.m. July 21; $99-$47.
A cappella group Straight No Chaser; 7:30 p.m. July 23; $89-$39.
Legends of Country: Tributes to Garth Brooks and Johnny Cash; 7 p.m. July 24; $44.50.
Oddball rockers Primus and Coheed and Cambria; 6:30 p.m. July 26; $96-$59.
Hitmakers Jewel and Melissa Etheridge; 7 p.m. Aug. 1; $101-$68.
Prog rockers Jon Anderson (of Yes) and Emerson, Lake and Palmer; 7:30 p.m. Aug. 7; $116-$62.
Rockabilly trio the Stray Cats with the Midnight Cowgirls; 7 p.m. Aug. 9; $139-$49.
Country star Dwight Yoakam with the Mavericks; 6:30 p.m. Aug. 10; $139-$69.50.
Celebrate Minnesota featuring contemporary Christian stars Crowder, Jeremy Camp and Lecrae; 6 p.m. Sept. 8; $93.50-$38.50.
Country rockers the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; 7:30 p.m. Sept. 12; $59-$45.
Alt-rock favorites Crowded House; 7 p.m. Sept. 14; $185-$40.
Grand Casino Hinckley
Located about 80 miles north of St. Paul, Grand Casino Hinckley boasts a pretty impressive lineup of acts this summer in its outdoor amphitheater (and the delicious treats of Tobies Restaurant and Bakery just down the road).
Miranda Lambert (7 p.m. July 5; $150-$90) got her start on the “American Idol” knockoff “Nashville Star,” but quickly established herself as a favorite of both critics and fans with her 2005 album “Kerosene.” Her biggest hits include “Gunpowder and Lead,” “White Liar,” “The House That Built Me,” “Over You,” “Mama’s Broken Heart,” “Somethin’ Bad,” “Vice” and “Bluebird.”
Also at Grand Casino Hinckley (tickets at grandcasinomn.com):
R&B star Flo Rida with Chingy and Petey Pablo; 8 p.m. July 26; $99-$69.
Grand Country Nights (day one) featuring Travis Tritt, the Frontmen of Country, HunterGirl and Mason Dixon Line; 4 p.m. Aug. 9; $129-$69 or $189-$89 for both nights.
Grand Country Nights (day two) featuring Lee Brice, Travis Denning, Dillon Carmichael and Presley and Taylor; 4 p.m. Aug. 9; $129-$69 or $189-$89 for both nights.
Classic rockers Heart with Cheap Trick; 8 p.m. Aug. 16; $140-$60.
Rapper/actor Ice Cube; 8 p.m. Aug. 31; $99-$69.
Early century rockers Buckcherry and Drowning Pool; 8 p.m. Sept. 5;
Rocktember (day one) featuring Ace Frehley, Steven Adler, Molly Hatchet, Mike Tramp, Steelheart, Black N’ Blue and SIIN; noon Sept. 6; $139-$69 or $219-$89 for both nights.
Rocktember (day two) featuring Loverboy, Stephen Pearcy, Aldo Nova, Vain, Rhino Bucket, Enuff Z Nuff and Fan Halen; noon Sept. 6; $139-$69 or $219-$89 for both nights.
We Fest
For decades, this three-day, early August festival in Detroit Lakes was known as much for attracting country music’s biggest stars as it was for attracting rowdy, binge-drinking crowds. Things started to fall apart a decade ago after an ownership change, but now that Live Nation is running the show, We Fest has regained some of its past glory.
This summer’s headliners are an impressive trio. Jelly Roll (Aug. 1) spent the ’10s toiling away as an underground rapper, but took a turn toward Nashville with his 2020 single “Save Me.” In the time since, he’s released a series of singles that found success on both country and rock radio, including “Son of a Sinner, “Need a Favor” and “Halfway to Hell.” He even earned a best new artist Grammy nomination.
Parker McCollum (Aug. 2) grew up listening to classic country — Willie Nelson, Buck Owens, Porter Wagoner — and began writing his own songs as a teenager. He went on to self-release a pair of albums in 2015 and 2017 that earned acclaim for his more traditional Americana style and songwriting. That lead to a deal with MCA and four consecutive country radio smashes: “Pretty Heart,” “To Be Loved by You,” “Handle on You” and “Burn it Down.”
A North Carolina native, Eric Church (Aug. 3) got his start in music as a teenager playing Jimmy Buffett covers at a local bar. After graduating from Appalachian State University with a degree in marketing, he moved to Nashville, where he landed a deal with Capitol Records. His 2006 debut single “How ‘Bout You” went gold, but his career really took off with 2010’s double-platinum “Smoke a Little Smoke” as Church established a reputation as an industry maverick and fiery live performer.
Each day features four opening acts, ranging from faded stars to newcomers, as well as music on two smaller stages.
Details: We Fest takes place at Soo Pass Ranch in Detroit Lakes. A wide variety of ticket options are available, with many VIP packages and camping options already sold out. See wefest.com for details.
