Along with nearby St. Paul, Minneapolis is one of Minnesota’s Twin Cities. The Cities make up the largest metropolitan area in the state. Prince, the immensely popular best-selling Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician, was born in and lived in Minneapolis and had a major influence on the city’s music culture.

Prince filmed the movie Purple Rain and also recorded the song of the same name at First Avenue, a Minneapolis venue. The club’s popularity has only grown since then. In addition to its connection to Prince, the venue has also been a launching point for many Minneapolis-based artists. Groups like Semisonic — you have probably sung their most famous song, “Closing Time,” at the end of the night — and The Replacements played at First Avenue early in their careers. The club hosts performances in a variety of genres and was notable for its role in the emergence of electronic dance music. The venue opened in 1937 and was originally used as a state-of-the-art bus station. In 1970, Joe Cocker played the venue’s first concert, and the new space, called The Depot, quickly became popular. The name changed to First Avenue in 1981. Today, First Avenue features two separate venues: The Mainroom and 7th St. Entry.

The Minnesota Orchestra plays at Orchestra Hall, which accommodates more than 2000 people. The venue is known for its unique, acoustic-improving design features. For example, the auditorium itself is technically in a separate building from the lobby and administrative areas (a one-inch gap separates them). The most striking feature of auditorium itself is its cube-shaped motif, which extends from the rear stage wall and onto the ceiling. The cubes improve the auditorium’s acoustics, and they just look interesting.

Weesner Family Amphitheater is an outdoor venue located at the Minnesota Zoo. They host an annual summer concert series, Music at the Zoo, that lasts from early June to late August. Artists like The B-52s, Pat Benatar, Indigo Girls, and Boyz II Men are among the many artists who have played a Music at the Zoo show over the years.

Minneapolis and St. Paul’s major sports arenas — XCEL Energy Center, Target Center, Target Field, and US Bank Stadium — occasionally host major concerts in addition to their normal sports programming.

Minneapolis Concert Venues

One of the most popular music clubs in town is First Avenue, located on – you guessed it -- First Avenue in Central Minneapolis. The venue is right around the corner from Target Center, which is the home of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and a 20,000-seat concert venue in its own right.

Orchestra Hall is located in Downtown West Minneapolis, near Loring Park and the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Weesner Family Amphitheater is part of the Minnesota Zoo. The zoo is located south of Minneapolis, in nearby Apple Valley, and is is about a 25 to 30 minute drive from the city.

How much do Minneapolis concert tickets cost?

The average resale price for a concert ticket in Minneapolis is $139. This may vary, however, from show to show.

Minneapolis Music Festivals

The Basilica Block Party takes its name from the Basilica of Saint Mary, located in downtown Minneapolis. The original festival was a fundraiser to restore the Basilica, but the Block Party has been an annual tradition ever since. The festival occurs over two days, and concerts play on three stages.

Soundset is one of the country’s biggest hip-hop festivals. It takes place on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in Saint Paul. The festival typically takes place on the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend and draws more than 30,000 people.

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