Black Eyed Peas come to the Xcel Energy Center in March

Hit Pop-Rock Group the Black Eyed Peas are coming to the Xcel Energy Center in March. BEP as their fans call them will play in St. Paul on March 22nd at 7:30. The Black Eyed Peas have gone on several tours since their start but lots of critics are hailing the "E.N.D. World Tour 2010" as the best Black Eyed Peas Tour to date.

"The E.N.D. World Tour proves the “energy never dies” with a feast for the senses for hundreds of thousands of fans. The tour will also be “green,” with a unique charitable component to be announced in the weeks ahead."

The E.N.D. Tour will include New Black Eyed Peas hits like "Boom Boom Pow"and " gotta a feeling" and Black Eyed Peas Classics. Black Eyed Peas Tickets are some of the hottest on the market right now and will only continue to rise in popularity and price as the show grows closer. Buy your Black Eyed Peas Concert Tickets today or risk missing one of the best dance-club concerts of the year!

2010 Xcel Energy Center Concert Schedule makes for great Holiday Shopping Guide

Looking for a few last minute gifts? The 2010 Xcel Energy Center Concert Schedule is full of great shows and events, perfect for everyone on your list. The Xcel Energy Center Concert Schedule has a mix of everything from country to acoustic and lots in between. Don't waste time buying Holiday Gifts anywhere else, give the gift of good times at the X!

For those of you who aren't sure which Xcel Energy Center Concerts you should get tickets for here is what my list looked like:
Best Friend: John Mayer Tickets
Mom: Michael Buble Tickets
Dad: Brad Paisley Tickets
Older Brother: Bon Jovi Tickets
Roommates: Taylor Swift Tickets

Need a Holiday Gift Idea? Celtic Woman Tickets make a great gift for mom!

With the pressure to get the perfect gift for everyone for the Holidays, I would like to make it a little easier for you. If you are still looking for a holiday gift for your mom, sister, aunt, anyone really who loves great vocal-instrumental music... I would like to suggest Celtic Woman Tickets.

Celtic Woman a female-ensemble group from Ireland will be making an appearance at the Xcel Energy Center on March 24, 2010. The Girl-Group is a blend of pop vocal sounds, classically trained musicians, and harmonic perfection. The Cleveland Plain Dealer has called them a "highly polished, tightly choreographed extravaganza."

Celtic Woman has been to St. Paul and the Xcel Energy Center before, their last concert was a huge success and close to a total sell-out. This concert is anticipated to be even bigger. Don't wait to purchase Celtic Woman Tickets and give the gift of music this holiday season!

John Mayer returns to the Xcel Energy Center for the Battle Studies Tour

John Mayer's Battle Studies Tour will be stopping at the St. Paul Xcel Energy Center on March 2, 2010. The Battle Studies Tour will promote John Mayer's new album "Battle Studies". "Battle Studies" is John Mayer's latest album and was released in mid-November. Hits "Who Says" and "Half of My Heart" which features Taylor Swift are just a few of the singles from the highly successful and much anticipated 5th John Mayer Album.

The Battle Studies Tour will feature Michael Franti and Spearhead who had huge success this year with the summer anthem, "Say Hey (I Love You)". Both Mayer and Franti are socially conscious rockers who are known for their talent as live performers.

There are still John Mayer Tickets left online, but the closer the show gets the faster these tickets will sell. Don't miss your chance to see John Mayer's 3rd visit to the Xcel Energy Center

Looking for the Perfect Holiday Gift? Why not buy that special someone St. Paul Concert Tickets

Everybody has the one person on their holiday gift list that is impossible to shop for, they have it all, they want nothing and shopping for them is more of a nightmare than an exercise in holiday spirit. I have a suggestion... why not skip the agony of trying to find the perfect gift for that special someone and buy concert tickets. The St. Paul Concert scene is going to be great this winter and spring, The Xcel Energy Center has big names like Brad Paisley, John Mayer, Michael Buble, Bon Jovi, and Taylor Swift. Other smaller venues have lesser known names that are going to be great.

There are so many websites out there to find great Xcel Energy Center Concert Tickets, a favorite of mine is St. Paul Concert Tickets, a local ticket site that has some of the best seats to the hottest shows. Moral of the post, avoid gift giving stress and buy concert tickets, everyone loves music, everyone would love concert tickets!

Ticket Deals and Steals on Black Friday

Looking for an easy way to get all of your Black Friday Shopping done from the comfort of your home? Xcel Energy Center Concert Tickets are a great gift for any holiday. With a great concert series coming up this winter, why not skip the hassle of shopping at the mall and order all of your gifts online, in the form of Xcel Energy Center Tickets. Online ticket sites, like Ticket King are offering lots of great deals for the hottest shows coming to the Twin Cities this winter. Tickets make the perfect gift for anyone on your list, why bother fighting crowds on Black Friday when the best gift at great prices is just a mouse click away!

Brad Paisley Comes to the Xcel Energy Tour

Looking for something fun and exciting to start your new year with? Look no farther, Country MegaStar Brad Paisley is bringing his "American Saturday Night Tour" to the Xcel Energy Center January 16th at 7:30.

Brad Paisley will be touring with Miranda Lambert and Justin Moore to promote his most recent album "American Saturday Night". Concert promoters have written, "Paisley‟s innovative and entertaining tours have consistently placed in the top five for attendance in Pollstar." Brad Paisley fans should expect nothing less from the St. Paul stop of the "American Saturday Night Tour".

Miranda Lambert is famous for her songs "Famous in a Small Town" and "More Like Her". Justine Moore is climbing the charts and into country music fans hearts with his hit, "Small Town USA".

Don't miss this night of great Country Music at the Xcel Energy Center

Bon Jovi Concert Series comes to to the Xcel Energy Center

Rockstar Jon Bon Jovi is going on a huge international tour that will have him and band circling the globe for almost two years. Bon Jovi kicks off the tour early in 2010, with a stop at the Xcel Energy Center on Wednesday April 7th. The Bon Jovi Concert doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

The Circle Tour will promote the new Bon Jovi album "The Circle". Bon Jovi's new album dropped on Novemeber 10th. Time and time again this rock super-group have proven that they are the best on the road.

Bon Jovi is one of the best concerts coming to the Xcel Energy Center this year, with his melodic voice and tough edge, Bon Jovi is a concert that shoud not be missed. Bon Jovi Concert Tickets are on sale now!

Taylor Swift Tickets at the Xcel Energy Center sold out quickly

Last week I told that Taylor Swift was adding tour dates to her Fearless Tour after the huge popularity of her first leg. It seems like maybe she should add a third leg. Taylor Swift Tickets for her May 7th show at the Xcel Energy Center sold out as soon as the tickets went on sale.

Taylor Swift Tickets are still available at radio stations, but who honestly can name in reverse order every song Taylor Swift has ever released or can identify her favorite ice cream flavor? Want a more realistic way to get tickets to the already sold out show? Online Ticket Sites, like Ticket King, have great seats to the show and are only a click of a mouse away... sounds a lot easier than listening to the radio for days on end to be the 17th caller right? I thought so too...

Taylor Swift announces more concert dates and a return to the Xcel Energy Center

Due to the extreme popularity of the Taylor Swift Fearless Tour, Taylor and her management have announced that they are extending the Fearless tour into 2010 and will be returning to concert sites that sold out quickly. Venues on the Taylor Swift Hot List: the Xcel Energy Center!

Thats right folks! If you missed this falls show, don't fret! Taylor Swift will be back in St Paul on May 7th 2010 for a 7:00 concert. Staying with the Fearless Tour are Kelli Pickler and Gloriana. Kelli Pickler although listed as an opening act for Taylor has really gained enough fame to tour on her own, with hit song "Best Days of Your Life" and "Red High Heels" this blonde country bombshell is proving she has what it takes. Break-out Group Gloriana are really the Cinderella Story of this tour, proving that getting hitched to the right wagon can take you far. Gloriana will open for Kellie and Taylor again for the 2010 leg of the Fearless Tour further promoting their new album which came out this fall.

This second chance at Taylor Swift tickets is going to go fast so do not miss out again! Taylor Swift Fearless is the country concert of the year!

Annual KDWB Jingle Ball comes to the Xcel Energy Center

The annual KDWB Jingle Ball will make its holiday appearance at the Xcel Energy Center this year on Sunday December 6th. Doors will open for the event at 5:00 with the concert series starting at 6. The Jingle Ball is an annual holiday concert series that features the hottest stars in popular music performing their hits as well as holiday classics.

This year the star-studded line up includes Jordin Sparks, Pitbull, Colbie Caillat, Boys Like Girls, 3oh!3, Justin Bieber, Jay Sean, and Owl City. Owl City recently broke onto the scene with hit "Fireflies" but long before you could here it on the radio, Owl City was getting its start in Minnesota. This concert will be especially sentimental for Owl City who has not played a large show at home since hitting it big. Don't miss your chance to see the 2009 Jingle Ball presented by KDWB and hosted by the Xcel Energy Center!

Martina McBride and Trace Adkins come the Xcel Energy Center this November

Longtime Country Sensation Martina McBride and Country's Rough and Tumble Bad-Boy Trace Adkins will be stopping at the Xcel Energy Center on their Shine All Night Tour. Martina McBride and Trace Adkins will be in St. Paul Saturday November 21st, with concert doors opening at 6:30.

With songs like "Honky-Tonk Badonkadonk" and "This One's For the Girls" that will have you dancing in your seat to songs like "I Just Call You Mine" and "You're Going to Miss This" that bring you back to the roots of why you love country music, the Shine All Night Tour is not one to be missed. She is country's reigning queen and he is the sexy country rebel that has female fans everywhere screaming for more...

Country's Hottest Dual Tour this fall is Martina McBride and Trace Adkins. Tickets are onsale now, don't miss your chance to be at the concert that will change how you think about country forever!

Disney On Ice: Princess Classic comes to the Xcel Energy Center in December

Can you name the Disney Princesses? If you know a little girl, I bet she can. Looking for a Christmas Gift for that little girl? Why not take her to Disney On Ice: Princess Classics?

Disney On Ice: Princess Classics is coming to the Xcel Energy Center December 10th- 13th with a total of 4 shows. The Xcel Energy Center released the following regarding the show, "Disney On Ice will play host to THE gala of the year as Cinderella, Belle, Ariel, Jasmine, Mulan, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White are joined on the ice by their dashing heroes and their devoted sidekicks in this once-in-a-lifetime extravaganza."

Don't miss a chance to see the magic of Disney live. Buy Disney On Ice Tickets today!

Minnesota Wild come back to the Xcel Energy Center on October 21st

After a great home opener at the Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday, The Minnesota Wild are taking it on the road for the next few weeks... taking on the Kings, the Sharks, the Ducks, the Oilers and the Canucks.

However, in just a short 13 days the Minnesota Wild will be back in St. Paul at the Xcel Energy Center to take on rivals the Colorado Avalanche. With conference standing on the line, this game is going to be crazy... right now there are still tickets available and some really good deals. However, as the date gets closer and people start to crave being in the X, the Wild Tickets are going to fly. My advice, if you plan on attending this or any other MN Wild home game, buy your tickets early! If the Home Opener was any indication of how we are going to do this season, Tickets are about to become very scarce!!

Check my last post for events at the Xcel until then!

Xcel Energy Center Schedule

Its going to be a big few weeks at the Xcel Energy Center and just in case you have lost track of all that is going on, I'm posting the Xcel Energy Center schedule for the next few weeks so you don't miss a moment of X Center Fun!!

October 3rd: Living out the Legacy
October 6th: MN Wild Home Opener
October 11th: Rob Thomas
October 16th and 17th: Women of Faith
October 18th: Disney's Rockin Road Show
October 21st: MN Wild
October 24th: MN Wild
October 28th: MN Wild
October 30th: MN Wild

Just Announced: Def Leppard Concert at the Xcel Energy Center

That's right all of you 80's rockers... Def Leppard, one of the most iconic hair bands there is will be playing a concert at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday November 6th at 7:00. The concert is a part of the second leg of the Def Leppard tour and is set to highlight all of the band's classics including, "Photograph", "Cmon Cmon", and "Pour some Sugar on Me."

Front man Joe Elliot told reporters, "We are really amazed by how well the tour has been received. Our fans have been absolutely fantastic. There's really no greater compliment than to be asked to keep on doing it so that's what we're going to do."

Joining Def Leppard at the Xcel will be Cheap Trick famous for, "I want you to want me" and Man Raze. Don't miss your chance to relive all of the neon-colored, spandex wearing memories. Xcel Energy Center Tickets go fast, so Cmon Cmon, buy yours now!

Minnesota Wild come to the Xcel Energy Center September 18th

Its that time of year again... When the Xcel Energy Center is no longer just a great place to go to concerts, it also becomes the home of the Minnesota Wild. The MN Wild start preseason play on September 15th against the St. Louis Blues in St. Louis before coming to St. Paul Friday September 18th to face the Blues at home. The Wild have 3 home preseason games, so if you can't make one check your schedule for later dates. Wild Preseason Tickets are some of the best ticket deals you will see at the Xcel with lots of cheap Wild tickets available make time to get to at least one of the games!

Don't miss your chance to see the MN Wild come back to the Xcel and welcome new Head Coach Todd Richards!

Go Wild GO!

Is the Xcel Energy Center better than the Target Center for concerts?

Every hockey fan knows the Xcel Energy Center ROCKS for hockey games, but which center is better for concerts Xcel Energy Center St Paul or Target Center Minneapolis? This is a hot debate among music lovers in the Twin Cities area. I get emails and comments from both sides of the river. Since I write blogs about both venues, I try not to be overly biased (but I do prefer the Xcel Energy Center – if you didn’t know that read my Target Center Box Office is a Joke post).

It seems to me that the Target Center has been getting more big name pop stars lately like Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift – what’s up with that? My friend scored some really great The Fray Tickets to their Target Center concert in July, but left wishing the show was at the Xcel Center because he thought the sound would have been better.

Lil’ Wayne was at the Target Center in January and will now be at the Xcel Center tomorrow night (less than nine months later!) Do you suppose he is hoping for better sound? If you went to the Target Center Lil Wayne Show and are going to the Xcel Center Lil’ Wayne Show – let me know which one you liked better.

Rob Thomas Concert at Xcel Energy Center

Rob Thomas former front man for Matchbox 20 will be performing at the Xcel Energy Center October 11th at 7:00. The Cradlesong Tour '09, is Rob Thomas' second solo-tour, aimed at promoting his newly released album Cradlesong with hits "Her Diamonds" and "Give Me the Meltdown". Rob Thomas is most famous for his work with Matchbox 20 and the hits "Push", "3AM" and "Real World" which Thomas wrote for the band. Rob Thomas also worked with Carlos Santana on "Smooth" and has collaborated with Willie Nelson and Marc Anthony

Touring with Rob Thomas is the new breakout band, Carolina Liar who is promoting thier 1st major studio album, "Coming to Terms" which features summer chart topper "Show me what I'm looking for". Also on the Cradlesong Tour is OneRepublic.

Music from Cradelsong is currently streaming free on Vh1's "the leak". Buy Xcel Energy Center Tickets for the Rob Thomas Concert before they sell out!

Xcel Energy Center hosts US National Team twice

The US Women's National Hockey team will make two stops in St. Paul on their Qwest Tour, which consists of 10 games aimed to prepare the team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Team USA will kick off their Qwest Tour on Friday, September 25 at 7:00 p.m. against the Western Collegiate Hockey Associations Women's All-Stars.

The Women's National Team will then tour the country before returning to St. Paul and the Xcel Energy Center on Wednesday, December 30 at 7:00 p.m. to play arch-rival Canada. The Team USA-Canada game will be the US Women's National Team's last public pre-Olympic game before the team heads to Vancouver to play in the 2010 Olympics February 12-28th.

In the Land of Hockey these tickets will go fast, so buy them today and don't miss a chance to see these girls skate live!

Lil' Wayne Xcel Energy Center Concert

The "America's Most Wanted Music Festival" Tour which features Lil' Wayne with special guests Young Jeezy, Soulja Boy and Pleasure P is going to make a stop at the Xcel Energy Center on
September 1st. The Xcel Energy Center doors will open at 6:00 p.m. for a 7:00 concert. This is Lil' Waynes first major tour and his first ever appearance at the Xcel Energy Center.

Last year Lil' Wayne's album "The Carter III" made multi-platinum status, was the best selling album of the year and won a Grammy for Best Rap Album. His first three singles off of the album, "Lollipop", "A Milli", and "Got Money" all reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Music Hot 100, something that is rare for rap music.

The "America's Most Wanted Music Festival" tour will not only feature hit songs that gained Lil' Wayne status as one of the most revered rappers of his generation but will also be a preview for tracks off of his follow up album "Rebirth" that is due to drop later this fall. Lil' Wayne Tickets will go fast for this show, buy early if you want good seats!

MN Wild 2009-2010 schedule set

The MN Wild set their schedule for the 2009-2010 season. The Wild will be playing at Xcel Energy Center 41 times throughout the Wild 2009-2010 schedule, starting with the Tuesday October 6th home opener against the Anaheim Ducks. The Wild will also meet the Colorado Avalanche, the New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks early in the season at home in the Xcel Energy Center.

With a new coach and lots of roster changes this season is sure to be one that sells out the Xcel on a regular basis. The season also includes 41 away games and a break for the 2010 Winter Olympics. MN Wild fans should look forward to seeing how the Wild will play under the direction of Todd Richards who has promised that this season there will be a shift in the Wild playbook to faster paced Hockey and more aggressive skating.

Rascal Flatts Concert at the Xcel Energy Center

Rascal Flatts the world renowned country music group will be coming to the Xcel Energy Center on Saturday September 19th at 8:00 p.m. The group is currently on their nation wide America Living Unstoppable Tour that is promoting the groups newest album Unstoppable which was released in April and jumped to the top of the Billboard music charts.

This will be Rascall Flatts 5th appearance in the Twin Cities and bassist Jay DeMarcus commented, "We are very blessed to see familiar faces in the audience in most cities we play on tour." Also noting, "We know in this economy Americans want the most for their money and we hope that we offer some stress relief and a fun night out."

The ...Unstoppable tour will include special guest Darius Rucker former lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish who is now promoting his first country album which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts as well.

Rascal Flatts has always been a huge show in the cities and there is no reason to think this will be any different, so Buy Rascal Flatts tickets early if you don't want to miss one of the best country acts today!

Rave Reviews for Recent Xcel Energy Center Concerts

This year the Xcel Energy Center has had several great shows come through and this last week has been no exception.

On Sunday night, No Doubt rocked the Xcel Energy Center with a high-energy show that was reminiscent of the No Doubt that so many of us knew and loved in the 90's. Opening with "Spiderwebs", Gwen Stefani and the rest of the band made it clear, time apart had not taken away thier ability to rock. Following up with hits like "Hella Good", "Underneath it All", "Its my Life" and "Don't Speak" the concert was awesome from start to finish. The band took time to say a sincere thank you to the crowd and seemed to be enjoying the Twin Cities. Gwen revealed that they had watched the Minneapolis fireworks and that they were beautiful. The show ended with an encore of "Rock Steady", "Stand and Deliver" and "Sunday Morning". For all of you who missed it, the show was great and the crowd was the best... it was a great night to be in the Xcel!

Then last night Il Divo performed at the Xcel to a crowd of pop-opera fans. Dressed in their typical Armani suits, Il Divo looked the part of an international sensation... and then they began to sing, and swept away any doubts that this may be just another boy band. The group has true talent and concert goers last night witnessed a great performance. The guys later said they love to tour but would also love to put down roots somewhere and have a standing act, perhaps Vegas?

With the summer just getting into full swing there are still great concerts to go to and tickets left for the Xcel Energy Center!

Summer of Come Back to the Band Tours

For all of you hipster, fun-lovin, pop-rock fans out there get ready for the summer of shows for you. This week No Doubt is performing at the Xcel to an absolutely pumped crowd... it has been far too long since this band has toured together. With No Doubt is also Paramore, a new alternative band that has a lot to offer and hopefully finds a friendly crowd here in the cities.


Then in a little bit more than a month Blink 182, one of the first pop-punk bands and arguably the most popular and successful is coming to St. Paul to play the Xcel Energy Center on August 18th at 6:30. Blink 182 has sold 20 million albums world-wide. However, in 2004 the band broke up to go after individual dreams. It has been just over 5 years since this high-energy fan centered band has toured together. However, the bassist Mark Hoppus was quoted as saying, "We are ready to get out on the road and play what we hope will be the most amazing tour of the season." Fans certainly hope so too. Playing with Blink 182 are Fall Out Boy and Panic at the Disco!

Tickets are still available for both of these concerts, buy now and don't miss the chance to be part of the pop-punk comeback!

No Doubt at the Xcel Energy Center

No Doubt, the ska-punk band turned dance-jam hit makers, will be performing at the Xcel Energy Center on July 5th at 7:30 p.m. Appearing with the band will be Paramore and Bedouin Soundclash. This tour is the first time in almost five years the band has toured together, the return to the stage comes after the band took a break so that lead singer Gwen Stefani and other memebers of the group could pursue solo careers. After finding individual success, the group is ready to get back together and start working on a new album expected to drop in 2010.

The tour will be a revival of classic favorites, including the Grammy-wininng "Hey Baby" and "Underneath it All". Gwen Stefani told reporters, "The whole reason for going on this tour was to have fun, try on all our favorite songs again and to get inspired to make new music. It feels good to be all together again".

Don't miss the return of No Doubt to the stage, July 5th at the Xcel Energy Center

Il Divo in Saint Paul Minnesota

If all the moms of the Twin Cities aren’t at the Target Center Minneapolis on Wednesday, July 8 (taking their kids to the Jonas Brothers Concert) then they will be at the Xcel Energy Center Saint Paul watching the dreamy performance of Il Divo.

These internationally renowned opera stars are a huge hit with over 22 million albums sold to date. Touted as some of the greatest voices in the world, David Miller, Carlos Marín, Urs Buhler and Sébastien Izambard have captured audiences with their smooth sounds and good looks. The Xcel Energy Center show will feature selections from their five albums plus several new songs, with Il Divo onstage the entire evening.

Don’t miss Il Divo at Xcel Energy Center Saint Paul on Wednesday, July 8 at 7:30 PM.

Jason Mraz Xcel Energy Center

Jason Mraz will perform at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday, August 20th at 7 p.m. as part of his
Gratitude Café Tour. Joining Jason Mraz on the Xcel Energy Center show ticket will be G. Love & Special Sauce, K’naan and Bushwalla.

Mraz is doing a standard Xcel Energy Center end stage set-up with a general admission floor. The standing room only floor will be a mess of youngsters so if it were me, I would plan on buying tickets in section 118 or 102 lower level by the stage.

Jason Mraz has plenty of star power and with hits like “I’m Yours” and with all the great songs from his latest album, “We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things,” you can bet the best Xcel Energy Center tickets will sell quickly. I am sure the Xcel is glad to add Jason Mraz to their list of hot summer concerts.

Keith Urban Pictures and Review

Thanks to Shawna Robertson Photography for the awesome Keith Urban pictures. Shawna went to the Xcel Energy Center show and sat in the 9th row on the floor. She said her seats were amazing and that Keith Urban put on one of best shows she has ever seen. His stage set-up was interesting as was his dialogue and he connected with his audience on many occasions. She said the Xcel Energy Center may be a big venue, but Keith Urban made it feel like an intimate jam session.

If you haven’t seen a show at the Xcel Energy Center, you are missing out and if you have then you know exactly how awesome it can be.

Keith Urban Xcel Energy Center 2009:

Xcel Energy Center Show Recap with Photos

I think the Xcel Energy Center is trying something new with concert fans. A friend of mine went to the Elton John Billy Joel show on Tuesday night and said he had a great time and imagine his surprise when on Wednesday he got a “Thank You” email from the Xcel Energy Center, Billy Joel and Elton John including a link to “exclusive photos.” My friend sent me the link since he knows I write an Xcel Energy Center blog.

I must say the Thank You email is an interesting marketing idea, but I get irritated with all my incoming emails the way it is, I would choose to unsubscribe in a heartbeat and the exclusive photos weren’t any more special than the pictures in the Pioneer Press.

I didn’t make it to Elton John Billy Joel show, but plenty of other people did. The sold-out crowd was reported as 19,960 –that’s a lot of people and a lot of dollar signs for Elton and Billy especially since each St Paul concert ticket was $150 or more!

Here's a photo from the "exclusive" link:

Aerosmith Xcel Energy Center

I guess the Xcel Energy Center heard my plea for more big concert announcements because they just announced that Aerosmith and ZZ Top will be in St Paul on Tuesday September 8th. Talk about a rockers dream ticket. KQRS has been promoting the heck out of the show and it hasn’t even gone on sale to the general public yet. Aerosmith Tickets go on-sale on Saturday April 18th.

The Aerosmith ZZ Top tour is creating a stir in the music industry and is promising to be one of the "best live shows of the summer." Aerosmith is famous with many top hits and to pair up on the ticket with the bearded legends of ZZ Top is phenomenal.

Xcel Energy Center St Paul is proud to host Aerosmith and ZZ Top, but Aerosmith Tickets aren’t cheap! Face value for the Aerosmith St Paul show is $60 - $200 with most tickets priced closer to the $200 range. I am wondering if the steep price will cause the show to sell out quickly or not. Either way you can bet ticket brokers will have their hand in the mix with seats available right up until show time for over face value. This just shows that Rock ‘N Roll is here to stay.

No Doubt and Paramore at Xcel Energy Center

Music venues around the nation are trying to book hot summer concerts and the Xcel Energy Center is no exception. No Doubt with Paramore is slated on Sunday, July 5 at 7:30 p.m. You can bet that plenty of people will be making a stop at the Xcel during their July 4th holiday breaks to see No Doubt return to the big stage. Gwen Stefani is quoted as saying the whole reason for the No Doubt tour is just to have fun, sing their old favorite songs and get inspired to make new music.

I feel like the Target Center Minneapolis is getting a leg up on booking acts right now. The Xcel St Paul gets my vote for a better place to see and hear a concert so I hope they get busy and book more summer shows.

Keith Urban at Xcel Energy Center

When looking over the Xcel Energy Center Schedule, I realized I have not had a chance to “announce” Keith Urban at the Xcel Energy Center on my blog. So here is the “official” Keith Urban Xcel Energy Center announcement:

Keith Urban will be at the Xcel Energy Center on Thursday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. Opening for Keith Urban will be the Zac Brown Band.

I don’t claim to be a country music expert, but from what I can tell Keith Urban is a pretty big deal. I have read reviews of his live performances before and they are always positive. It looks like the Xcel Energy Seating Diagram has the Keith Urban stage in a horseshoe type pattern with a catwalk out the middle. Keith Urban has won several Grammy Awards and he is married to Hollywood starlet and fellow Australian Nicole Kidman so I doubt country music fans will be disappointed with the music or his on-stage storytelling.

Keith Urban has dubbed this years tour “Escape Together World Tour” and has collected major sponsors such as KC Masterpiece and Kingsford - I think those are fitting sponsors for a country music event - LOL! I checked on ticket master and all I could find was obstructed view tickets so if you haven’t bought your tickets yet, I would recommend using a local broker like Ticket King. Here is the Keith Urban Tickets link. Looks like prices start out at $49 each - not bad, but if you want really good floor level tickets expect to pay $200 or more per ticket.

Hockey Hockey Hockey at Xcel Energy Center

It’s not just the Minnesota Wild skating on the Xcel Energy Center ice in the month of March. The Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament takes over March 11 – March 14. Minnesota is known for having the most widely attended high school tournament in the nation! Often times the championship game sells-out. Local broker, Ticket King, has even been on the news due to the demand of over face value priced high school tickets. It’s not cheap if you love High School hockey and you aren’t a student at one of the participating schools, but you are guaranteed a great hockey experience.

Also skating on the Xcel Energy Center ice will be the best of college hockey during the WCHA Final Five Tournament on March 19 – March 21. The Gophers hockey team will need to beat St Cloud State this weekend in the first round of WCHA playoffs at Mariucci Arena in order to take the Xcel Energy Center ice this year. Let’s hope they can do it!

Other hockey games in March:
Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche Tuesday 3/17/2009 7PM
(St Patrick’s Day)

Minnesota Wild vs. Edmonton Oilers Sunday 3/22/2009 2PM

Minnesota Wild vs. Vancouver Canucks Tuesday 3/31/2009 7PM

Eric Clapton Steve Winwood punch Xcel Energy Center Ticket

Elton John and Billy Joel won't be the only pair of "big" names on the Xcel Energy Center marquee. Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood have announced they will be playing at the Xcel Energy Center St Paul as part of an exclusive 14 city summer tour. The Clapton Winwood duo rolls into St Paul on June 18th. Eric Clapton has a huge loyal fan base and I am sure many fans are thinking this may be one of the last opportunities to see Clapton live in St Paul and I would have to agree - this will definitely be the ONLY time to see him paired up with another guitarist as big as Steve Winwood.

Clapton Winwood fans will remember that this duo formed "Blind Faith" back in 1969.The group only lasted a year, but Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood remained friends and decided 40 years later to re-unite for a US tour. The concert set will feature solo hits by each artist plus a few collaborative songs. That's music to the ears of Eric Clapton loyalists that will do anything to hear "Layla" and "Wonderful Tonight" live.

Elton John and Billy Joel may have dueling pianos at the "X", but Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood will show off their dueling guitars! Buy Eric Clapton tickets today and see what I am talking about.

Elton John Billy Joel Tour Stop

The hottest news at the Xcel Energy Center these days is the Elton John Billy Joel tour stop on Tuesday, May 5th. They are calling it their Face 2 Face tour and word on the street is that Elton John and Billy Joel will open the show with a string of duets, playing matching pianos that are facing each other. The stage will be mostly open so there is seating all around, but they aren’t officially calling it a center stage set-up. Elton and Billy will then each do their own sets and finally finish the night “Face 2 Face” dueling it out on their pianos.

It’s a hot concert ticket in St Paul and local ticket brokers like Ticket King are charging $1,000 per ticket for 3rd row on the main floor and $400 per ticket for 10th row on the main floor. The better deal is the lower level tickets that start at less than $200 per ticket. I bet the Xcel Energy Center was glad to have snagged this hot act for 2009!

Motley Crue Xcel Energy Center

Need a Valentine’s Day present idea for the rocker in your life? Motley Crue Tickets! The original line-up of Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars, Tommy Lee and Vince Neil are back on the road and making a stop at the Xcel Energy Center St Paul on Wednesday February 18th.

It seems the Xcel is a magnet for classic hard rock shows with AC/DC booking two shows and now Motley Crue. I also heard a rumor that Kiss and Metallica would be coming some time in the New Year as well. If you relish hard rock and head banging tunes, this is the year for you! Save up your money and make plans to head to St Paul to rock out with your favorite bands! I am not into heavy metal music so I won’t be making it out to the show, but if you write a show review in the comments section of my Xcel Energy Center blog, I will be sure and post it on the front page with full credit to you. I aim to give equal attention to all types of music at the “X.” Rock on!