MINNEAPOLIS — “It gets harder to see me the closer you try to look.”

So sings Noah Kahan in his newest single, “Doors.” That line could sum up what Twin Cities concertgoers are facing trying to get into his Aug. 5 Target Field concert, which sold out fast and has turned into the hottest ticket in town this summer.

Kahan is a bit of an anomaly this year, though. Many other concert tours are experiencing sluggish sales at the moment. There are still plenty of tickets available to most other summer shows. What’s getting harder for Minnesota fans is keeping track of them all, what with new venues like Shakopee’s Mystic Lake Amphitheater and new festivals like the two “club” fests coming to Harriet Island in St. Paul. It’s also getting harder for fans to know what they can afford.

We kept these considerations in mind in picking out 30 of the most noteworthy concerts to catch between now and Labor Day.

Big rooms

Prince Celebration of Life 10th Year Anniversary Concert

Part of the annual Celebration fan convention, this open-to-the-public concert features a parade of Purple acolytes and associates including Bilal, Miguel, Tevin Campbell, Kat Graham, old reliable Morris Day and a first-time mashup of members of the Revolution and New Power Generation. (June 5, the Armory, Mpls., $94 and up)

Don Toliver

Living in Travis Scott’s shadow ever since their 2018 collaboration “Can’t Say,” the high-wiry voiced, AutoTune-loving Houston rapper is stepping out and packing them in on his first arena-headlining tour touting his Billboard-topping fifth album, “Octane.” (June 20, Target Center, Mpls., $100 and up)

Usher

The “Yeah!” superstar brings his loverman R&B to a stadium for the first time, along with disgraced, abusive hitmaker Chris Brown. (June 30, U.S. Bank Stadium, Mpls., $75 and up)

LCD Soundsystem

New York dance-rock everyman James Murphy and his crew of “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House” sardonic fame are finally back for only their second Minnesota gig in nine years and a chance to hear their recent classic “New Body Rhumba” live for the first time. (Aug. 18, the Armory, $99 and up)

Tame Impala

After skipping Minnesota in 2022 and playing outside at Surly Field in 2019, Aussie synth-groove electro-pop wizard Kevin Parker and his band are making their local arena debut with a vibrant, neon-lit production built around their dance floor-geared new album “Deadbeat.” (Aug. 28, Target Center, $251 and up)

Smaller rooms

The Last Dinner Party

In town for only the second time, one of London’s most fashionable rock bands of the day channels Siouxsie Sioux, Pulp and David Bowie with strong feminist undertones and a theatrical live show. (June 5, Palace Theatre, St. Paul, $58 and up)

Mavis Staples

The spirited Rock & Roll Hall of Famer will take you to church, the freedom highway and new emotional spaces with tunes from 2025’s outstanding “Sad and Beautiful World.” (June 16-17, Ordway, St. Paul, $95 and up).

The Mavericks

The extraordinary vocalist Raul Malo died of cancer in December, and his great American dance band is honoring him on tour with singers James Otto and Emily West, plus the return of original bassist Robert Reynolds. (July 25, Mystic Showroom, Prior Lake, $49 and up)

Suki Waterhouse

Known from the hit TV series “Daisy Jones & the Six” and wedding rumors with fellow actor and co-parent Robert Pattison, the cool, mod-pop British singer/songwriter deserves the building buzz for her new album, “Loveland.” (Aug. 3, Palace Theatre, St. Paul, $51 and up)

John Doe & Exene Cervenka

After legendary Los Angeles punk band X bid farewell to the road in 2024, the group’s two unmistakably synergetic co-vocalists are playing sporadic acoustic dates like this one reworking their classic tunes like “See How We Are” and “The New World.” (Aug. 5-6, Parkway Theater, Mpls., $35-$50)

Outdoor venues

Bob Dylan and Lucinda Williams

It’s a perfect pairing of two of the 30 best living American songwriters, according to the New York Times survey, with Dylan giving his first proper Twin Cities concert since 2017. (July 6, Mystic Lake Amphitheater, Shakopee, $37 and up)

Chris Stapleton

Last time around, this bluesy country hero, equally gifted as a singer, songwriter and guitarist, headlined at the Vikings stadium. (July 29-30, Mystic Lake Amphitheater $160 and up)

Noah Kahan

There’s great love for his emotional new album, “The Great Divide,” adding greatly to the nice-guy/feel-good status this Vermont-reared folk-rocker started building with 2022’s ubiquitous hit “Stick Season.” Opener Gigi Perez is another reason to arrive with a smile. (Aug. 5, Target Field, Mpls., resale tickets only)

Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis

After doing a short Vegas residency, the hitmaking producer/songwriters are headlining in their hometown with guest vocalists Ruben Studdard, Shanice Wilson, Morris Day, Johnny Gill, Ralph Tresvant, Jordan Knight, Yolanda Adams, Stokley and Ann Nesby. (Aug. 29, Minnesota State Fair grandstand, Falcon Heights, $64 and up)

Alabama Shakes

We’ve been saying it since we first caught them at the SXSW fest in 2012, but roof-raising singer Brittany Howard and her Southern-boogie unit reminded Twin Citians of their uncanny power at last summer’s Yacht Club fest after a nine-year hiatus and are already back for a two-nighter. (Aug. 28 & 29, Surly Brewing Festival Field, Mpls., $81 and up)

Festivals

Winstock

Always Minnesota’s first country fest of the summer, this 33rd annual fundraiser hoedown has landed two big names, Dierks Bentley and “American Idol” judge Luke Bryan, along with Carly Pearce, Sara Evans and others. (June 19-20, Winsted, Minn., $170 and up)

Lakefront Music Fest

This annual fundraiser for the Prior Lake Rotary has landed some winners, with newly minted Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Billy Idol, the MTV favorite, and George Thorogood on the rock night, with Keith Urban, country’s guitar-slinging rock star, headlining the country night. (June 10-11, Lakefront Park, Prior Lake, $100 and up)

Minnesota Yacht Club

With its twangy offshoot festival Minnesota Country Club for a warmup act one weekend earlier this year, the third annual three-day riverfront rock fest from Lollapalooza’s organizers is floating another mix of Gen-X and millennial nostalgia alongside modern buzzmakers, with the Strokes, Matchbox Twenty, Geese, Mt. Joy, the Lumineers, the Black Keys, Lucy Dacus, Lord Huron and local vets Semisonic and Atmosphere. (July 17-19, Harriet Island Regional Park, St. Paul, $160 and up)

Eaux Claires 2026

After a seven-year absence, this uber-eclectic fest curated by Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon is back in a new space in Eau Claire with, among others, esteemed L.A. singer/songwriter Aimee Mann, Native band Bizhiki, soul experimenter Dijon, rapper Lil Yachty, Canadian singer Daniel Caesar, NOLA piano man Jon Cleary and Bon Dylan, Vernon’s take on Bob Dylan. (July 24-25, Carson Park, Eau Claire, $124 and up)

Hinterland

Many Twin Cities fans are making the four-hour drive down I-35 each summer for our nearest thing to a Bonnaroo- or Coachella-like hip, young rock and pop campout, which looks especially poppy this year with Katseye, Lorde, Kali Uchis, Muna and Jessie Murph, plus Mumford & Sons and Geese. (July 30-Aug. 2, St. Charles, Iowa, $155 and up.)

Newer names

Cure for Paranoia

Dallas rapper Cameron McCloud posted a new song every day for a year with friends to both reinforce and promote his mental-health care, and the results proved crazy fun, so much so he and his crew just won NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest and are touring under that banner. (June 30, Fine Line, $25)

Alex Warren

The San Diego singer-songwriter of the mega-ballad “Ordinary” and “Fever Dream” is touring arenas behind his debut album, “You’ll Be Alright, Kid.” (July 2, Grand Casino Arena, St. Paul, $55 and up)

Megan Moroney

The Georgia country singer has been crushing it with young female country fans thanks to hits like “Am I Okay” and “6 Months Later.” (July 25, Target Center, Mpls., $118 and up)

Audrey Hobert

The childhood friend of Gracie Abrams who helped her pen such hits as “That’s So True” is stepping out in a big way this summer touting her debut album, with club dates like ours sprinkled in amid her many festival dates. (July 27, First Avenue, Mpls., resale only)

Olivia Dean

The jazzy soulful British singer of “Man I Need” and “So Easy (to Fall in Love)” shows why she won the Grammy for best new artist as well as four Brit Awards. (July 29, Target Center, Mpls., resale only)

Free options

Lowertown Sounds

Downtown St. Paul’s cozy and communal all-Minnesotan concert series kicks off June 4 with funky all-star band Dr. Mambo’s Combo. It continues most Thursday nights with some popular newcomers such as Poliça (June 11) and Pert Near Sandstone (July 30) alongside returning favorites the New Standards (June 18) and Salsa del Soul (July 23). (Thursdays through July 30, Mears Park, St. Paul)

Twin Cities Jazz Festival

The 28th annual multi-venue, multi-artists event is Minnesota’s most expansive free music fest, this year showcasing the Yellowjackets, Sullivan Fortner Trio, Selby Avenue Brass Band featuring Thomasina Petrus and many more. (June 19-20, Mears Park, St. Paul and other sites)

Taste of Minnesota

Costlier touring headliners are out, and a more meaningful all-local cast is in this year for the reborn two-day Fourth of July bash, featuring rockers Poliça, Dillinger Four and Bad Bad Hats on Day 1 before a hip-hop-heavy Day 2 with Brother Ali, Dessa, Ant, Nur-D and Gully Boys. (July 3-4, Nicollet Mall at Washington Avenue, Mpls.)

Lakeside Guitar Festival

Yet another beloved, annual, free music showcase in St. Paul — step it up, Minneapolis! — this one offers cool summer shade and the other kind of cool in its guitar-centric acts, this year including Virginian innovator Yasmin Williams and Mexico’s Jerónimo González with local pickers Gary Louris, Chastity Brown, Pat Donahue and Erik Koskinen. (Aug. 14-15, Como Lakeside Pavilion, St. Paul)

Margo Price at the Minnesota State Fair

Equal parts Loretta Lynn and Chrissie Hynde, the torchy and topical alt-country singer from Illinois farm country went over big at last year’s Farm Aid 40 concert and will be another standout among this year’s excellent lineup on the stages that come free with fair admission. (Aug. 29-30, Bandshell Tonight, Minnesota State Fair, Falcon Heights)

©2026 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC