Based on what we've read about their tours and what we know about these acts on the whole, here is our take on which of the Twin Cities' five big stadium gigs deserve your hard-earned money the most. For what it's worth, the flaky Justin Bieber definitely would have been at the bottom of this list, so maybe he was wise to cancel his Aug. 18 show at U.S. Bank Stadium.
1. U2
Simply put, no one does stadium shows better than the Irish quartet. This tour especially offers a big wow, with an elaborate 200-foot-wide video production and stunning visuals. Not to mention that the band is celebrating the 30th anniversary of "The Joshua Tree," a timeless and actually now quite pertinent album, which they will play in its entirety sandwiched between older and more recent tunes. We made the prior tour stop in Chicago and were blown away. We're eager to finally see opening act Beck again, too.
Sept. 8, U.S. Bank Stadium, only limited $165 seats remain.
2. Guns N' Roses
Almost the antithesis of the always-reliable U2, there's a lot of uncertainty anytime GNR and especially frontman Axl Rose take the stage. But hey, it's rock 'n' roll. In some ways, that only adds to the excitement when the band does deliver. They've been coming through a lot on tour, according to reviews, with Axl's voice holding up at most shows and the set lists offering everything fans would expect.
7:30 p.m. Sun., U.S. Bank Stadium, $35-$250.
3. Billy Joel
He hasn't put out a new rock record since 1993 and was just here playing the old hits at Target Center two years ago, but the veteran piano man is still a good choice for a ballpark show. He's as middle-of-the-road as baseball itself, and songs like "My Life," "Uptown Girl" and "Piano Man" are the musical equivalent of Cracker Jack. But he's still a solid live performer, having kept up his chops in recent years via a monthly residency gig at Madison Square Garden. Also, this is his first outdoor gig in Minnesota.
8 p.m. Fri., Target Field, $49.50-$139.50.
4. Coldplay
Chris Martin and his British bandmates are still big around the world, but they picked a bad time to launch a stadium tour in America since their latest record, 2015's "A Head Full of Dreams," has more or less stiffed here. Their collaboration with dance-pop duo Chainsmokers, "Something Just Like This," is their only recent hit (they're even playing it at shows). Like their heroes U2, though, they think big when it comes to production, and this time around have some nifty audience-involving tricks. But we're also nervous about the acoustics at this one. The seats likely won't be full, which added to the sound problems at Luke Bryan's concert last summer at the new Vikings stadium.
Aug. 12, U.S. Bank Stadium, $27-$282.
5. Florida Georgia Line, Backstreet Boys and Nelly
Say what?! This head-scratcher of a mish-mashed lineup may look good from a strategic marketing standpoint, but it could be rather messy in the end. Granted, Backstreet really is back. The '90s boy band has been surprisingly strong in concert, showing off tight harmonies and fun stage antics at last year's KDWB Jingle Ball and a well-received Las Vegas run. FGL has fared well as an opening act for Luke Bryan and others with its breezy pop twang, but it may be overreaching as a stadium headliner. We just wonder if fans of one act will stymie the energy when the other is onstage. And what about poor Nelly? Except for when he gets to "Hot in Herre," we expect the rapper will receive an ice-cold reception.
6 p.m. Sat., Target Field, $34-$354.
Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658 • @ChrisRstrib
