Concert Review: Luke Bryan Rocks U.S. Bank Stadium

Friday was a uniquely exciting day in Minneapolis. Not only was country singer/songwriter Luke Bryan in town for his “Kill the Lights” tour (pause for longing sigh), but the long-awaited U.S. Bank Stadium also had its concert debut.

The 73,000-capacity stadium packed numerous people into its roofed enclosure on the day of its christening (which was quite fortunate considering it rained). While attendees enjoyed Dustin Lynch, Little Big Town and, of course, Luke Bryan, critics broke out their pens and got to work for both the artist and the stadium, myself included.

The biggest complaints that I heard at the concert included long lines for beverages and bathrooms, as well as mediocre acoustics. As an attendee myself, I found these complaints to be valid, especially long bathroom lines. In fact, the bathroom situation itself was rather strange. I found it weird that the floor seats did not even have access to a real bathroom, but rather portable bathrooms located in one of the Vikings warm-up areas for both men and women.

The most concerning part, however, was the acoustics. At times, hit songs like “Drink a Beer” and “Crash My Party” became almost unrecognizable. These poor acoustics are concerning considering many artists who will now use this venue for concerts. In truth, I much preferred the acoustics at Target Field during Kenny Chesney’s “Big Revival” tour last year compared to the new stadium.

Media sources like Kare 11 and MPR News echoed all of these concerns in the next-day reviews.

Despite mixed reviews of the new stadium, Luke Bryan’s performance was indisputable. Bryan was energetic (move those hips) and talented on stage. His live performance brought the crowd on a journey the whole night. From upbeat songs like “Kick the Dust Up” to slower songs like “Strip it Down,” the artist definitely pleased the crowd as he performed his many hit songs.

Little Big Town also gave a solid performance as they joined Bryan back at stage to perform a number of duets and medleys, playing to the crowd’s delight.

It’s no secret that the U.S. Bank Stadium needs a few more trials to work out kinks. However, when a tour like “Kill the Lights” comes to town, those worries are somewhat meaningless. Overall, the concert was exciting as attendees experienced the stadium for the first time and unforgettable as Luke Bryan stole the show (and our hearts) with every note and shake of his hips.