Melissa Berman

Good question- here's what I wrote when I covered the Cole Swindell concert last year: "The postgame concert brought a couple of changes to the Twins game. The Twins kept the beer flowing for the entire game rather than ceasing alcohol sales in the 7th inning like a normal night. Fans erupted with cheers when the public address announcer relayed this to the crowd. Sales continued during the concert as well." Not sure if they will do the same thing for these concerts

Even if you "Can't Believe It" it's true: T-Pain and Carly Pearce will be playing free postgame concerts on separate nights at Target Field this summer. Image courtesy of Melissa Berman Following the Twins vs. Detroit Tigers 6:10 p.m. game on June 15, T-Pain will perform a full 75-minute set. Pearce will perform a full 75-minute show after the 6:10 p.m. Twins vs. Texas Rangers game on August 24. The concerts are free for fans who have a ticket to the game, or T-Pain and Pearce super fans can purchase a special ticket package enabling them to take in the concert while standing on the field. It also includes a ticket to the Twins game. Both concerts will start approximately 15 minutes after the end of the game. T-Pain is a rapper, singer, songwriter and two-time Grammy winner known for scores of hits from the 2000s, including "Low," with Flo Rida, for which he went diamond (10x platinum). Here in the Midwest, where we always look for the "local angle," we especially love him for having rhymed "Mansion" with "Wisconsin" on the song "Can't Believe It." The last time T-Pain performed in Minnesota was during halftime at the Vikings vs. Packers season opener on September 11, 2022, during which he wore a Justin Jefferson jersey. Maybe he'll wear a Byron Buxton jersey this time? Pearce is a Grammy-award-winning country music singer-songwriter known for hit songs like "Every Little Thing" and "I Hope You're Happy Now." Eagle-eyed fans might notice that these two games are the only non-6:40 evening weekday game on this season’s schedule. Target Field held its first-ever postgame concert last season when country artist Cole Swindell performed a full hour and fifteen-minute show following a Thursday night game against the Blue Jays. The concert was met with much acclaim by fans, and some members of the Blue Jays even came out of the visiting clubhouse to stand on the field and watch some of the show (visible in the photo above). My take Last year’s postgame Cole Swindell concert was both a great idea and an overwhelming success, and it’s wise and fun that the Twins “run it back” this year with another couple of shows. Postgame concerts bring more fans to the ballpark who otherwise might not go to a Twins game, and who knows, maybe they will like it so much that they will come back (or at least buy a bunch of beers). I appreciate how the concerts are free to everyone with a ticket to the game- a $4 standing-room ticket or a cheap upper-deck seat gets you into a MLB baseball game to see the best talent in the world AND a full-length concert. The value is unbeatable. Because the Twins are hosting TC Summer Fest, a rock festival, it is wise to incorporate rap and R&B and country to appeal to a broader audience. Last year, some fans were perturbed by the influx of cowboy hat-wearing fans who flocked to Target Field, crowded the concourse, and walked up and down the aisles during at-bats, but hey, it’s only one game a year, and the more, the merrier to cheer on the Twins, in my mind. The Twins choosing T-Pain, who is especially popular with millennials, comes at the time when the Twins are trying to attract younger fans to the ballpark. From offering the bargain Twins Pass to hosting its first Friday Happy Hour 3:10 game on April 28, aimed at downtown office workers, and now postgame concerts featuring artists popular with younger fans, the Twins appear to be trying to make games even more appealing to Gen Z and Millennials, both cost and entertainment-wise. Some fans might not be excited that the Twins again chose a Thursday to host a postgame concert; last year’s Cole Swindell concert started at 10:45 p.m. and ended at the stroke of midnight. The Twins advertised that the concert would start 15 minutes after the game, and even though they wheeled out an already-assembled stage with speakers and instruments already on it, it took closer to a half hour to get underway. However, the Twins appear to have learned from that experience by scheduling this game earlier at 6:10 (vs. last year’s, which was at 6:40), and with the pitch clock speeding up the game length, the concert will likely start even earlier. If you can stay awake for the show, I see it as a fun way to kick off a summer weekend (and hopefully, you can sleep in the next day!) _ _ What do you think of T-Pain and Carly Pearce playing at Target Field, and of Target Field’s new tradition of hosting postgame concerts? Do you think you’ll attend? Leave a COMMENT below and let me know. View full article

Yes! That's where I sat to see Jimmy Buffett and the Eagles in 2018. The stage is a ways away as you note- I mostly watched it on the screens. It's too bad the outfield grass seats are so pricey, but I was in the upper level for Def Leppard/ Journey, and it was a lot of fun. I don't think the view is as important as long as the sound is good, which it is at Target Field! I will definitely be there Friday!

Yes! And they have a whole separate "Target Field Events" account for that reason!

I think we found the Grounds Crew member in the thread! Just kidding

It's definitely a little steep if someone is just interested in one act. I'm mostly just interested in seeing The Killers so that these prices are much higher than the $70 I paid for GA floor Killers tickets this past September, but hey, a chance for me to check out some new acts I guess! (And that "to be announced" one 😂

I've seen The Killers 3 times before this and I saw Imagine Dragons in 2013. Both put on an incredible show! That flooring they put down must do an unbelievable job

In the words of Common Man on KFAN: "IALTO!" ("I always love that one")

I'm super excited, I'm definitely going to go Friday. I always wonder what kind of toll it is having an event like this on the field, even with the flooring they'll put down. Luckily it looks like the grounds crew will have until the following Friday to get things in order!

Twins fans, get ready to rock this summer: the Twins just announced the lineup for an all new concert festival called TC Summer Fest, a two-day music festival taking place at Target Field on July 14 and 15. Image courtesy of Melissa Berman Las Vegas rock powerhouse The Killers will headline Friday night, with The Flaming Lips, Death Cab for Cutie, Cannons, and a to-be-announced artist to support. Saturday, stadium-friendly Imagine Dragons will close the night down, supported by AJR, Chelsea Cutler, Em Beihold, and Talk. This concert comes when other area festivals have shuttered or been canceled for 2023, including Walker Art Center's Rock the Garden, Twin Cities Summer Jam, and the Basilica Block Party. The Lakefront Music Fest in nearby Prior Lake features a mix of country and rock artists. This inaugural concert likely seeks to capitalize on a Twin Cities market featuring no other rock festivals. Target Field has hosted several other rock shows in the past, including Journey and Def Leppard in 2018, the Eagles and Jimmy Buffett in 2018, and Weezer and Green Day last summer, but it has never hosted a festival. Before announcing the lineup on Monday morning, the Twins had teased the artists by posting picture clues in a post on the Target Field Events Instagram page: A Killer Whale represented the Killers, dragons were for Imagine Dragons, a symbol of an explosion was AJR's hit song "Bang," red lips for The Flaming Lips, cutlery for Chelsea Cutler, a little ladybug for Em Beihold's hit song "Numb Little Bug," taxis for Deathcab for Cutie, and a microphone for artist Talk. July will not be Twins fans' only chance to rock out: Target Field is hosting P!NK with rock legend Pat Benatar later in the summer on August 10. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 5 at 10:00 a.m. and feature tickets at a wide price range. Tickets for Friday are the same price as Saturday only, and the Twins feature two-day discount pricing. - - Will you go to TC Summer Fest? What do you think of the lineup? Let us know in a COMMENT below. View full article

I hope so too!! The Twins were able to keep Judge in check, and he has the ability to singlehandedly win games for them. The Yankees looked uncharacteristically sloppy at times- I'm not used to that! Thanks for reading + commenting!!

I agree completely, and I also think New York was just not a good fit for him. Brutal, unforgiving place to play. Plus, that facial hair ban.. lol. He has the most extra base hits for the Twins right now (including most home runs too)

Chalk this up as "things we love to see." Aaron Judge was mostly absent throughout the Twins series; once he really gets cooking, he has the ability to singlehandedly influence/win games, but I agree the Yankees are not as good as we're accustomed to

I agree with you completely- this series was really promising. We *started off* the season with injuries, so hopefully now that we're getting guys back, we can stay healthy

Woah, good catch on the Gates Open- 3pm thing- I did a NOT catch that. I'll have to get there a little early to grab a $1 pop. I feel like they could offer the discounts for at least an hour or so of the game, if not the whole thing with the way they've been advertising for this

I agree with everything you say. If they had been quicker to pull Maeda, with how the Twins hit yesterday, we would've had a real chance to win that game. Sounds like Maeda is going to need some time off, and Ober looked great last weekend, so I bet that move will be coming soon

Yes! The games next week would be a blast! I love Guaranteed Rate Field. I'm planning on going to the September 15 series in Chicago! Next week is a little too busy for me to make that trip, but excited to get there!

Thanks so much for the kind compliment, and I totally agree with you about the 3-5 All Star pitchers. When have the Twins ever been able to say that? Definitely something to feel really good about. I agree about Solano. I know the analytics show that it's best to play righthanded batters vs righthanded pitchers (RHP Germán started), but I was annoying that they started RH Solano in place of LH Gallo on Tuesday night; despite what the analytics say, I would favor Gallo's odds of getting a hit over Solano's despite handedness. Sure enough, when Gallo came in, he got a double. I saw that the Twins have one of the most varied starting lineups in all of MLB

Thanks so much for taking the time to read and the kind comment! 😄I appreciate it so, so much!

Ha, great catch, thank you so much!

The Twins just wrapped up their final 2023 season series vs. the Yankees! Weird to say in April, right? This series was arguably the Twins' best showing of the season, and it was packed with upper-deck home runs, sharp pitching, dramatic pitching entrances, and even a cameo from some cheerful construction workers. Here are some of the top things I noticed and learned from this series. Image courtesy of Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports 1. The Twins won a series vs. the Yankees! And really, the Twins looked like the better team. For the first time since 2001, the Twins won a series vs. dreaded foe the Yankees. After watching this series, I couldn't help but think, "come on, was that really that hard?" Given the history and the fact that it's been twenty years, the obvious answer seems yes, even though the Twins made it look easy this time. Even Byron Buxton was surprised it had been that long since the Twins had a Yankees series win. “Twenty-two years? I was 6,” Buxton said after Tuesday's win, which won the series. “This one felt extra good after hearing that then." From shutting out the Yankees Monday night to keeping Aaron Judge mostly at bay to knocking out three home runs on Wednesday, the Twins looked every part of the stronger team the last few days. Yes, the Twins dropped Wednesday's day game, but Kenta Maeda was clearly hurt, and the Twins' bats and defense came to play (more on that later). But one can't help but feel that the tide might be starting to turn between these two teams, and Twins fans should leave this series feeling optimistic about the team's direction. 2. Twins starting pitching is the real deal. For the most part, the Twins starting pitching was a shining star of this series. Before the season, Sonny Gray was publicly clamoring to go longer in his starts, and Monday night, he went seven scoreless innings, allowed only one hit, struck out eight batters, and lowered his ERA to 0.62 through five starts, which is the best in the entire MLB. Words can not describe how dominant he has looked this season, and Gray got a massive ovation from the crowd following the 7th inning. Joe Ryan cruised Tuesday night and became the first five-game winner in the major leagues this season. However, Kenta Maeda allowed an uncharacteristic seven runs Wednesday, and his fastball was topping out at 87-89 miles per hour, so it was little surprise when he left the game with injury. One has to wonder what his future with the Twins looks like the rest of the season given that young, promising arms like Bailey Ober and Louie Varland are lying in wait in AAA. The Twins’ starting staff is currently 7th in MLB in ERA, and the Twins have three pitchers in the top 25: Gray, Ryan, and Pablo López at #25. When was the last time the Twins had three starting pitchers ranked so high? 3. The Joey Gallo revenge tour came through, and this is really looking like a great signing. Man, is it great to have Joey Gallo back from the Injured List. Gallo hit two home runs this series on Monday and Wednesday; Monday’s was a towering blast into the right field second porch (just imagine how much further the ball would have gone in warm weather). This past offseason, the Gallo signing was eyed with a degree of skepticism due to his infamously high strikeout percentage, but Gallo certainly came to play vs. his former team, going 1-for-3 on Monday, 1-for-1 with a double on Tuesday, and 1-for-4 with another home run Wednesday. Gallo currently leads the team in home runs with seven and has been solid defensively at first base, and according to Statmuse, he is the only player in MLB to have 5+ HR and an .800+ SLG this season. Mr. Falvey, thank you for signing Joey Gallo! (the reference behind that line here.) 4. The Twins got more than they bargained for by trading for Michael A Taylor. When the Twins traded for Michael. A Taylor in the offseason, it was for his Gold Glove-caliber fielding; the Twins knew they would be playing Byron Buxton in the DH spot to start the season, and they needed a reliable glove in the outfield to fill in for him. Any hitting he would do would be a great bonus, and the Twins started the season (and have consistently continued) to put him 9th in the batting order. However, he’s been one of the most reliable and consistent Twins bats on the field this year: he has one of the highest batting averages on the team (of the everyday Twins players who haven’t missed time due to injury thus far this season), he is second on the team in home runs behind Joey Gallo, and has both of the Twins’ only two stolen bases of the season; he swiped his second on Monday night. Taylor went 2-for-3 Monday night plus a walk, It will be interesting to see what the Twins do when they transition Buxton back into the field this season. We know that Buxton would prefer to be playing in the field, but if a player can bat around 0.250 in the #9 spot and play phenomenal defense, it’s hard to argue that he deserves a spot in the lineup. 5. Cold temperatures and the series occurring earlier in the season kept the crowds at bay. The announced attendance at Monday night’s Sonny Gray masterclass was 16,242, the smallest Twins-Yankees crowd in recent memory. Tuesday had 19,201 fans and Wednesday had 20,511 (these figures might be a little generous too). However, early season attendance is always relatively low at Target Field, especially on weekdays. This spring has been colder than usual: temperatures during gameplay were mostly in the 40s throughout the series. Tuesday’s game went almost three hours, so it felt just like the old days, and fans packed under the concourse heaters by the end of the game. This week’s series was also earlier than the Yankees typically visit- usually in June. Still, it was odd to see Target Field so empty during what is usually one of the most in-demand series of the year. Thankfully, the Twins took care of business on Monday and Tuesday nights, so the pinstripe fans in attendance did not have much to heckle about, and Wednesday's day game had a beautiful, strong sun for fans to bask in. The Yankee fans in attendance (a good number) had a lot more to hoot and holler about on Wednesday. 6. Duran and López’s entrances are two of the best in baseball. The Twins have turned both pitchers entering the game into a show within The Show. Before López entered the game on Tuesday night, the Twins prompted fans to take out their phones and turn their flashlights on. The Twins did the same thing the very next inning, when Jhoan Duran entered the game to shut the door. These dramatic entrances, complete with turning off then flickering the stadium lights, is something that needs to be experienced by Twins fans and is best when under the lights. The entrances of these two Twins pitchers rival only Fernando Rodney's Twins entrance song to me. It's pretty impressive that the Twins' bullpen is so deep that they have not one but two pitchers who are deserving of the Edwin Diaz-treatment; even the 8th-inning setup pitcher (whether it be Duran or López) is good enough to turn Target Field into a concert. 7. There were a lot of fun in-stadium moments in the series. Two hilarious moments happened during Wednesday’s day game: the Twins showed two construction workers on the big screen working on the new apartment going up across the street in left field. The entire crowd roared while they obliviously continued working. Then, somehow the two workers caught on, and with huge smiles, they waved to the crowd. I wonder if they looked down at the field and saw themselves on the big screen in the right field. Regardless, it was a wholesome, fun moment. I'm not a fan of heights, so the closeup of the workers showed that they were connected to harnesses, thankfully. Fans noticed that other construction workers seemed to be watching the game during their lunch break, too. In another humorous moment, The Twins showed two guys who were clearly “working from home” on their laptops at the game. Hopefully their boss doesn't see! Tuesday night was a massive sports night for the Minnesota: the Wild were playing game 5 in Dallas, the Timberwolves were playing an elimination game 5 in Denver, and at home, the Twins were taking on the Yankees for a series win. The Twins put the scores of the Timberwolves and Wild on the visiting team scoreboard, which, although the scores were slightly delayed, made it a little easier to follow them. There was also that bat flip from Buxton on Tuesday. Last, I noticed that the "T" on the "Win Twins" sign is already burnt out! That didn't lost too long, did it! However, of all the possible letters to burn out, the "T" is probably best; once it gets dark, the sign reads "Win! wins!" Double the Twins wins, right? Up next is a four-game series vs. the Kansas City Royals! Hopefully the Twins can carry this momentum and take care of business against a division "rival." The state of the Twins could not be much better right now, especially if top bats like Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa heat up even more. Twins fans should feel good about how the team looked this series. See ya at the ballpark! View full article

I agree about the atmosphere, but I selfishly have to admit it's kind of nice to have no lines for concessions/ lots of room in the concourse! At least security lines aren't an issue anymore. The attendance will pick up over the next couple of months-I'm so excited for summer nights at Target Field.