Road Closures In Downtown For Luke Bryan, Metallica Concerts
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- This weekend will be a big weekend of music at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Luke Bryan will take the stage for the venue's inaugural concert performance Friday night. On Saturday, Metallica will perform at the stadium.
According to officials with the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA), this will be the first big test for the venue's new acoustic system.
The concert stage is in the End Zone on the west side of the stadium. That is the side of the building that has the fewest seats.
A few roads around the stadium will be closed head of the concert. Fourth Street will close at Park Avenue at 6 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Chicago Avenue, from Fourth Street to Sixth Street, will close at noon Friday and remain closed until after Saturday's concert.
Metro Transit spokesperson Drew Kerr said Friday this first big concert weekend will be a chance to assess how best to handle crowds at the new stadium.
"Every available train, every resource, people, operators, everyone we can have out here will have out here," Kerr said.
Metro Transit was in the hot seat with some following its first major event, the soccer match between AC Milan and the Chelsea FC on Wednesday, Aug. 3, with many reporting very long wait times for the Blue Line light-rail trains.
Metro Transit's Howie Padilla said that buses will also be running along with trains, to take people back and forth from Blue Line park-and-ride lots at Fort Snelling and the Mall of America, along with "every train car that's available to us."
Metro Transit suggests everyone buy their light rail passes for the day before concerts and games either at pay stations or online to avoid big crowds of people all trying to buy tickets at once.
Bryan performed at TCF Bank Stadium last summer. Dustin Lynch and Little Big Town will open up for one of country's biggest stars.
When asked about performing in the new stadium, Bryan said, "We're going to rattle some windows in there and break it in."
Metallica's concert, the first rock concert at U.S. Bank Stadium, sold out in 10 minutes.
Doors open for that show at 4 p.m. Saturday, and the music starts at 5:30.
Drummer Lars Ulrich says he's looking forward to being the "rock debut" at the new stadium.
If you go, the Minnesota Sports Facility Authority says don't bring a big bag. This weekend the NFL's clear bag policy will be in place.