Paul McCartney to play Target Field on Aug. 2

A perfect double-play to go with its All-Star Game, Target Field will host rock's biggest living all-star, Paul McCartney, on Aug. 2. Tickets go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. via the Twins' website at prices ranging from $36.50-$250.

Twins season ticket holders will receive emails later today informing them of pre-sale opportunities, which will be offered at different times later this week (probably Friday) based on where their usual seats are at the ballpark.

"We knew we wanted to do a concert after the All-Star Game this year, and the timing of it with [McCartney] just happened to work out very well," said Twins spokesman Kevin Smith.

The Big Mac show will arrive three weeks after the big July 15 game at Target Field, which happens to be the same week Sir Paul is also swinging through the Midwest for a series of arena concerts. He just announced dates July 12 in Fargo (at the Fargodome), July 14 in Lincoln, Neb. (Pinnacle Bank Arena) and July 16 in Kansas City (Sprint Center). He will be playing other stadiums around the country in August.

The legendary Beatle's name has been thrown around the new Twins ballpark since it opened in 2010, and he came close to confirming in 2011. He hasn't performed in the Twin Cities since 2005's Xcel Energy Center show, and he has only played here five previous times in his career.

One more bragging right for Sir Paul: He will become the only performer to have performed at all three of the Twins' ballparks, going back to the Beatles' legendary concert at Met Stadium in 1965 and including a 1993 show at the Metrodome.

The concert in this case will fall at the tail end of a week-long road trip for the team. It will require an all-star effort from the Twins grounds crew, since they will be back on home turf to play the San Diego Padres just three nights later on Aug. 5. Smith, however, seemed confident that won't be a problem.

"We were pleasantly surprised -- knock on wood -- how well the turf held up" for the prior two big concerts with Kenny Chesney in 2013 and 2012, Smith said. He added, "Our crew has the experience now to do these things well."

One other logistical challenge, this one more on the city of Minneapolis, Metro Transit and the highways that lead into downtown: Aug. 2 is also when TCF Bank Stadium is hosting an International Champions Cup soccer match. Or so we hear that might be a big deal.

This latest go-around by McCartney is officially part of his Out There Tour, which began last May in Brazil and now includes more than 50 stops (and counting). Most set lists on the tour have included his usual trove of Beatles standards such as "Hey Jude," "Yesterday," "Helter Skelter," "Let It Be," etc., plus a few lesser-played Fab Four nuggets, including "Lovely Rita" and "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" (the latter interesting since John sang it). He has also been playing the Wings-era nuggets "Ram On" and "Junior's Farm" as well as a few tracks off last year's solo album, "New."

As for the All-Star Break, there are still plans in the works for big outdoor concert in Minneapolis in the days around the game -- just not at Target Field. Sources have pointed to Top 40 rockers Imagine Dragons and fun. (the "We Are Young" band) performing at TCF Bank Stadium that week.