After hosting its AARP Rocks concert next door at Roy Wilkins Auditorium last year, the retirement association might want focus its marketing on Xcel Energy Center this year based on the concert bookings announced this week. The St. Paul arena unveiled an Aug. 15 Rod Stewart/Cyndi Lauper show on Monday and now has two more summer pairings to trumpet today:
JAMES TAYLOR & BONNIE RAITT (June 22): The two longtime cohorts from Southern California music circles are playing a lot of ballparks together this summer as well as Summerfest in Milwaukee, but Twin Citians will have to go indoors to see them. Tickets go on sale Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster and the arena box office for $69-$103 -- a relative steal compared to Rod the Mod's prices (which top $500). Both Taylor and Raitt will have their stellar bands with them on the tour. We can probably expect an onstage pairing from the singers, too (see video below).
STEELY DAN & THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (June 15): "Or What's Left of Them" could be the name for this tour. Steely Dan lost its co-leader and guitarist Walter Becker to cancer in September at age 67, but singer/keyboardist Donald Fagen is carrying on without him. The Doobies are down to singers/guitarists/keyboardists Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons for their lone early-'70s members. Guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, who played with both bands in their heyday, won't be playing with either. Tickets go on sale this Friday at noon via Ticketmaster and the arena box office for $40-$200.
