For a change, New Year's Eve will bring a big-name music star to the Twin Cities — country superstar Thomas Rhett at Xcel Energy Center.
Get ready for a rockin' country New Year's Eve with Thomas Rhett in St. Paul
The "Beer Can't Fix" hitmaker will headline the Wild's Winter Classic NYE's Bash at Xcel Energy Center

The soul-tinged hitmaker behind "What's Your Country Song" and "Beer Can't Fix" has announced only one other show in December (Naples, Fla.) and a couple dates in 2022. But he has announced two new albums for next year: "Where We Started" and "Country Again: Side B," a follow-up to his April 2021 release "Country Again: Side A."
Opening on NYE will be Cole Swindell and Conner Smith.
Rhett last rocked Xcel Center in 2019, with a guest appearance by his dad, country stalwart Rhett Atkins.
Rhett's NYE gig at the Minnesota Wild's arena is being touted as the Winter Classic New Year's Eve Bash, a prelude to the Wild playing the St. Louis Blues on Jan. 1 at Target Field.
Maybe that will add to the appeal. Seven weeks is a short time to try to promote a country arena concert, especially during a fall stretch that will see Twin Cities appearances by country stars George Strait, Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town, the Brothers Osborne and Cody Jinks.
Tickets to Rhett's concert — priced from $59 to $129 — will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Ticketmaster.com.
Critics’ picks for entertainment in the week ahead.