Bryan Adams – Target Center – Minneapolis MN – November 26th 2025

By Kyle Hansen 2 weeks ago

Live Nation and The Target Center present Bryan Adams with special guests Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo on November 26th 2025

Review and photos by Kyle Hansen

Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo closed out Minneapolis with a performance that felt equal parts rock revival, vocal showcase, and intimate storytelling session — the kind of night that reminds you why their music has lasted more than four decades.

From the moment Pat opened with “All Fired Up,” her voice filled Target Center with a clarity and power that’s astonishing for any singer, let alone one so deep into a legendary career. She didn’t lean on lowered keys or backing vocal tricks — she sang, and the crowd felt every note.

Her ability to shift from the emotional weight of “We Belong” to the hard-edged bite of “Shadows of the Night” showed that she hasn’t lost a step. Fans responded immediately, rising to their feet for nearly every chorus.

If Pat brings the voice, Neil Giraldo brings the voltage. His guitar tone — sharp, warm, and unmistakably his — drove the night. During “Hell Is for Children,” he delivered one of the most blistering solos of the show. He also shared the spotlight with Pat in the banter between songs, giving fans glimpses of their long-standing musical and personal chemistry.

The production wasn’t flashy — no massive video walls or pyrotechnics — but everything sounded tight. Lighting stayed moody and dramatic, shifting with the emotional tone of each track. The focus was clearly on the musicianship, and it worked.

While the exact order may vary from show to show, the Minneapolis crowd definitely got the essential run of classics, including:

  • “Love Is a Battlefield” — the biggest singalong of the night

  • “Invincible” — with Pat delivering the chorus at full power

  • “Promises in the Dark” — Neil’s guitar front and center

  • “Heartbreaker” (with the crowd shouting every word)

The encore felt almost ceremonial — a celebration of their career and connection with fans — ending with a soaring finish that left the arena buzzing.

The Target Center audience skewed older, but there were plenty of younger fans too—proof that Pat Benatar’s music continues to cross generations. People were on their feet most of the night, and the applause after “We Belong” lasted so long that Pat laughed and thanked Minneapolis for “one of the loudest crowds of the tour.”

A powerful, polished, emotionally rich performance from two artists who refuse to coast on nostalgia.
Pat Benatar’s voice is still a force, Neil Giraldo’s playing remains elite, and together they delivered a show that felt both classic and urgent.

If this really was one of their last big arena runs, Minneapolis got a performance worthy of the legacy.

Bryan Adams walked onto the Target Center stage like someone who knows exactly who he is — and exactly what the crowd came for. What followed was a tightly paced, hit-heavy rock show that balanced nostalgia with the confidence of an artist still very much engaged with the present.

Adams didn’t rely on spectacle. No elaborate staging, no gimmicks — just a band, great lighting, and songs that have aged remarkably well. From the opening moments, his voice sounded gritty but controlled, still capable of soaring when it needed to. The years have roughened the edges, but in a way that suits his catalog.

The Minneapolis crowd barely needed prompting. Nearly every song turned into a full-arena chorus, with Adams frequently stepping back from the mic to let Target Center handle the heavy lifting.

Highlights included:

  • “Run to You” — fast, punchy, and loud

  • “Somebody” — delivered with raw urgency

  • “Heaven” — slowed the room to a collective sway

  • “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” — still a guaranteed emotional peak

  • “Summer of ’69” — explosive, joyful, and cathartic

Rather than feeling tired, the hits felt reclaimed — played with purpose, not obligation.

Adams’ backing band was lean and locked in, with a rhythm section that kept everything driving forward. Guitar solos were concise and melodic, never indulgent, and the overall sound mix was clean and loud without becoming muddy in the arena space.

Between songs, Adams kept the chatter brief but warm, thanking Minneapolis for sticking with him “all these years.” He didn’t overdo the nostalgia talk; instead, he let the songs do the remembering. The result felt genuine, not scripted.

The encore landed like a victory lap — fast, loud, and celebratory. Adams pushed the band hard, grinning through the final choruses as the crowd refused to sit down. By the final note, the Target Center felt less like an arena and more like a massive barroom singalong.

Bryan Adams delivered exactly what a great arena rock show should be: energetic, emotionally direct, and unapologetically fun. No reinvention, no apologies — just well-crafted songs, played loud, by an artist who still believes in them.

Minneapolis left hoarse, smiling, and reminded that sometimes the best rock shows are the ones that don’t try to be anything more than what they are.