Soul Asylum – First Avenue – Minneapolis MN – December 27th 2025
Soul Asylum with Tommy Stinson live at First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN on December 27th, 2025
Review and photos by Kate Klaus
Legendary rockers Soul Asylum are a Minnesota treasure, and on Saturday, December 27th, they treated a sold-out First Avenue crowd to a hometown show in downtown Minneapolis. Soul Asylum shows are always full of great energy and hard rock, but there is an added magic to getting to see them return to the iconic First Avenue Mainroom, and this show felt less like a typical concert and more like a holiday gathering wrapped in distortion, memory, and heart. The Mainroom was packed wall to wall, buzzing with that unmistakable Minneapolis energy where everyone seems to know the songs and the stories behind them and was sharing show memories with their crowd neighbors.
Tommy Stinson started off the night with a set that was one of those rare warm-up performances that felt like its own little destination show before the main act. Stinson carried a glow both familiar and refreshingly unfiltered, with a passionate sense of enjoyment in his presence on stage. As a founding member of The Replacements and a lifelong rock and roll presence, he didn’t need to lean on nostalgia, and he simply played with presence, precision, and heart. He was backed by a band of talented musicians, and particularly beautiful harmonizing vocals from his keyboardist. His rockstar swagger and smile connected with both his band and the crowd, with everyone having a genuinely good time through the performance, and the almost hour-long set went by almost too fast.
Soul Asylum was up next, and from the moment they took the stage, there was a vibe in the room that this was something special in that it was not just a show, but a reminder of how deeply Soul Asylum is woven into the fabric of this city, as reflected by the crowd’s excitement and enthusiasm for both the classic hits and the deep cuts. Dave Pirner’s voice carried both it’s characteristic rawness and reflection, sounding lived-in rather than polished, which only made the emotional moments hit harder. Ryan Smith’s animated guitar riffs and boundless energy on stage brought intensity and power to the performance, and Jeremy Tappero had a darker power in his deep bass lines. Michael Bland provided a solid beat from his drums, bringing the music together in the classic rock vibe. There was no rush, no sense of obligation, with just a band clearly enjoying themselves and the energy from a crowd more than willing to sing along, shout lyrics back, and soak in every note. Even the quieter moments, like during his more acoustic feeling “Black Gold” and of course their hit “Runaway Train”, everything felt intentional, giving space for nostalgia before snapping back into that familiar punch of Twin Cities rock. And for serious fans of the band were treated to some deep cuts like “High Road” and “Bittersweetheart”. What stood out most was the feeling of connection between the band and the audience, and among the audience themselves. You could see longtime fans locking eyes during familiar choruses, smiling at strangers, and fully leaning into the experience. Trying to photograph in such a packed room was a challenge, and so many stepped forward to say “catch this moment here” and offer a spot to shoot from. It was loud, it was warm, and it felt genuine in a way that only a hometown show at First Avenue can. Soul Asylum didn’t just play a great set that night, they reminded everyone why this room, this band, and this city continue to matter to each other, and it was a beautiful holiday energy to witness at a sold-out show that was up there as one of the best Minneapolis shows to end the year.
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