Joan Jett & the Blackhearts at Taste of Minnesota (July 5, 2025)

Billy Idol / Joan Jett Tour Dates

• JUL 9Princess Auto Stadium Winnipeg, Canada
• JUL 11Exhibition Lands Racetrack Edmonton Northlands, Canada
• AUG 8Pittsburgh Brewing Company Creighton, PA
• AUG 9Hoochenanny Whiskey Festival 2025 Rochester, NY
• AUG 14Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre Tinley Park, IL
• AUG 16TD Pavilion at the Mann Philadelphia, PA
• AUG 17Broadview Stage at SPAC Saratoga Springs, NY
• AUG 20Madison Square Garden New York, NY
• AUG 22Merriweather Post Pavilion Columbia, MD
• AUG 23Xfinity Center Mansfield, MA
• AUG 26Maine Savings Amphitheater Bangor, ME
• AUG 28Pine Knob Music Theatre Clarkston, MI
• AUG 30Ruoff Music Center Noblesville, IN
• AUG 31Summerfest Milwaukee, WI
• SEP 3Red Rocks Amphitheatre Morrison, CO
• SEP 5Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre West Valley City, UT
• SEP 12Acrisure Arena Palm Desert, CA
• SEP 14The Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley Berkeley, CA
• SEP 17Toyota Amphitheatre Wheatland, CA
• SEP 19Cascades Amphitheater Ridgefield, WA
• SEP 20Climate Pledge Arena Seattle, WA
• SEP 23North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre Chula Vista, CA

Taste of Minnesota is a long tradition, starting back in the early 1980’s in Saint Paul, struggling through changing times, and now happening in downtown Minneapolis. A chance for local businesses, particularly restaurants, to show off their wares. One of the ways they draw people in is by having free live music, this year on three different stages, usually with some very impressive acts. On the first day, as the light rain had ended earlier in the afternoon and looked to hold off for the remainder of the evening, the headliner was Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.

Making my way to downtown Minneapolis and working through the entrance line, I got there in time for the set up for Cheap Trick. First formed in the early 1970’s, these guys are an institution, and outside of replacing their drummer over financial disputes, this is still the original band. Now in their 70’s, they have been continuously at play, with 20 albums, and over 5,000 live performances. And though they have recent albums, including 2021’s In Another World, their live shows focus on those early albums that most fans would recognize.

It started the only way it could, with Hello There, an absolute classic. That these guys are all in their mid-70’s definitely showed, but their experience and love from the audience carried this to a certain height right out of the gate. Dream Police got a switch of guitars (the first of many) and our first call out to Minneapolis and a handful of guitar picks thrown into the crowd.

Sporting a classy pale suit and broad brimmed hat, lead singer Robin Zander certainly didn’t act like he was just checking boxes. Great support on the change of instruments from the crew kept things moving like clockwork and an extended drum solo form Daxx Nielsen gave a small break for the band, before the long build up to Ain’t That a Shame, which included a stellar vocal close. We got the first sing along for If You Want My Love, and the majority of the crowd happily obliged. Playing the slower ballad Voices really showed off how much this band’s continued success is dependent on Zander’s ability to still belt it out, though the rest of the band was still nailing their parts as well. A square looking guitar for Rick Nielsen gave a darker sound for the start of California Man.

Everyone got their moments, with bassist Tom Petersson getting the long intro and lead lyrics on I Know What I Want. After a slower section, with Zander showing some real emotion on The Flame, the band quickly ramped up a crowd favorite of I Want You to Want Me. They rocked it out with Surrender getting the expected crowd love. Playing almost exactly an hour, Cheap Trick closed out an impressive set.

Side note, as we watched the set up for the headliner. Turning on a fog machine in an outdoor venue? On a pretty windy evening? Sigh.

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts was up to finish the evening. If Cheap Trick is an institution, Joan Jett is pantheon. Another relentless performer, Jett seems to always be on the road (W♥M last saw her at July 2024’s Minnesota Yacht Club). Jett first came up as part of the outstanding band The Runaways (which she co-founded), before forming this band (and her own record label) in 1980. Coming out clad in all black, Jett was a monster from the beginning, going from Victim of Circumstance into Cherry Bomb. You might argue that Jett was only playing the hits, but I would counter that that is all she has. A quick “Minnesota, how are you?” was about the extent of the early talk, as Jett and the band focused on rocking. The sing along of the “oh yeah” chorus on Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah) was an early highlight in the set.

A thanks to Cheap Trick brought the story that The Runaways had played a lot of shows with them, “So, I’ve played with them since I was 17, and I’m an old b*tch now”. Onto You Drive Me Wild had the crowd bopping along and then they moved into a Bruce Springsteen written number for a movie Jett did with Michael J. Fox, Light of Day. (Side note: I know this song, and I know a lot of movies, and I… somehow don’t know this one? Huh.). This was how the first half of the evening went; a song started, it was instantly recognizable, and they proceeded to eat it up. Rinse and repeat.

The backing Blackhearts (guitar, bass, and drums) were all on point, backing Jett as needed on each song. A favorite cover for Jett, The Replacements’ Androgynous, was fun for the Minneapolis crowd, and Jett noted that she wouldn’t really do it justice, but loved the song. (Side note: Hey, the smoke machine’s effect was almost noticeable near the drummer by the tenth song!)

Make the Music Go Boom was off the most recent album, 2023’s Mindsets, and was a pure banger. I was impressed at the near seamless transition between songs, and how they jumped across the entire discography. Long Time had excellent backing harmonies and stood out. An introduction of the band led to Everyday People. I had just stepped back from the very front of the stage and it was a lot of fun to see the audience singing I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll with wild abandon. As Joan Jett & The Blackhearts started to wind up, the hits kept coming and Jett continued to sound phenomenal. A true rock & roll Hall of Famer had come through with a fantastic set and performance on a pretty nice evening, making for a memorable end of the first day of Taste of Minnesota.