Country superstar Jason Aldean is headed to St. Paul on Sept. 6

Tickets to see the controversial “Try That in a Small Town” hitmaker will go on sale Friday.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
March 18, 2025 at 11:00AM
FILE - In this April 26, 2014 file photo, Jason Aldean performs during his headlining set on day two of the 2014 Stagecoach Music Festival at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, Calif. When Jason Brown came to Nashville to start his career as the country artist Colt Ford, he couldnít find songwriters that would write for his singing style, an open embrace of hip-hop beats and rhythms with his spoken word or rapping lyrics, but with a clearly country theme. Aldean tried his hand at rapping on on
Jason Aldean is headed to Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul in September. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Country music isn’t just about summer festivals. Jason Aldean, a popular festival headliner, will rock Xcel Energy Center on Sept. 6 as part of his Full Throttle Tour.

The Georgia superstar last performed in the area in 2023 at Treasure Island Casino Amphitheater near Red Wing. Back then his single “Try That in a Small Town” was creating a controversy as the lyrics implied that he’d pull a gun on anybody in his small town who tried carjacking, robbing someone or protesting against the police.

Aldean followed that No. 1 hit with “Let Your Boys Be Country,” an anthem of southern pride, from his 2023 album “Highway Desperado.”

Since he debuted 20 years ago, Aldean has chalked up 26 No. 1 country hits including “Dirt Road Anthem,” “Big Green Tractor” and “You Make It Easy.”

Aldean’s tour will start May 24 in Toronto and wrap up Oct. 24 in West Palm Beach, Fla., just in time for the hunting season.

Opening the St. Paul concert will be Nate Smith, RaeLynn and Dee Jay Silver.

Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at jasonaldean.com.

about the writer

about the writer

Jon Bream

Critic / Reporter

Jon Bream has been a music critic at the Star Tribune since 1975, making him the longest tenured pop critic at a U.S. daily newspaper. He has attended more than 8,000 concerts and written four books (on Prince, Led Zeppelin, Neil Diamond and Bob Dylan). Thus far, he has ignored readers’ suggestions that he take a music-appreciation class.

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