Green Day, Def Leppard 'mega' tours announce new 2021-22 dates in Minneapolis

One of the big stadium shows is still on for 2021, but the other has been postponed another year.

May 17, 2021 at 6:57PM
Green Day vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong at the Xcel Energy Center Saturday night. Photo By: Matt Weber
Billie Joe Armstrong will return to his wife’s hometown to play Target Field in late August. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Def Leppard is bringing on the heartache for Twin Cities fans again in 2021, but Green Day offered up some good news about when it will come around.

Its Hella Mega Tour show at Target Field with Weezer and Fall Out Boy has only been postponed by a couple weeks — from Aug. 11 to Aug. 23.

But Def Leppard's already-once-postponed mega tour with Mötley Crüe, Poison and Joan Jett has been put off for a second year. The new date at U.S. Bank Stadium is set for Aug. 14, 2022.

Existing tickets to both the Green Day and Def Leppard will be honored for the new dates, and more seats are now on sale.

While Minnesota officials are rolling back COVID-19 restrictions for large events, the timing is still rocky for these big rock tours.

Even as vaccination rates rise, the tours have to contend with stricter rules in some other states as well as in Europe, where the Hella Mega Tour was called off entirely for this summer.

"U.S., it's the moment you've all been waiting for," Hella Mega organizers announced Monday via Twitter. Green Day released a new single, "Pollyanna," to coincide with the news that its tour was still on for summer.

Target Field still has Guns N' Roses listed on the 2021 calendar for July 16, but word among GNR watchers is their tour (which includes many international dates) is likely to be postponed again.

U.S. Bank Stadium already announced summer 2021 postponements by Kenny Chesney (now set for 2022) and George Strait (rescheduled for Nov. 13). There is still one date at the Vikings' stadium that hasn't been moved a second time: Pyro-loving German metal band Rammstein is still planning to play there Sept. 3.

As for the Rolling Stones — who never even bothered to set any 2021 makeup dates for their 2020 tour — tickets to their postponed U.S. Bank Stadium appearance are still on sale even without any date on the calendar. Hey Mick: Unlike you, the rest of us ain't getting any younger.

Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658

@ChrisRstrib

about the writer

about the writer

Chris Riemenschneider

Critic / Reporter

Chris Riemenschneider has been covering the Twin Cities music scene since 2001, long enough for Prince to shout him out during "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)." The St. Paul native authored the book "First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom" and previously worked as a music critic at the Austin American-Statesman in Texas.

See More