As a music lover and a DJ with nearly four decades of experience, I have been to my fair share of concerts. Metallica at Xcel Energy Center after the black album (my favorite band), Brooks and Dunn a few times, local concerts like Rivertown Live for several years, the new format of Rivertown Days, and now, Halestorm and Lindsey Stirling at Treasure Island. Until September 26, 2025, the Metallica concert was my favorite, that is when I heard Lzzy Hale sing live, and she shattered that concert. But more on that in a moment.
The two leading ladies, Lzzy and Lindsey combined for a strange yet perfect combination. Stirling rose to fame by blending classical violin with modern electronic dance music, a combination that set her apart in a crowded music scene. After gaining attention as a quarterfinalist on America’s Got Talent in 2010, she began building a devoted online following through her YouTube channel, where her creative music videos showcased not only her violin skills but also her choreography and storytelling flair. Her breakthrough came with covers of popular songs and her original work, which quickly went viral and earned millions of views. By mixing genres and embracing digital platforms at a time when many artists were hesitant, Stirling transformed herself into a global performer, selling out tours and inspiring fans with her innovative approach to music and performance.
Halestorm became famous through a mix of relentless touring, powerhouse vocals, and a steady climb on the rock charts. Formed by siblings Lzzy and Arejay Hale in the late 1990s, the band spent years honing their sound and building a loyal fan base by playing live shows across the country. Their self-titled debut album, released in 2009, introduced audiences to their hard-hitting style and featured the hit single I Get Off, which gained strong radio play. Over time, the group earned recognition not just for their energy on stage but also for Lzzy Hale’s commanding voice, which became their signature. Their 2012 album The Strange Case Of… pushed them further into the spotlight, fueled by the single Love Bites (So Do I) that won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance. With constant touring, radio success, and an ever-growing reputation as one of rock’s most dynamic live acts, Halestorm solidified themselves as a mainstay in modern rock music.
Remember how I said Metallica is my favorite band? Well, the opening act, Apocalyptica, the Finnish band known for merging classical and heavy metal, first gained fame in the mid-1990s with their unique cello-driven covers of Metallica songs. Opened the show and I missed it. Bad timing on my part. Their debut album Plays Metallica by Four Cellos in 1996 introduced listeners to a bold new sound, blending classical training with the raw intensity of metal. Over time, they expanded their style to include original compositions and collaborations with prominent rock and metal vocalists, building a global following. Friends who were at the concert made me regret missing them with the descriptions of how good their sound was and how entertaining they were for an opening act.
I knew Stirling from her social media posts. She is engaging and has an adorable and sweet demeanor. To be brutally honest, I knew her music, but I could not tell you any names of the songs or albums. Her music videos are entertaining to watch and her collaborations with acts like Pentatonix, Amy Lee of Evanescence and Christina Perri are full of musical talent, but I feel like I went into the concert knowing less than I just explained. The best part of that was not having any true expectations. I knew she was a talented musician and her presentation was supposed to be beautiful and fun.
That is an understatement of the facts. Stirling’s performance was entrancing. Her dancers, the props, the choreography, the band, everything was a beautiful spectacle that you could not look away from. I knew two songs she played, a super fun and high energy cover of Sandstorm by Darude, and the final song of the night, Shatter Me. The rest of the songs, the titles did not matter. I didn’t need to know them to enjoy the performance or the choreography. It was amazing to watch and extremely enjoyable.
Halestorm is much more familiar to me, I could venture to guess that I know the lyrics to a good 20 (Likely more) songs from their library. Lzzy might even be one of those celebrity crushes for me, but I digress. Halestorm was a bucket list concert for me. If you want a good song to start with to ease into the rock that is Halestorm, look up their cover of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance. They also covered Still of the Night by Whitesnake and both songs, well they kick something I can’t properly say in a newspaper. Just be prepared to have your socks rocked off. If you have been to a Hastings Hawks baseball game at Vets, odds are you have heard both of those songs played between innings, they are that good.
Halestorm is not for someone that is offended by swearing or some suggestive lyrics. Song titles like “I Get Off”, “Love Bites (So Do I)”, “Freak Like Me”, “Mz. Hyde” and “Do Not Disturb” all revolve around the wilder side of things. These songs are also some of their best and definitely in my top ten of their songs, not because of the lyrics, because they are just that darn good. The arrangements, the catchy beats, the heavy guitar and Lzzy’s amazing vocals are the perfect blend to make these and so many more songs of their ones you want to sing along to.
Tickets to this concert were made possible by the story I had written a few months ago about Paul Dockendorf, the heart and soul behind the concerts at Treasure Island. During that interview, I asked about the combination of Halestorm and Stirling, how that was booked and how that is a show that sounded incredible to me. One thing led to another and at the end of the interview I was offered tickets. Me, my son, daughter, soon to be son-in-law and one other were supposed to go as a group. That changed and ultimately it was me and my son Brent, and we had an absolute blast.
Thursday, the day before the concert, I left a sports event and thought, I should run down to TI and see if I can randomly bump into Lzzy, maybe get an interview and pic with her. I didn’t and I am so mad at myself for not going. Why? Because the entire band got there early and decided to hit karaoke night in the casino. A video shared on their social media had Lzzy singing “I Will Always Love You”. Yes, the Dolly Parton/Whitney Houston song and she blew those two icons away. Yes, I said it, Lzzy made two of the most influential women in music history sound like amateurs at karaoke.
During the concert on Friday night, the entire band took a break, and they rolled a piano out for just Lzzy. This was the most intimate part of the show. She spoke a little about how the previous night of karaoke had developed and that her band had challenged her to sing “I Will Always Love You”. So, what did she do? Learned enough of the piano part to play at her concert 24 hours later and gave the audience chills. That lead into my favorite song of theirs called “Break In” a beautiful ballad that showcases just how beautiful of a voice Lzzy has.
The performance of Halestorm was everything I expected and a million times more. The lights, the sound, the rock, the vocals and more were astounding. The encore of “Here’s to Us” was the perfect encore and the final song of the night brought Lindsey Stirling back out for “Shatter Me” which is an incredible song.
When Brent and I left, we could not get over how good a concert it was. His favorite so far, the Stadium tour with Motley Crue, Joan Jett and Poison. I can see that being hard to beat, but I never thought the Metallica concert would be dethroned for me. He said this was his third favorite concert ever and he has been to his fair share too.
The one thing we absolutely agreed on, Lzzy Hale can sing. Not just sing, that girl can SIIIIING.
The concert was at the Treasure Island Amphitheater, an outdoor venue. Looking at the space empty makes it seem like it would be an eternity to navigate and miles to walk. In reality, it is a very large space, and it does take some effort and time to get around, but it is laid out well and much faster than what your eyes think it will be. The music sounds great anywhere in the concert space, they have the largest display screens for any outdoor venue in the state of Minnesota giving those in the back of the arena a close-up view of the stage.
The space is used well with a variety of beverage booths and food trucks that are relatively quick for service. Getting in the concert was easy and quick. Even parking was not horrible and getting out of the lot was much faster than I expected. The worst part was the seats, especially being a bigger than average human. The seats are too small and not all that comfortable. That was not just from me, that was the consensus from several people that have gone to concerts there, the seats are just not good. The view was great, but the actual chairs need work.
I really want to thank Treasure Island for the opportunity to check one of my bucket list items off. The concert really was amazing, and the venue was perfect for this show. If you are a fan of live music and you have the opportunity to see a band you enjoy outdoors at TI, do it. Your back and bottom may not like the chairs, but your soul will love the experience.
Now, I need to see if any of the pictures I took on my phone are good enough to print so maybe I can get it autographed and then another bucket list item is checked off. LONG LIVE ROCK!