Hootie & the Blowfish and ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic announced for 2019 Grandstand Concert Series

Published 5:42 am Saturday, December 8, 2018

Hootie & the Blowfish and “Weird Al” Yankovic are the first shows confirmed for the 2019 Minnesota State Fair Grandstand Concert Series sponsored by Sleep Number. 

Hootie & the Blowfish, who will play at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 22, has sold more than 25 million records worldwide to date after the group’s infectious melodies hit the airwaves in 1994 with hits such as “Hold My Hand,” “Let Her Cry” and “Only Wanna Be With You.”

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Hootie & the Blowfish took a break from full-time touring in 2007, reuniting annually for a variety of philanthropic events while also pursuing solo projects. 2019 will mark the band’s first full-time touring year in more than a decade as it embarks on the Group Therapy Tour in support of forthcoming new music.

The group will be joined by Barenaked Ladies, who will open the show.

Tickets are $90, $76 and $51, all reserved seating.

Now in his fourth decade as America’s foremost song parodist, “Weird Al” Yankovic has been the recipient of numerous awards, including four Grammys and a string of Gold and Platinum albums. Weird Al’s 14th studio album, the Grammy award-winning Mandatory Fun (2014), became the first comedy album in history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart.

In 2019, Weird Al will embark on his most extravagant tour ever, “Strings Attached,” where he and his band will be backed every night by a full orchestra.

Weird All will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 27. Tickets are $31 for reserved seating.

Tickets for both shows are currently on sale and are available through Etix at etix.com or by calling 800-514-3849. In addition, tickets may be purchased at the State Fairgrounds Ticket Office during a limited-time opening from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7. For additional State Fair ticket information, call 651-288-4427.

Additional Grandstand artists will be announced periodically between now and next year’s fair.