MINNEAPOLIS — One week into its opening run, the splashy Mystic Lake Amphitheater has been put to the test — probably more than its operators had hoped for.

Three of the concerts at Live Nation’s sprawling, new outdoor music venue in Shakopee went off without any major hitches and with a broad range of fans, including Thursday’s reunion tour date by the Guess Who (which drew a crowd mostly old enough to have attended the original Woodstock) and the June 22 show with rap-rocker MGK (with fans not even born when Woodstock ‘99 happened).

And then there was last week's Dave Matthews Band concert, which was postponed by inclement weather just before showtime, but not before DMB fans got a taste of what the traffic and parking can be like at the outdoor facility adjacent to Canterbury Park.

After listening to ticketholders and attending a couple of these concerts ourselves, here’s an assessment of what’s to love about Mystic Lake Amphitheater, what could be tweaked and what may be some of the sticking points at the 19,000-person mega-venue.

Overall impressions

Pros: It’s big and holds a lot of people. Those are selling points for bringing more summer tours to Minnesota, over 40 shows this inaugural season. Mystic Lake Amphitheater is also loaded with premium amenities, including 18 private suites and two VIP bar areas. However, some of its best attributes are the low-buck options, including the large, laid-back general-admission lawn area high up in the back.

All told, MLA proves once again that Live Nation knows how to build music venues from the ground up, just as they did a few years ago with the Fillmore in the North Loop.

Cons: It’s big and holds a lot of people. Those are also negatives when it comes to getting in, out of and around the place. So is the fact that its Shakopee location lacks big-city access and transportation options. Also, a few trips to the concession stands can rival tickets in cost.

Sightlines

Pros: The whole layout seems perfectly angled, so even at the very back of the venue you don’t feel too far away. You also get a great view of the sunset at the back. And well-placed hi-def video screens give abundant close-ups of the performers.

Cons: Too many of the 200-level seats and some of the lawn area have their views obstructed by large, white iron pillars holding up the large (arguably oversized) canopy. Also, the front of the lower-level pit area nearest the stage feels too far below the tall stage, like you’re in an orchestra pit constantly looking up at the performers.

Acoustics

Pros: Overall, the sound is good if not great. It’s plenty loud, and there’s not a lot of the echo/bounce you often get at outdoor stadium concerts. One of the best-sounding areas is actually the lawn section, aka the cheap seats. Being outdoors on a nice night with a favorite band sure beats sitting in the bowl end of an arena.

Cons: Here’s another category where the subfloor-like pit area nearest the stage feels substandard. The sound seems to be traveling overhead and bouncing back off the suites at the back of the lower bowl.

Concessions

Pros: If you like to imbibe at concerts, there are ample bartenders to assist you. You have some cheap options, too, and that includes bringing your own. MLA allows factory-sealed water bottles up to 1 gallon or emptied plastic water containers, and food in clear Ziploc bags.

Cons: Prices are generally a couple bucks more than at comparable venues in town, with most beers over $17 (tallboy cans, no taps) and cocktails and spritzes generally $24-$26. The cost-saving options, including $5 Rolling Rock cans and $2 hot dogs, are hidden on the menus and only available at one stand (Plaza Grill in the back). All of the food options outside of VIP areas are behind the stands in the plaza area, a pretty far and steep hike up from the lower-bowl section.

Food choices are limited at the main concession stands. The “soft serve” ice cream was frozen solid in a squeezable pouch ($8 for 6 oz.). Furthermore, there are only four food trucks, though one of the vendors had been told Live Nation had planned for a dozen.

VIP areas

Pros: If you can afford it, you have options to upgrade your experience, including access to the cocktail-bar-like Vinyl Room behind the private suites or the patio-vibing Backyard area north of the stage, each varying in price but generally starting around $100 per person.

Cons: You really can’t see the stage from either of those two main VIP areas, especially the Backyard, which is way off to the side sightline-wise. These spots are more for pre-concert hangs than for enjoying the actual concert.

Amenities

Pros: The staff — wearing mechanics-like shirts with “music & memories in Minnesota” on the back — is abundant, solicitous and knowledgeable. As for the restrooms: wow, look at all those urinals with dividers and stalls with doors. And sinks. U.S. Bank Stadium should be envious. Also, there are portable toilets in the parking lots.

Shout out to the plaza area, too. OK, it’s artificial turf but it’s an expansive area with plenty of tables and chairs as well as cornhole games. And you can hear the music just fine from there, though you can’t see the stage.

Cons: We weren’t sure where the smoking section was. We asked someone with a “supervisor” shirt and he told us but said no one was really enforcing non-smoking except maybe in the pit area. We saw people smoking cigarettes in the lawn area, which is not the official smoking space.

Traffic

Pros: There are two highways that run parallel close to the venue, Highway 101 to the north (near ValleyFair) and Highway 169 to the south, plus there are other roads coming in from the west side of the venue.

Cons: For the Dave Matthews Band concert on June 23, when tickets were nearly sold out, both of those main thoroughfares backed up. For high-demand shows, plan on arriving at least an hour before showtime to account for delays.

Parking

Pros: There’s ample free parking at Canterbury Park horse track, to the west of the amphitheater. Getting in has been easy on nights when the venue was less than half-full. For the Guess Who, it only took about 15 minutes in line to access the premium parking.

Cons: After the Guess Who concert, it took an interminable 38 minutes to get out of that premium lot. With maybe only 7,000 people at the show. What will happen when the place is filled to capacity with 19,000?

Getting out of the free lots was much smoother. Another example of low-buck options winning out! But those free lots are a 15- to 20-minute walk from the venue’s gates; far enough that some go-getter pedicab operators were already on site peddling people back and forth.

Shuttles and ride-sharing

Pros: Per our preview guide to the new venue, lots of shuttle buses are offered to the venue, though not for every show. Only Mystic Lake Casino’s shuttle is covering them all.

Cons: We heard complaints that some of the shuttle drop-off locations are too far away, near the free parking lots. Same thing with the designated ride-sharing lot, which is Lot A, off Unbridled Avenue going toward the horse track.

Box office and entry

Pros: The box office seemed well organized for the Guess Who, with barricades set up for the shows with big lines. There are plenty of digital ticket scanners staffed by Live Nation employees.

Cons: Depending on where you park, it can be a long hike to the box office. How about promoting which parking lot is closest to the box office so concertgoers can plan accordingly?

©2026 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC