Basilica Block Party

This was an amazing time! So many concerts it was a chore to figure out how to get to them all! The only thing that I did not like was that they had two popular artists that I had been waiting to see playing at the same time at two different stages. Also the beer was outrageously priced. That said I am planning to make this every year from now on. Definitely worth the overpriced beer. :)

Had a great time. Saw mayer hawthorne, zz ward, matt nathanson. Sad to have missed family of the year but they were playing simultaneously with mayer hawthorne. Zz ward & matt nathanson will be back to the twin cities this fall and i wont miss it!

This event was spectacular. The atmosphere, the performances, the basilica, it all added up to an amazing night. Definitely a music experience you shouldn't miss out on.

We have never been to the Basilica Block Party before, but saw the lineups for both nights and HAD to go. It was difficult to make decisions about who to watch because there were so many great bands there!

Trains was so amazing on June 6th! Everyone loved them!--the whole huge "sea of people " was dancing and singing thoughout the whole concert!.. the acoustics / sound was perfert!...the night cooled down a bit -so it was a perfect outdoor concert event..., the only downer was when the fast approching strom cut the concert short by about 1/2 hour--I could have listened to them play all night.. Mat Kearney was awsome !.. I love his voice, band and all his songs, but unfortunatly his concert was cut short also by the rain that passed over.. I definatly need to go see him again in concert soon! Imagine Dragons were awsome too- the lead singer 's voice & energy ROCK!

All the bands were amazing and completely eye opening

I loved every second of it! It ran smoothly, bands were on time, and the performances were memorable in the best way. My only complaint would have been how hot it was, but no one can really do anything about that. It was just s great day!

Always an awesome lineup, but always too many people and poor stage setup. Obstructed views abound.

The main stage where the headliners were was poorly setup. If you were more than 50ft or so from the stage you could not really hear the music or even see the video screens as they were placed far too low. The video screens could have been placed higher and some more mid-range/high-range speakers mounted up further to get more sound to the back of the crowd. Setup felt very amateur, I have done this work for a living in the past and have been to many outdoor concerts that were setup far superior. I left about 20-30 minutes after arriving due to not really being able to hear the bands music or see them, not even on the screens. Very disappointing.

The Basilica Block Party was outrageous and a waste of money. The venue was extremely poor, sight lines were terrible, and the majority of the crowd wasn't even interested in the music. They were just there to get drunk. If you attend this event expecting to listen to and appreciate the music, don't. If you attend this event and want to get sandwiched into the crowd, with jerks pushing past you carelessly going both directions, go for it!

Goo Goo Dolls/Matchbox Twenty, need I say more!?! This was the perfect 90s throwback concert! Both bands played the old favorites and new favorites too! I don't even care that I stood on my feet for over 5 hours...it was that awesome!

The food was over priced and not good at all. The event was not very enjoyable because of the pushing and shoving to get closer to the sun country stage. It got to the point where we just left the spot we had because we got there early because it was not enjoyable. Once we got to the back, you could not see the band because of the tower in the middle.

The most memorable performances were ZZ Ward, Walk The Moon and Matchbox Twenty! Cloud Cult was very good as well. I think ZZ Ward and Walk the Moon should have been on the Sun Country Stage.

Perfectly beautiful night for great outdoor music! You can't go wrong with listening to Live music from ZZWard, Matt Nathanson and Grace Potter & the Nocturnals in addition to new acts.

Matchbox 20 was unbelievable. Also, bomba de Luz was surprisingly amazing. They deserve to come back.

In the past the block party has had two headliners performing at the same time. This year the headliners were all playing at different times, which made the main stage overcrowded. I couldn't see any part of the main stage during the performances. The smaller stages without headliners were a lot less crowded. Overall our experience at the block party this year versus two years ago wasn't as good.

Great shows by the Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox Twenty. They did a stellar job performing and they sound just like they do on their albums. Too bad the organization of the venue couldn't of been the same. It felt very congested and hard to see the performers since the show was in a parking lot. Also it was fairly hard to find where we were going. All in all I would defenitly see The Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox 20 again, however I would not go back to the Basilica Block Party.

I have seen matchbox 20/Rob Thomas in concert a few times and they are still my all time favorite! Awesome show!

Perfect blue skies for Walk the Moon who rocked with high energy. A full crowd filled the front of the Basilica and the sun set just as the group was finishing their set. It was the epitome of summer music.

I was a little leery attending a large event like this with lots of people, but I never felt crowded, rushed or squeezed while attending Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox 20 at the Sun Country Stage. I'd also like to add that the people helping out were unbelievably kind. It was a very enjoyable event to experience!

Fun venue - unfortunately since the bands played at different stages at the same times you really could not take advantage seeing bands at different stages since they were fairly far apart. I had VIP Skybox tickets, and the "skybox" is bleachers set up behind the group of people clsoest to the stage. It was not what I expected however it was nice to have a seat because the Matchbox 20 show was PACKED. It was a great show and great backdrop of the city. The Friday night Grace Potter show was great too. I would suggest that they let the VIP folks in a little early as well - you didn't really get a big VIP treatment - the alcohol choices were limted - the food was good, but again, far from the stage so you had to worry about losing your bleacher seat if you went to get food - not a bad experince, just unsure if it was worth it.

We were 5th row standing, the sound quality was GREAT, the view was GREAT, the bands were awesome! LOVE THE BASILLICA>The band mate proposed to his girlfriend during the song "come to me" from Goo Goo Dolls.

Event was way, way too crowded. Once you got a decent spot, going to get food/beverage or use the bathroom was out of the question. They had a huge tower blocking the middle area of the main stage, obstructing a large amount of view from already overly crowded event. Stage wasn't that tall and positioned up hill, making it even more difficult to see. It was very difficult to switch from stage to stage.

Kate Earl, the Goo Goo Dolls, and Matchbox 20 were incredible. Hands down a great venue and a great concert. Wife and daughter.both cried they were so moved by it. Will do again and again and again bo matter what bands are there but The bands this year were the best imaginable! Ever! They seemed to be having as good a time as we were, sounded great, and performed outstanding!!!

Great event, goods bands, good venue, great food, overall good experience.

I went to this (Friday night) event because my wife had wanted to go for the last five years. We finally got the opportunity this year. Although I really enjoyed Grace Potter and there was more room to move/stand at the main stage, I was SO tired of getting kicked, stepped on, kneed in the back, pushed, etc. while at the Church Stage to see something called "ZZ Ward". They either need to limit the amount of people in that area or if that act was so popular, MOVE THEM to a larger stage. We had to stand so far back you couldn't see anything which really buzz killed the set. The main stage at least had video screens where you didn't need to be elbowing or stepping on the person next to you to see. Very underwhelmed with the event.

father John misty and Matt Nathanson were great live! It was my first time going to the Basilica block party and I would go again for a good cause.

The music was great. Tough to see the band since the place was packed with 20,000+ screaming fans, but heard the music just fine. The Basilica Block Party App that they created for my phone sucked though. Won't download it next time.

Awesome night. Matt Nathanson rocked the block!!!!!!!

All the bands that performed were so good live! Very personable with the crowd. Unforgettable! Right when we walked in we were handed free (cool) stuff left and right from bags to can coozies.

Bands were excellent! Plenty of porta potties, mostly well maintained & stocked throughout the night. Decent beverage prices, lots of places to get bottled water. Food prices were all over the place, but there were enough "cheap eats" to make it easy to find something inexpensive. I loved the wide variety of food options too! Sun Country stage - too many people trying to cram in to see the last act of the night and it was crappy sound quality where we ended up having to stand (way, way, way back). Appreciated the large amount of volunteers able to answer any questions. The major bummer was getting to the entrance area-there weren't any signs up around the perimeter directing people where to go, and we were twice told incorrect information by "security" personal.

This was one of the best concerts I've ever been too. I've seen the Goo Goo Dolls three times, and this was their best performance. So much fun! Definitely going next year.

The BBP was great fun this year! I attended Sat, and the bands were awesome. My only complaint is that the big stage was difficult to see due to the location and the flat landscape.

I wish there would have been a bigger headliner at the Friday night show. There were a lot of small bands - I knew a couple of their songs - but I would have liked to see someone really awesome on Friday too.. instead of having Saturday stacked with a bunch of awesome bands.

The entire church stage on Friday night was very good starting with ZZ Ward! She is a real talented musician and she showed it all Friday night. Matt was exceptional and shows is personality, music talent and stage presents extremely well. Great show.....GREAT music and a great venue. Its my fourth trip to the Block party and I will not miss it for anything........as long as they continue booking such great talent!!!!!! Keep up the good work Ft. John Bauer......

The concert was fair, nothing to write home about. It started WAY too early for a Friday night and it was difficult to navigate while there. I don't think I got my $70s worth at all.

Great time on Friday night. GP was gorgeous in the white robe.

Wonderful, I am totally going next year! It was unbelievably hot the day I went (Friday - like 110 degrees) but the artists still played and played well with their love of what they do glowing! We first went to Tyron Wells, whom was phenomenal! His message to the crowd made me tear up! Then we made our way over to the Sun Country stage at which we stayed the remainder of the night. We only got to see Mat Kearney for a short moment because he had to stop due to rain (which was a HUGE bummer, but what are you going to do..) then the Head & The Heart played which made me fall in love with their music, more in love than what I already had been. And to top it off, was the amazing Train who played with the crowd loving it even with the storm rolling in! So glad they played as much as they did until they were told they had to stop due to severe weather. Also, the seating was awesome! You could move up wherever you could reach. It was open to stand wherever you wanted! Loved the freedom! The crowd was very fun & they had big screens set up so you could see the artists even if you couldn't see their faces live.

Super fun outdoor setting, great music from cities 97 and good food and drinks available. I will definitely be going again next year!

Opening band The Lumineers were awesome! The music was spot on and they really seemed to appreciate the audience! Fitz and The Tantrums know how to get the audience pumped up! The music was great and the adrenaline was pumping! The Avett Brothers were also so appreciative of the audience! They played so many wonderful tunes! They know how to rock out! My personal favorites were their new single, "Live and Die" and also an oldie "Pretty Girl at the Airport." They were also so gracious to take pics with fans after the soundcheck that afternoon! Love them! *I would not recommend getting the VIP passes. I had never been before, and mistakenly thought they would give you an advantage. But the seats are so far back from the main stage. I wanted to be right up front, so my VIP tix were no better than GA! Overall a wonderful time!!

Best line-up i've ever seen at a concert. The Lumineers were incredible, Fitz and the Tantrums was a freakin' party and The Avett Brothers closed perfectly. Amazing time, loved it.

Great concert, Matchbox 20 is my favorite band of all time! I've been listening to them since their first album came out. Missed my brother's birthday party to see them...gotta have priorities, right?! :-)

I was so excited to see two great bands, Matchbox 20 and Goo Goo Dolls, for the price of 1 concert. However, the stage set up was horrendous that I could barely see the bands. One had to either be right up front by the stage or watch the jumbo screen from the very back. Anything in between the very front and very back resulted in no view of either the stage or the screen. This was the biggest waste of time and money and is not worth going to. Save yourself the trouble and just wait for a regular concert in an actual concert venue.

Matchbox was amazing! They sounded like their record and put on a good show. Goo Goo Dolls was very blah...

We went to see the GooGoo Dolls and Matchbox Twenty. The layout of the stage area was really poor I thought. The lighting and sound people were right in the middle and yes, there were two tv screens, but it was still very hard to see the band. It was not a fun experience.

Basilica was GREAT! Matchbox 20 was the greatest and Goo Goo Dolls were great too! First time at the event after all these years here - why did I wait to long?? Thank you!

My wife & I attended on Saturday .... Kate Earl, Goo Goo Dolls & Matchbox 20 ... more than lived up to expectations. They were all wonderful entertainers and had a polished interaction with the crowd. The weather was perfect. There was a variety of food/beverage vendors to appeal to a variety of tastes. We parked in the Dunwoody Institute parking lot ($10) and walked an easy two blocks to the entrance of the event.

First time... Fun event... Nicely organized... Would go again.

Zz ward goo goo dolls matchbox20 and matt nathonson were fabulous

Goo goo dolls and matchbox 20 were so great! The are such passionate singers and the big screens allowed us to catch every moment! Beautiful night! Great give-a-ways from Basilica too. Volunteers working the event were wonderful too! Our first time at this event. We will definately be back!

It's crazy busy and compact but worth going and seeing great bands. New band to see is the Cactus Blossums! They played some fine tunes you can dance too. Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox20 were my daughter's favorite bands and I loved hearing them as well!

Very entertaining performer. Lots of personality. made time to visit with fans after the show. Those are all good things.

The block party was alot of fun. Great music from many different artists. Lots of good food choices. Only criticism would be need larger venue & to space out artists (not having multiple artists playing at one time) in order to get to see everyone. Worth the money!

They had the entire crowd jumping, singing along and clapping their hands. The atmosphere felt amazing, you could tell they were having fun playing for us and we were having a blast listening to them.

The concert it self was Fantastic, however trying to have that many people in that area (suncountry) stage was just to crowded. I am wondering if there would be a better way to organize it, for the people who are up front and need to leave for a minute to use the restroom or just get a beer it is close to impossible to move. Could you have rows and isles? that might make it better and you may even draw more people in. Just something to think about. Over all though it was a fun evening and good event

Family of the Year was a wonderful surprise! Yay ZZ Ward! The weather was as wonderful as the music!!!

GooGoo Dolls ans Matchbox 20 were great selections for this event. My first time to the block party so my first impressions were mixed. The good- music, band selection, beer. The bad - not enough bathrooms and the location from the stage was terrible. Also, the beverage tents were poorly located. You need to walk thru throngs of people just to get to either area. I suggest you revise your setup there.

The event was too crowded...couldn't see the main stage or the video monitor. Seems like an excuse for people to get drunk and rude. Either have to spend a lot more for seats or stick to the smaller stages for next year...

Loved the proximity to the stage and the direct communication with the bands.

2 nights of good food, good friends & great music! Loved night 1 - weather was perfect as were the performers! Night 2 exceeded night 1 which is hard to imagine - fun event!

Really enjoyed the venue and the show was awesome.

Great show lots of artists and reasonably priced!!!!

We mainly went to see Matchbox 20 - awesome! But the variety was nice and the food and drink were good too. Lines weren't bad, a few freebies, not too crowded. I really appreciate the screens on the side of the stage. I'm 5'2" and couldn't see the stage at all. I would have been fired up if I couldn't have even been able to view the screens. I'd like to suggest still raising them a tich. I still had to maneuver to see them!

It was a great time, beautiful weather for an outdoor event and a nice setting. Great bands, nothing to complain about!

Other than the creepy church people with pamphlets, the bands were phenomenal! Very long sets, very prompt, very well put together! Fantastic!!!

Loved the atmosphere. This was my first time. Good mix of food vendors. Would have preferred a couple of blues bands in deference to my age.

Rob, Kyle, Paul and band did not disappoint. They were amazing and played a lot from their first album which was fantastic for the fans who been listening since the 90s.

This was my first Basilica Block Party and it was SUPER FUN! Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox Twenty were so good. The crowd was fun, the weather was perfect. Definitely going to be a re-do!!

The entire venue was something to experience. From the get go I was entertained by the numerous vendors and their gimmicks, as well as the smaller two band shells which constantly had music flowing forth from them. I was wonderfully surprised at the Lumineers, who were first up for the night. They were musically perfect and entertaining to watch, even though they didn't have a very exciting stage presence (aside from the drummer who I drew great joy from whilst he hopped about the stage). My party skipped watching Fitz & the Tantrums to rest our legs a bit and eat some overpriced trans fats which were plentiful at the event. Around 9:30, we mosied our way back over to the Sun Country stage to see the Avett Brothers. From the moment Sean, Scott, Joe, and Bob walked out on stage, my life life was never the same. The Brothers are not only a symbol of musical perfection on the stage, they have a wild and relentless stage presence which you would never expect. From anyone. Ever. They exploded onto the stage and did not stop the astonishing display until they played the last note of the encore. Seeing the Avett Brothers play live was hands-down one of the greatest events to ever take place in my life (shortly behind being born). I will absolutely be seeing them again if I ever get the chance.

I have never had as much fun at a concert as I did here. The stage was visible, the sound was great, there were great bands, I had a great time. It was amazing, I'll definitely be going again next year.

The bands were amazing. The rain was very refreshing, but I was disappointed to not be able to hear the rest of Mat Kearney's set. I will be looking for another concert of his to go to though! Imagine Dragons were awesome. I loved Train the best. All bands sounded great.

The whole evening was great. From the Lumineers to the soulful Fitz and the Tantrums to OAR's jam session filled set. The whole block party had great energy and the bands took care of the rest.

I would highly recommend seeing O.A.R live if you have the chance. They were unbelievable in person!

Always such a beautiful venue, this year was great as always!

the music was good, but totally uncoordinated and unprepared. Definitely not worth the amount of money being charged, glad I had the experience but won't go again.

Imagine Dragons was amazing, Train was pretty good too. The event was even fun in the rain. But even if you don't like the music, there's plenty of interesting people to watch.

My friend and I went to the first night on Friday, and it was a super fun time! The venue was quite nice, and the music was amazing! It was really upbeat and the crowd was great. There were a lot of bottles all over the ground though, and that made it hard to move around. Besides that though, thumbs up!

I try to go to the Basilica Block Party every year. We always have fun. I was bummed this year that it rained and Matt Kearney had to cut his set off early, and then he didnt make the time up. He was one of the main reasons I went and I really didnt get to see them. When Basilica says "rain or shine" that shouldnt mean they dont play! I didnt mind things getting pushed back, but to miss out on half of his set wasnt ok. Otherwise it was fun.

Bands were wildly fantastic! Train blew the crowd away, very interactive. Graffiti6 rocked out, definitely a musician to watch! O.A.R. was incredible live. Perfect weather and location. Look forward to next year!

WE have been going to the Basillica for 10 years and always have a good time. This year was actually the 10th anniversary of our first date. The sound was really very bad this time for the main band Train. The other two bands the sound was good. It was really disappointing for us as we wanted to see Train primarily.

5 star- music!!!!, 1 star- beer selection, 1 star- long lines for overpriced food.

Though the weather proved to be a challenge--- this event has a great location and the downtown views are awesome. Any band to play this even is lucky!! Train was awesome and did an excellent show even with the limited time. Will remember for years to come!

CAKE is my favorite band, and I came just to see them. This was the first time I had ever seen them, and it was awesome. I was able to get pretty close to them, there was only three or four rows of people in front of me. They did a good group of songs, had a lot of energy, and it was overall an awesome show.

Located in downtown Minneapolis, the Block Party has a great setup going, artist and vendor wise. Food is bought with tickets - $1 = 1 ticket - so you can feed yourself pretty well for $20. The only unfortunate part was that the weather can affect the music, as Mat Kearney was canceled halfway though due to storms. But if you can stand lots of people in a sweaty, awesome atmosphere, go for it!

Great bands. Good deal for designated drivers. Good food.

Tyrone Wells, Imagine Dragon, Head and Heart, AND TRAIN!!!! Amazing performances!

I had a lot of fun and the bands were great, but it was too crowded. It was almost impossible to get food and drink because the lines were so long. Either you watched the bands OR you got refreshments. It was also very hard to walk around and next to impossible to get to certain areas because of all of the people. Either expand the venue or sell fewer tickets. I probably would have spent more money in the venue if I had been able to get around better and through the lines faster.

Great show! Even with the thunderstorm! Mat Kearney was great but interrupted by the storm. Would love to see him again. Head and the Heart were very good. Train was awesome, very engaging.

Excellent concert by Train! You need more places to purchase tickets and venders closer to main stage.

I thought Basilica Block Party was great, but it seemed like all of my favorite bands were playing at the same time. It was nearly impossible to see a band, then make it to the other stage in time to get a good spot for the next band you wanted to see. Other than that--it was super fun!

Head and the Heart, Cake, and the Avett Brothers were great! It was a good setting at the Basilica with plenty of food, drink, and music.

Out of all the bands out there playing on july 8th, The Head and the Heart really stood out. They played a great show and I will definitely be going to see them again. It is amazing what passion and talent that band possesses.

The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is because they made Mat Kearney quit early even when it wasn't raining that bad!! I know we can't control the weather but the rain stopped and they continued to put stuff away! With that said, IT WAS THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE!! I absolutely loved it! It was my first block party that I attended and it blew any expectations I had out of the water!

Great time despite the rain. Glad you added more bathrooms.

Cake was as quirky and entertaining as I'd hoped they would be. Train also performed well. But even though the concert advertised for rain or shine, they had no rain plan. The first downpour came 10 minutes after I arrived. The only shelter was an underpass that wouldn't even fit the amount of people who were there at 6. Mat Kearney cancelled the rest of his set. Then Train had to curtail their set as well, though with the huge storm that followed I don't think there was much that could be done about that. I'm just disappointed that after paying $53 they weren't prepared to keep the show going after the first storm. Not worth the money.

Despite the heat this was a really fun time!! Lots of food, beverages, people and music. Train was as awesome as ever!!!

I love Train, so I was really excited to attend this event with my boyfriend. I thought Train would be my favorite act of the night. However, my boyfriend and I checked out Imagine Dragons. We had really only heard one of their songs on the radio, but one of our friends told us that they were fantastic live. Oh my goodness, they were right! They are such an outstanding band and such great performers! We enjoyed ourselves immensely and we had so much fun dancing to their music!!! Hearing Train was really fun too, but it was super crowded over there and we really were not able to see them, which made it less amazing. Imagine Dragons was our favorite act of the night!

Train was incredible. Basilica staff was great! Must see event every year

This was my first time at the block party, and I was impressed. I got to the Avett Brothers stage early to catch The Lumineers. What made the experience so enjoyable was the camaraderie of the crowd - it felt like I was watching a show at a backyard BBQ. Of course, the cheese fries helped with that. Overall, I had a smashing good time, and it was almost as good as reading a book. . almost. :)

Boys N The Barrels played Saturday - best band all weekend