Paul McCartney, The Who, Bruce Springsteen

This is one helluva week for the Xcel Center, and it points up why this may be the perfect model for the future of arena entertainment, at a state-of-the-art civic center in the heart of a vibrant city. We can certainly expect major growth in the area of mid-sized geezer rock ’n’ roll shows, thanks in no small part to our VH1 Behind the Music obsessions, rerun TV, and a culture that seems to turn in on itself at an ever-accelerating pace. But let’s give credit where it’s due. Springsteen, at least, has an important new album to trot out for his adoring and rabid fans. McCartney, on the other hand, is essentially the only Beatle left (a cruel joke has been circulating that the Fab Four are dying “in order of coolness”) and let’s not underestimate the draw of hearing the mulleted one belt out some of the greatest pop songs ever co-written. The Who? We don’t know what their excuse is, and it seems in mildly bad taste to put the show on the road anyway, just days after your founding bassist detunes for the last time. At any rate, perhaps you want to rent a cot and stay on Seventh Street for the whole week. In between shows, the Xcel is actually bringing a circus in to help celebrate the madness. Never a dull moment in the Capital City! Xcel Center, (651) 726-8250