Review: BRANDI CARLILE: BE HUMAN TOUR at Target Center Minneapolis

February 21, 2026 was a night to remember at the Target Center. Brandi Carlile came back to Minneapolis and it felt like she never left. The arena was completely sold out, but instead of feeling huge and impersonal, the night had this warm, full-of-heart vibe.

She kicked things off with “Returning to Myself”, then flowed into “Human” and “Mainstream Kid.” A few songs in, she stopped to talk to the crowd — saying how good it felt to be back in Minnesota, how much she loves playing Minneapolis, and how proud she is to support the city. It didn’t feel like a speech. It felt honest and heartfelt.

The concert had a bigger purpose too. Brandi livestreamed the whole show to raise money for local Minneapolis organizations, and it was also on The Current so even people at home could be part of it. You could feel that sense of community the whole night.

A highlight came when her special guests, the Singing Resistance Choir, joined her on stage. Their voices brought this amazing fullness to songs like “Sinners, Saints and Fools,” especially when she added in “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ’Round.” It felt like everyone in the arena was singing together, alive and present.

The set bounced between big, arena-filling moments and smaller, intimate ones. “Swing for the Fences” and “Who Believes in Angels?” (her collaborations with Elton John) soared across the room, while songs like “A War With Time” and “A Woman Oversees” made it feel personal again. “Right On Time” had everyone singing along without even being asked.

After “Who Believes in Angels?”, she started taking a few audience requests, laughing and chatting with people as she went. Thousands of fans in the arena, and yet it felt like a cozy, spontaneous jam. Later in the show, she took a few more live requests, keeping the night loose and fun.

The middle of the set hit hard emotionally — “You Without Me,” “The Mother,” and a huge singalong of “The Story” made the whole place feel like one big choir. Her version of “Long Long Time” (Linda Ronstadt) was tender and heartfelt. “The Joke” packed the punch you’d expect, and she closed the main set with “Hold Out Your Hand,” leaving the crowd buzzing.

The encore kept that energy going. “Viva la Vida” (Coldplay) had everyone on their feet. “Church & State” brought the fire. Her take on “Uninvited” (Alanis Morissette) was intense in the best way. Then for the very last song, “A Long Goodbye,” the Singing Resistance Choir came back out to join her. As she snuck in a playful snippet of “My Kind of Town (Chicago Is),” their voices lifted the song into this big, joyful, communal moment that felt like the perfect way to end the night.

When the lights came up, it didn’t feel like just the end of a show. It felt like a celebration — of Minneapolis, of music, of community — and like everyone there had been part of something really special.

Photo by Skyler Barberio