What Was The BIGGEST Concert in South Dakota’s History?

South Dakota has seen its fair share of legendary musical moments over the decades. Whether you think of the iconic run of packed shows Garth Brooks played right here in Sioux Falls back in the day, or the earth-shaking concerts that rock the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally year after year, the Mount Rushmore State knows how to host a crowd.

Yet, the absolute biggest concert in state history didn't happen in the state's largest city, and it didn't happen out west during the rally. Instead, it took place almost exactly 10 years ago just an hour's drive north of Sioux Falls—nestled right in the heart of Brookings.

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If you guessed that the state's largest city, Sioux Falls, took the top spot, or perhaps somewhere out West River, you'd be wrong. The absolute biggest concert in state history actually took place 10 years ago, just an hour's drive north of Sioux Falls in the college town of Brookings.

The historic event was the inagural "Jacks Bash," an enormous weekend celebration held in September 2016 to christen the brand-new Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, home of the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits.

To break in a state-of-the-art facility properly, you need a superstar. They brought in one of the biggest names in country music to headline the night: Luke Bryan. But he didn't come to Brookings all by his lonesome... Little Big Town and Lee Brice also played for the crowd, making it one of the most unforgettable concert experiences in the history of the state of South Dakota.

The stadium was packed to the absolute brim (25,000+). Fans from all over the Upper-Midwest poured into Brookings to witness the inaugural event, completely transforming the college town into the epicenter of live music for the weekend. The sheer scale of the crowd that gathered on the turf and filled the newly built grandstands set a single-concert attendance record that hasn't been touched since.

It's been a full decade since Luke Bryan took the stage that night. While Sioux Falls continues to bring in massive arena tours and the Sturgis rally remains a bucket-list destination for live music fans, that unforgettable night at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium still holds the ultimate bragging rights.

While it holds the crown for the largest single-night stadium concert in South Dakota history, it still trails the Sturgis Buffalo Chip. Because Sturgis is a gigantic open-air venue, individual peak nights there routinely draw single-concert audiences estimated at 30,000 to over 50,000 people for artists like Kid Rock or Aerosmith, depending on the festival year.

So, it depends on how you want to look at it, I suppose. But, if you're looking at one single concert at a stadium, Jacks Bash I still holds the crown.