Cowboy boots, plaid shirts and beer filled the Stroh Center Thursday night as fans of country music came to see Chris Young’s first headlining tour.
Young’s “Liquid Neon” Tour featuring Joanna Smith and Thomas Rhett got the crowd stomping their boots and raising their beers to hear more country music.
“You never forget your first time y’all and y’all are my first,” Young said at the show.
Young played all the hits from his new album “Neon,” several older songs like “The Man I Want To Be” and showed off a new song “Text Me Texas” for an upcoming album.
“Don’t worry, we are working on a new record,” Young said.
University freshman Taylor Huebner said this was his first country concert and thought the crowd was as excited as he was.
“I’m definitely looking forward to going to more country concerts,” Huebner said. “He’s great and I thought the show was awesome.”
Melissa Spicer, freshman at Owens Community College, came to the concert to celebrate her birthday, which is Friday.
“I love Chris Young and his music, so it was a great birthday present,” Spicer said. “I’d definitely pay to see it again.”
Spicer had never heard Rhett or Smith before, but she said she loved Rhett.
“I listen to Colt Ford a lot and he was really similar to him,” Spicer said.
Rhett got the crowd on its feet with his own dancing on stage, several cover songs and his current hits “Beer with Jesus” and “Something To Do With My Hands.”
“I just want to say thank you,” Rhett said to the crowd in the Stroh. “You are the people who make country music possible.”
Huebner thought Rhett’s performance was better than Smith’s.
“He was a little more exciting and I really liked him,” Huebner said.
Katie Recker, a high school youth leader for Eastwood High School in Pemberville, Ohio, said her favorite song of the night was Rhett’s “Beer with Jesus.”
Recker said she was born and raised a country fan and loved the entire show.
“I’m losing my voice because I was singing so loud,” Recker said.
She also said that the crowd was definitely a party crowd and it was a fun concert.
Joshua Carter, keyboard player for Young and Oxford, Ohio, native, said it was great coming back to his home state.
“It’s always awesome,” Carter said. “I love coming back to Ohio.”
Carter said the tour is heading into the middle part of the dates.
“It’s been great. It’s our first headlining tour,” Carter said. “The crowds are great and it’s just been a lot of fun.”
