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Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean Rock Go Fest At The VWA - 9/29

Janet Edbrooke |
September 30, 2012 | 4:23 p.m. PDT

Staff Reporter

(via Jason Aldean's website)
(via Jason Aldean's website)
Go Country 105's fifth annual “Go Fest” rocked Irvine on Saturday night, definitely living up to the hype of Jason Aldean's appropriately-titled "My Kinda Party" tour.

The event, which sold out in less than ten minutes like many of the other stops on Aldean's tour, featured a slate of seven performers, including three newcomers on the side stage who kicked off the evening around 4pm.

Fans were also treated to line dancing between sets, helping contribute to Go Fest's reputation as a mini-Stagecoach amongst Southern California country music fans.

Seventeen-year-old singer-guitarist Rachel Farley got things going on the main stage with about 20 minutes of original material, as well as a lively cover of Katy Perry's “Hot N Cold.”

Between acts, the tour's resident DJ, Dee Jay Silver, kept the crowd going with a mix of country, rock and hip-hop that reflected the energy of the main performances to come.

The capacity crowd was mostly inside the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in time to see opener Luke Bryan take the stage, with many people seeming to be almost more excited for his act than for Aldean himself. Bryan's high energy level was evident from the moment he took the stage to “Rain Is A Good Thing,” and his playful on-stage antics definitely didn't disappoint as the hour-long set progressed.

Some of Bryan's best performances of the night included his current single, “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye,” as well as his ever-popular “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” which he sang to close the show. Bryan's dance moves were a clear hit with the mostly female audience, and he even had a member of the Navy join him on stage to show the country girls that the guys can shake it too.

Aldean finally took the stage around 9pm to the delight of the packed audience, immediately launching into a rocking version of his 2007 hit “Johnny Cash” before charging through fan-favorites “Big Green Tractor” and “Amarillo Sky” then slowing it down for his popular ballads “Why” and “The Truth.”

Before launching into the next section of his act, Aldean paused to thank the audience for coming out and making the tour such a success, then encouraging them to make sure they had a good time. “Get as drunk and crazy as you want to,” he enthusiastically proclaimed before cranking the energy level back up with “Crazy Town.”

Next came “Take A Little Ride,” the current number one single off of his upcoming album, due out October 16. He also gave fans a chance to hear the title track, “Night Train,” which had an immediately appealing chorus that leads one to believe his recent string of number one singles is nowhere near over.

Aldean gave the audience a reminder of such hits, next launching into a string of favorites from his most recent album, “My Kinda Party,” for which the tour is named. “Fly Over States” and the reminiscent “Tattoos On This Town” were a hit with the crowd, as was the lesser-known “Texas Was You.”

The next part of the show was perhaps one of the most impressive moments of the night, with Aldean singing his award winning duet “Don't You Wanna Stay” with a virtual version of song partner Kelly Clarkson gracing the large video screen on stage.

The incredible performances didn't stop there, with Aldean launching into his triple-platinum “Dirt Road Anthem” before closing out the main portion of his set with “My Kinda Party” and the hard-hitting “She's Country” to keep fans on their feet up to the very last moment of the show.

The crowd continued cheering until Aldean reappeared for an encore, featuring a rocking cover of Kid Rock's “Cowboy” as well as a full-circle moment with featuring his first single from all the way back in 2005, “Hicktown.” Judging by the reception of last night's audience and the success of this tour as a whole, it's safe to say Aldean will have many more singles to come.

UPDATE: Jason Aldean responded to allegations that he had an affair with former "American Idol" contestant Brittany Kerr, confirming the news in a statement. Read more here.

Reach Staff Reporter Janet Edbrooke here.



 

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