Rascal Flatts (Photo Credit - Flickr)

Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of Rascal Flatts' 2012 “Changed” tour is the impressive lineup of bands serving as opening acts. Eden's Edge, the trio of newcomers behind last year's hit single “Amen,” kicked things off early as fans began to trickle into the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Friday night.

Almost everyone was in their seats with fans pushing the capacity of the lawn seats by the time the Eli Young Band came on next, thrilling the audience with their collection of hits including “Always the Love Songs,” CMA Song of the Year nominated “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” and the fan-favorite ACM Song of the Year, “Crazy Girl.”

Next came Little Big Town, whose summer hit “Pontoon” had crowds singing right along with the catchy chorus. The band acknowledged that it had taken them 13 years to get a number one single, but if the crowd's reaction is any indication, their success is just beginning.

The headliners, set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday, finally appeared around 9:30pm, two-and-a-half hours after the concert's start time. Three showering waterfall-like sets of lights appeared amidst the opening chords of “Banjo,” revealing the Flatts trio standing beneath each display in their signature bedazzled attire.

Singer Gary Le Vox, bassist Jay DeMarcus and guitarist Joe Don Rooney told fans how happy they were to be back, joking that they loved the “Southern California, Los Angeles, Irvine, whatever you call it” venue.

The setlist continued with a rousing rendition of the band's 2009 chart-topper “Summer Nights,” which seemed incredibly appropriate with temperatures near 100 degrees serving as a reminder that summer's not quite gone yet.

The band then moved into “Fast Cars and Freedom,” as well as the 2002 hit “These Days,” which earned the band their first of 12 number one singles to date. Next came the current single, “Come Wake Me Up,” an emotional ballad which received a powerful reaction from the audience.

The band brought some fun back to the setlist with “Hot In Here,” complete with a collection of dance moves by DeMarcus, who then took to the mic to explain that the band hates leaving a show wondering whether or not they gave the crowd everything they wanted.

Taking a page from Sugarland's current “In Your Hands” tour, the band allowed audience members to yell out requests, vowing to play any Rascal Flatts songs the fans wanted. Despite the section coming across as very rehearsed, the audience was pleased when the band launched into snippets of “My Wish,” “Mayberry” and “This Everyday Love,” supposedly in response to fan requests.

Next came an inspirational rendition of “Stand,” during which words such as “courage,” “dedication” and “hope” scrolled across the screen to reflect the message of the song. The band continued with “Why Wait” before launching into covers of Bill Withers's “Lean On Me” and Journey's “Open Arms,” linked by the recognizable piano riff of Bob Seger's “Old Time Rock and Roll.”

The crowd, enlivened by the sing-along nature of the covers, happily took the lead for the chorus of Rascal Flatts' first platinum single, “God Blessed the Broken Road.” The band briefly took a break through an impressive drum solo, followed by Rooney taking the lead for a guitar solo that led nicely into the anthem-like “Me and My Gang” and the popular cover of Tom Cochrane's “Life is a Highway” off of the “Cars” soundtrack.

The trio then turned the tables, giving the audience an ovation for their support, before breaking into “Here's To You,” a tribute to the people who allow them to live their dreams every day. As the crowd cheered in mutual appreciation, the band continued with one of the most popular songs of their career, “What Hurts the Most.”

The night ended without an encore, the final song being a cover of Grand Funk Railroad's “We're An American Band.” After singing the first verse on their own, Rascal Flatts brought out all three of their popular openers to finish the night with them, a fitting conclusion to what was a highly interactive show in Irvine.

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