*** 1/2 (out of five stars)
I wasn't a big country music fan, let alone a Rascal Flatts guy, until I saw them in concert last night at the Great Allentown Fair.
Rascal Flatts, the superstar country music group, played a tidy 90-minute set to a nearly sold-out , excited crowd in Allentown on a cool but clear late summer evening.
To be honest, I didn't know many of the songs, except for "Life is a Highway," their mega-hit of several years ago. But as I listened to their set, the songs became more familiar. "Oh, yeah..I know this one..."
The group showed a lot of energy, and seemed very grateful to their fans ( as I noticed two nights earlier with Keith Urban, also at Allentown).
. Country music artists seem very real and genuine. No different with Rascal Flatts.
Their light show and sound were excellent. And the hits came all evening, including several from their new album, Back to Us.
The only downer was that their set was too short. Rascal Flatts took the stage a little after 8:00, and ended up, with a two-song encore, around 9:40. Otherwise, it was a fun time.
Opening was the ex-American Idol alumni Lauren Alaina, a perky, energetic blonde, all of 22, who gave a spirited performance. She had the crowd with her all the way, as the audience were pretty much in their sets early. By the end of her set, the crowd was standing, clapping and shining their cell phone flashlights.
She was one of the best opening acts I've seen, far more polished and commanding the stage than let's say Lindsey Ell, who opened for Keith Urban only days before in Allentown.
A highlight was "My Next Boyfriend" a catchy song where Alaina picked a young guy form the crowd to climb onstage and dance with her. It turned out to be an unexpectedly fun segment, as the guy striped down to his undershirt on the brisk evening, flirted and danced with the country star.
Look for Lauren to become a headliner in the very near future.
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