There’s nothing quite like the feel of a country music concert, so alumni and current students filled the BJC a week after Kanye to see yet another big name perform right here in State College on Homecoming weekend. The sounds of banjos, southern drawls, and songs about summertime and cold beer united Friday night when Rascal Flatts took Happy Valley by storm.

Chase Bryant, best known for his hits “Take It On Back” and “Little Bit of You,” started the night off sporting a custom Penn State football jersey with Bryant printed on the back, paying tribute to the Nittany Lions and homecoming weekend (He must not know about “no names, all game.”) Despite only recently entering the country music scene, Bryant brought a great confidence to the stage and did a fantastic job getting the crowed excited for the main act of the night.

Of course, Bryant’s performance paled in comparison to that of the seasoned performers in Rascal Flatts. After an absence of more than six years, the group finally returned to the BJC for the seventh time as a part of its Rhythm and Roots tour. They opened with “Summer Nights” and also played hits like “I Like the Sound of That” and “What Hurts the Most.”

Most notably, Rascal Flatts played “Life is a Highway,” a song that arguably brought country music back to the mainstream limelight when it was released. Bass guitarist and keyboardist Jay DeMarcus paused in the middle of the concert to speak about his Christian faith and love for this country in without a doubt one of the most down-to-earth speeches given by a performer at a concert.

Singing about American pride, seduction, heartbreak, and broken roads, Rascal Flatts once again brought its A-game to Penn State. Nothing quite says America like getting all dolled up in your flannel shirts and cowboy boots to listen to some quality country music on a Friday night, and I don’t think the crowd would have it any other way given how spectacularly Rascal Flatts performed.