Luke Bryan, one of country music’s hottest new stars, is performing at the Bama Theatre tonight at 9 p.m.
Bryan, who has been nominated for the Best New Artist category at the CMA Awards this November, is probably best known for his latest two singles, “Do I” and “Rain Is a Good Thing.” Both have spent time at the No. 1 spot of the country music charts.
Bryan is expected to perform “Do I,” which he co-wrote with Lady Antebellum group members Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, as well as “Country Man,” “All My Friends Say” and “Rain Is a Good Thing,” among others.
“He also plays a lot of fun cover songs,” said Dixie Owen, director of media and public relations for Capitol Records Nashville. “I’m not sure what all he has cooked up for that night.”
Bryan may also play some songs from his Spring Break EP shows, which he does every year in places like Panama City and Ft. Walton Beach and which are usually packed.
Bryan’s performance at the Bama Theatre is part of his 2010 Farm Tour, during which he has traveled and will continue to travel to several college towns throughout the United States. This week alone, Bryan has visited SEC towns Oxford and Fayetteville, and he has performances scheduled for Chattanooga, Knoxville and Charlottesville next week.
“He loves playing in college towns, especially southern college towns. He can really cut up and have fun with the college crowd,” Owen said.
Bryan, who grew up in Georgia and is an alumnus of Georgia Southern, also loves college football, Owen said.
For that reason, his booking agent schedules shows during big game day weekends on purpose so Bryan can revel in the game day atmosphere and catch the games whenever possible.
Opening for Bryan is Jon Pardi, who performed with Bryan for the first time on Wednesday. Despite having performed together only a few times, Pardi’s manager Tinti Moffatt said that the experience has been great.
“The best part of Wednesday’s show was Luke’s crowd,” Moffatt said. “They were fun, young, loved country music and were pumped for a good time.”
Pardi, like Bryan, is a rising country singer/songwriter and has an album forthcoming on the Capitol label. Crowd favorites, so far, seem to be his signature song “Drinkin’ With Me” as well as “Write You a Song,” “Happens All the Time” and “Still Love You From Here,” Moffatt said.
Like the venues where Bryan performs for his spring break shows, the Bama Theatre offers the crowd-loving country stars an intimate venue in which they will be able to closely interact with the audience.
“Luke loves intimate venues because it allows him to get close with the fans,” Owen said.
Although the show doesn’t start until 9 p.m., the doors will open at 7 p.m. The cost of the show is about $24, and tickets can be purchased online. For more information, go to tuscarts.org.
If You Go
What: Luke Bryan and Jon Pardi in concert
Where: Bama Theatre
When: 9 p.m. tonight
Cost: $24
