Jason Aldean rocks the WVU Coliseum

Jason Aldean performed Friday at the West Virginia University Coliseum along with fellow country star Lee Brice.

Students and country music fans gathered in the Coliseum parking lot to listen to country music, play cornhole and have a few drinks while waiting in anticipation for the concert to begin.

One of these tailgaters, junior animal nutrition major Sharon Frankhowser, said the pre-show festivities aren't something that usually happen at most shows at the Coliseum, and she believes the genre of music makes all the difference.

"Country music is all about drinking and having a good time, and I think the crowd turnout for country shows are 100 percent better than other shows," Frankhowser said. "Country fans just seem to be down to earth and know how to have a good time."

Matt Schlakey, a sophomore engineering major, said he was most excited for the show because of Aldean's catchy and relatable songs.

"He's just awesome in general and he sings about real life experiences that almost anyone can relate to, regardless if you're a country music fan or not," Schlakey said.

Aldean put on an energetic, while intimate show and played new and old favorites, including hits "Why," "The Truth" and "My Kind of Party."

He also put his own spin on Bryan Adams' 1980s hit "Heaven," which he perfected in his recent CMT Crossroads experience with Adams in 2009.

Becky Hartman, a sophomore optometry major, was impressed by Aldean's seamless vocals and appreciates Aldean's music lyrically.

"What's great about Jason Aldean, like a lot of country singers, is he speaks from the heart," Hartman said. "He's an amazing singer. He's no faker – his vocals sound exactly the same in concert as they do on the radio."

Jonathan Hill, a sophomore history student, had high expectations for Friday's performance.

Hill has waited a long time to see Aldean in concert and was left more than satisfied.

"Jason Aldean is my favorite country singer of all time, and I've tried to see him live since he first came out when I was in high school, but I never got that chance until tonight, and it was absolutely the best concert I've ever been to," Hill said.

"He did a great job performing live, and he just kept the audience excited throughout the entire show and anticipating what he was going to do next."