Katie RauschMusic Columnist

Nearly 12 years to the day after they first sang and strummed in perfect harmony, Rascal Flatts will entertain fans at the Sioux Falls Arena.

The group will kick off the second leg of their “Nothing Like This Tour” on January 14th, with special guests Luke Bryan and Chris Young along for the ride.

“Somewhere around the 13th of January in 1999,” lead guitarist and vocalist Joe Don Rooney said in a biography for GAC-TV, “Jay [DeMarcus, vocalist and pianist] called me and said, “Dude, our guitar player can’t make it. Could you come sit in with us?’ I said, “Hell, yeah,’ grabbed my guitar and amp and made it to the club by 8.”

And the rest is history.

With more than six million concert tickets sold and 11 singles summiting the country charts so far in their career, Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney are still going strong. They are having fun with creative video concepts and moving forward with a progressive style that continues to influence the entire genre.

Their commercial success stems from the depth and relatability of their music. Whether you are head-over-heels in love, tending the sting of a broken heart or just soaking up the sun with friends at the beach, there is a Rascal Flatts song to fit the situation.

Feel good tunes such as “Summer Nights” and “Bob That Head” encourage throwing cares to the wind and enjoying the moment, while soaring choruses and afflicted vocal expressions make every second of songs like “Here Comes Goodbye” and “What Hurts the Most” emotive and gripping. Concert goers can expect to see Rascal Flatts touch each end of the spectrum with unflinching perfection.

Freshman early childhood education major Dani Crotteau has seen Rascal Flatts in concert and said the concert would “definitely be worth going to.”

“They didn’t play too many fast songs or too many slow songs, so it was well balanced,” she said. “And the lighting fit perfectly to the songs.”

Opening night of the tour should get off to a great start with fresh and energetic openers, Luke Bryan and Chris Young.

Bryan, the son of a peanut farmer from Leesburg, Ga., is country to the bone. His agricultural roots and Southern boy charm are a draw for many fans that grew up in a similar fashion. But Bryan can also pull off desperation-laced ballads, such as “Do I”, with the best of them.

Young is a youthful artist with the voice of a seasoned professional. His thick baritone drenches his songs about everyday life in character and credibility. “Gettin’ You Home” and “The Man I Want to Be” are sure to be crowd pleasers.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. A limited selection of tickets are still available. The tour will make its next stop the following night in Rapid City at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

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