Review: Rascal Flatts Make an Emotional Return in Evansville, Indiana

Review: Rascal Flatts Make an Emotional Return in Evansville, Indiana

Written by Amanda Tempel

Photos Courtesy of The Ford Center

25 Years.

That’s how long it’s been since the captivating, harmonious opening notes of “Prayin’ For Daylight,” the debut single from Rascal Flatts, hit radio. One hit turned into another, and another, and well…their current total of chart hits stands around forty. Throughout their 25 years of success, they’ve experienced the highs of receiving country music’s biggest honors, like being named Vocal Group of the Year eleven times from the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music, membership into the Grand Ole Opry, and all those shiny platinum records, representing over 60 million in album and single sales.

Accolades and statistics aside, what truly sets Rascal Flatts apart is their unmatched ability to connect with their fans through their impressive catalog of songs. And that’s exactly what fans experienced during Rascal Flatt’s opening night of their Life Is A Highway Tour in Evansville, Indiana, on February 13, 2025.

The fan favorite “Here’s To You” officially re-ignited the trio’s return to the road, adding in a snippet of the Thin Lizzy classic “The Boys Are Back In Town.” Hit after hit followed with “Yours If You Want It,” “Fast Cars and Freedom,” “Stand,” “Mayberry,” “My Wish,” and “Banjo,” transforming the arena into a nostalgic singalong.

The most emotionally charged moment of the night came when guitarist Joe Don Rooney stepped into the spotlight, his voice thick with emotion as he spoke of the struggles that had nearly unraveled everything. Over five years ago, those challenges forced Rascal Flatts into a hiatus, casting doubt on the band's future.

With raw honesty, he shared his journey of redemption, his words carrying the weight of experience and hope. “I was able to get the help I needed—and needed for a long time,” he admitted, his voice cracking. Then, looking out into the crowd, he offered a message of encouragement: “Somebody loves you way more than what you’re going through.”

Accompanied by celloist, Joe Don performed a solo rendition of “I’m Movin’ On,” one of the night’s most memorable moments.

The band reemerged on stage and rolled through “Why Wait,” and introduced their latest single “I Dare You.” The Kenny Chesney-penned “Take Me There” blended seamlessly with “I Melt,” showcasing Gary LeVox’s signature vocal acrobatics. As the night progressed, the hits got bigger.

Their 2002 hit “These Days” featured an edgy guitar intro from Joe Don Rooney, with Jay DeMarcus taking over lead vocals. Sitting at his piano, Jay led the crowd in a spirited version of "Sweet Caroline” before diving into one of the band’s biggest hits, the five-week number one “Bless The Broken Road.”

The crowd, word-for-word, matched the band’s energy. For over two decades, these songs had been the soundtrack to their lives, and tonight was no different. Rascal Flatts powered through hits like “I Like The Sound of That,” “What Hurts the Most,” and “Me and My Gang.” When the band left the stage, the audience roared for more—and they delivered. They returned for an encore of “Summer Nights” and ended with “Life’s A Highway,” bringing openers Lauren Alaina and Chris Lane onstage with them for a fitting finale.

Though “Life Is a Highway” is an upbeat anthem, its title carries a bit of symbolism — one that resonates now more than ever. Life is full of twists and turns, highs and lows, and unexpected detours, something Rascal Flatts has experienced firsthand. Yet, through it all, they’ve never stopped moving forward, never stopped sharing the music that connects them to their fans. And reunited on that stage, the message was clear, the road may be unpredictable, but for Rascal Flatts, it’s far from over.

Setlist

• Here’s To You/The Boys Are Back In Town

• Yours If You Want It

• Fast Cars and Freedom

• Stand

• Mayberry

• My Wish

• Banjo

• I’m Movin’ On

• Why Wait

• I Dare You

• Take Me There/I Melt

• These Days

• Sweet Caroline

• Bless The Broken Road/Oh, The Blood of Jesus

• I Like The Sound of That

• What Hurts The Most

• Me and My Gang

• Encore:

• Summer Nights

• Life Is A Highway

Find more tour dates and ticket information at RascalFlatts.com.

Lauren Alaina

From the moment Lauren Alaina hit the stage with “Walk In The Bar,” it was clear: she is a star in every sense of the word.

The world has literally watched her evolution as a wide-eyed 15-year-old chasing after her dreams on American Idol. She’s evolved into a leading vocalist in country music and a songwriting force, with her chart-topping hits.

And now, as she prepares to embrace the next chapter of her life, she’s about to add another title to her repertoire—mom.

Addressing the crowd in Evansville, Lauren exclaimed, “This is my daughter’s debut in an arena show!”

Fans sang along to “Thicc As Thieves,” which featured a nod to Gretchen Wilson’s “Here For the Party.” She followed that up with “One Beer” – the chart-topping hit she recorded with Hardy and Devin Dawson.

The show’s standout moments came from two outstanding new songs Lauren wrote herself, the first being her latest release, “Those Kind of Women.” It’s the kind of song country music is built on. Those real-life sentiments showcase a vulnerability and resonate with fans. Another new song, “Boots on the Ground,” was prefaced with Lauren’s upbringing in a military family.

Chris Lane joined Lauren for a fun duet of “Dancin’ In The Moonlight” before she shared another new song, “House Hold.” The clever track, was inspired by a friend’s comment, “How much whiskey is too much whiskey.”

Lauren closed the night with the powerful “What If,” as her band embraced some arena rock energy, before the crowd lit up the stadium with their cell phone lights during her number one hit “Road Less Traveled.”

Lauren Alaina Setlist

• Walk In The Bar

• Thicc As Thieves/Here For The Party

• One Beer

• Those Kind of Women

• Boots on the Ground

• Dancin’ In The Moonlight

• House Hold

• What If

• Road Less Travelled

Chris Lane

Chris Lane has really elevated his artistry with his latest releases, and it all centers around his songwriting.

Massive hits like “Fix” and “Take Back Home Girl” kicked off his opening set with “Find Another Bar,” and “Big Big Plans,” following and had the crowd singing along.

But it was his current single, “If I Die Before You,” that truly showcased a more vulnerable side, offering the crowd a deeply personal glimpse into his life and his heart.

Country music revolves around great songs and another new song, “What Am I Supposed To Tell The Dog” is country music storytelling at its finest. This one needs to be on radio, because it’s a hit. And it’s the more traditional delivery that really stands out; Chris Lane is on to something here.

A medley of ‘90s hits had the crowd standing up, dancing, and belting every word – the mashup included the artists that Chris grew up on like Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, and George Strait.

His 40-minute set was met with a well-deserved standing ovation for his closing number “I Don’t Know About You.”

Chris Lane Setlist

• Fix

• Take Back Home Girl

• Find Another Bar

• Big Big Plans

• If I Die Before You

• Let Me Love You

• What Am I Supposed To Tell The Dog

• Medley: Should’ve Been A Cowboy/Watermelon Crawl/Boot Scootin’ Boogie/Chattahoochee/Dust On The Bottle/Check Yes Or No/Ride Wit Me

• I Don’t Know About You

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