Arriving at the venue, the crowd was already buzzing with excitement, the space filled up fast. The venue was an open parking lot where a stage was set up and you could see the carnival rides from the beach bash going on in the background.

The opening acts for Dierks Bentley were Canaan Smith, with his hit on the radio Love You Like That, as well as Maddie and Tae, who have had many successful songs in the past year.

Canaan Smith started the show with a thumping bass. He started with his song Two Lane Road which got the crowd moving and showed that Smith was born to be an entertainer. He treated the crowd like they were his best friends.

Towards the end of his set he started talking about the reasoning behind his song Bronco, and it turned out to be a tribute to his brother who had passed away. Smith really got the crowd ready for the rest of the show by mixing in some slow songs but not bringing the mood down.

The next act was Maddie and Tae. They started off with their song Right Here, Right Now. The crowd instantly went wild and started singing along. Their enthusiasm to entertain the crowd was amazing, and they told stories about each song and why they wrote it. It made the whole experience very personal.

Maddie and Tae ended their act with their first big hit Girl in a Country Song, Maddie really got the crowd going when she had them sing part of the song. Everyone loved it. The next time Maddie and Tae visit Minnesota, I will definitely attend their concert.

Finally, Dierks Bentley came running onto the stage. The lights and crowd were all that you could see and hear. He opened up with one of his many hits, Sideways. The visuals on stage were simply amazing; no words could describe the emotions that were felt by the crowd as the lights flashed and pictures of his tour went up on the big screen. The bass thumping in my chest gave me goosebumps.

The day of the concert was an emotional day for the whole country due to the fact it was 9/11. Dierks payed tribute to all that had fallen in that terrible disaster by singing his song Riser. There was a woman standing next to me who started tearing up, and when I looked around I noticed that Dierks had really touched the crowd.

Overall this concert was a spectacular experience. I recommend anyone who has a chance to see any of these three artists should take it. They each brought their own unique quality to the show, Canaan Smith got the crowd going and ready for the next two performers, Maddie and Tae included everyone in their performance and made me feel like I was really part of the show.  Dierks Bentley did everything right. He really made the concert personal.