Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley & Jimmy Wayne Take Manhattan

"I am so pleased to be here," Brad Paisley told the crowd Wednesday night at New York's famed Madison Square Garden, as his American Saturday Night Tour hit the Big Apple. "I'm married to a New Yorker, and when she married me, she wasn't totally sure about me, but tonight she is," he said with a smile, referring wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley. "I'm playing Madison Square Garden!"

Brad's lovely wife and visiting in-laws were far from being the only ones impressed, as Brad delivered a high-energy show that incorporated his blistering guitar work, engaging sense of humor and, of course, hit after hit after hit. He opened his set with 'Start a Band,' just as a backdrop fell revealing his talented band, the Drama Kings. They then launched into 'American Saturday Night,' the title track of his latest chart-topping album, and the party was officially underway.

Brad kept up the pace, delivering such crowd favorites as 'Mud on the Tires' and 'Wrapped Around.' 'Celebrity' was accompanied by video of Little Jimmy Dickens defeating Opry star Bill Anderson then vanquishing Taylor Swift in a mock guitar hero competition. While singing the song, Brad interjected the line, "I can throw a fit when MTV gives an award to Taylor Swift," and the crowd roared with laughter at the Kanye West reference.

Brad followed with 'Waitin' on a Woman,' as the video screens played the award-winning clip featuring TV legend Andy Griffith. He served up the new tune, 'Water,' from 'American Saturday Night' before reaching back to his 2007 album, '5th Gear,' to deliver 'I'm Still a Guy.' He paused before the last verse and told the crowd he was about to sing the sissy verse, referencing the lyric that says "With deep spray-on tans and creamy, lotiony hands, you can't grip a tackle box."

"There are no sissies in New York!" he proclaimed, as the crowd cheered. "If you have the nerve to live here, walk across the street here and get in a cab here, you're not a sissy. If you have the nerve to wear a cowboy hat here, you're not a sissy!"

Madison Square Garden was indeed a sea of boots and cowboy hats. In fact, one amused fan -- a native New Yorker in a baseball cap -- remarked that on the way to the show, he'd never seen so many cowboy hats in the subway.

The atypical attire and enthusiastic screams were all just testament to Brad's universal appeal. From California to Florida and up the East Coast to New York, Brad has been drawing capacity crowds. His shows mix such sentimental love songs as 'She's Everything' and 'Then' with humorous fare such as 'Catch All the Fish,' which was accompanied by a hilarious video of Brad, his band and a couple of bikini-clad beauties, which was filmed at the pond on his property. During an amazing instrumental, fans enjoyed an animated video, created by Brad himself, that featured fellow country artists in peril and super hero Brad flying to the rescue. He saved poor Carrie Underwood, who was tied up on train tracks, and rescued Reba, Alan Jackson and Martina McBride, but when he encounters Toby Keith tied up and the Dixie Chicks shooting him with squirt guns, the animated Brad says, "Let's stay out of this one."

When Brad performed the Grammy-winning hit, 'Letter to Me,' he said, "I wish y'all could have seen me back then." Suddenly, photos of a young Brad appeared. He laughed and told the crowd, "I'm living proof that no matter what they tell you, high school is not the best years of your life."

One of the most moving moments came during Brad's performance of 'When I Get Where I'm Going.' As he sang, photos of late American sports and entertainment icons flashed across the screens. Johnny Cash, Heath Ledger and Patrick Swayze were among the ones who generated the most cheers from the crowd. And when emblems of the New York police and fire departments appeared in tribute to 9/11, the crowd rose to it feet and began chanting "USA! USA! USA!"

The highlights of the evening were many. Openers Jimmy Wayne and Dierks Bentley joined Brad as he performed the humorous hit, 'Alcohol.' Jimmy even plunged into the audience for a brief bit of crowd surfing. Brad concluded with an incredible cover of Don Henley's classic 'Boys of Summer,' earning a standing ovation.

It was a great night of music, and it must be said that Jimmy and Dierks's opening performances were stellar, providing perfect intros to Brad's amazing show.

"You can mention Madison Square Garden anywhere in the world, and people know where you're talking about. There's so much history and to be a part of that means a lot," Jimmy told The Boot. "I'm just knocked out. I can't believe we're here!"

The North Carolina native had spent the two days leading up to the show visiting New York media, talking to reporters at PEOPLE, Fox TV and Billboard magazine about his new album, which streets Nov. 24. During his impressive set, he captivated the crowd with such hits as 'Stay,' 'Do You Believe Me Now,' which topped the charts for three weeks last year, and his current hit, 'Sara Smile,' which is racing up the charts. Poking fun at his opening status, Jimmy held up a sign that said "Scream," followed by a series of signs that said "If You Love Beer," "If you love Dierks" and "If you love Brad." The next sign encouraged the crowd to scream "If you have a remote idea who the hell I am." The audience erupted in laughter.

When Jimmy wrapped his soulful set, Dierks took the stage and wowed the crowd with 'Sideways,' 'Come a Little Closer,' 'Feel That Fire' and 'What Was I Thinkin'.' "We need you guys to help us make some good memories tonight," Dierks told the crowd in the historic venue.

It was a night both the fans and the performers on stage will never forget. After the show, Brad told The Boot how much it meant to him to play Madison Square Garden and said it meant even more to his drummer, Ben Sesar. "He's from Morristown, New Jersey, and used to come here to shows when he was growing up," Brad said.

As the urban cowboys headed for the subway and businessmen in dress shirts and sport coats did the same, it was obvious on the smiling faces a great time was had by everyone in that diverse melting pot of an audience. Who else but Brad Paisley could make a Wednesday night in New York City feel like an 'American Saturday Night?'